BuildHub Maker
Release workflow · Core plugin
One codebase — FREE and PRO, automatically
BuildHub Maker is a professional transformation and deployment suite for WordPress developers. You maintain a single DEV codebase with [PRO] markers — BuildHub turns it into clean DEV, FREE and PRO ZIPs and ships them to GitHub, WordPress.org and Freemius.
How the workflow works
1 · Preparation & analysis
Upload your DEV ZIP (plugin name contains "DEV", text domain ends in -dev, folder {slug}-dev/). BuildHub scans the headers and detects version, slug and ZIP integrity as a reliable basis for the transformation.
2 · Versioning & transformation
- Stable-tag sync: the
Stable tagin readme.txt is set to your target version. - PRO stripping: for the FREE version, every
[PRO]…[/PRO]block is physically removed — no stub, no trace. - Debug logs & foreign add-ons out:
debug.logwrites and foreign add-on subfolders are removed from FREE/PRO. - WP.org compliance: all 18 WordPress.org guidelines are applied to the FREE build.
- Clean packaging: ready-to-ship archives for DEV, FREE and PRO.
3 · Feature analysis
BuildHub scans every function, class and hook. You group them into features and decide, per feature, whether it ships in FREE, PRO or both. The Role Matrix additionally controls which WordPress roles get access; the Library merges tightly-coupled add-ons into the build.
4 · Downloads & deployment
Download the ZIPs or deploy directly: Send to GitHub (FREE to the free branch, PRO to main), Send to WP.ORG (automated SVN release via GitHub Action, with a confirmation email) and Send to FREEMIUS (PRO release straight through the Freemius API).
Highlights
📁 Project Manager
Store multiple plugin datasets (slug, IDs, author) and switch between them via a dropdown in the workspace.
💻 Workspace
A dedicated, clutter-free frontend workspace for building, analyzing and editing project metadata.
🛠️ Transformation
Automatic stripping of PRO blocks, text-domain patching and header updates based on the target version.
🔍 Compliance Fixer
Fixes PHPCS violations automatically across all three ZIPs (optional add-on).
✅ Parallel Lint Integration
Checks every build target (DEV/PRO/FREE) for PHP parse errors before packaging (optional add-on).
⚡ Deployment
GitHub Actions workflows, WP.org SVN and direct Freemius releases — all from the workspace.
FAQ
What is a DEV version?
A plugin whose name contains "DEV", whose text domain ends in -dev and whose ZIP folder is named {slug}-dev/. BuildHub accepts DEV versions only as the source.
What happens to PRO code in the FREE version?
Every [PRO]…[/PRO] block is physically removed from the FREE files at build time — no stub, no comment. A post-build check aborts if more than three previously non-empty files would end up empty.
Does the FREE build meet the WordPress.org guidelines?
Yes. The majority of the 18 guidelines are applied automatically (license headers, obfuscation, tracking, CDN scripts, debug logs, tag limit and more). Whatever can't be auto-fixed is listed by the WP.org issue scanner by severity, with file, line and a fix suggestion.
Which deployment targets are supported?
GitHub (DEV branch dev, FREE branch free, PRO branch main), WordPress.org via SVN (automated GitHub Action) and Freemius (PRO upload straight through the API).
Do I need Compliance Fixer and Parallel Lint?
No, both are optional add-ons. With Compliance Fixer active, PHPCS violations are additionally fixed automatically; with Parallel Lint active, every build target is checked for PHP parse errors before packaging.
Ready to transform your plugin?
Set up your dataset, tag your PRO code, upload your DEV ZIP — BuildHub Maker does the rest.