Project Overview

The Member Benefits plugin is a custom-built WordPress plugin designed to display member-exclusive benefits in a well-organized, user-friendly manner. It allows website owners to showcase active and expired benefits separately, ensuring that users can easily view what’s currently available and what has ended. The plugin features a tabbed interface that dynamically switches between “Active” and “Ended” benefits, displaying essential details like company names, benefit descriptions, redemption instructions, and expiration dates.

Client Requirement

The client required a plugin that would allow them to display a list of member benefits for their website’s members. The main features requested were:

• A clear distinction between active and expired benefits.
• The ability to easily integrate the plugin into various pages via a shortcode.
• A responsive design that works well on both desktop and mobile devices.
• An organized and visually appealing way to present the benefits using tables.
• An option to dynamically manage the data from the WordPress backend, with a focus on ease of use and smooth user experience.
  

How I Did It

To fulfill the client’s requirements, I developed the Member Benefits plugin with the following features:

1. Tabbed Interface for Active and Ended Benefits: I created a tabbed navigation system that allows users to toggle between the active and expired benefits. Each tab dynamically displays the relevant benefits from the database, making it easy for users to find what they’re looking for without page reloads.

2. Custom Shortcode: I implemented a shortcode ([member_benefits]) that can be added to any post or page, allowing the client to easily embed the benefits display wherever needed on the site.

3. Responsive and Clean UI: The plugin was styled using custom CSS to ensure that it looks great on both desktop and mobile devices. The tables displaying the benefits are well-structured and easy to read, with a modern design that aligns with the client’s branding.

4. Database Integration: I utilized WordPress’s $wpdb object to retrieve active and expired benefits from a custom database table, ensuring the plugin remains flexible and can easily handle a growing list of benefits.

5. Security Measures: To ensure the plugin’s security, I made sure that all data displayed from the database is properly sanitized using WordPress’s built-in functions, protecting the site from potential security vulnerabilities.

Tech Skills Used

• PHP & WordPress Development: Custom plugin development using PHP, integrating seamlessly with WordPress’s core features and APIs.
• MySQL: Querying the database efficiently with WordPress’s $wpdb object for retrieving active and expired member benefits.
• HTML & CSS: Building responsive, visually appealing tables to display the benefits, ensuring compatibility with the client’s site design.
• JavaScript & jQuery: Implementing an interactive tab system to toggle between active and expired benefits without page reloads.
• Security Best Practices: Ensuring that all data displayed from the database is sanitized to prevent any security risks, such as XSS attacks.