Vibe Code Your Own WordPress Plugin

Workshop preparation — get set up before we start

In this workshop you'll create your own WordPress plugin in 45 minutes using AI. No coding experience needed — but a little preparation makes all the difference.

Short on time? Jump to Option B: Zero Install — you only need a browser and an AI tool.

Step 1: Set up WordPress

You need a working WordPress installation to test plugins on. Choose one of these options:

Option A: LocalWP

LocalWP is a free program that runs WordPress locally on your laptop. No server, no hosting, no costs.

  1. Download LocalWP from localwp.com
  2. Install the program
  3. Click "Create a new site"
  4. Choose a name (e.g. "workshop") and click through with the default settings
  5. Wait for the site to be created
  6. Click "WP Admin" to verify your WordPress dashboard opens

Takes about 10 minutes (including download)

Check: Can you log in to your WordPress dashboard? Then you're ready.

Option B: WordPress Playground

No time or no desire to install anything? WordPress Playground runs entirely in your browser.

  1. Go to playground.wordpress.net
  2. Wait for WordPress to load (takes a few seconds)
  3. You now have a fully working WordPress installation in your browser

Takes about 30 seconds

Note: Everything you create disappears when you close the tab (unless you export). Works best in Chrome or Edge.

Step 2: Set up an AI tool

You need an AI chatbot that can generate code. Pick one — any will do:

ToolAccount needed?Free?
Le Chat (Mistral, France)YesFree tier available
HuggingChat (Hugging Face, France)YesFree, open source
ChatGPTYesFree tier available
ClaudeYesFree tier available
CopilotNo (Microsoft account)Free
GeminiYes (Google account)Free
Confer (privacy-first, by Signal founder)NoFree (20 msg/day)
Check: Can you send a message and get a response? Then you're ready.

Step 3: Code editor (optional)

If you're using LocalWP, it helps to have a code editor. If you're using WordPress Playground, skip this step.

Step 4: Know the basics

You don't need to know how to code, but it helps to understand this:

What is a WordPress plugin?

A plugin is a piece of extra functionality you add to WordPress. Technically, it's a folder with at least one PHP file in it, located in wp-content/plugins/.

What does a minimal plugin look like?

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: My Plugin
 * Description: This is a description.
 * Version: 1.0.0
 */

// Here goes the code that does something

That's it. Those first lines (the "plugin header") tell WordPress this is a plugin. The rest is your code — or in our case: the code that AI writes for you.

How do you install a self-made plugin?

With LocalWP:

  1. Open your site's folder → app/public/wp-content/plugins/
  2. Create a new folder (e.g. my-plugin)
  3. Put your PHP file in it
  4. Go to WP Admin → Plugins → Activate

With WordPress Playground:

  1. Copy your code
  2. Go to WP Admin → Plugins → Plugin Editor (or create a zip and upload it)

Prompt template

This is the template we'll use during the workshop. Feel free to look at it now:

Create a WordPress plugin with the following specifications:

Name: [name of your plugin]
Function: [describe in 1-2 sentences what the plugin should do]
Where visible: [on the frontend / in the admin / both]
Behavior: [describe specifically what should happen]

Technical requirements:
- Follow WordPress best practices (hooks, filters, sanitization)
- Include a plugin header with name, description and version
- Prevent direct file access
- Put all code in a single PHP file
- Add short comments explaining what each part does
Tip: The more specific your prompt, the better the result. "Make a plugin that does something with images" yields less than "Make a plugin that automatically adds alt text to images that don't have any yet."

Starter plugin

Download this minimal starter plugin as a reference. You can install it in WordPress to see how a plugin works:

Download starter plugin (.zip)

Checklist

Everything checked? You're ready for the workshop!