Developer plugin v1.1: Optimize Your Theme Development Environment

The amazing Code Wranglers at Automattic recently released version 1.1.1 of the Developer Plugin, which helps you optimize your WordPress development environment (plus saves you time) by making sure you have all of the essential development plugins installed. This new version targets the people who design and develop themes — you! Read on to learn more.

Upon activation, the plugin will ask you what type of project you’re working on.

Based on your selection, you’ll receive a list of must-have plugins that are relevant to your project. You can install or activate a plugin with a single click! How nifty is that?

If you ever need to revisit the list of plugins or change the type of project you’re working on, you can visit the plugin settings in your Dashboard under Tools → Developer. In addition to the list of plugins, you’ll also see recommended configuration settings, constants you should set to true, and, last but certainly not least, resources that help you build the best themes possible. One such resource is our very own Underscores starter theme!

For more information about the Developer plugin, and to learn how you can contribute to future versions, check out the announcement post on the WordPress.com Developer Resources blog.