Design a WordPress Plugin Before Code: Software Design Document on 4wp.dev

Most WordPress plugins start with code. They should start with design. 📐

A Software Design Document fixes how a plugin will be built before the first line of code. The case is a real 4wp.dev design, 4WP Analytics Dashboard:

1. Requirements: metrics on the public site, not in wp-admin. What is out of MVP is written down.
2. Architecture: REST is the single source of truth. Widgets never query WooCommerce directly.
3. Data model: 503 when the dependency is inactive, 403 when the admin has not allowed the provider.
4. Data flow: access before data, every request.
5. Implementation order: the editor comes last.

The registry shape is not new: 4WP Drive (forwp_drive_sources) and 4WP Social (forwp_social_feed_providers) already ship it.

👉 Interactive page, hover tips and a blank SDD template: 4wp.dev/methodologies/sdd