introduction
Hello, everyone! My name is Asif Khan, and today I’m going to show you how to create a simple yet powerful QR Code Generator plugin in WordPress. Whether you’re a WordPress developer or just someone interested in adding custom functionality to your site, this guide will walk you through the entire process.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully functioning WordPress plugin that allows users to generate and download QR codes directly from your website. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Setting Up the Plugin
To get started, we need to create the basic structure of our WordPress plugin.
- Create a Folder: Start by creating a new folder in the
wp-content/plugins/directory of your WordPress installation. Name this folderqr-code-generator. - Create the Plugin File: Inside this folder, create a new PHP file named
qr-code-generator.php. This file will contain the code for our plugin. - Plugin Header: Add the following code to your
qr-code-generator.phpfile. This code defines the plugin name, description, version, and author.
<?php
/*
Plugin Name: QR Code Generator
Plugin URI: https://apycoder.com
Description: A plugin to generate and download QR codes with customizable options.
Version: 1.3
Author: Asif Khan
Author URI: https://apycoder.com
*/
Step 2: Registering the Shortcode
WordPress shortcodes allow you to embed content or functionality within your posts and pages. We’ll use a shortcode to display the QR Code Generator form.
- Add the Shortcode Registration: Add the following code to register a new shortcode that will display our QR code generator form.
add_action('init', 'register_qr_code_generator_shortcode');
function register_qr_code_generator_shortcode() {
add_shortcode('qr_code_generator', 'advanced_qr_code_generator_shortcode');
}
Step 3: Creating the QR Code Generator Form
Now that we have our shortcode registered, let’s create the form that users will interact with to generate QR codes.
- Generate the QR Code Form: Add the following function to your
qr-code-generator.phpfile. This function outputs the HTML form and the necessary JavaScript to handle form submissions and QR code generation.
function advanced_qr_code_generator_shortcode() {
ob_start();
?>
<div class="qr-code-generator">
<h2>Generate Your QR Code</h2>
<form id="qr-code-form">
<div class="form-group">
<label for="qr-code-text">Enter text for QR code:</label>
<input type="text" id="qr-code-text" name="text" placeholder="Enter text here" required />
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="qr-code-size">QR Code Size:</label>
<select id="qr-code-size">
<option value="150x150">150x150</option>
<option value="200x200">200x200</option>
<option value="250x250">250x250</option>
</select>
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="qr-code-color">QR Code Color:</label>
<input type="color" id="qr-code-color" value="#000000" />
</div>
<button type="submit" class="generate-btn">Generate QR Code</button>
</form>
<div id="qr-code-result" class="qr-code-result"></div>
</div>
<?php
return ob_get_clean();
}
Adding Custom Styles: Let’s also include some CSS to style the form and the resulting QR code. Add the following CSS inside the function above:
<style>
.qr-code-generator {
max-width: 600px;
margin: auto;
padding: 20px;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 12px;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}
.qr-code-generator h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
}
.qr-code-generator .form-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.qr-code-generator label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 5px;
font-weight: bold;
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
}
.qr-code-generator input[type="text"],
.qr-code-generator select,
.qr-code-generator input[type="color"] {
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
box-sizing: border-box;
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
}
.qr-code-generator .generate-btn {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
background-color: #0073aa;
color: #fff;
font-size: 16px;
cursor: pointer;
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}
.qr-code-generator .generate-btn:hover {
background-color: #005177;
}
.qr-code-result {
margin-top: 20px;
text-align: center;
}
.qr-code-result img {
max-width: 100%;
height: auto;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 6px;
}
.qr-code-result a {
display: inline-block;
margin-top: 15px;
padding: 10px 20px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
background-color: #0073aa;
color: #fff;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 16px;
transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
}
.qr-code-result a:hover {
background-color: #005177;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.qr-code-generator {
padding: 15px;
}
.qr-code-generator input[type="text"],
.qr-code-generator select,
.qr-code-generator input[type="color"] {
padding: 10px;
}
.qr-code-generator .generate-btn {
padding: 10px;
font-size: 14px;
}
.qr-code-result a {
padding: 8px 16px;
font-size: 14px;
}
}
</style>
Step 4: Adding JavaScript to Handle QR Code Generation
Now that we have our form and styles in place, let’s add some JavaScript to handle the QR code generation and display.
- JavaScript for QR Code Generation: Add the following JavaScript code to the
advanced_qr_code_generator_shortcodefunction. This script listens for form submissions, generates the QR code using an external API, and displays the result.
<script>
document.getElementById('qr-code-form').addEventListener('submit', function(event) {
event.preventDefault();
var text = document.getElementById('qr-code-text').value;
var size = document.getElementById('qr-code-size').value;
var color = document.getElementById('qr-code-color').value;
var qrCodeContainer = document.getElementById('qr-code-result');
var qrCodeUrl = 'https://api.qrserver.com/v1/create-qr-code/?size=' + size + '&data=' + encodeURIComponent(text) + '&color=' + color.replace('#', '');
// Create a new image element
var qrCodeImg = new Image();
qrCodeImg.src = qrCodeUrl;
qrCodeImg.alt = 'QR Code';
qrCodeImg.style.maxWidth = '100%';
qrCodeImg.style.height = 'auto';
// Create a download link
var downloadLink = document.createElement('a');
downloadLink.href = qrCodeUrl;
downloadLink.download = 'qrcode.png';
downloadLink.textContent = 'Download QR Code';
downloadLink.style.display = 'inline-block';
downloadLink.style.marginTop = '15px';
downloadLink.style.padding = '10px 20px';
downloadLink.style.border = 'none';
downloadLink.style.borderRadius = '6px';
downloadLink.style.backgroundColor = '#0073aa';
downloadLink.style.color = '#fff';
downloadLink.style.textDecoration = 'none';
downloadLink.style.fontSize = '16px';
downloadLink.style.transition = 'background-color 0.3s ease';
downloadLink.style.fontFamily = 'Arial, sans-serif';
downloadLink.addEventListener('mouseover', function() {
this.style.backgroundColor = '#005177';
});
downloadLink.addEventListener('mouseout', function() {
this.style.backgroundColor = '#0073aa';
});
// Clear previous results
qrCodeContainer.innerHTML = '';
// Append the QR code image and download link to the result container
qrCodeContainer.appendChild(qrCodeImg);
qrCodeContainer.appendChild(downloadLink);
});
</script>
Step 5: Testing Your Plugin
Now that we’ve written our code, it’s time to test the plugin:
- Activate the Plugin: Go to the WordPress admin panel, navigate to the Plugins page, and activate the “QR Code Generator” plugin.
- Use the Shortcode: Create a new post or page and insert the
[qr_code_generator]shortcode where you want the QR Code Generator to appear. - Test the Form: Visit the page, enter some text, choose a size and color, and generate your QR code!
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a custom QR Code Generator plugin for WordPress. This plugin can be easily customized further by adding more features or integrating with other WordPress functionalities. Feel free to share this plugin with others or even extend its capabilities to suit your needs.
For more tutorials and tips on WordPress development, don’t forget to visit my website apycoder.com and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more updates.
Happy coding!