Darshit Rajyaguru

TypeForge CPT and Meta Builder is a lightweight, performance-optimized WordPress admin interface for creating custom post types, taxonomies, and post meta configurations without writing code. Perfect for developers who want a faster alternative to page builders for content structure setup.
Why TypeForge? 
– Lightning-fast performance with minimal database overhead 
– Zero dependencies – works standalone without ACF or other plugins 
– Clean, developer-focused UI 
– Export PHP snippets for version control 
– Portable JSON configurations for multi-environment workflows 
– Full REST API support out of the box 
– SEO-friendly with proper WordPress integration
Key Features:
<ul>
<li>⚡ Performance-First Design – Lightweight codebase, optimized queries, lazy-loaded assets</li>
<li>🏗️ Custom Post Type Builder – Configure all standard CPT options with live validation</li>
<li>📂 Taxonomy Builder – Create hierarchical or flat taxonomies, assign to multiple post types</li>
<li>🏷️ Meta Field Builder – 13 field types including flexible content for repeatable data</li>
<li>📱 Mobile-Ready Forms – Responsive meta boxes that work on all devices</li>
<li>💾 Code Generation – Download ready-to-use PHP snippets with proper registration</li>
<li>📤 Portable Config – Export/import JSON for easy deployment across environments</li>
<li>🔌 REST API Ready – Built-in REST endpoint support, no additional setup needed</li>
<li>🎨 ACF Compatible – Generate ACF-compatible JSON when ACF is active</li>
<li>🔒 Secure by Default – Proper sanitization, nonce verification, capability checks</li>
<li>♿ Accessible – WCAG-compliant markup and keyboard navigation</li>
</ul>
The plugin does not bundle or require Advanced Custom Fields. ACF JSON export is a bonus when ACF is active.
<h3>Usage Guide</h3>
Getting Started in 5 Minutes:
<ol>
<li>Activate the plugin</li>
<li>Go to TypeForge CPT Builder in admin menu</li>
<li>Create your first custom post type (e.g., “Portfolio”)</li>
<li>Add a taxonomy (e.g., “Portfolio Category”)</li>
<li>Add custom meta fields (e.g., “Project URL”, “Client Name”)</li>
<li>View live meta box in post editor</li>
<li>Export PHP code for production use</li>
</ol>
<h4>Dashboard</h4>
The dashboard provides a quick overview of your content structures: 
– Post Types Count – All registered custom post types 
– Taxonomies Count – All registered taxonomies 
– Meta Fields Count – All configured meta fields 
– REST Enabled – Count of REST-enabled structures
Use quick action buttons to create new structures, generate code, or manage configurations.
<h4>Custom Post Types</h4>
Configuration Fields: 
– Singular Name – Grammatically correct singular label (e.g., “Portfolio Item”) 
– Plural Name – Plural form (e.g., “Portfolio Items”) 
– Slug – URL-safe identifier, no spaces or special chars (e.g., “portfolio”) 
– Menu Icon – Choose from 300+ Dashicons 
– Menu Position – Order in admin menu (5-100) 
– Description – Helpful text for admin users 
– Supports – Editor features (title, editor, thumbnail, etc.) 
– Public – Visible on frontend (affects archive, search, REST) 
– Hierarchical – Enable parent/child relationships 
– Archive – Show post type archive page 
– REST Support – Enable REST API endpoints
Tips: 
– Archives need “Hierarchical” off and “Archive” enabled 
– Public CPTs require “Show UI” and “Public” both enabled 
– Change slug-related settings before publishing content 
– REST support is recommended for headless/block editor usage
Example: Portfolio Post Type 
 <code>Singular: Portfolio Item 
Plural: Portfolio Items 
Slug: portfolio 
Menu Icon: dashicons-images-alt 
Supports: title, editor, thumbnail 
Public: Yes 
Archive: Yes 
REST: Yes</code>
<h4>Custom Taxonomies</h4>
Configuration Fields: 
– Name – Taxonomy display label (e.g., “Project Categories”) 
– Singular – Singular form (e.g., “Category”) 
– Slug – URL identifier (e.g., “portfolio-category”) 
– Hierarchical – Enable parent/child like categories (vs tags) 
– Post Types – Assign to one or more CPTs 
– Show in REST – Enable REST API support 
– Rewrite – Update URL structure after creation
Tips: 
– Hierarchical taxonomies work like categories (parent/child) 
– Flat taxonomies work like tags (no hierarchy) 
– Assign to multiple post types for shared taxonomy 
– Visit Settings > Permalinks after slug changes
Example: Portfolio Tags Taxonomy 
 <code>Name: Project Tags 
Singular: Tag 
Slug: portfolio-tag 
Hierarchical: No (flat like tags) 
Post Types: portfolio (check) 
Show in REST: Yes</code>
<h4>Meta Fields</h4>
Field Types Supported: 
– Text – Single-line text input 
– Textarea – Multi-line text editor 
– Number – Numeric input with validation 
– Email – Email field with validation 
– URL – URL field with validation 
– Checkbox – Boolean true/false 
– Radio – Single select from options 
– Select – Dropdown selector 
– Date – Date picker field 
– Time – Time picker field 
– Image – Media library image uploader 
– File – Media library file uploader 
– Flexible Content – Repeatable layout blocks (new!)
Configuration: 
– Post Type – Which CPT this field applies to 
– Label – User-friendly field name 
– Meta Key – Internal database key (underscore-prefixed recommended) 
– Type – Choose from 13 field types 
– Options – For select/radio (one per line) 
– Default Value – Pre-fill when creating posts 
– Placeholder – Example text in input 
– Description – Helper text below field 
– Required – Mark field as mandatory 
– Show in REST – Expose to API
Tips: 
– Use meta keys like <code>_portfolio_client</code> (underscore prefix hides from custom fields) 
– Required fields work with JavaScript validation 
– Flexible content is perfect for modular content blocks 
– REST-enabled fields auto-register with proper schema
Example: Portfolio Meta Fields 
 <code>1. Client Name (text) - _client_name - Required: Yes 
2. Project URL (url) - _project_url - Required: No 
3. Project Budget (number) - _project_budget - Show in REST: Yes 
4. Case Study (flexible_content) - _case_study</code>
<h4>Code Generator</h4>
The Code Generator creates production-ready PHP snippets. Perfect for: 
– Version control integration 
– Continuous deployment pipelines 
– Moving from staging to production 
– Sharing configurations across teams 
– Local development workflows
Generated Code Includes: 
– CPT registration with all options 
– Taxonomy registration with assignments 
– Meta field registration with schema 
– REST endpoint examples 
– Proper capability checks 
– Inline documentation
Quick Generate Feature: 
Simply enter a name and TypeForge auto-generates slug, singular/plural forms: 
– “Event” → slug: event, singular: Event, plural: Events 
– “Author” → slug: author, singular: Author, plural: Authors 
– “Testimonial” → slug: testimonial, singular: Testimonial, plural: Testimonials
Export Options: 
– Copy code to clipboard (Ctrl+C ready) 
– Download as .php file for version control 
– ACF-compatible JSON (when ACF is active)
<h4>Import / Export</h4>
Use Cases: 
– Backup configurations 
– Transfer between environments (local → staging → production) 
– Share configurations with team members 
– Version control content structures 
– Disaster recovery
Workflow: 
1. Go to Import/Export page 
2. Click “Export JSON” to download current configuration 
3. On another site, click “Import JSON” and select the file 
4. Review configuration preview 
5. Click “Import” to activate structures
JSON Format: 
The exported JSON includes all CPTs, taxonomies, meta fields, and settings. Keep backups in git for version history.
<h4>Troubleshooting</h4>
Post Type Not Appearing? 
– Check “Show UI” and “Public” are enabled 
– Visit Settings > Permalinks and save 
– Clear browser cache 
– Refresh WordPress admin
Meta Fields Not Showing? 
– Verify field is assigned to correct post type 
– Check post type has meta box support 
– Ensure meta field is not hidden (show_in_rest) 
– Clear admin bar cache
REST API Not Working? 
– Enable “Show in REST” on CPT and fields 
– Verify REST is not disabled in settings 
– Test with REST CLI or Postman 
– Check user capabilities allow API access
Import Failing? 
– Verify JSON file is valid (use online JSON validator) 
– Check file size is under 30MB 
– Ensure proper permissions 
– Try export/import on fresh installation first
Settings > Permalinks Not Saving? 
– Disable plugins temporarily to check conflicts 
– Verify .htaccess is writable 
– Try “Plain” permalinks then switch back 
– Check with hosting provider for rewrite rules
<h4>ACF Compatible JSON</h4>
TypeForge generates ACF-compatible JSON when Advanced Custom Fields is active. This allows: 
– Easy ACF integration for clients 
– Switching between ACF and TypeForge 
– Export structures for ACF field groups 
– Backup ACF fields in portable format
Note: TypeForge is fully independent and works without ACF. ACF compatibility is optional.
<h3>Support</h3>
Need Help? 
– Read the comprehensive FAQ section above 
– Check the Troubleshooting guide in Usage section 
– Visit WordPress.org support forums 
– Report bugs or suggest features via GitHub
For Developers: 
– Hooks: Use <code>typeforge_cpt_meta_builder_*</code> filters 
– Configuration: Modify via <code>typeforge_cpt_meta_builder_config_updated</code> action 
– Extend: Hook into registration functions 
– Version control: Export JSON and commit to git
<h3>Performance & Optimization</h3>
TypeForge is built for speed:
<ul>
<li>Lightweight Code – ~50KB of PHP, no heavyweight dependencies</li>
<li>Efficient Queries – Configuration cached per-request</li>
<li>Smart Asset Loading – CSS/JS only load on plugin pages</li>
<li>Database Optimization – Uses WordPress options API efficiently</li>
<li>REST API Ready – Automatic REST registration without extra overhead</li>
</ul>
<h3>Security & Compliance</h3>
TypeForge follows WordPress security standards:
<ul>
<li>✅ Proper input sanitization and escaping</li>
<li>✅ Nonce verification on all forms</li>
<li>✅ Capability checking (filterable <code>manage_options</code>)</li>
<li>✅ PHPCS WordPress-Core standard compliance</li>
<li>✅ No external API calls or tracking</li>
<li>✅ Privacy-focused (zero user data collection)</li>
<li>✅ Regular security audits</li>
</ul>
<h3>Contributing</h3>
TypeForge welcomes community contributions. To contribute:
<ol>
<li>Fork the repository</li>
<li>Create feature branch (<code>git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature</code>)</li>
<li>Commit changes (<code>git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'</code>)</li>
<li>Push to branch (<code>git push origin feature/amazing-feature</code>)</li>
<li>Open Pull Request</li>
</ol>
<h3>Rate & Review</h3>
If TypeForge helps your WordPress project, consider leaving a review on WordPress.org. Your feedback helps other developers find this tool.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Your review matters!

TypeForge CPT and Meta Builder

Lightweight, fast custom post type, taxonomy, and meta field builder for WordPress. Perfect for developers.

sroyalty

This plugin takes a simple concept of giving you fields to enter information that use the meta tags built into 
Wordpress and expands on it. Modifying conf.txt in the plugin directory will allow you to enter custom fields to 
the Posts pages to add textfields, textarea, dropdown selections, checkboxes, and radio selections.
On top of all this simplicity, it also integrates several popular WordPress plugins. With gallery selection for 
NextGen Gallery you can select a gallery to save the id to a meta field for your post to pull in your theme. Support 
for WordTube video selection is also added. WP-Download Manager is also supported in this initial release to get ids 
for downloads as well.
Now while that may seem enough to make this a popular plugin, there is more. Meta Extensions allows you mark the 
fields to auto add tags based on field title or content (explained in the readme). It also allows you to set up 
checkboxes to add a post to/remove from a category automatically as wanted. All from the single conf.txt file included 
with the plugin.
One of the latest features is the ability to place conf.txt in your current theme’s directory. By placing conf.txt in 
the theme directories this allows you to run the plugin with multiple themes on your site and have custom conf.txt per 
theme to only show the specific fields needed in that theme. If the file is not in the theme directory, it pulls from 
the default conf.txt in the plugin’s directory.
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.premiumdigitalservices.net/blog/" title="Meta Extensions Plugin for WordPress" rel="nofollow ugc">Plugin Homepage</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Arbitrary section</h3>
<h4>CONFIGURATION</h4>
Filed/Element Types: 
 textfield – HTML Form Textfield 
 textarea – HTML Form Textarea 
 checkbox – HTML Form Checkbox 
 radio – HTML Form Radio selections 
 select – HTML Form Select box 
 gallery – HTML Form Select box to choose a NextGen Gallery 
 video – HTML Form Select box to choose a Wordtube Video 
 download – HTML Form Select box to choose a WordPress Download Manager file
To specify the custom fields, edit the file conf.txt
Each entry begins with the subject inside square brackets. The second 
line specifies its type. The third line, which only applies to type 
“radio” and “select,” enumerates the available options. Each option 
has to be separated by a hash mark (#). Each entry for standard HTML 
form entities you can also include a default which tells it which to 
mark as selected or checked. You can also include the tag option which 
will tell the plugin to add the selection as a post tag automatically. 
Tags are explained further down. Checkbox also has unique entries called 
category_id and category_name. These are filled based on existing categories 
in your WordPress site. This can be used to auto add/remove the post to the 
entered category id (and it’s matching name for error checks) when used.
Ex.
[Plan] 
type = textfield 
subtitle = Enter the generic name of your plan here.
[Favorite Post] 
type = checkbox 
category_id = 4 
category_name = Project Plans
[Miles Walked] 
type = radio 
value = 0-9#10-19#20+ 
default = 0-9
[Temper Level] 
type = select 
value = High#Medium#Low
[Hidden Thought] 
type = textarea 
rows = 4 
cols = 40
[Picture Gallery] 
type = gallery 
tag = 0
[The Video] 
type = video 
tag = 0
[Attachment] 
type = download 
tag = 0
Tags can be very useful. Below is how each special type generates the 
tag for it.
Tag Design: 
 textfield – Title of the entry when filled 
 textarea – Title of the entry when filled 
 checkbox – Title of the entry when checked 
 radio – The name of the selection 
 select – The name of the selection 
 gallery – Not handled 
 video – Not handled
<h4>Useage</h4>
Once you build your conf.txt file, you are ready to start making posts 
using the custom fields. In order to call these fields you can either 
use the built in get methods for post meta, or you can use the ones that 
I have added to the metaext class to keep your code clean and know what 
is what. Below is the current list of functions you can use in your theme 
to call the meta information easily.
Meta Extensions Class: 
 metaext::get_single_metaext($meta_name, $limit) 
 Description: Creates a post object containing all the Posts with the meta_name passed being set in them. 
 $meta_name: the name in brackets for the field you want to pull the list of posts using this field. 
 $limit: how many of these posts to pull. Defaults to 5 if nothing is passed. 
 metaext::get_multi_metaext($meta_names, $limit) 
 Description: Creates a post object containing all the Posts the all the meta_names passed (meta_names is an array). 
 $meta_names: the names in brackets in an array for the fields you want to pull the list of posts using this field. 
 $limit: how many of these posts to pull. Defaults to 5 if nothing is passed. 
 metaext:: get_value_metaext($the_ID, $name) 
 Description: Gets the value for the passed name from the post id passed. 
 $the_ID: the post ID you are wanting to pull the custom field’s value from. 
 $name: The field name of the entry you want to pull the value for. The name is what is in [] and is case sensitive.
Meta Extensions WordPress Download Manager Class: 
 metaext_wpdm::get_metaext_downloadlink($id) 
 Description: Returns the download link for WPDM ID passed. 
 $id: The download ID (can use metaext::get_value_metaext() to get the ID) you want the link for. 
 metaext_wpdm::show_metaext_downloadlink($id) 
 Description: Echos the download link for WPDM ID passed. 
 $id: The download ID (can use metaext::get_value_metaext() to get the ID) you want the link for.
Meta Extensions NextGen Gallery Class: 
 metaext_ngg::get_metaext_firstpic($galleryid) 
 Description: Pulls the first image’s src link for the gallery id passed to it. 
 $galleryid: The gallery ID that you want to pull the first pic’s image url for. 
 metaext_ngg::show_metaext_firstpic($galleryid, $class = ”) 
 Description: Echos the first image’s src link for the gallery id passed to it using the optional class name passed. 
 $galleryid: The gallery ID that you want to pull the first pic’s image url for. 
 $class: The name of the class you want to use, optional. 
 metaext_ngg::show_metaext_gallery($galleryid) 
 Description: Echos the Gallery ID passed, the same as using the NGG show gallery shortcode. 
 $galleryid: The gallery ID that you want to show the gallery for.
Meta Extensions WordTube Class: 
 metaext_wt::get_metaext_wtvideo($videoid) 
 Description: Returns the Video code to show on a page for the video id passed. 
 $videoid: The video id to get the code for. 
 metaext_wt::show_metaext_wtvideo($videoid) 
 Description: Echos the Video code to show on a page for the video id passed. 
 $videoid: The video id to get the code for.
<h4>Code Examples</h4>
<pre><code><div id="meta-ext-test">
 <?php if ( metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_gallery') ) : ?>
 <h2>Test for Galleries using Meta Extensions with NextGen Gallery</h2>
 <?php metaext_ngg::show_metaext_gallery(metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_gallery')) ?>
 <?php endif; ?>
 
 <?php if ( metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_video') ) : ?>
 <h2>Test for Videos using Meta Extensions with WordTube</h2>
 <?php metaext_wt::show_metaext_wtvideo(metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_video')) ?>
 <?php endif; ?>
 
 <?php if ( metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_download') ) : ?>
 <h2>Test for Downloads using Meta Extensions with WP Download Manager</h2>
 <?php metaext_wpdm::show_metaext_downloadlink(metaext::get_value_metaext(get_the_ID(), 'the_download')) ?>
 <?php endif; ?>
</div>
</code></pre>

Meta Extension

Allows adding custom form fields to posts, storing them in custom meta fields. Integrates NGG, WT, and WP-DM.

TypeForge CPT and Meta Builder vs Meta Extension