Creating WordPress plugins using AI code-generators remains a top-most query for many developers. The reason is the complexity; it isn’t as simple as generating an HTML web page (or even creating a web application, for that matter). It’s a lot more complex and requires third-party tools to test and deploy those plugins. But how complex? That is the question. This detailed guide is all about how AI code-generators can streamline WP plugin development, from generating code snippets to refining functionality. We’ll also show you a hands-on example: building a rather simple cookies notice pop-up plugin using WAMP as our local environment.
Why Use AI for WordPress Plugin Development?
Here’s why AI is a perfect fit for creating WordPress plugins:
- Speed: AI can generate boilerplate code, saving you hours of manual typing.
- Learning Tool: If you’re new to PHP, CSS, or JavaScript, AI explains concepts as it generates code, helping you learn on the fly.
- Customization: Need a specific feature? Describe it to the AI, and it’ll tailor the code to your needs.
- Debugging: AI can spot errors or suggest fixes when your plugin doesn’t work as expected.
But more than all this, it is just how impressive AI has become at generating high-quality code for various applications. This is, in part thanks to advanced LLM models like Claue 3.5 Sonnet, DeepSeek R1, GPT-4o, o3-mini, and so on, all of which you can try here.
How Bind AI Helps Generate WP Plugin Code Snippets
Before we jump into the technical steps, let’s break down how Bind AI (or any AI like it) can assist in plugin creation. So, how does it work? Well, the code generation part is the easiest thing of the bunch. Just curate a clear prompt that highlights what you need from your plugin, including functionality, design, etc., and feed it to the code generator. Here’s what it may look like:
We asked it to generate separate code snippets in PHP, CSS, and JS, which Bind AI did promptly. We used DeepSeek R1 for this project, but you can choose any model you like (results will vary).
Above you can see all the separate snippets we used in our application. So, now that we have the code, let’s convert it into a fully-functional WordPress plugin.
Hands-On: Creating a Cookie Notice Pop-Up Plugin with AI and WAMPserver
Let’s create a real plugin using WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP) as our local environment. We’ll assume Bind AI helped generate our code snippets, and we’ll walk you through every step to implement them.
Prerequisites
- WAMP Installed: Download and install WAMP from www.wampserver.com if you haven’t already. Ensure it’s running (green icon in the system tray).
- Text Editor: Use Notepad++, VS Code, or any editor of your choice.
- Basic Knowledge: Familiarity with PHP, CSS, and JavaScript helps, but we’ll explain everything step-by-step.
Step 1: Set Up WAMP and Install WordPress
If you already have WordPress running on WAMP, skip to Step 2.
1. Start WAMP:
- Launch WAMP from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.
- Check the system tray: the WAMP icon should turn green. If it’s orange or red, left-click the icon > Apache > Service > Start Service and MySQL > Service > Start Service.
2. Access Localhost:
- Open your browser and go to http://localhost/. You should see the WAMP homepage.
3. Download WordPress:
- Go to wordpress.org and download the latest ZIP file.
- Extract it to C:\wamp64\www\ (or your WAMP www folder). Rename the extracted folder to wordpress.
4. Create a Database:
- Go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin/.
- Log in with username root and no password (unless you’ve changed it).
- Click New on the left > enter wordpress_db as the database name > click Create.
5. Install WordPress:
Visit http://localhost/wordpress/ in your browser. Follow the setup:
- Select your language.
- Enter database details: Name (wordpress_db), Username (root), Password (blank), Host (localhost).
- Submit and run the installation.
- Set up your site title, admin username, password, and email, then log in at http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin/.
Step 2: Create the Plugin Folder
1. Locate the Plugins Directory:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\.
2. Create a New Folder:
- Right-click > New > Folder > name it cookies-plugin. Use lowercase and hyphens for consistency.
Step 3: Create the Main Plugin File
1. Create the PHP File:
- Inside C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\cookies-notice-popup\, right-click > New > Text Document.
- Rename it to cookies-notice-popup.php (ensure extensions are visible: not cookies-notice-popup.php.txt).
2. Add the Plugin Header:
- Open cookies-notice-popup.php in your text editor and paste:
php
<?php /* * Plugin Name: Cookies Notice Popup * Plugin URI: https://yourwebsite.com/cookies-notice-popup * Description: Displays a cookies notice pop-up with an accept button. * Version: 1.0.0 * Author: Your Name * Author URI: https://yourwebsite.com * License: GPL2 */
3. Test Activation:
- Go to http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin/plugins.php.
- Find “Cookies Notice Popup” in the list and click Activate. If it activates without errors, your structure is correct.
Step 4: Organize the Plugin Files
1. Create Subfolders:
- Inside cookies-notice-popup, create:
- css folder: Right-click > New > Folder > name it css.
- js folder: Repeat and name it js.
- Your structure should be:
C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\cookies-notice-popup\
├── css\
├── js\
├── cookies-notice-popup.php
2. Add Placeholder Files:
- In css, create style.css (right-click > New > Text Document > rename).
- In js, create script.js.
Step 5: Write the PHP Code
The PHP will output the pop-up HTML and handle basic logic.
1. Edit cookies-notice-popup.php:
- Add this below the header:
php
<?php /* * Plugin Header (from Step 3) */ // Prevent direct access if (!defined(‘ABSPATH’)) { exit; }
// Output the cookies notice function cookies_notice_popup_display() { // Check if the user has already accepted cookies if (!isset($_COOKIE[‘cookies_accepted’])) { echo ‘<div id=”cookies-notice” class=”cookies-notice”>’; echo ‘<p>We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing, you accept our use of cookies.</p>’; echo ‘<button id=”accept-cookies”>Accept</button>’; echo ‘</div>’; }
} add_action(‘wp_footer’, ‘cookies_notice_popup_display’);// Enqueue CSS and JS function cookies_notice_popup_enqueue_assets() { wp_enqueue_style( ‘cookies-notice-style’, plugins_url(‘css/style.css’, __FILE__), array(), ‘1.0.0’ );
wp_enqueue_script( ‘cookies-notice-script’, plugins_url(‘js/script.js’, __FILE__), array(‘jquery’), ‘1.0.0’, true );
} add_action(‘wp_enqueue_scripts’, ‘cookies_notice_popup_enqueue_assets’);
Explanation:
- cookies_notice_popup_display(): Outputs the pop-up in the footer unless the user has accepted cookies (checked via a cookie).
- cookies_notice_popup_enqueue_assets(): Loads style.css and script.js.
2. Test:
- Save the file, visit http://localhost/wordpress/, and scroll to the bottom. You should see the pop-up text and button (unstyled).
Step 6: Style the Pop-Up with CSS
1. Edit css/style.css:
Open C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\cookies-notice-popup\css\style.css and add:
css
.cookies-notice { position: fixed; bottom: 20px; left: 20px; right: 20px; background-color: #333; color: #fff; padding: 20px; border-radius: 5px; box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); z-index: 9999; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto; }
.cookies-notice p { margin: 0; font-size: 14px; }
#accept-cookies { background-color: #4CAF50; color: #fff; border: none; padding: 10px 20px; border-radius: 3px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; }
#accept-cookies:hover { background-color: #45a049; }
Explanation:
- Positions the pop-up at the bottom of the screen.
- Styles it with a dark background, white text, and a green button.
2. Test:
Reload http://localhost/wordpress/. The pop-up should now be styled.
Step 7: Add JavaScript Functionality
1. Edit js/script.js:
Open C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\cookies-notice-popup\js\script.js and add:
javascript
jQuery(document).ready(function($) { // Handle the accept button click $(‘#accept-cookies’).click(function() { // Set a cookie to remember acceptance document.cookie = “cookies_accepted=true; path=/; max-age=” + (365 * 24 * 60 * 60); // 1 year // Hide the notice $(‘#cookies-notice’).fadeOut(300); });
});
Explanation:
- Uses jQuery (included with WordPress) to listen for button clicks.
- Sets a cookie for 1 year when “Accept” is clicked and fades out the pop-up.
2. Test:
Reload the page, click “Accept”, and verify the pop-up disappears. Refresh again—it shouldn’t reappear.
Step 8: Test and Debug
1. Enable Debugging:
- Open C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-config.php.
- Change define(‘WP_DEBUG’, false); to:
php
define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true); define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true); define(‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, false);
- Save. Errors will log to C:\wamp64\www\wordpress\wp-content\debug.log.
2. Check Functionality:
- Visit http://localhost/wordpress/.
- Verify:
- Pop-up appears if no cookie is set.
- CSS styles apply (dark box, green button).
- JS works (click “Accept”, pop-up fades out, doesn’t reappear on refresh).
- Open browser developer tools (F12):
- Network tab: Confirm style.css and script.js load (200 OK).
- Console tab: Check for errors.
3. Fix Common Issues:
- CSS Not Loading: Ensure plugins_url(‘css/style.css’, __FILE__) matches the file path. Test the URL in your browser.
- JS Not Working: Confirm jQuery syntax and that #accept-cookies matches the button ID.
- Clear browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete) if changes don’t appear.
Step 9: Finalize the Plugin
1. Complete cookies-notice-popup.php:
php
<?php /* * Plugin Name: Cookies Notice Popup * Plugin URI: https://yourwebsite.com/cookies-notice-popup * Description: Displays a cookies notice pop-up with an accept button. * Version: 1.0.0 * Author: Your Name * Author URI: https://yourwebsite.com * License: GPL2 */ if (!defined(‘ABSPATH’)) { exit; }
function cookies_notice_popup_display() { if (!isset($_COOKIE[‘cookies_accepted’])) { echo ‘<div id=”cookies-notice” class=”cookies-notice”>’; echo ‘<p>We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing, you accept our use of cookies.</p>’; echo ‘<button id=”accept-cookies”>Accept</button>’; echo ‘</div>’; }
} add_action(‘wp_footer’, ‘cookies_notice_popup_display’);function cookies_notice_popup_enqueue_assets() { wp_enqueue_style(‘cookies-notice-style’, plugins_url(‘css/style.css’, __FILE__), array(), ‘1.0.0’); wp_enqueue_script(‘cookies-notice-script’, plugins_url(‘js/script.js’, __FILE__), array(‘jquery’), ‘1.0.0’, true); } add_action(‘wp_enqueue_scripts’, ‘cookies_notice_popup_enqueue_assets’);
2. Test Again:
Delete the cookies_accepted cookie (via browser settings or developer tools) and reload to ensure the pop-up reappears.
Step 10: Package the Plugin
1. Zip the Folder:
- In File Explorer, right-click cookies-notice-popup > Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
- Name it cookies-notice-popup.zip.
2. Test Installation:
- Go to http://localhost/wordpress/wp-admin/plugins.php > Add New > Upload Plugin.
- Upload cookies-notice-popup.zip > Install Now > Activate.
- Visit the front end to confirm it works.
Step 11: Optional Enhancements
- Customizable Text: Add a settings page using the WordPress Settings API to let users change the notice text.
- Styling Options: Include a color picker in the admin area.
- Cookie Duration: Make the cookie expiration configurable.
FAQ
1. What is Bind AI, and do I need it specifically?
Bind AI is a great option for anything coding. Advanced LLMs, check. Built-in IDE, check. Native GitHub integration, check. Direct deployment, check. It has almost everything you can ask for, which makes it stand out for coding-specific tasks as compared to ChatGPT, Grok, etc.
2. Why use WAMP instead of another local server?
WAMP is a popular choice for Windows users because it’s free, easy to set up, and bundles Apache, MySQL, and PHP—everything WordPress needs. Alternatives like XAMPP or Local by Flywheel work too, but this guide focuses on WAMP for its simplicity on Windows.
3. Can I create a plugin without AI?
Yes! AI speeds up the process and helps beginners, but you can manually write all the code yourself. The steps in the blog (folder setup, PHP, CSS, JS) apply whether you use AI or not.
4. Why isn’t my cookies notice pop-up showing up?
If the pop-up doesn’t appear, check these:
- The plugin is activated in wp-admin/plugins.php.
- The cookies_accepted cookie isn’t already set (delete it via browser settings).
- Debug mode is on (WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php)—look for errors in debug.log.
5. How do I change the pop-up’s text or style?
Edit the PHP in cookies-notice-popup.php to change the text (e.g., modify the <p> content). For styling, tweak style.css—adjust colors, positions, or fonts to your liking. AI can generate new styles if you describe what you want!
6. Can I add more features, like a settings page?
Absolutely! Ask your AI to generate a settings page using the WordPress Settings API. It’ll involve adding a menu item, form, and options storage—perfect for customizing the notice text or cookie duration dynamically.
Final Thoughts
Using Bind AI and WAMP, we’ve turned a simple idea into a functional WordPress plugin with minimal effort. AI generated our snippets, explained hooks like wp_footer, and helped debug—all while we built a real-world cookies notice pop-up. Deploy it to a live site via FTP or keep tweaking with AI’s help. The possibilities are endless—try asking for a settings page next!
If you encounter issues, revisit the debug step or reach out with specific details (e.g., error logs, console messages).