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Block Theme Developer

A developer-focused plugin for developing block themes for WordPress. Essential tools for pattern authoring (via the native Site Editor) and template export.

Features

Part 1: Pattern Management

• Native Patterns UI: Create and edit patterns in Appearance → Editor → Patterns (wp_block)
• Pattern Details sidebar: Description, keywords, block/post/template types, viewport, inserter, content-only lock, synced toggle
• Dual Mode Operation:
  • File Mode (local/dev): Every published pattern save writes patterns/{slug}.php in the active stylesheet theme
  • API Mode (pattern library): Patterns stay as wp_block posts; exposed via btd/v1 for other sites
• Synced patterns (Orbit): With Synced theme pattern on, the file includes Synced: true, the wp_block is kept, and Orbit syncs layout updates to every instance
• Unsynced theme patterns: Synced off → file written without Synced (DB pattern is kept while editing so the Site Editor does not break)

Part 2: Template Export

• Automatic Template Export in File Mode:
  • Exports wp_template changes to /templates/{slug}.html
  • Exports wp_template_part changes to /parts/{slug}.html
• Successful exports remove DB overrides so files remain the source of truth

Installation

1. Clone this repository into your WordPress plugins directory
2. Run npm install to install dependencies
3. Run npm run build to build the JavaScript assets
4. Activate the plugin in your WordPress admin

Requires: WordPress 7.0+, PHP 8.3+

Configuration

BLOCK_THEME_DEVELOPER_MODE Constant

• file: Export patterns/templates to the active theme (local development)
• api: Serve pattern data from wp_block via REST (pattern library sites)

Setting the Mode

Option 1: wp-config.php (Recommended)

Option 2: Automatic Detection If not defined:

• file mode for development or local environments
• api mode for all other environments

Usage

File mode — theme patterns

1. Open Appearance → Editor → Patterns
2. Create or edit a pattern
3. Use Pattern Categories (core) and Pattern Details (BTD) in the sidebar
4. Save (after the pattern has real block content — empty “Add pattern” creates are ignored):
   • Synced (Add Pattern modal or Pattern Details): writes patterns/{slug}.php with Synced: true, keeps the wp_block for Orbit
   • Unsynced: writes the theme file without Synced, keeps the wp_block open in the editor

BTD is not used on production in file mode. Published pattern saves with content export to the theme.

API mode — pattern library

1. Create patterns in the Site Editor (they remain as wp_block posts)
2. Fill Pattern Details meta as needed
3. Other sites consume them via the REST API (see below)

No theme files are written in API mode.

Exporting Templates and Template Parts

In file mode, saving templates from the Site Editor exports to the active stylesheet theme:

• Templates: /templates/{slug}.html
• Template parts: /parts/{slug}.html

When export succeeds, the plugin removes the database override.

Autosaves, revisions, and draft-like states are skipped. Export requires edit_theme_options.

Development Workflow

Typical file-mode workflow

1. Install BTD as a local/dev dependency (file mode)
2. Author patterns and templates in the Site Editor
3. Theme PHP/HTML files update on save — commit them to Git
4. Production runs the theme (and Orbit for synced patterns) without BTD

Typical API-mode workflow

1. Run a pattern library site with BTD in api mode
2. Author patterns in admin as wp_block posts
3. Client sites pull GET /wp-json/btd/v1/patterns with Application Passwords

File Mode example

API Mode

Get all patterns:

Get authentication information:

Patterns are loaded from published wp_block posts (not a custom post type). Categories prefer the wp_pattern_category taxonomy, with _btd_categories as fallback.

Setting up Application Passwords

1. Go to Users > Profile
2. Scroll to Application Passwords
3. Create a password for your client application
4. Use HTTP Basic Auth; the user needs the btd_api_access capability

In API mode the plugin creates the btd_api_access capability, an API User role, and grants the capability to administrators.

cURL:

Response format:

Development

Build Process

• npm run start - Start development build with file watching
• npm run build - Build production assets
• npm run lint:js - Lint JavaScript files
• npm run lint:css - Lint CSS files
• npm run format - Format code with Prettier

Coding Standards

This plugin follows the eighteen73 WordPress Coding Standards.