Effortless, Self-Hosted Updates for Your WordPress Plugins

Provides an efficient, secure, and user-friendly version update mechanism for non-official WordPress plugins. Version Pilot offers a decentralized and seamless update solution for WordPress plugin developers who host their plugins outside the official repository.

It perfectly mimics the native WordPress update experience without relying on a central server. This allows your users to update with a single click from their admin dashboard, just like any official plugin

How It Works

Our solution is comprised of two parts, designed to provide the smoothest experience for both developers and end-users:

Step 1: Install Version Pilot on your server

The Author-side Plugin (“Version Pilot”): You install this plugin on your own WordPress site. It provides a clean interface to manage all your plugins’ update information, which is then exposed via a secure REST API endpoint.

Step 2: Embed the client code in your plugin

The Client-side Integration Code: This is a lightweight PHP snippet that you embed in your distributed plugins. This code uses WordPress’s built-in hooks to periodically check your Version Pilot API for updates.

This architecture means your users do not need to install any extra plugins. The update logic is bundled within your own plugin.

Feature Highlights

The free version of Version Pilot provides everything you need to manage updates for your self-hosted plugins

Plugin-Centric Workflow

First, add your plugin’s core information, then add multiple versions to that plugin. This process is more intuitive and reduces data redundancy.

Dedicated Versions List

A new “All Versions” screen gives you a complete history of all releases across all your plugins.

AJAX-Powered UI

Enable or disable updates directly from the versions list with a single click, with no page reload needed.

Streamlined Process

The “Add New Version” screen is simplified, automatically linking to its parent plugin and requiring only version-specific details.

Modern Codebase

Fully refactored for better performance, security, and adherence to modern WordPress best practices.

Secure & Reliable

All communication should be over HTTPS. Furthermore, WordPress itself performs validations on the update package before installation.

Lightweight & Performant

The update check leverages WordPress’s built-in transient API. WordPress only checks for updates twice a day, so the impact on performance is negligible.

Pro Upsell & Comparison

Version Pilot Pro is a professional add-on for the free “Version Pilot” plugin, transforming it into a more powerful and commercial-ready software distribution platform.

Supercharge Your Workflow with Version Pilot Pro

Premium Plugin Update Authentication

Introduces a robust authentication mechanism for developers who sell private or premium plugins.

  • Protect Your Revenue: This feature allows you to require a license key and/or a user ID for plugin updates, ensuring that only authorized customers receive them.
  • Flexible Integration: By using simple WordPress filter hooks, you can integrate with any licensing system, whether it’s based on a custom database table, a third-party API, or WordPress user roles.

Minimum Required Version Control

This feature gives you granular control over the update path for your plugins.

  • Ensure Safe Upgrades: This is essential for managing updates that depend on code from a specific previous version, such as after a major refactor or when a security fix can only be applied to a recent release.
  • Smart Version Matching: The system will find the newest available version that the client is eligible to install, ensuring a safe and compatible upgrade path for all your users

Free vs. Pro

Version Pilot (Free)

Free
  • Decentralized Update API ✔️
  • Plugin & Version Management ✔️
  • Seamless User Experience ✔️
  • AJAX-Powered UI ✔️
  • License Key Authentication ❌
  • Minimum Required Version ❌
  • Flexible Validation Logic ❌
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Version Pilot Pro (Add-on)

$19lifetime
  • Decentralized Update API ✔️
  • Plugin & Version Management ✔️
  • Seamless User Experience ✔️
  • AJAX-Powered UI ✔️
  • License Key Authentication ✔️
  • Minimum Required Version ✔️
  • Flexible Validation Logic ✔️
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Purchase (Credit Card/PayPal)

Please note: You must have the free Version Pilot plugin installed and activated to use this Pro add-on.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A: No. That is the main advantage. The update logic is bundled within your own plugin, so your users do not need to install any extra plugins.

A: Yes. All communication should be over HTTPS. Furthermore, WordPress itself performs validations on the update package before installation.

A: No. The update check leverages WordPress’s built-in transient API. WordPress only checks for updates twice a day (every 12 hours), so the impact on performance is negligible.

A: This functionality requires the Pro add-on. You need to use the `wowown_version_pilot_client_auth_credentials` filter in your distributable plugin to send the credentials and the `wowown_version_pilot_update_verify` filter on your server to validate them.

A: When editing a version, you can find the “Minimum Required Version” field. If you enter a version number like `1.5.0`, only users with version 1.5.0 or newer will be offered this update. You can leave the field blank to make the update available to all older versions.