WordPress Soft-Rejection Reasons

Envato Authors Theme Authors
1

Hello Guys, i hope you are doing well :slight_smile:

I have collected some of the soft-rejection reasons for WP themes and wanted to share it with you.

  1. Prefix all your custom functions/variables/classes. A good rule of thumb is to prefix everything with your theme initials and your own initials. http://nacin.com/2010/05/11/in-wordpress-prefix-everything/
    Example: http://envato.d.pr/11iFB/2zF1qyXn

  2. http://envato.d.pr/70LX/2xoO6dxY

  3. http://envato.d.pr/17o9S/1UqGOmZs

  4. http://envato.d.pr/1fL0r/2A22MSZv

  5. http://envato.d.pr/1iP7G/1X6FL8kV -
    How to test the blog/posts layout/functionality - Import the Theme Unit Test [http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Unit_Test] file and make sure that:

  • Posts display correctly, with no apparent visual problems or errors.
  • Posts display in correct order.
  • Page navigation displays and works correctly.
  • As “sticky posts” are a core feature, the theme should style and display them appropriately.
  • Lack of body text should not adversely impact the layout.
  • Theme must incorporate both the “Tag” and the “Category” taxonomies in some manner.
  • Floats are cleared properly for floated element (thumbnail image) at the end of the post content.

Reference link: https://wpthemetestdata.wordpress.com/

  1. Make sure the CSS file is well documented with proper table of contents. ex:http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/05/02/improving-code-readability-with-css-styleguides/

  2. Data Validation issues have been found in your theme. All dynamic data must be correctly escaped for the context where it is rendered.

8.Please perform a global search for “echo $” and escape ALL outputs. This will ensure there are no security issues.

  1. wp_reset_query - if you’re not using query_posts(), then you really shouldn’t be messing with the main $wp_query variable, as wp_reset_query() does.

10.query_posts() will change your main query and is not recommended. Only use if absolutely necessary
http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_reset_query

11.Try wp_reset_postdata() instead.

  1. http://envato.d.pr/1exQQ/2CmMfYiq

  2. http://envato.d.pr/19YIF/5oxYvi8p

14 Prefix all your custom functions/variables/classes. A good rule of thumb is to prefix everything with your theme initials and your own initials. http://nacin.com/2010/05/11/in-wordpress-prefix-everything/

  1. wp_reset_query - if you’re not using query_posts(), then you really shouldn’t be messing with the main $wp_query variable, as wp_reset_query() does.

  2. query_posts() will change your main query and is not recommended. Only use if absolutely necessary
    http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_reset_query

  3. Try wp_reset_postdata() instead.

  4. Make sure all the WP default widgets display properly in all widgetized areas. You can check with monster widgets plugin.

  5. Custom widget areas must use the safety condition “is_active_sidebar” to ensure no naming conflict with other plugins.

  6. Please perform a global search for “echo $” and you will see several issues.

  7. All dynamic data must be correctly escaped for the context where it is rendered.

  1. http://envato.d.pr/1b4st/Zxkry5eR

  2. index.php should be reserved for default blogroll and if there is no static page being set as front page, it should display the blogroll on homepage. You can use a custom page template for homepage.

http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development#Index_.28index.php.29

  1. Display a list of posts in excerpt or full-length form. Choose one or the other as appropriate.
    Include wp_link_pages() to support navigation links within posts.
    http://envato.d.pr/1jlxA/5HWBWlOx

  2. Logo should link to blog feed/index page.

  3. No space between paragraphs. http://envato.d.pr/1d4O6/5z2D59V8

  4. Data Validation issues have been found in your theme. All dynamic data must be correctly escaped for the context where it is rendered.

Please perform a global search for “echo $” and you will see several issues.

  1. Your theme does not support drop down menus. Please state this in your item description.

  2. http://envato.d.pr/em8T/55WrX4D7

This is all what i could collect from my soft-rejected WP Themes. if you guys have any other message from reviewers for WP rejection reasons, please share it here.

Regards
Faton.

11 Likes
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Its very good list to make it as check list before uploading WordPress theme.

4

nice collection.

5

Thanks for sharing. That is the key for new member to upload items on ThemeForest

6

Thanks for sharing such informative post! much appreciated :slight_smile:

7

Thanks guys! :slight_smile:

8

+1 very userful

9

It’s very useful for new members. Thank guys!

10

Thank you for a detailed list PremiumLayers. This checklist is going to be useful before submission.

11

Excellent list, thanks.
This should be available somewhere such as the blog or wiki (do we have a wiki?).

Great resource!

12

thank you very much , very helpful !

13

This is a really nice list. I think the help center should include some of these as ‘Common WordPress Theme Soft Rejection Reasons’.

1 Like
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billyf said

I think the help center should include some of these as ‘Common WordPress Theme Soft Rejection Reasons’.

+1

That would be awesome.

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  1. All JavaScript should be written with “use strict” mode on. For example, you can do this with jQuery as follows: 
    (function($) {  “use strict”;  // Author code here})(jQuery);
  2. Please make sure you’re not stripping out any native functionality like wpautop and wptexturize.
16

Thanks. +1 :slight_smile:

17

Thank you very much. +1

18

Awesome collection, thanks for sharing :slight_smile:

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billyf said

This is a really nice list. I think the help center should include some of these as ‘Common WordPress Theme Soft Rejection Reasons’.

+1

This will be really nice. It will speed up whole submission process.

20

Great resources, thanks.