29 Oct Show plugin version in plugin_row_meta

Understanding how to display the plugin version in the plugin_row_meta section of the WordPress admin panel can be a valuable enhancement for both developers and users. When adding custom plugins or managing updates, showing the version right within the plugin’s metadata row can improve transparency, streamline troubleshooting, and enhance trust with users. This article provides a detailed walkthrough on how to integrate version numbers effectively using WordPress best practices.

Why Display Version Information in plugin_row_meta?

The WordPress plugin management screen lists all installed plugins and includes rows of metadata for each. Typically, this metadata includes links such as “View Details”, “Visit plugin site”, or “Donate”. While this is helpful, including the active version directly in this metadata line adds more clarity. Here’s why:

• Transparency: Users can instantly see which plugin version is running without having to click into each plugin’s details or open the plugin file.
• Debugging: When users report issues, knowing the running version at a glance can be critical for support and bug fixing.
• Professionalism: Offering clean and informative admin interfaces builds trust in your plugin’s quality.

Understanding the plugin_row_meta Filter Hook

WordPress provides the plugin_row_meta filter that allows developers to customize the output beneath the plugin description row on the Plugins screen (Plugins → Installed Plugins). This filter lets you append links or text relevant to your specific plugin. Its structure is straightforward and powerful:

add_filter( 'plugin_row_meta', 'show_plugin_version_in_row_meta', 10, 4 );

function show_plugin_version_in_row_meta( $plugin_meta, $plugin_file, $plugin_data, $status ) {
    // custom code goes here
    return $plugin_meta;
}

Each parameter passed gives more context for displaying the right information:

• $plugin_meta is an array of current meta links.
• $plugin_file is the relative path to the plugin file.
• $plugin_data provides the full plugin header data, including name, version, and author.
• $status could refer to whether it’s active, inactive, etc.

Conditionally Targeting Your Plugin

In a WordPress environment where multiple plugins are running, you’ll want the version snippet to appear only for your own plugin. You can easily check the $plugin_file value against your main plugin file. Here’s a sample implementation:

add_filter( 'plugin_row_meta', 'show_plugin_version_in_row_meta', 10, 4 );

function show_plugin_version_in_row_meta( $plugin_meta, $plugin_file, $plugin_data, $status ) {
    
    if ( $plugin_file === plugin_basename( __FILE__ ) ) {
        $version_label = 'Version: ' . esc_html( $plugin_data['Version'] );
        array_unshift( $plugin_meta, $version_label );
    }

    return $plugin_meta;
}

This code ensures that the version number shows only for the plugin running this code, keeping your dashboard clean and relevant.

Styling Considerations

While the WordPress admin UI is fairly standardized, you can still enhance how your version label appears by using light styling and HTML tags. For example, wrapping the version in <strong> tags provides an easily recognizable output. Here’s how you could make the text subtle but visible:

$version_label = '<span style="color: #666;"><strong>Version:</strong> ' . esc_html( $plugin_data['Version'] ) . '</span>';

Note: Avoid over-styling your admin output to maintain consistency with WordPress aesthetics.

Handling Multisite and Admin Roles

If your plugin operates in multisite environments or includes role-based configuration, you might want to restrict which users see the version metadata. Examples include:

• Showing version only to administrators.
• Limiting output to super admins on multisite networks.

Here’s an extension of the function to demonstrate this:

if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
    $version_label = '<strong>Version:</strong> ' . esc_html( $plugin_data['Version'] );
    array_unshift( $plugin_meta, $version_label );
}

This flexibility helps you maintain security and avoid confusing non-privileged users with unnecessary information.

Testing and Verification

After implementing your filter function, it’s crucial to test it under different conditions to ensure it works faultlessly. Run your plugin in the following scenarios:

• Local development site with debugging enabled.
• Single site and multisite installations.
• Different user roles logged into the dashboard.
• PHP 7.x and PHP 8.x environments to catch deprecated warnings.

Always use esc_html() or similar escaping functions to sanitize outputs. This ensures that your plugin is secure and follows WordPress coding standards.

Improving Plugin Trust with Versioning

Providing a visible version number is more than a technical detail — it’s a sign of a well-maintained and transparent plugin. Users are more likely to keep your plugin active and updated when they trust its reliability. Here are ways versioning contributes to trust:

• Consistent updates: Users can track whether the plugin updates regularly.
• Compliance reporting: For enterprise users, easy-to-find version info supports audits and internal reporting.
• Community support: Support forums often request plugin version as the first troubleshooting step.

A Suggested Best Practice: Link the Version

You can further enhance user experience by linking the version number to your plugin’s changelog or GitHub releases. This reinforces your plugin’s transparency and encourages engagement. Here’s an example of how to do that:

$version_link = '<a href="https://github.com/myplugin/releases" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Version:</strong> ' . esc_html( $plugin_data['Version'] ) . '</a>';
array_unshift( $plugin_meta, $version_link );

This small addition adds great value, especially when your plugin is under active development.

Conclusion

Displaying the plugin version in the plugin_row_meta section is a smart, user-friendly enhancement. It’s easy to implement, doesn’t disrupt the admin UI, and offers clear benefits to users, developers, and support teams. As a plugin author, you should integrate this best practice into your workflow to improve maintainability and professionalism.

By following this guide and customizing your output based on your plugin’s scope, you provide users with a more informative plugin management experience, ultimately strengthening trust in your software.

And remember: small improvements like this are often what separate a good plugin from a great one.