WordPress.org

What is Prowl?

Prowl is a probably one of the most useful iPhone applications that you could ever own, and it's a downright steal at $3 USD (iTunes Store Link). Prowl allows you to receive Growl notifications on your iPhone (more on Growl later). In a particularly impressive twist, it also exposes an API so that any internet connected service can send notifications to your iPhone. Imagine the possibilities: shell scripts, web servers, WordPress plugins (howabout that?).

What is Growl?

Growl is a system-wide notification system, originally for Mac OS X but that's since been cloned into Windows compatible versions as well. It allows "Growl aware" applications to send notifications to a centralized notification system on your computer, where they can be displayed on screen, emailed, pushed to your phone (via Prowl) or any other thing that a Growl plugin developer could imagine. Growl doesn't come into the WP-Prowl equation, but it's probably to your benefit to know where it all started.

How can I use WP-Prowl?

Getting started is easy. First, own an iPhone running software 3.0+. Second, purchase Prowl from the app store. Third, Install my WordPress plugin, WP-Prowl. Fourth, get your API key from the Prowl website (more on that later). Fifth and finally, configure my WordPress plugin with your API key, and you're done!

Are there special requirements to install?

Yes. The webserver that hosts your WordPress must have cURL support in PHP, with SSL enabled. Most do. If not, you'll need to get it installed, which is something you'll have to work out yourself (or with your hosting provider). WP-Prowl will warn you if cURL isn't available on your server when you view it's settings page.

Also, your iPhone must be updated to version 3.0 or later to support Prowl.

Do you support WordPress MU?

I totally don't. There will be support for this in the future, but unfortunately I need to do a lot of rewriting in order to make this work. I'd planned on having it ready for the 0.8.5 release, but it's a lot more work than I'd anticipated, and I just don't have the time right now. Donations are more than welcome if you'd like to get me working on this.

Or, this code is GPL'd and ready for anyone out there to make modifications. If someone'd like to take this on, be my guest and I'll make you a committer. Thanks!

Could you support PHP4?

You wanted it and I delivered it. As of version 0.7.0, we now support PHP4.

Your configuration screen sucks!

Fabrications! Well, from here on out anyhow. I made the configuration screen less awful as of 0.7.1. Let me know if you still find anything confusing.

I have an idea for your plugin!

Awesome! If it's a good one (and I'm sure it is), I'd love to implement it. Send me what you're thinking (nate at milkandtang dot com), and I'll send you back my thoughts. I'm super-excited to hear from you!

You can also get me on twitter @milkandtang.

Also, I gladly accept patches. I've already been sent one. That was pretty cool! (Thanks Gilles.)

I love your plugin!

Hey thanks buddy! Perhaps you'd consider making a donation? Love goes a long way, but money keeps me living; and when I'm alive, I'm writing plugins! Seriously though, I could always use help with the rent and bills, and would appreciate whatever you can give. Even if it's just some kudos on your blog.