Hello Authors & Community members,
I’m currently new to WordPress Development, but I’m kicking it off. I understand you are all struggling with WordPress theme piracy, so I was thinking if it’s possible to create a universal plugin that when installed on a WP website, ask a buyer to enter a license in order to complete the installation of the theme. Note, that the theme files will not be downloadable. This, of course, is not enough by itself, as the theme files can be downloaded by the FTP after they are extracted from Envato. However, if we can link the domain name of the WP website with the license, i.e. this license theme is installed on a domain: domainName.com, so it is not displaying the theme on another website, as it will not pass the domainName check. By this, not only we will much easily fight piracy, but will actually have the buyers to buy themes for each project used (Regular License).
So it happens that the only way to install a theme is via license, and if a license is posted on a nulled website, it can easily be tracked and invalidated.
I realize that a lot of though has been put on this topic, and I’m far away being the first one of trying to find a perspective solution on the matter. Nevertheless, in order to achieve that we’ll need Envato’s support and additional stuff into Envato’s API. I believe it’s something completely possible to do, and necessary for the sake of all us (including Envato 
).
Deep Regards,
ApesPark
I don’t like Piracy.
At the same time I hate making things harder for paying customers.
Your idea is a very typical representation of what would be ideal, but I present the following:
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A new buyer goes to install a theme, suddenly, what, license code?! Bare in mind a good deal of buyers struggle to find documentation, never mind licenses etc.
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A buyer sets up a testing site, they have to register this. When moving to production they then have to de-register a URL and re-register another.
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What would stop the pirates simply stripping the checking functions and uploading a cleaned version of the theme? Sadly this would then mean that pirates had an easier product to use (no registration needed!) than paying customers!
It’s a difficult subject I know.
The only way to license a piece of script or software in PHP and not have anyone else using it without your permission is using compiled code, so all the logic of the licensing system is compiled and it can’t be forged (unless you do a poor job). This compiled stuff has been introduced in the new PHP 7 as a default feature, however, earlier versions don’t include this as a defacto and hosters don’t care to add it at all so in the meanwhile you only option is to stick to the current workarounds.
The current workarounds include to add some sort of unique code or identifier to each download, use conventional licensing or use two level keys as I describe it here: http://rodolfoberrios.com/post/37122201608/a-system-to-stop-being-nulled Note that this method only helps me to avoid license forgery so I can truly know when an installation is not legit.
Piracy is a bitch but there are some tricks that you should check. I wrote this guide last week Takedown copyright infringement sources (how to)
Sometimes you don’t need to fight those who use your product for free, but those who distribute it and make it downloadable for everybody.
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