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EfficiencyNext Data Connector

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EfficiencyNext Data Connector

by Abraham Kifle

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Description

EfficiencyNext Data Connector is a modern, lightweight WordPress plugin that lets you fetch data from external APIs and display it in your posts and pages using simple placeholders, shortcodes, and Mustache-style templates.

Key Features:

  • Zero Dependencies – No external libraries required, pure PHP 8.0+ code
  • PHP 8.3 Compatible – Built from the ground up for modern PHP
  • Shortcode Support – Use [effcncynxtdc source="Name"] in your content
  • Mustache-style Templates – Familiar {{variable}} syntax
  • Loop Support – Iterate over arrays with {{#items}}...{{/items}}
  • Secure – All output is HTML-escaped, templates are sanitized with wp_kses
  • Smart Admin Interface – Add, edit, and delete data sources with a modern UI
  • API Preview – Test your API endpoints and discover available fields right in the editor
  • Template Helpers – Insert common template patterns with one click
  • Translation Ready – Fully internationalized with text domain and language file support

Template Syntax:

  • {{variable}} – Display a simple value
  • {{#section}}...{{/section}} – Loop over arrays or conditional sections
  • {{^section}}...{{/section}} – Show content when a value is empty or missing
  • {{.}} – Current item in a simple loop
  • {{object.property}} – Access nested properties with dot notation

Shortcode Usage:

  • [effcncynxtdc source="SourceName"] – Render a configured data source
  • [effcncynxtdc source="SourceName" url="https://..."] – Override the API URL
  • [effcncynxtdc source="SourceName" template="<b>{{name}}</b>"] – Override the template
  • [effcncynxtdc_inline source="SourceName"] – For inline usage

Configuration

  1. Click Add New Source to create a data source
  2. Enter a Source Name (used with shortcodes and for identification)
  3. A Placeholder is auto-generated (e.g., {{Positions}}) – this goes in your page/post content
  4. Enter your API URL that returns JSON data
  5. Click Preview API to see the JSON response and available template fields
  6. Create your Template using Mustache-style syntax – click the available fields to insert them
  7. Toggle Inline if the placeholder appears within a paragraph
  1. Upload the efficiencynext-data-connector folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
  3. Go to Settings Data Connector in the admin menu to configure your data sources
What PHP version is required?

PHP 8.0 or higher is required. The plugin is fully tested with PHP 8.3.

How do I use shortcodes?

Add [effcncynxtdc source="YourSourceName"] in your post or page content. The source name must match a configured data source. You can optionally override the URL or template via shortcode attributes.

Can I use dynamic URLs?

Yes! You can use query parameters in your API URLs. For example:
https://api.example.com/data?id={{id}}

The {{id}} will be replaced with the id query parameter from the current page URL.

How do I loop over an array?

Use section tags:

{{#items}}<li>{{name}}</li>{{/items}}

Is the output secure?

Yes. All variable output is automatically HTML-escaped to prevent XSS attacks. Templates are sanitized using WordPress’s wp_kses function, which strips dangerous HTML tags like script, iframe, and form elements while preserving safe formatting tags.

Can I translate the plugin?

Yes! EfficiencyNext Data Connector is fully internationalized. Place your translation files in the wp-content/plugins/efficiencynext-data-connector/languages/ directory using the text domain efficiencynext-data-connector (e.g., efficiencynext-data-connector-fr_FR.po). All admin interface strings, including JavaScript-rendered text, are translatable.

What HTML tags are allowed in templates?

Templates support common structural and formatting tags including: table elements, divs, spans, paragraphs, headings, lists, links, images, strong, em, code, pre, and semantic HTML5 elements. Script, iframe, form, and other potentially dangerous tags are stripped.

1.0.0

  • Initial release for WordPress.org
  • Modern admin interface with add/edit/delete source management
  • AJAX-powered settings with modal editor
  • API preview with automatic field discovery
  • Template helper toolbar with common patterns
  • WordPress shortcode support: [effcncynxtdc] and [effcncynxtdc_inline]
  • Input sanitization: wp_kses for templates, esc_url_raw for URLs, placeholder validation
  • Mustache-style template engine with loops, conditionals, inverted sections, and dot notation
  • Zero external dependencies, PHP 8.0+ compatible
  • Full internationalization (i18n) with load_plugin_textdomain and translatable JavaScript strings
  • Automatic migration from pre-release storage format
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