=== Explorer Soft Admin Shell ===
Contributors: explorersoft
Tags: admin, dashboard, desktop, interface, productivity
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 0.1.81
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Transforms the classic WordPress admin into a modern desktop-style workspace with windows, shortcuts, Spaces, native dashboard apps, and a taskbar.

== Description ==

Explorer Soft Admin Shell transforms the classic WordPress admin into a modern desktop-style workspace.

Instead of constantly switching tabs and navigating crowded admin menus, you can work with draggable windows, desktop shortcuts, multiple workspaces, native dashboard apps, and a real taskbar experience directly inside WordPress.

The result is a faster, cleaner and more productive admin workflow that feels closer to a modern operating system than a traditional wp-admin panel.

Perfect for:

* WordPress power users
* WooCommerce stores
* Agencies
* Developers
* Content teams
* Busy administrators

= Main Features =

* Desktop-style WordPress experience - turn wp-admin into a real desktop environment with windows, icons, taskbar and Start menu.
* Draggable admin windows - open and manage multiple WordPress admin pages simultaneously.
* Multiple desktops / Spaces - separate workflows for content, WooCommerce, maintenance, analytics and more.
* Native dashboard apps - includes Operations Center and Site Insights dashboards for fast operational monitoring.
* Command Palette - quickly launch admin pages, actions and apps using keyboard shortcuts.
* Taskbar and window management - minimize, maximize, restore and organize your workflow like a desktop operating system.
* Custom shortcuts and folders - create your own desktop layout with custom admin shortcuts and folders.
* Wallpapers, themes and widgets - personalize your workspace with themes, backgrounds, clock widgets and optional feeds.
* WooCommerce integration - quick access to products, orders, reporting and operational alerts.
* Privacy-friendly - no tracking and no external requests by default.

= Designed for Real Productivity =

Explorer Soft Admin Shell is not just a visual redesign.

It changes the way administrators interact with WordPress by reducing navigation friction, improving multitasking and creating a more focused workspace for daily operations.

The classic WordPress admin remains fully available at all times and can be opened instantly from the taskbar or direct admin links.

= Included Native Apps =

* Operations Center - monitor updates, WooCommerce activity, scheduled tasks, moderation queues, security baselines and system health from a centralized dashboard.
* Site Insights - view WooCommerce metrics, registrations, content activity, runtime health and operational summaries in a native desktop window.

= Keyboard Shortcuts =

* Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+K or Alt+K
* Switch desktops: Ctrl+Alt+Left / Right
* Direct desktop access: Ctrl+Alt+1..9

= Privacy & External Services =

Explorer Soft Admin Shell does not track users and does not contact external services by default.

Optional widgets such as Weather and RSS News are disabled until enabled and configured by the current user.

= Important =

Explorer Soft Admin Shell becomes the default admin landing experience after activation, while the classic WordPress admin always remains accessible.

Custom shortcut targets are limited to the current site's WordPress admin area. The default View site shortcut opens the current site's public home URL.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin files to the `/wp-content/plugins/explorer-soft-admin-shell/` directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
3. After activation, WordPress opens the Explorer Soft Admin Shell desktop automatically.
4. Use the Classic admin button in the taskbar if you need to temporarily return to the standard WordPress admin.
5. Visit Settings > Admin Shell if you want to change the default admin landing or login redirect behavior.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this replace the classic WordPress admin? =

No. The classic WordPress admin remains available from the desktop taskbar and direct admin links. Explorer Soft Admin Shell becomes the default admin landing screen after activation.

= Why does `/wp-admin/` open Explorer Soft Admin Shell after activation? =

Explorer Soft Admin Shell is intended to become the active admin shell. Successful logins and normal top-level admin visits are routed to Explorer Soft Admin Shell by default. Site administrators can change this from Settings > Admin Shell. The Classic admin button remains available for users who need the standard WordPress admin temporarily.

= How can I return to the classic WordPress admin directly? =

Use the Classic admin button in the desktop taskbar, the Open Classic Admin button on Settings > Admin Shell, or visit `/wp-admin/?esash_classic=1`.

= Can I stop the automatic desktop redirects without deactivating the plugin? =

Yes. Go to Settings > Admin Shell and disable the default admin landing redirect or the login redirect. The desktop shell remains available from the WordPress admin menu and direct desktop URL.

= Can I reset my desktop layout? =

Yes. Go to Settings > Admin Shell and use Reset my desktop layout to remove your saved icons, windows, widgets and appearance preferences. The plugin will rebuild the default layout the next time the desktop shell opens.

= Why are admin pages shown in iframe windows? =

The desktop interface uses iframe windows to keep each admin screen inside a movable desktop window. These frames are intended for the current site's WordPress admin pages.

= Can I preview the public site? =

Yes. The default View site shortcut opens the current site's public home page in a desktop window. Some sites or security headers may restrict iframe display; in that case, use the regular front-end URL in a browser tab.

= Can I create shortcuts for plugin toolbar actions such as cache purge links? =

Yes. The shortcut picker includes supported WordPress admin toolbar actions. Saved toolbar shortcuts keep a source identifier so dynamic nonce-based URLs can be refreshed from the current toolbar when available.

= What is Operations Center? =

Operations Center is a native desktop app for administrators. It summarizes operational signals from the current WordPress site, including available updates, moderation and editorial queues, WooCommerce order and stock attention, scheduled task health, system load and security baseline checks. Cards include action buttons that open the relevant admin screen inside Explorer Soft Admin Shell.

= What is Site insights? =

Site insights is a native dashboard window for reporting-style panels such as WooCommerce orders and revenue, user registrations, content activity, system load and runtime health. It supports Today, Last 7 days and Last 30 days periods, plus per-user panel visibility controls.

= Can I use multiple desktops? =

Yes. The taskbar Spaces control supports multiple desktops. You can create, rename and delete desktops, switch between them, and move windows or desktop icons to another desktop. Desktop 1 and the last remaining desktop are protected from deletion.

= Are there keyboard shortcuts? =

Yes. The Command Palette opens with Ctrl+Shift+K or Alt+K. Desktop switching uses Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right for previous and next desktop, and Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+9 for direct desktop selection.

= Where is layout data stored? =

Layout data is stored per user in WordPress user meta under the `esash_desktop_layout` key.

= Does this plugin send data to external services? =

Not by default.

The Weather widget is disabled by default. If enabled by the user, the user's browser contacts the selected weather provider and sends the configured city or location. Supported providers are Open-Meteo, OpenWeatherMap, WeatherAPI.com and a custom JSON endpoint.

The News widget is disabled by default. If enabled by the user, WordPress contacts the configured RSS feed URL to load headlines. Preset feeds are provided for convenience, but no RSS request is made until the user enables external RSS requests.

= Does Operations Center or Site insights send data externally? =

No. Operations Center and Site insights use local WordPress data, server/runtime information available to WordPress, and WooCommerce data when WooCommerce is active and the current user has permission. They do not send data to third-party services.

= Which widgets are enabled by default? =

Only the Clock widget is enabled by default. Weather and News must be enabled and configured by the user.

== External services ==

Explorer Soft Admin Shell does not track users and does not contact third-party services by default. External requests are only made after the current user enables the related widget and configures the provider or feed.

= Native admin dashboards =

Operations Center and Site insights are admin-only native dashboard windows. They use local WordPress, WooCommerce, cron, Action Scheduler, runtime and server information available to the current site and current user. They do not contact third-party services.

= Weather services =

The Weather widget is disabled by default. When enabled, the user's browser contacts the selected weather provider to show live conditions. The configured location is sent to the selected provider when the widget loads or refreshes. API keys, when used, are stored only in the current user's saved desktop layout.

Supported weather providers:

* Open-Meteo geocoding and forecast APIs, used to find the configured location and load current weather without an API key. Terms and privacy: https://open-meteo.com/en/terms
* OpenWeatherMap current weather API, used only when the user selects OpenWeatherMap and enters an API key. Terms: https://openweathermap.org/terms Privacy: https://openweathermap.org/privacy-policy
* WeatherAPI.com current weather API, used only when the user selects WeatherAPI.com and enters an API key. Terms: https://www.weatherapi.com/terms.aspx Privacy: https://www.weatherapi.com/privacy.aspx
* Custom JSON endpoint, used only when the user enters a custom endpoint. The configured location and API key placeholders may be sent to that custom URL depending on the URL entered by the user.

= RSS news services =

The News widget is disabled by default. When enabled, WordPress uses its feed functions to request the configured RSS feed URL from the server and display headlines. The RSS feed URL is sent when the widget loads or refreshes. Preset feeds are optional conveniences; users can choose a custom RSS feed instead.

Preset RSS providers:

* CoinDesk RSS. Terms: https://www.coindesk.com/terms/ Privacy: https://www.coindesk.com/privacy
* Cointelegraph RSS. Terms and privacy: https://cointelegraph.com/terms-and-privacy
* BBC News RSS. Terms: https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/ Privacy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/privacy/
* Le Monde RSS. Terms: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/help/article/2026/03/19/general-terms-and-conditions_6751600_106.html Privacy: https://www.lemonde.fr/confidentialite/
* TechCrunch RSS. Terms: https://techcrunch.com/terms-of-service/ Privacy: https://techcrunch.com/privacy-policy/
* The Verge RSS. Terms: https://www.voxmedia.com/legal/terms-of-use Privacy: https://www.voxmedia.com/legal/privacy-notice
* WordPress.org News RSS. Terms: https://wordpress.org/about/terms-of-service/ Privacy: https://wordpress.org/about/privacy/

== Changelog ==

= 0.1.81 =
* Add a native Operations Center app with actionable cards for updates, content queues, WooCommerce, scheduled tasks, system load and security baseline checks.
* Add multiple desktops / Spaces with create, rename, delete, visible active desktop label, keyboard switching and controls for moving windows or desktop icons between desktops.
* Add a Command Palette with keyboard shortcuts, taskbar access and desktop icon creation for admin pages and supported toolbar actions.
* Add a window overview overlay for quickly finding and focusing open windows.
* Add taskbar and titlebar window menus with Restore, Minimize, Open in new tab, Move to desktop and Close actions.
* Add wallpaper click show-desktop behavior and improve desktop/window visibility when switching Spaces.

= 0.1.80 =
* Hide the WooCommerce activity panel inside framed admin windows so product edit screens do not get covered by the off-canvas side panel.

= 0.1.79 =
* Preserve the full requested admin URL when opening registered menu shortcuts so plugin sub-tabs and query-state pages stay on the exact target screen.
* Limit frontend recovery and form rewrites to real admin form submissions so normal View site windows are not treated as failed admin saves.

= 0.1.78 =
* Normalize framed plugin settings form submissions against a stable wp-admin URL so empty, relative, rewritten, or scripted submit actions stay in the correct admin save flow.
* Recover admin-bound framed windows if a plugin save flow lands on a same-site frontend URL.
* Add window Back, Forward, and Refresh controls plus compact taskbar close buttons for open windows.
* Make the Site insights period selector and panel visibility controls always visible in the dashboard window.
* Decode localized number entities in insight rows so large values render as readable text.

= 0.1.77 =
* Add a native Site insights dashboard with admin-only traffic placeholder, WooCommerce order and revenue reporting, registrations, content activity, system load, and runtime health panels.
* Add selectable insights reporting periods for Today, Last 7 days, and Last 30 days.
* Add per-user controls for showing or hiding individual insights panels.

= 0.1.76 =
* Add a Settings > Admin Shell screen for controlling the default admin landing redirect and login redirect.
* Add direct Desktop Shell and Classic Admin access links plus a current-user desktop layout reset action.
* Save the Admin Shell settings screen through AJAX so settings changes work reliably when opened inside desktop shell windows.

= 0.1.73 =
* Update the tested WordPress version header for the current WordPress.org Plugin Check requirement.

= 0.1.72 =
* Update the Open-Meteo documentation link to the current combined terms and privacy page.

= 0.1.71 =
* Remove one third-party RSS preset so all bundled presets map directly to documented service providers with working terms and privacy links.

= 0.1.70 =
* Force WordPress post editor forms back to the embedded admin save endpoint when builders or themes rewrite the form action to a frontend URL.

= 0.1.69 =
* Keep framed post, page and custom post type save redirects on the embedded WordPress edit screen instead of allowing frontend 404 redirects.

= 0.1.68 =
* Separate shell embedded admin requests from the explicit Classic admin bypass so framed post, page and plugin actions do not show classic admin chrome.

= 0.1.67 =
* Suppress WordPress admin toolbar rendering in framed admin windows and remove toolbar chrome from loaded admin frames.

= 0.1.66 =
* Hide the outer WordPress toolbar on the shell page to avoid duplicate toolbars when previewing the public site in a desktop window.

= 0.1.65 =
* Keep post/page editing and plugin management actions inside the current shell window while omitting frame markers from sensitive WordPress admin requests.

= 0.1.64 =
* Remove remaining legacy naming from internal package metadata, DOM prefixes, CSS custom properties and bundled asset names.

= 0.1.63 =
* Open post/page editors and plugin action flows outside framed shell windows so Publish, Update, Deactivate and Delete actions complete normally.
* Rename the bundled admin shell asset files for consistency with the Explorer Soft Admin Shell name.

= 0.1.62 =
* Avoid adding desktop frame markers to post and page editor save forms so publish and update actions complete normally.

= 0.1.61 =
* Keep Classic admin plugin management and post/page edit flows outside the desktop redirect so admin actions can complete normally.

= 0.1.60 =
* Added a default layout filter for Pro role-based and global default layouts.
* Removed stale bundled translation artifacts so WordPress.org language packs can handle translations cleanly.

Earlier internal pre-review iterations are omitted from this readme to keep the WordPress.org listing concise.
