6 ms·

Show HN: WP Foundry, a desktop WordPress management tool

13 points by mikeywazowski 2y ago

lioeters 2y ago
The software looks good, with potential to be useful. It's a desktop app to manage local and remote WordPress sites. For feedback, I think the wording in the Team page (linked from site footer) can be improved. Currently it links to an About Me page, with personal details about how the project took so long because it was neglected for some time, which erodes confidence; or about being made redundant, so he's now working on the product full time. Don't tell us negative things about the past, like neglecting the product or losing a job - it doesn't matter to the users. Tell us where it's at now, and the bright future where it's going. Re-word the page so that only positivity comes through, like: "Recently I've committed to working on the product full time, and it's growing fast every day!"
- mikeywazowski 2y ago
  Ah yes of course, that makes sense. I'll update that page as soon as I can. Thank you very much for your feedback, I really appreciate it!
aprilnya 2y ago
This seems cool, but can a WP management tool really be powerful if it isn’t just embedding the actual WP admin page? Since it means you can’t configure plugins that add their own configuration and stuff…
- toomuchtodo 2y ago
  Could be making the same http/rest calls?
  - mikeywazowski 2y ago
    Yeah this is what I plan to do, although it's not implemented yet.
  - aprilnya 2y ago
    Sure but adding support and UI for every single WP plugin that exists isn’t feasible
    - toomuchtodo 2y ago
      Only need to support the most popular ones.
      - aprilnya 2y ago
        There are so many WP plugins that “support the most popular ones”, depending on your criteria, either still means supporting thousands of plugins, or means it won’t support the plugins I use
        mikeywazowski 2y ago
        Indeed. The extension to WP-CLI is open source so if you're seriously interested, make a PR and I'll update the UI to accommodate it.
- mikeywazowski 2y ago
  Yeah that's a fair point. The purpose of the application isn't to provide fine-grained control over plugins etc yet.. However, I do intend to add settings configuration for some plugins. Which plugins I'll do this for depends on their popularity and whether they have WP-CLI compatibility built in. In the meantime I may see if I can also embed the WP admin page so the user has quick access if they want to change anything. Thanks for your feedback!
universenz 2y ago
A fellow HN Kiwi. Nice work on this Mike. Keen to see how it develops!
- mikeywazowski 2y ago
  Thanks! Yeah I always like seeing other Kiwis' work on here, so had to share. (and y'know, for SEO purposes etc. cough cough)
rocksalad 2y ago
Looks cool, will share it with a colleague, might try it out.
Z7YCx5ieof4Std 2y ago
I just tested it. I really want to like it but i'll wait Somethings i noticed. BTW using a Mac App I get errors when trying to connect. Error: Connection lost before handshake and something else Why cant i edit the saved site. Now i have to delete and add again. After doing that once, not gonna do it twice Website Why is there no download app menu entry on the site. Now i have to login and figure out on the dashboard that there is a page with a link to a dropbox. Just like a said. I really want to like it. But not now
- mikeywazowski 2y ago
  Ok - thanks for your feedback! I've been meaning to make saved sites editable - will implement this asap. Regarding the app download, I figured you have to log in anyway to get the license key, and the direct download link is on the same page. The Dropbox link is only required for older versions of the app, and the latest version (1.0.6) includes auto updates. I get your point though - this process could definitely be improved; hopefully I'll have time tomorrow. I'm not sure about the connection issue - I'll do some testing on my mac tomorrow to try to replicate the error, and will hopefully have an update very soon!
huxflux 2y ago
Gonna follow this one, keep at it OP! the community need something like this.

13 points by mikeywazowski 2y ago

The software looks good, with potential to be useful. It's a desktop app to manage local and remote WordPress sites. For feedback, I think the wording in the Team page (linked from site footer) can be improved. Currently it links to an About Me page, with personal details about how the project took so long because it was neglected for some time, which erodes confidence; or about being made redundant, so he's now working on the product full time. Don't tell us negative things about the past, like neglecting the product or losing a job - it doesn't matter to the users. Tell us where it's at now, and the bright future where it's going. Re-word the page so that only positivity comes through, like: "Recently I've committed to working on the product full time, and it's growing fast every day!"

mikeywazowski 2y ago
Ah yes of course, that makes sense. I'll update that page as soon as I can. Thank you very much for your feedback, I really appreciate it!

aprilnya 2y ago

This seems cool, but can a WP management tool really be powerful if it isn’t just embedding the actual WP admin page? Since it means you can’t configure plugins that add their own configuration and stuff…

toomuchtodo 2y ago
Could be making the same http/rest calls?
- mikeywazowski 2y ago
  Yeah this is what I plan to do, although it's not implemented yet.
- aprilnya 2y ago
  Sure but adding support and UI for every single WP plugin that exists isn’t feasible
  - toomuchtodo 2y ago
    Only need to support the most popular ones.
    - aprilnya 2y ago
      There are so many WP plugins that “support the most popular ones”, depending on your criteria, either still means supporting thousands of plugins, or means it won’t support the plugins I use
      - mikeywazowski 2y ago
        Indeed. The extension to WP-CLI is open source so if you're seriously interested, make a PR and I'll update the UI to accommodate it.
mikeywazowski 2y ago
Yeah that's a fair point. The purpose of the application isn't to provide fine-grained control over plugins etc yet.. However, I do intend to add settings configuration for some plugins. Which plugins I'll do this for depends on their popularity and whether they have WP-CLI compatibility built in. In the meantime I may see if I can also embed the WP admin page so the user has quick access if they want to change anything. Thanks for your feedback!

universenz 2y ago

A fellow HN Kiwi. Nice work on this Mike. Keen to see how it develops!

mikeywazowski 2y ago
Thanks! Yeah I always like seeing other Kiwis' work on here, so had to share. (and y'know, for SEO purposes etc. cough cough)

rocksalad 2y ago

Looks cool, will share it with a colleague, might try it out.

Z7YCx5ieof4Std 2y ago

I just tested it. I really want to like it but i'll wait Somethings i noticed. BTW using a Mac App I get errors when trying to connect. Error: Connection lost before handshake and something else Why cant i edit the saved site. Now i have to delete and add again. After doing that once, not gonna do it twice Website Why is there no download app menu entry on the site. Now i have to login and figure out on the dashboard that there is a page with a link to a dropbox. Just like a said. I really want to like it. But not now

mikeywazowski 2y ago
Ok - thanks for your feedback! I've been meaning to make saved sites editable - will implement this asap. Regarding the app download, I figured you have to log in anyway to get the license key, and the direct download link is on the same page. The Dropbox link is only required for older versions of the app, and the latest version (1.0.6) includes auto updates. I get your point though - this process could definitely be improved; hopefully I'll have time tomorrow. I'm not sure about the connection issue - I'll do some testing on my mac tomorrow to try to replicate the error, and will hopefully have an update very soon!

huxflux 2y ago

Gonna follow this one, keep at it OP! the community need something like this.