Behind the WordPress.org Plugin Review Process | Francisco Torres (WordPress Plugins Team)

In this recorded episode of the Melapress Show, we're joined by Francisco Torres, Representative of the WordPress Plugins Team, to explain what actually happens when a plugin is submitted to the WordPress.org repository, how the review process works, and how the team keeps 70,000+ plugins secure, compatible, and compliant. In this episode: ▫️ How new plugin submissions are reviewed: from the automated Plugin Check tool to AI-assisted first review to human review queues ▫️ Why the plugin repository grew from 60,000 to 70,000+ plugins in under two years, and the role AI-generated submissions are playing in that growth ▫️ How the team verifies plugin ownership and why supply chain attacks like the 2024 backdoor case are so hard to prevent ▫️ What happens when plugins are abandoned: the "adopt me" tag, no-index for outdated listings, and the transfer process ▫️ Why plugins get closed: guideline violations, sock puppeting, GPL issues, and security reports ▫️ How the team decides between a warning, a closure, or pushing a security fix directly without waiting on the author This episode is for WordPress developers, plugin authors, and agencies who want to understand what's happening behind the scenes of the plugin they just installed. 📒 Show notes links: The WordPress plugins review team: https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/ha... Five for the Future project: https://wordpress.org/five-for-the-fu... The Make WordPress.org blog from the plugins review team: https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/ The Adopt-me plugins tag: https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/ad... Francisco's own website: https://frantorres.es/en/ 👤 Follow Francisco Torres:   / frantorreses   🔉Learn more about the host: Robert Abela is the founder and CEO of Melapress, where he leads the company’s strategy and supports the team behind its WordPress security and management tools. A security professional with 23+ years of experience in IT and software, Robert has held management positions at security companies including GFI Software, Acunetix, and Netsparker. He hosts The Melapress Show, featuring expert interviews, Q&A sessions, and practical discussions on WordPress security, user management, compliance, and more. 🔗Robert Abela:   / robertabela   🔗Melapress website: https://melapress.com 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for weekly conversations on WordPress security, ethical hacking, and developer best practices. #WordPress #WordPressPlugins #WordPressSecurity