Ape Directory

Description

Ape Directory is a modern WordPress directory plugin that lets you create business directories, classified ads platforms, local service listings, or niche-specific directories without coding.

It is built with flexibility in mind, offering geo-location search, Elementor widgets, and a frontend user dashboard for site admins and listing owners.

Why Choose Ape Directory?

Unlike bloated directory plugins, Ape Directory focuses on speed, simplicity, and developer flexibility.
Whether you’re building a local business directory, a real estate listing site, a classified ads platform, or a service provider directory, this plugin provides the essential tools you need.

What Makes It Special

• Frontend User Dashboard – Registered users can log in, manage their profile, add/edit/delete their own listings, and view their activity from a simple dashboard. No backend access is required. New frontend listings are saved as pending until an administrator publishes them.
• Geo-location Search – Visitors can search for listings based on city, region, or nearby location. Perfect for local directories, service-based platforms, or travel listings.
• Elementor Integration – Custom Elementor widgets let you design directory layouts, search forms, and listing displays visually.
• Customizable Search & Filters – Search by keywords, categories, tags, or locations.
• SEO-Ready & Lightweight – Optimized for performance and SEO.
• Developer-Friendly Hooks & Templates – Extend functionality, override templates, or connect with other plugins.

Key Features

• Frontend user dashboard for managing listings and profiles
• Add, edit, and delete listings without backend access
• Search by keyword, category, tag, and geo-location
• Map integration for listing locations
• Elementor widgets for building custom directory pages
• Mobile-friendly responsive design
• Directory categories and tags support
• Optimized for performance and SEO
• Translation-ready and extendable

Source Code

Unminified source lives in:

• resources/js/
• resources/scss/
• resources/images/

Build production assets with:

npm install

npm run production

Create a WordPress.org release ZIP (compiles assets, then packages the plugin):

npm run build:wporg

The ZIP is written to dist/ape-directory.zip. Compiled files go to assets/. Do not ship development Webpack bundles, node_modules, or .map files.

External Services

This plugin optionally loads the Google Maps JavaScript API (including the Places library) and may call the Google Geocoding API when an administrator saves or verifies a Google Maps API key in Ape Directory → Settings.

• What it is used for: map display on listing pages, geo-location / address autocomplete in listing forms and search, and optional API-key verification in settings.
• When it is contacted: only on pages that display maps, listing forms, directory filters, or the admin settings screen, and only after an API key has been saved. The APIs are not loaded if no key is configured.
• What data is sent: the API key, and location data the visitor or listing author enters (such as an address, latitude, and longitude) so Google can return map tiles, place suggestions, or a geocoding test response.
• Service: Google Maps JavaScript API
  https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript
• Service: Google Geocoding API
  https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding
• Terms: Google Maps Platform Terms of Service
  https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms
• Privacy: Google Privacy Policy
  https://policies.google.com/privacy

No other third-party services are required for the plugin to run.