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Maintaining a WordPress Plugin on the .org Repository is a Significant Effort but is Rewarding
By Morgan Jassen
I've just finished responding to a bug reported for the mzzstat WordPress plugin that I authored on the .org repository.
I have to admit that for me it's a significant effort. I'm learning that it involves maintaining the plugin in my private repository, and on github, and on the w.org repository, and also responding to support requests, while at the same time creating the patch, testing the patch, and also at the same time learning how to use the .org SVN system (including tagging a version etc.).
At the same time, I'm doing my best to respond *quickly* to a support request for the plugin, but this is tricky too -- in this most recent support case, I was able to reply an initial reply within approximately 72 hours, and then follow up with a patch about a week after that. Not the speediest support like I'd want to give ideally, but, I tried, and in the end did support it.
This isn't meant to be a rant nor a rave. Rather a statement that for me it's not a trivial job to author and maintain a plugin on the .org repository. However, there is a reward for me that I've found -- I'm really learning a lot and when I reply to a support request and push a software patch live, I do have a feeling of accomplishment. I'm glad to have the opportunity and responsibility of having authored, and of maintaining, a publicly-hosted WordPress plugin.
And it's rewarding to see that someone has been using the software that I wrote, and that someone took the effort to report a bug to the software. I like to feel that the plugin is valueable to someone and that its useful.
To make a small patch, it's taken me over an hour! I'll do my best to continue supporting and maintaining the mzzstat plugin in this way. It is a Significant effort; however I'm also learning a lot.
tags: #working
Note: This post was pre-published on Dec. 01, 2016.
[2019 edit: Moved to: https://i̶n̶v̶e̶s̶t̶o̶r̶w̶o̶r̶k̶e̶r̶.̶c̶o̶m̶/2016/... .html.]