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Installation

ModulesPress is a modern PHP framework for developing WordPress plugins, inspired by the architectural patterns of NestJS. It leverages PHP 8+ attributes for decorators, offers built-in Vite integration with Hot Module Replacement (HMR), and includes a CLI tool for streamlined plugin development. This guide will walk you through creating your first ModulesPress plugin using the CLI.

Prerequisites​

Before getting started, ensure you have these tools installed:

  • WordPress

    • A running WordPress installation (locally or on a server)

  • Composer

    • Installed globally on your system
    • Used to manage the ModulesPress framework and plugin dependencies

  • Node.js and NPM

    • Both installed globally
    • Required for Vite's frontend tooling

  • PHP 8.1+

    • ModulesPress requires PHP 8.1 or later

  • Git

    • For version control

Installation​

1. Install the ModulesPress CLI​

Use Composer to install the CLI tool globally:

composer global require modulespress/cli
caution

After installation, you may need to add the ModulesPress CLI's bin directory to your system's PATH environment variable. Consult the Composer documentation for instructions specific to your operating system.

2. Create a New Plugin​

Navigate to the directory where you want to create your plugin and run:

modulespress new

The CLI will guide you through these steps:

Configuration Prompts​

  • Plugin name
  • Plugin slug
  • Description
  • Author information
  • Additional options

Automatic Setup​

The CLI will automatically:

  • Create plugin directory structure
  • Install Composer dependencies
  • Install npm packages
  • Generate configuration files
  • Create main plugin file
  • Set up root module
  • Configure autoloading

3. Activate the Plugin​

Once the CLI completes the setup process:

  1. Navigate to your WordPress admin dashboard
  2. Go to the Plugins page
  3. Locate your newly created plugin
  4. Click "Activate" to enable it

Next Steps​

The CLI has generated a complete plugin structure. Here's what you can do next:

Add Modules​

  • Create new modules to organize your plugin's code
  • Separate concerns and maintain clean architecture

Define Providers​

  • Register services and dependencies
  • Set up dependency injection

Create Controllers​

  • Build REST API endpoints
  • Handle HTTP requests

Develop Entities​

  • Create custom post types
  • Define taxonomies
  • Set up database schemas
tip

For detailed instructions on these features and more advanced topics, refer to the complete ModulesPress documentation.