Title: Plugin Dependencies
Author: scribu
Published: <strong>October 24, 2010</strong>
Last modified: November 13, 2014

---

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This plugin **hasn’t been tested with the latest 3 major releases of WordPress**.
It may no longer be maintained or supported and may have compatibility issues when
used with more recent versions of WordPress.

![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/plugin-dependencies.svg)

# Plugin Dependencies

 By [scribu](https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/)

[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/plugin-dependencies.zip)

 * [Details](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-dependencies/#description)
 * [Reviews](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-dependencies/#reviews)
 * [Development](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-dependencies/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/)

## Description

This meta-plugin allows regular plugins to specify other plugins that they depend
upon.

Example:

    ```
    /*
    Plugin Name: BuddyPress Debug
    Depends: BuddyPress, Debug Bar
    */
    ```

What this does:

 * Disables activation of _BuddyPress Debug_ until both _BuddyPress_ and _Debug 
   Bar_ are already activated.
 * When either _BuddyPress_ or _Debug Bar_ are deactivated, _BuddyPress Debug_ will
   also be deactivated.

> = Enriching dependency information =
>  Unfortunately, very few plugins currently
> contain dependency information. If you’d like to enhance the information available
> to this plugin, you might want to install the [Known Plugin Dependencies](https://wordpress.org/plugins/known-plugin-dependencies/)
> plugin which acts as an add-on to this one.

Links: [Plugin News](http://scribu.net/wordpress/plugin-dependencies) | [Author’s Site](http://scribu.net)

**Development of this plugin is done [on GitHub](https://github.com/xwp/wp-plugin-dependencies).
Pull requests welcome. Please see [issues](https://github.com/xwp/wp-plugin-dependencies/issues)
reported there before going to the plugin forum.**

## Screenshots

 * [[
 * Activation prevention
 * [[
 * Cascade deactivation

## FAQ

  Error on activation: “Parse error: syntax error, unexpected…”

Make sure your host is running PHP 5. The only foolproof way to do this is to add
this line to wp-config.php (after the opening `<?php` tag):

    ```
    var_dump(PHP_VERSION);
    ```

  What happens if a user doesn’t have Plugin Dependencies installed?

Nothing. The _Depends:_ header will simply be ignored.

  Can I have grand-child plugins?

Yes, the dependency chain can go as deep as you want.

  Defining virtual packages

Say you have some useful functions that you would like to package up as a library
plugin:

    ```
    /*
    Plugin Name: Facebook Lib
    Provides: lib-facebook
    */
    ```

Now, dependant plugins can specify ‘lib-facebook’ as a dependency:

    ```
    /*
    Plugin Name: Cool Facebook Plugin
    Depends: lib-facebook
    */
    ```

Besides being more robust, the _Provides:_ header allows multiple plugins to implement
the same set of functionality and be used interchangeably.

## Reviews

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b6853eab0d51da161561de8cca10ba04b2cea39ed97c1f728acea8fcc5ffe617?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[Whis Is Sadly Missing From WP Core](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/whis-is-sadly-missing-from-wp-core/)󠁿

 [Gahapati](https://profiles.wordpress.org/gahapati/) October 8, 2016

This plugin — with its companion Known Plugin Dependencies — offers basic, and that
is to say: robust — plugin dependency information and handling. This core functionality
is missing from WP Core, unfortunately. I’ve seen plugin developers role out all
kinds of dependency notification mechanisms on their own, which would not be needed,
if this — or something very similar to this — were to become part of WP Core. Of
course, there is the TGM Plugin Activation library out there, which may look like
the real deal. But then, for a simple dependency notification in a simple plugin,
this would seem way too complex and unnecessary. So, where can I vote for this? 
P.S.: Would one of the devs care to update the compatibility info in the read-me
file?

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/dca20dda3338480bfdb86ba6cfdc29e3a50143f11fcf76551e62e83c084e445b?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[Excellent](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/excellent-3223/)󠁿

 [moneer99](https://profiles.wordpress.org/moneer99/) September 3, 2016

This plugin should be WordPress core functionality. Thanks

 [ Read all 7 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/)

## Contributors & Developers

“Plugin Dependencies” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.

Contributors

 *   [ scribu ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/)
 *   [ XWP ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/xwp/)
 *   [ Dzikri Aziz ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kucrut/)
 *   [ Juliette Reinders Folmer ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/)

[Translate “Plugin Dependencies” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/plugin-dependencies)

### Interested in development?

[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/plugin-dependencies/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/plugin-dependencies/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/plugin-dependencies/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/plugin-dependencies/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).

## Changelog

#### 1.3

 * Add Dependency Loader class. Props [kucrut](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kucrut/).
 * Make it work with bulk actions. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
    - Usability: Remove bulk action checkboxes for plugins with unsatisfied dependencies
      on single site plugins page within a network. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Guard dependencies even when a plugin is (de)activated outside of the plugins
   page context. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Fix compatibility with multi-site. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
    - New: Show dependencies in the network admin plugins page.
    - Bug fix: network activated plugins were not recognized (at all) and deactivating
      one would throw PHP notices.
    - Bug fix: network activation action was not correctly unset if dependencies
      were not met (WP 3.4+).
    - Bug fix: network deactivation would only check dependencies for the network
      and the main site, not for the other sites in the network
    - Improved: logic for recognizing whether dependencies have been satisfied.
    - Usability: On single site plugin page in a multisite network: added a “network”
      textual indicator for dependencies which were met by a network activated plugin.
    - Usability: On single site plugin page in a multisite network: the required
      plugin names now only link to the plugin if the current user can activate 
      that plugin.
    - Usability: Improved information to single site admins when dependent plugins
      have been deactivated because a required plugin has been network deactivated–
      show all deactivated plugins since last admin login, not just what happened
      in the last change round.
    - Usability: Notifications about deactivated plugins are now shown on any admin
      page which will help admins notice changes made by this plugin earlier in 
      case of a network deactivation. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Clean up coding standards. Props [kucrut](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kucrut/),
   [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Improve style of plugin dependency notices. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Usability: Add plugins deactivated by this plugin to the ‘recently active’ plugins
   list. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).
 * Add Dutch translation. Props [jrf](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/).

#### 1.2.1

 * fixed notices. props [cfoellmann](https://profiles.wordpress.org/cfoellmann)

#### 1.2

 * added ability to use plugin names as dependencies
 * [more info](http://scribu.net/wordpress/plugin-dependencies/pd-1-2.html)

#### 1.1

 * added ‘Provides:’ header
 * replaced ‘Dependencies:’ with ‘Depends:’
 * [more info](http://scribu.net/wordpress/plugin-dependencies/pd-1-1.html)

#### 1.0.1

 * fixed critical bug when not running MultiSite
 * better network activation handling

#### 1.0

 * initial release
 * [more info](http://scribu.net/wordpress/plugin-dependencies/pd-1-0.html)

## Meta

 *  Version **1.3**
 *  Last updated **11 years ago**
 *  Active installations **200+**
 *  WordPress version ** 3.1 or higher **
 *  Tested up to **4.0.38**
 *  Language
 * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-dependencies/)
 * Tag
 * [dependency](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/dependency/)
 *  [Advanced View](https://test.wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-dependencies/advanced/)

## Ratings

 5 out of 5 stars.

 *  [  7 5-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/?filter=5)
 *  [  0 4-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/?filter=4)
 *  [  0 3-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/?filter=3)
 *  [  0 2-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/?filter=2)
 *  [  0 1-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/?filter=1)

[Add my review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/#new-post)

[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/reviews/)

## Contributors

 *   [ scribu ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/)
 *   [ XWP ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/xwp/)
 *   [ Dzikri Aziz ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kucrut/)
 *   [ Juliette Reinders Folmer ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/)

## Support

Got something to say? Need help?

 [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/plugin-dependencies/)