THE BUG-FREE WORDPRESS DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST

1. Project Setup (Start Clean)
-
Use a barebones starter theme (like Underscores or Sage).
-
Build a custom plugin for any feature that doesn’t belong in the theme.
-
Use a child theme if working on a commercial theme.
-
Add a
.gitignore
for uploads, cache, and system files.
โ๏ธ 2. Server & Hosting
-
VPS/Cloud host with full control (DigitalOcean, Linode, Cloudways, etc.).
-
Use PHP 8.1+ with OPcache enabled.
-
Enable Redis or Memcached for object caching.
-
Use HTTPS everywhere with an SSL cert.
-
Set up a staging subdomain (e.g.
staging.example.com
).
๐งฐ 3. Development Environment
-
Use LocalWP, Laravel Valet, or DevKinsta for local dev.
-
Use Git from day one. Set up GitHub or GitLab repo.
-
Enable WP_DEBUG,
WP_DEBUG_LOG
,SCRIPT_DEBUG
in wp-config.php. -
Set up error log file monitoring.
๐ 4. Security Best Practices
-
Change
wp_
table prefix. -
Disable file editing in wp-config:
define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true );
-
Use a WAF (Cloudflare or Sucuri).
-
Install Wordfence or iThemes Security.
-
Set strong passwords & enable 2FA for admin.
๐งช 5. Testing & Quality Control
-
Test all forms, menus, buttons, sliders, AJAX calls.
-
Check on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, mobile browser.
-
Validate HTML/CSS with W3C Validator.
-
Test site speed with GTmetrix, WebPageTest, or PageSpeed Insights.
-
Optimize images with WebP, lazy load, and compression.
๐ 6. Update Routine
-
Weekly core/plugin/theme updates—only after backup.
-
Test in staging first if possible.
-
Avoid plugin bloat—replace 3 plugins with 1 line of code if you can.
-
Document version numbers in changelog or Git commits.
๐ฌ 7. Debugging Toolkit
Install and configure:
-
Query Monitor – debug database, hooks, REST, etc.
-
Health Check & Troubleshooting – isolate plugin/theme conflicts.
-
Debug Bar – another classic dev tool.
-
Log viewer plugin or direct access to
wp-content/debug.log
.
๐ฆ 8. Plugin Audit
-
Remove all unused plugins.
-
Avoid overlapping plugins (e.g., 2 SEO or 2 cache plugins).
-
Replace bloated plugins with lightweight alternatives (or custom code).
-
Update and document licensed plugins.
๐พ 9. Backup & Restore Plan
-
Install UpdraftPlus, BlogVault, or similar.
-
Schedule automatic daily or weekly backups.
-
Store backups offsite: Dropbox, S3, or Google Drive.
-
Test restore at least once—don’t assume it works.
๐ 10. Post-Launch Monitoring
-
Set up Uptime Monitoring (UptimeRobot, Better Uptime).
-
Set up Error Tracking (Sentry, LogRocket).
-
Track performance with New Relic or Query Monitor.
-
Monitor logs weekly. Review debug.log for hidden issues.
๐ง Final Tip: Treat Your Site Like Software, Not a Blog
WordPress may have started as a blogging platform, but in the right hands, it’s a full-fledged development framework.
๐ Build smart
๐งช Test often
๐งฑ Stay minimal
๐ Secure everything
๐พ Backup always
If you're running a client agency, plugin business, or just want enterprise-level standards—this is the mindset and workflow to adopt.
For More Info
- Web Development
- Art
- Causes
- Crafts
- Dance
- Drinks
- Film
- Fitness
- Food
- Games
- Gardening
- Health
- Home
- Literature
- Music
- Networking
- Other
- Party
- Religion
- Shopping
- Sports
- Theater
- Wellness