PluginScore

Co-Authors Plus

Assign multiple bylines to posts, pages, and custom post types with a search-as-you-type input box.

v4.1.0AutomatticUpdated Added 20k+ installs70% rating86% support resolved
authorsco-authorsmulti authormultiple authorsusers
59
Score
2
Errors
76
Warnings
+22
Change

Category Scores

Security33
Repo100
Performance98
Maintainability80

Issues to Review

Prioritized issue groups from the latest Plugin Check scan

78 findings

Security

42

3 issue groups

Maintainability

35

9 issue groups

Performance

1

1 issue group

WARNINGSecurityNonce verification recommendedProcessing form data without nonce verification.16
Category
Security
Occurrences
16
Severity
warning

Sample message

Processing form data without nonce verification.

WordPress.Security.NonceVerification.Recommended
WARNINGSecurityInput is not sanitizedDetected usage of a non-sanitized input variable: $_GET['_wpnonce']16
Category
Security
Occurrences
16
Severity
warning

Sample message

Detected usage of a non-sanitized input variable: $_GET['_wpnonce']

WordPress.Security.ValidatedSanitizedInput.InputNotSanitized
WARNINGMaintainabilityNon-prefixed functionFunctions declared in the global namespace by a theme/plugin should start with the theme/plugin prefix. Found: "cap_add_amp_actions".10
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
10
Severity
warning

Sample message

Functions declared in the global namespace by a theme/plugin should start with the theme/plugin prefix. Found: "cap_add_amp_actions".

WordPress.NamingConventions.PrefixAllGlobals.NonPrefixedFunctionFound
WARNINGMaintainabilityNon-prefixed hook nameHook names invoked by a theme/plugin should start with the theme/plugin prefix. Found: "cap_guest_author_create".10
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
10
Severity
warning

Sample message

Hook names invoked by a theme/plugin should start with the theme/plugin prefix. Found: "cap_guest_author_create".

WordPress.NamingConventions.PrefixAllGlobals.NonPrefixedHooknameFound
WARNINGSecurityRequest data is not unslashed$_GET['_wpnonce'] not unslashed before sanitization. Use wp_unslash() or similar10
Category
Security
Occurrences
10
Severity
warning

Sample message

$_GET['_wpnonce'] not unslashed before sanitization. Use wp_unslash() or similar

WordPress.Security.ValidatedSanitizedInput.MissingUnslash
WARNINGMaintainabilityDirect QueryUse of a direct database call is discouraged.4
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
4
Severity
warning

Sample message

Use of a direct database call is discouraged.

WordPress.DB.DirectDatabaseQuery.DirectQuery
WARNINGMaintainabilityslow db query meta keyDetected usage of meta_key, possible slow query.3
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
3
Severity
warning

Sample message

Detected usage of meta_key, possible slow query.

WordPress.DB.SlowDBQuery.slow_db_query_meta_key
WARNINGMaintainabilityslow db query tax queryDetected usage of tax_query, possible slow query.3
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
3
Severity
warning

Sample message

Detected usage of tax_query, possible slow query.

WordPress.DB.SlowDBQuery.slow_db_query_tax_query
WARNINGMaintainabilityslow db query meta queryDetected usage of meta_query, possible slow query.2
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
2
Severity
warning

Sample message

Detected usage of meta_query, possible slow query.

WordPress.DB.SlowDBQuery.slow_db_query_meta_query
WARNINGMaintainabilityDiscouraged PHP functionThe use of function set_time_limit() is discouraged1
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
1
Severity
warning

Sample message

The use of function set_time_limit() is discouraged

Squiz.PHP.DiscouragedFunctions.Discouraged
Show 3 more
ERRORMaintainabilityfile system operations fclose1
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
1
Severity
error

Sample message

File operations should use WP_Filesystem methods instead of direct PHP filesystem calls. Found: fclose().

WordPress.WP.AlternativeFunctions.file_system_operations_fclose
WARNINGPerformancePost Not In exclude1
Category
Performance
Occurrences
1
Severity
warning

Sample message

Using exclusionary parameters, like exclude, in calls to get_posts() should be done with caution, see https://wpvip.com/documentation/performance-improvements-by-removing-usage-of-post__not_in/ for more information.

WordPressVIPMinimum.Performance.WPQueryParams.PostNotIn_exclude
ERRORMaintainabilityMissing direct file access protection1
Category
Maintainability
Occurrences
1
Severity
error

Sample message

PHP file should prevent direct access. Add a check like: if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit;

missing_direct_file_access_protectionReference

External Connections

Potential connections found in static code analysis.

13 domains

Outbound calls

39

External assets

0

Incoming endpoints

4

Notable Domains

automattic.com1 · outbound
eslint.org1 · outbound
fb.me1 · outbound
json-schema.org1 · outbound
php.net1 · outbound
whois.arin.net1 · outbound

Platform / Reference Domains

github.com16 · platform/reference
w3.org6 · platform/reference
core.trac.wordpress.org5 · platform/reference
wordpress.org3 · platform/reference
api.w.org1 · platform/reference
gnu.org1 · platform/reference

External Asset Domains

No external asset domains detected.

Incoming Endpoints

/wp-json/coauthors/v1/coauthorsREST

register_rest_route

/wp-json/coauthors/v1/coauthors/(?P<user_nicename>[\w-]+)REST

register_rest_route

Admin AJAX endpoints2
wp_ajax_coauthors_ajax_suggestauthenticated

wp_ajax

wp_ajax_search_coauthors_to_assignauthenticated

wp_ajax

Score History

2 score snapshots

+22
1007550250Jun 20, 2026, 11:09 AM UTC Score 37/100 Plugin v4.0.2 Plugin Check 2.0.0 20 errors, 110 warningsJun 24, 2026, 07:01 PM UTC Score 59/100 Plugin v4.1.0 Plugin Check 2.0.0 2 errors, 76 warningsJun 20, 2026Jun 24, 2026

v4.1.0

59

Latest

Findings
78
Errors
2
Warnings
76
Check
2.0.0

v4.0.2

37

Score

Findings
130
Errors
20
Warnings
110
Check
2.0.0

Relationship Map

Author, categories, issues, domains, and nearby plugins.

36 nodes

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