UpdatePulse Server

UpdatePulse Server allows developers to provide updates for software packages, including WordPress plugins and themes.

Some example use cases:

• provide updates for premium plugins or themes, with a license key
• provide custom theme or plugin updates to clients of a webdesign agency and not intended for the general public
• provide updates for a desktop software that integrates with UpdatePulse Server’s update and license API

Packages may be either uploaded directly, or downloaded automatically from configured Version Control Systems, public or private. Package updates may require a license ; both packages and licenses can be managed through an API or a user interface within UpdatePulse Server.

Important notes

The target audience of this plugin is developers, not end-users.

Zip PHP extension is required.

For more information, available APIs, functions, actions and filters, see the plugin’s full documentation.

Make sure to read the full documentation and the content of the “Help” tab under “UpdatePulse Server” settings before opening an issue or contacting the author.

Overview

This plugin adds the following major features to WordPress:

• Package management: to manage update packages, showing a listing with Package Name, Version, Type, File Name, Size, File Modified and License Status; includes bulk operations to delete and download, and the ability to delete all the packages.
• Add Packages: Upload update packages from a local machine to the server, or download them to the server from a Version Control System.
• Version Control Systems: Instead of manually uploading packages, use Version Control Systems to host packages, and download them to UpdatePulse Server automatically. Supports Bitbucket, Github and Gitlab, as well as self-hosted installations of Gitlab.
• Cloud Storage: Instead of storing packages on the file system where UpdatePulse Server is installed, they can be stored on a cloud storage service, as long as it is compatible with Amazon S3’s API. Examples: Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, MinIO, and many more!
• UpdatePulse Server does not install executable code from the Version Control System onto your installation of WordPress, and does not track your activity. It is designed to only store packages and licenses, and to provide updates when they are requested.
• Licenses: manage licenses with License Key, Registered Email, Status, Package Type, Package Slug, Creation Date, and Expiration Date; add and edit them with a form, or use the API for more control. Licenses prevent packages from being updated without a valid license. Licenses Keys are generated automatically by default and the values are unguessable (it is recommended to keep the default). When checking the validity of licenses, an extra license signature is also checked to prevent the use of a license on more than the configured allowed domains.
• API: UpdatePulse Server provides APIs to manage packages and licenses. The APIs keys are secured with a system of tokens: the API keys are never shared over the network, acquiring a token requires signed payloads, and the tokens have a limited lifetime. For more details about tokens and security, see the Nonce API documentation.

To connect their plugins or themes and UpdatePulse Server, developers can find integration examples in the UpdatePulse Server Integration Examples repository – theme and plugin examples rely heavily on the popular Plugin Update Checker by Yahnis Elsts.

Companion Plugins

The following plugins are compatible with UpdatePulse Server and can be used to extend its functionality: * Updatepulse Blocks: a seamless way to display packages from UpdatePulse Server directly within your site using the WordPress Block Editor or shortcodes. * UpdatePulse for WooCommerce: a WooCommerce connector for UpdatePulse Server, allowing you to sell licensed packages through your WooCommerce store, either on the same WordPress installation or a separate store site.

Developers are encouraged to build plugins and themes integrated with UpdatePulse Server, leveraging its publicly available functions, actions and filters, or by making use of the provided APIs.

If you wish to see your plugin added to this list, please contact the author.

Troubleshooting

Please read the plugin FAQ, there is a lot that may help you there!

UpdatePulse Server is regularly updated for compatibility, and bug reports are welcome, preferably on Github. Pull Requests from developers following the WordPress Coding Standards (WordPress-Extra ruleset) are highly appreciated and will be credited upon merge.

In case the plugin has not been updated for a while, no panic: it simply means the compatibility flag has not been changed, and it very likely remains compatible with the latest version of WordPress. This is because it was designed with long-term compatibility in mind from the ground up.

Each bug report will be addressed in a timely manner if properly documented – previously unanswered general inquiries and issues reported on the WordPress forum may take significantly longer to receive a response (if any).

Only issues occurring with WordPress core, WooCommerce, and default WordPress themes (incl. WooCommerce Storefront) will be considered.

Troubleshooting involving 3rd-party plugins or themes will not be addressed on the WordPress support forum.