Easy Steps to review WordPress Themes

In this blog post, i am going to tell you about the easy steps to review WordPress Themes. Here WordPress Themes means WordPress.Org trac themes. If you are new on WordPress theme review or you want to develop theme and submit it on WordPress.Org, this blog post will be very much helpful for you. To avoid closing the ticket author must follow the proper guidelines. If you are reviewer, you also need to review the theme based on the guidelines.

Now, start reviewing theme.(In case of author, review yourself before submit theme)

  1. Download the theme which you are going to review.
  2. Install the WordPress or put that themes on wp-content/themes folder.
  3. Make debug true on wp-config.php file.
  4. Go to Appearance > Themes and activate the theme.
  5. Check browser console errors. (No any errors are allowed on browser console)
  6. Install Theme Check Plugin and NS Theme Check plugin and check all the Errors. Any errors noticed by both the plugin are not allowed. Theme must pass in both plugin.

Theme reviewed by the both plugin is considered as automated system. Beside this, some section need to check manually because plugin can’t find such issues on the theme.

Reviewers need to check manually listed below items.

  1. Licensing
    • Theme must include the proper license of the third party resources, images, style and scripts used on theme. Need to declare your own theme copyright as well.
  2. Security
    • All untrusted data should be escaped before output.
    • Need proper sanitization and validation before entering the database.
    • A nonce must be used for form submission.
  3. Prefixing
    • Prefix theme functions, classes, global variables, image size name, script and style handles, etc with the theme slug.
  4. Style and Scripts
    • Script and style files must to be enqueued and not hard coded.
    • No minification of scripts or files unless you also provide the original files.
    • The theme should make use of ‘WordPress’ default libraries.
  5. Theme Options via Customizer
    • We expect all options to be in the customizer. Settings API is not allowed on theme for Theme Options. Use Customizer API to implement theme options.
    • We expect all options to work.
    • Themes must display the correct content according to the front page setting. No any custom section are allowed on Latest Post.
    • There must be no pay wall restricting any WordPress feature. Customizing WordPress features is not allowed.
  6. Language
    • Theme must be translation ready. All theme text string should be translation ready.
  7. Illegal and dishonest
    • Using illegal, dishonest or morally offensive things on theme is not allowed.
  8. Content Creation
    • Content Creation like Text area are not allowed on Customizer or Widgets.
  9. Tags
    • Use proper tags mentioned on the required handbook.
    • No more than 3 subject tags are allowed. Mentioned one subject tag is mandatory.
  10. Codes
    • Excerpt length needs to be applied on front end only.
    • Custom Post type, bundled plugin is not allowed. Plugin can recommend and it must be in WP.Org
    • Spell ‘WordPress’ correctly in all public facing text: all one word, with both an uppercase W and P.
    • Remove unnecessary files and folders.

This are the basic requirements of WordPress Themes. Check your theme based on guidelines thoroughly to avoid closing the tickets.

Follow the WordPress Theme Standards blog to know more about the requirements.

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