WordPress Plugin Tutorial

Learn how to install and configure the official Open Guestbook plugin for WordPress in a few simple steps.

Get Started
Installation Configuration Customization FAQ

Installing the Plugin

1. Install via WordPress Dashboard

  1. Navigate to Plugins

    Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.

  2. Search for "Open Guestbook"

    Use the search bar to look for "Open Guestbook" plugin.

  3. Install & Activate

    Click Install Now, then Activate after installation completes.

2. Manual Installation

  1. Download Plugin

    Download the latest plugin from the GitHub repository.

  2. Upload File

    Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and select the downloaded .zip file.

  3. Activate Plugin

    Click Activate Plugin after uploading the file.

Sample PHP Configuration

<?php
/**
 * Open Guestbook - WordPress Plugin
 *
 * @package openguestbook
 * @author Open Guestbook
 */
class OpenGuestbookPlugin {
    public function __construct() {
        define('OPENGUESTBOOK_DIR', plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ));
        define('OPENGUESTBOOK_URL', plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ));
        add_action('wp_ajax_guestbook_entry', array($this, 'handle_guestbook_entry'));
        add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_guestbook_entry', array($this, 'handle_guestbook_entry'));
        add_shortcode('open_guestbook', array($this, 'guestbook_shortcode'));
        $this->initialize_hooks();
    }

    public function initialize_hooks() {
        add_action('admin_menu', array($this, 'add_settings_page'));
        add_filter('plugin_action_links_' . plugin_basename(__FILE__), array($this, 'add_settings_link'));
    }

    // Additional methods follow
}

if ( is_admin() ) {
    new OpenGuestbookPlugin();
}
?>

This is a simplified version of the plugin's entry point. The full code is in open-guestbook.php.

Configuration & Shortcode

Settings Page

  1. Open Settings > Open Guestbook from your admin panel
  2. Enter your Site ID from Open Guestbook
  3. Save settings to begin using the plugin

Using the Plugin

[open_guestbook]

Simply add this shortcode anywhere in WordPress posts, templates, or pages.

Supported Parameters

  • site_id
  • theme
  • width
  • auto_load

Example

[open_guestbook site_id="your-site-id"]

Common Issues

Guestbook not loading

Make sure your API key is correctly configured in Settings > Open Guestbook

404 errors

Check that you have correctly installed the latest version of the plugin

Styling not matching your site

Use custom CSS in your theme or override with inline styles