On

If you have confusion

  • between - and _
  • text-domain, widget_id, Class_Name

in WordPress, then you should read this article.


Among the class name and the widget ID, it is the widget ID that must be global and unique across all WordPress plugins. 

 

Text Domain (plugin-name-and-folder-name)

  • Scope: The text domain is a unique identifier used for localization and internationalization in WordPress. It specifies the domain for translation strings in your plugin.

  • Why It Must Be Unique: The text domain needs to be unique across all plugins and themes to avoid conflicts in translation strings. If two plugins use the same text domain, they could inadvertently overwrite each other's translation strings, leading to unexpected behavior or missing translations.

  • Best Practice: It is recommended to use a text domain that is related to your plugin’s name or its unique identifier. This ensures it stands out and reduces the chance of conflicts. For example, using yourpluginname-by-tawhidurrahmandear as a text domain ties the translations directly to your plugin, making it distinctive and easily identifiable.

 

2. Class Name (Dear_Store_TawhidurRahmanDear)

  • Scope: The class name is generally unique within the scope of your plugin. It doesn’t necessarily need to be globally unique across all plugins.
  • Why It Can Be Local: Since WordPress only loads plugin classes when they are in use, it’s less likely for class names to collide unless two plugins are using similar naming conventions and autoloading mechanisms.
  • Best Practice: However, it is still a good idea to make your class names somewhat unique by using a prefix related to your plugin to avoid potential conflicts. For example, using Dear_Store_ as a prefix makes it more distinctive.

 

3. Widget ID (dear_store_tawhidurrahmandear)

  • Global and Unique Requirement: The widget ID needs to be unique because WordPress uses this ID to register, store, and manage instances of the widget across different plugins and themes.
  • Why It Must Be Unique: If two different plugins or themes use the same widget ID, it could cause conflicts, leading to issues like one widget overwriting another or WordPress failing to register both widgets properly.
  • Naming Tip: To ensure uniqueness, it’s common to prefix the widget ID with a unique identifier, such as your plugin name, author name, or a combination of both, as in dear_store_tawhidurrahmandear.



Confusion   between - and _

When naming elements like text domains, class IDs, and widget IDs in WordPress, it's important to follow certain conventions regarding the use of hyphens (-), underscores (_), and character case. Here’s a breakdown of the best practices for each:

 

1. Text Domain 

software-by-tawhidurrahmandear


  • Character Usage:

    • Hyphen (-): Recommended for text domains as they are easier to read and more widely accepted. For example, software-by-tawhidurrahmandear.
    • Underscore (_): Generally avoided in text domains, as it can lead to confusion with the translation functions and isn't as visually clear as hyphens.

  • Character Case:

    • Lowercase: Text domains should always be in lowercase. This is because WordPress treats text domains as case-sensitive, and using lowercase ensures consistency and avoids potential issues.

 

2. Class ID

class Dear_Store_TawhidurRahmanDear { ... }

 

  • Character Usage:

    • Underscore (_): Typically used in class names to separate words, as it aligns with PHP naming conventions. For example, Dear_Store_TawhidurRahmanDear.
    • Hyphen (-): Not recommended for class names because PHP does not allow the use of hyphens in class names.

  • Character Case:

    • Camel Case: Often used for class names, where each word starts with a capital letter (e.g., DearStoreTawhidurRahmanDear). This is a common practice in object-oriented programming to enhance readability.
    • Pascal Case: Another common convention, similar to camel case but with the first letter also capitalized.
     
 

3. Widget ID

$widget_id = 'software_by_tawhidurrahmandear';

  • Character Usage:

    • Underscore (_): Generally preferred for widget IDs, which can help create a clear and consistent naming convention. For example, software_by_tawhidurrahmandear.
    • Hyphen (-): While hyphens can technically be used, underscores are more common and considered best practice in the WordPress ecosystem.

  • Character Case:

    • Lowercase: Widget IDs should be in lowercase to maintain consistency and avoid case sensitivity issues when registering or using the widget.
     
 

Summary

  • Text Domain: Use hyphens, always in lowercase (e.g., software-by-tawhidurrahmandear).
  • Class ID: Use underscores, typically in CamelCase (e.g., Dear_Store_TawhidurRahmanDear).
  • Widget ID: Use underscores, always in lowercase (e.g., software_by_tawhidurrahmandear).

By adhering to these conventions, you can ensure clarity, consistency, and compatibility within the WordPress ecosystem, which is especially important for plugin development and collaboration with other developers.

 

 

Tricks to solve the problem

If you create WordPress Themes and Plugins under the same Author account, then you may choose something unique, for example your WordPress.org username (for example, tawhidurrahmandear) as common unique identifier. Also keep another common keyword for specific Theme or PlugIn. Here software is used as an example.


1. Text Domain: software-by-tawhidurrahmandear

This follows the convention of matching the plugin folder name (if your folder is named software-by-tawhidurrahmandear), uses lowercase letters, and uses hyphens (-), which is the standard for text domains. Example usage in your plugin:  

__('Some translatable string', 'software-by-tawhidurrahmandear');

 

2. Class Name: DSsoftwareByTawhidurRahmanDear

This class name follows the PascalCase/UpperCamelCase convention, starting each word with an uppercase letter and not using underscores or hyphens. Including a prefix like DS (which could stand for "Dear Software" or another identifier) helps make the class name more unique and less likely to conflict with other plugins. Example usage:


class DSsoftwareByTawhidurRahmanDear extends WP_Widget {
    // Class methods and properties here
}

 

3. Widget ID: software_by_tawhidurrahmandear

This uses underscores (_) instead of hyphens (-), which is the recommended convention for widget IDs. It's lowercase and descriptive, helping to ensure that it is unique among WordPress widgets. Example usage:


parent::__construct(
    'software_by_tawhidurrahmandear', // Unique widget ID
    $plugin_name, // Widget title
    array('description' => __('TEXT', 'software-by-tawhidurrahmandear'))
); 

 

 

Live Code to Play

Here is a WordPress.org PlugIn address to see the Code : Special Promotion and Support PlugIn.


In WordPress, it is not compulsory for the text domain and the plugin folder name to be the same, but it is a common practice to keep them consistent for eeasier maintenance. If your text domain matches the folder name, it can help avoid confusion when working with multiple plugins or when users are searching for translations. However, technically, you can have different names for the text domain and the plugin folder, as long as the text domain is correctly registered and referenced in your plugin files.