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The activated_plugin hook in WordPress is an action hook that triggers immediately after a plugin is activated

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The activated_plugin hook in WordPress is an action hook that triggers immediately after a plugin is activated. This hook is particularly useful when you need to execute specific actions (like setting up options, creating custom database tables, or sending notifications) once a plugin is successfully activated.

Hook Name

activated_plugin

Hook Type

Action Hook

Parameters

The activated_plugin hook accepts two parameters:

  1. $plugin (string): The path to the plugin file relative to the plugins directory.
    Example: my-plugin/my-plugin.php
  2. $network_wide (bool): Whether the plugin is activated network-wide for all sites in a multisite network. Default is false.

Usage Example

Below is an example of how to use the activated_plugin hook to perform an action (e.g., logging the activation of a plugin).

Basic Example

php
add_action('activated_plugin', 'my_custom_function', 10, 2);

function my_custom_function($plugin, $network_wide) {
// Log plugin activation
error_log('Plugin activated: ' . $plugin);

// Check if network activation
if ($network_wide) {
error_log('Plugin activated network-wide.');
}

// Example: Redirect to a custom page after activation
if ($plugin === 'my-plugin/my-plugin.php') {
wp_redirect(admin_url('admin.php?page=my-plugin-settings'));
exit;
}
}

Real-Life Example: Create Database Table on Plugin Activation

When you activate a plugin, you might need to set up a custom database table. The example below shows how you can achieve that using the activated_plugin hook.

php
add_action('activated_plugin', 'setup_plugin_database', 10, 2);

function setup_plugin_database($plugin, $network_wide) {
// Target only your plugin
if ($plugin === 'my-plugin/my-plugin.php') {
global $wpdb;

$table_name = $wpdb->prefix . 'custom_table';
$charset_collate = $wpdb->get_charset_collate();

$sql = "CREATE TABLE $table_name (
id mediumint(9) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
name tinytext NOT NULL,
email varchar(100) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (id)
) $charset_collate;";

require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php';
dbDelta($sql);

// Optionally log the action
error_log('Custom table created for plugin: ' . $plugin);
}
}

Full Example: Redirect After Plugin Activation

The following code snippet demonstrates how to redirect the admin to the plugin’s settings page after activation.

php
add_action('activated_plugin', 'redirect_to_plugin_settings', 10, 2);

function redirect_to_plugin_settings($plugin, $network_wide) {
if ($plugin === 'my-plugin/my-plugin.php') {
// Redirect to the settings page
wp_redirect(admin_url('admin.php?page=my-plugin-settings'));
exit;
}
}

WordPress Version History for activated_plugin

The activated_plugin hook was added to WordPress in version 2.9. Since its introduction, it has remained stable, and no major changes have been made to its functionality in subsequent WordPress versions.

Key Notes

  1. Priority and Arguments:
    You can set the priority of the hook (default is 10) and use the $plugin and $network_wide parameters to customize your actions.
  2. Multisite Considerations:
    If you’re building a plugin for a multisite setup, you can use the $network_wide parameter to determine whether the plugin is being activated for the entire network.
  3. Avoid Plugin Conflicts:
    Be sure to check the $plugin parameter to ensure your code runs only for your plugin.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Identify Your Plugin Path

Find the path to your plugin file relative to the wp-content/plugins directory. For example:
my-plugin/my-plugin.php

Step 2: Add the Hook to Your Plugin

In your main plugin file (e.g., my-plugin.php), use the activated_plugin hook as shown above.

Step 3: Perform Actions

Decide what actions you want to perform on activation:

  • Redirect to a settings page.
  • Log the activation.
  • Create database tables or add default options.

Step 4: Test

Activate the plugin from the WordPress admin area and ensure the action is triggered. You can log or debug the hook to verify.

Example Image

Below is an image showing how the activated_plugin hook is logged in WordPress:

By leveraging the activated_plugin hook, you can ensure that your plugin is initialized properly after activation, enhancing functionality and providing a seamless experience for users.

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