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https://github.com/thanhluu/wp-themes-review

WordPress Themes Review Checklist
https://github.com/thanhluu/wp-themes-review

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WordPress Themes Review Checklist

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README 

        
# WordPress Themes Review Checklist

This is the actionable checklist to review a WordPress theme on [WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/)



## Getting Started

- [ ] Did you join [WordPress Slack](http://chat.wordpress.org/)

- [ ] Did you join the theme review team in #themereview

- [ ] Did you subscribe to [Theme Review Team Updates](https://make.wordpress.org/themes)

- [ ] Did you [Request a Theme](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/) to review



## Internal Setup

- [ ] [Install a WordPress site for testing](https://make.wordpress.org/meta/handbook/about/get-involved/setting-up-your-machine)

- [ ] Import the [theme unit test data](https://wpcom-themes.svn.automattic.com/demo/theme-unit-test-data.xml) into your installation

- [ ] Set WP_DEBUG to `true` in wp-config

- [ ] Install the following Plugins: [Theme Check](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/theme-check/), [Debug Bar](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/debug-bar/), [Log Deprecated Notices](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/log-deprecated-notices/), [Monster Widget](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/monster-widget/), [WordPress Beta Tester](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/), [Theme Mentor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/theme-mentor/) _(Note: all those plugins can be installed via the [Developer](https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/developer/) plugin)_



## Run Test Tools

- [ ] Run Theme Check then see the results

- [ ] Run Theme Mentor then see the results

- [ ] Drag Monster Widget to the Sidebar then see how it looks



## Accessibility



- [ ] If the theme has the tag `accessibility-ready` then it needs to meet [these requirements](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/handbook/review/accessibility/).



## Code



- [ ] Check PHP and JS errors.

- [ ] Include at least index.php and style.css.

- [ ] Have a valid DOCTYPE declaration and include language_attributes.

- [ ] Sanitize everything.

- [ ] No removing or modifying non-presentational hooks.

- [ ] No shortcodes are allowed.

- [ ] Support the following WordPress-generated CSS classes: `.alignleft, .alignright, .wp-caption, .wp-caption-text, .gallery-caption, .sticky, .bypostauthor`



## Core Functionality and Features



- [ ] Use [WordPress functionality and features first, if available](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/handbook/review/wordpress-functionality-and-features/).

- [ ] Don’t include admin/feature pointers.

- [ ] No custom post types and no custom taxonomies.

- [ ] No pay wall restricting any WordPress feature.

- [ ] No disabling of the admin tool bar.

- [ ] Use [get_template_directory()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_template_directory/) rather than `TEMPLATEPATH` to return the template path.

- [ ] Use [get_stylesheet_directory()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_stylesheet_directory/) rather than `STYLESHEETPATH` to return the stylesheet path.

- [ ] Avoid hard coding to modify content. Instead, use function parameters, filters and action hooks where appropriate. For  example wp_title should be modified using a filter.

- [ ] Able to have child themes made from them.

- [ ] Include comments_template().



## Favicons



- [ ] If implemented, disable favicons by default and have the ability for users to override.



## Language



- [ ] All theme text strings are to be translatable.

- [ ] Include a text domain in style.css

- [ ] Use a single unique theme slug – as the theme slug appears in style.css. If it uses a framework then no more than 2 unique slugs.

- [ ] Can use any language for text, but only use the same one for all text.



## Licensing



- [ ] Be 100% GPL and/or 100% GPL-compatible licensed.

- [ ] Declare copyright and license explicitly. Use the license and license uri header slugs to style.css.

- [ ] Declare licenses of any resources included such as fonts or images.

- [ ] All code and design should be your own or legally yours. Cloning of designs is not acceptable.



## Naming



- [ ] Theme names must not use: WordPress, Theme.

- [ ] Spell “WordPress” correctly in all public facing text: all one word, with both an uppercase W and P.



## Options and Settings



- [ ] Save options in a single array.

- [ ] Use [sane defaults](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/07/09/using-sane-defaults-in-themes/) and don’t write default setting values to the database.

- [ ] Use edit_theme_options capability for add_theme_page(), rather than rely on a role (e.g. “administrator”), or a different capability (e.g. “edit_themes”, “manage_options”) for the capability to add the settings page.

- [ ] If using a theme options page, add it to the ‘Appearance’ menu.

- [ ] Use either the Settings API or the Customizer for implementing theme options.

- [ ] Prefix all options, custom functions, custom [global variables](http://php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php) and custom constants with the theme-slug.



## Plugins



- [ ] Don’t include any plugins. A theme can recommend plugins but not include those plugins in the theme code.

- [ ] Don’t do things in a theme considered plugin territory.



## Screenshot



- [ ] Screenshot.png should be of the actual theme as it appears with default options, not a logo or mockup.

- [ ] The screenshot.png should be no bigger than 880 x 660px.



## Security and Privacy



- [ ] Don’t phone home without informed user consent. Find out more about [security](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/handbook/review/recommended/security-and-privacy/) here.

- [ ] Make any collection of user data ‘opt-in’ only and have a theme option that is set to disabled by default.Validate and sanitze untrusted data before entering into the database. All untrusted data should be escaped before output. (see: [Data Validation](https://codex.wordpress.org/Data_Validation))

- [ ] No url shorteners used in the theme.

- [ ] Use `esc_attr()` for text inputs and `esc_textarea()` for textareas.



## Selling, credits and links



- [ ] If you are a themeshop you should be selling under GPL to be in the WordPress.org repo.

- [ ] If the theme adds a footer credit link, there should only be one (link to WordPress does not count)



## Stylesheets and Scripts



- [ ] No hard coding of scripts, styles and Favicons unless a browser workaround script. Everything should be enqueued.

- [ ] No analytics or tracking.

- [ ] No minification of scripts or files unless provide original files.

- [ ] Required to use core-bundled scripts rather than including their own version of that script. For example jQuery.

- [ ] Include all scripts and resources it uses rather than hot-linking. The exception to this is Google libraries.

- [ ] If a tag is used in style.css the theme should support that feature or adhere to what that tag stands for. For example custom background or header.



## Templates



If using templates, custom template files should be called using [get_template_part()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_template_part/) or locate_template().

There are several [template specific things](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/handbook/review/recommended/templates/) you should consider when certain ones are being used.

Use *_url() template tags, rather than bloginfo() equivalents.