README

WPConstructor Plugin Version is a lightweight PHP utility for WordPress plugins that allows you to retrieve the version of a plugin’s main file safely, without triggering translation errors or requiring manual inclusion of plugin.php on the frontend.

It also includes built-in checks for PHP and WordPress version requirements, and displays an admin notice if the current environment does not meet the requirements. You can optionally force the plugin to always run using a constant.

Features

• Safely retrieves the version of a plugin’s main file.
• Avoids get_plugin_data() issues before the init hook.
• No need to include plugin.php manually on the frontend.
• Checks PHP and WordPress version requirements.
• Shows admin notice to users with install_plugins capability if requirements are not met.
• Optionally force plugin execution even if requirements are not met via a constant.

Installation

Install via Composer:

composer require wpconstructor/plugin-version

Or download from GitHub as a ZIP and include it in your plugin manually.

Usage

Add the following code to your main plugin file:

$main_file = __FILE__;

$plugin_version = require __DIR__ . '/vendor/wpconstructor/plugin-version/src/includes/plugin-version.php';

// If requirements are not met and the constant WPCN_PLUGIN_VERSION_ALWAYS_RUN is not set or false, stop execution.
if ( false === $plugin_version ) {
    return; // Stop execution if requirements are not met.
}

// Use the plugin version, e.g., define a constant.
define( 'MY_PLUGIN_VERSION', $plugin_version );

Setting WPCN_PLUGIN_VERSION_ALWAYS_RUN to true will bypass PHP and WordPress version checks, ensuring the plugin always loads.

Admin Notice

If the current PHP or WordPress version does not meet the requirements, an admin notice is displayed only for users with the install_plugins capability, unless WPCN_PLUGIN_VERSION_ALWAYS_RUN is set to true.

License

GPL 3.0 or later. See LICENSE for details.

Changelog

Version 1.0.3 (May 2026)

• Changed license from MIT to GPL 3.0 or later.
• Changed composer.json description.

Version 1.0.2 (March 2026)

• Removed index.php

Version 1.0.1 (March 2026)

• Corrected constant typo.
• Updated README.md

Version 1.0.0 (March 2026)

• Initial release.

Author

WPConstructor – WPConstructor.com