Installation Guide

Requirements

Before installing Wbcom Essential, ensure your environment meets these requirements:

RequirementMinimum VersionWordPress6.0+PHP8.0+MySQL5.7+ / MariaDB 10.3+

Optional Dependencies

PluginRequired ForElementorElementor widgetsBuddyPressBuddyPress widgets & blocksbbPressForums widgets & blocksWooCommerceWooCommerce widgets

Installation Methods

Method 1: WordPress Dashboard (Recommended)

Go to Plugins → Add New Click Upload Plugin Choose the wbcom-essential-4.2.0.zip file Click Install Now Click Activate

Method 2: FTP Upload

Extract wbcom-essential-4.2.0.zip Upload the wbcom-essential folder to /wp-content/plugins/ Go to Plugins in WordPress admin Find “Wbcom Essential” and click Activate

Method 3: WP-CLI

Upload and activate

wp plugin install wbcom-essential-4.2.0.zip –activate

Post-Installation Setup

Verify Installation

After activation, verify the plugin is working:

Elementor: Edit a page with Elementor → Look for “Wbcom Essential” widget category Gutenberg: Add a new block → Look for “Wbcom Essential” block category

Configure Settings

Go to Appearance → Starter Sites (if using BuddyX theme) Or configure individual widgets/blocks as you use them

Troubleshooting

Plugin Conflicts

If widgets don’t appear:

Deactivate other plugins temporarily Switch to a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Four) Re-check if Wbcom Essential widgets appear Re-activate plugins one by one to identify conflicts

JavaScript Errors

If interactive features don’t work:

Check browser console for errors (F12) Clear any caching plugins Ensure jQuery is loaded (required for Elementor widgets)

BuddyPress Widgets Not Showing

BuddyPress widgets only appear when BuddyPress is active:

// Check if BuddyPress is active if ( function_exists( 'buddypress' ) ) { // BuddyPress widgets are available }

WooCommerce Widgets Not Showing

WooCommerce widgets only appear when WooCommerce is active:

// Check if WooCommerce is active if ( class_exists( 'WooCommerce' ) ) { // WooCommerce widgets are available }

Updating the Plugin

Automatic Updates

If installed from WordPress.org, updates appear automatically in Dashboard → Updates.

Manual Updates

Download the latest version Deactivate the current version Delete the old wbcom-essential folder via FTP Upload the new version Activate

Note: Your widget/block settings are stored in the database and will be preserved during updates.

Uninstallation

Go to Plugins Deactivate “Wbcom Essential” Click Delete

Warning: Pages using Wbcom Essential widgets/blocks will show fallback content or errors after uninstallation. Replace with alternative content before uninstalling.