Title: Activate and/or init plugin
Last modified: May 31, 2017

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# Activate and/or init plugin

 *  Resolved [geowb](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geowb/)
 * (@geowb)
 * [8 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activate-andor-init-plugin/)
 * I’ve working on a relatively complex plugin but an not at all clear on which 
   bits of it should be in activiate & which in init. As of now virtually all of
   it is in `add_action('init', 'rmaInit')`. In outline, rmaInit does the following:
    - Use a Plugin class for creating the plugin
    - Define 10 plugin settings
    - Use a SettingsPage class to create the settings page
    - Define 4 page titles, contents, creation class & function
    - Define 2 templates
    - Use a PageTemplater class to create templates
    - Call a class to create a table, contingent on a plugin setting
 * Yet to be added is a daily WP_Cron job to update the table created above if it’s
   created.
 * When I called the `rmaInit` function with the activation hook, the plugin was
   shown as created but its settings were not available. So I’m led to ask what 
   of any of the current functions done by the `rmaInit` function should be in an
   activation hook, or …?
 * Code available on request, but the `rmaInit` is currently ~100 lines.
 * PS: is this a support question or not? I’m not clear on what is implied by the
   checkbox re: support questions.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [8 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activate-andor-init-plugin/#post-9188751)
 * There’s not an easy answer. As you probably know, the activation hook only runs
   upon activation and the init hook runs on every single request. An outside observer
   would think it should be obvious what goes where, but it’s not. A number of things
   in WP are re-created on every request that our outsider would think of as permanent
   and only needing to be done once. Things like post types, admin menu items, taxonomies,
   are all generated on every request.
 * Other things like roles and capabilities, scheduled tasks are stored in the DB
   and persist without any code regenerating on every request. So if something is
   saved in the DB, it probably can be done on activation. If not in the DB, it 
   probably has to be regenerated on every request. There may be exceptions, though
   I cannot offer any examples.
 * All topics in these forums should be support questions. Yours certainly is. I’m
   unsure why the check box is still there. I think it is an artifact from a different
   support forum concept. It’s from before my time here. As it is, checking the 
   box is pretty much a “delete me” flag since non-support questions are subject
   to deletion. Sorry for any confusion it may have caused.
 *  Thread Starter [geowb](https://wordpress.org/support/users/geowb/)
 * (@geowb)
 * [8 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activate-andor-init-plugin/#post-9195956)
 * Thanks for your reply. I suppose it really answers my question if it can be read
   as, “If you can make it work without throwing errors or bogging the system down
   you’re about as good as you can be.” Test, test, then retest. And I’ll ignore
   the support question checkbox in the future, provided I truly think I’ve exhausted
   all other remedies.
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [8 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activate-andor-init-plugin/#post-9196658)
 * Basically, yes. You’ll eventually get a sense of what’s what. Until then, I would
   first try using the activation hook since that occurs less often. If doing so
   causes problems, then “init” may be a better candidate. Then there are several
   things that must be done during a particular action, not init or activation. 
   Those cases should all be documented in the Code Reference.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Activate and/or init plugin’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Developing with WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/wp-advanced/)
 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * Last activity: [8 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/activate-andor-init-plugin/#post-9196658)
 * Status: resolved

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