=== TopPicks - Affiliate Product Box, Review Block & Comparison Cards ===
Contributors: snilesh
Tags: affiliate, product box, review, comparison, gutenberg
Requires at least: 6.4
Tested up to: 6.9
Requires PHP: 8.0
Stable tag: 1.0.1
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Add beautiful affiliate product boxes, review cards, and comparison sections to your posts — one Gutenberg block, zero JavaScript, under 5KB.

== Description ==

**TopPicks** is the first WordPress plugin built specifically for creating **affiliate product boxes**, review cards, and "Top Picks" / "Our Recommendations" / "Editor's Choice" summary card sections at the top of listicle articles.

Every major review site — Wirecutter, WPBeginner, TechRadar, PCMag, Tom's Hardware — uses this exact UI pattern: 3-5 product/service recommendation cards with badges, one-liners, and CTA buttons. Until now, WordPress bloggers had to build this manually in HTML, use clunky page builders, or skip it entirely.

**TopPicks makes it one Gutenberg block — no coding, no page builder required.**

= Free Features (12) =

1. **Top Picks Gutenberg block** — drag-and-drop from the block inserter
2. **Up to 5 pick cards** per block
3. **Badge labels** — "Best Overall", "Best Value", "Editor's Pick" + custom badges
4. **Product name + one-liner** per card
5. **CTA button with link** — "View Plans", "Check Price", custom text
6. **3 layout templates** — Horizontal cards, Vertical grid, Compact list
7. **Basic color controls** — badges, cards, buttons, section background
8. **Responsive design** — stacks beautifully on mobile
9. **Section heading** — "Our Top Picks", "Editor's Choice", custom text
10. **Nofollow/sponsored link toggle** — rel="sponsored" per Google guidelines
11. **Under 5KB footprint** — zero JavaScript on frontend, pure CSS
12. **Works with any theme** — 100% Gutenberg-native, no page builder dependency

= 3 Layout Templates =

* **Horizontal** — the classic card list used by Wirecutter and WPBeginner (default)
* **Grid** — vertical product columns, perfect for 3-4 product comparison cards
* **Compact** — minimal, space-efficient list for quick product recommendations

= Built for Affiliate Marketers =

* **Nofollow / Sponsored toggles** — per card, following Google's affiliate link guidelines
* **Zero JavaScript on frontend** — pure CSS rendering (under 5KB) for fastest page speed and Core Web Vitals
* **SEO-friendly** — clean semantic HTML, no bloat, no render-blocking scripts
* **Works with any affiliate program** — Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ, Impact, or any link
* **Responsive mobile design** — cards stack beautifully on all devices

= Who Is This For? =

* **Affiliate marketers** writing "Best X for 2026" articles who need professional product boxes
* **Review bloggers** and niche site owners creating product roundup and comparison articles
* **WooCommerce shops** needing "Staff Picks" or "Featured Products" sections
* Anyone publishing product roundups, "Best of" lists, or recommendation posts

= Why TopPicks Over Alternatives? =

Most affiliate plugins are bloated suites that do too much. TopPicks does one thing perfectly: **beautiful product recommendation cards as a single, lightweight Gutenberg block.** No shortcodes, no custom post types, no external API dependencies, no JavaScript on your frontend — just under 5KB of CSS.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the `toppicks-block` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu
3. In the Gutenberg editor, search for "Top Picks" or find it in the Widgets category
4. Add pick cards, customize badges, set CTA links, choose a layout
5. Publish!

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this work with my theme? =
Yes! TopPicks is a native Gutenberg block — it works with every theme that supports the WordPress block editor.

= Does it add JavaScript to my frontend? =
No. The frontend is pure CSS (under 5KB). Zero JavaScript is loaded on your public site, which means faster page speed, better Core Web Vitals, and improved SEO performance.

= How do I create an affiliate product box with TopPicks? =
Add the TopPicks block to your post, fill in the product name, a short description, your affiliate URL, and choose a badge like "Best Overall" or "Editor's Choice". Your affiliate product box is ready to publish in seconds.

= Does TopPicks work with Amazon affiliate links? =
Yes! TopPicks works with any affiliate link — Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Impact, Awin, or any custom URL. Each card has built-in rel="sponsored" and rel="nofollow" toggles to follow Google's guidelines.

= Is this a product comparison plugin? =
Yes. TopPicks creates product comparison cards — 3-5 products displayed side-by-side with badges, descriptions, and CTA buttons. Choose the Grid layout for a classic product comparison look, or Horizontal for a card list style.

= Can I use TopPicks as a product review block? =
Absolutely. Each product card supports a badge label (like "Best Overall" or "Top Rated"), a product image, a description, and a CTA button — everything you need for a product review block inside your articles.

= Does this plugin work with WooCommerce? =
TopPicks works on any WordPress site with the Gutenberg block editor, including WooCommerce stores. Use it for "Staff Picks", "Featured Products", or "Our Recommendations" sections in your blog posts.

= How is TopPicks different from other affiliate plugins? =
Most affiliate plugins are heavy suites with dozens of blocks, custom post types, and external API calls. TopPicks is a single, lightweight Gutenberg block (under 5KB CSS, zero JS) focused on doing one thing perfectly — beautiful product recommendation cards.

= How many product cards can I add? =
You can add up to 5 product recommendation cards per block, which covers the majority of "Top Picks" and "Best of" article formats used by major review sites.

= Can I customize the product box design? =
Yes. TopPicks gives you full control over section and card colors, badges, buttons, background colors, and card styling. Choose from horizontal, grid, or compact layouts to match your site design.

= Why only 5 cards in the free version? =
Most "Top Picks" sections on major sites use 3-5 picks. The free version covers the most common use case.

== Screenshots ==

1. Affiliate product boxes in horizontal layout — the default Wirecutter-style card list
2. Product comparison cards in grid layout — vertical columns for side-by-side comparison
3. Compact product list — minimal, space-efficient layout for quick affiliate recommendations
4. Gutenberg block editor — inline editing with sidebar controls for badges, colors, and layouts
5. Color customization panel — full control over card, badge, and button styling

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.1 =
* Removed plugin settings page link from the admin plugins list

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release
* 3 layout templates: horizontal, grid, compact
* Up to 5 pick cards with badges, names, descriptions, CTA buttons
* Full color customization
* Nofollow/sponsored link controls
* Responsive mobile design
* Zero-JS frontend (under 5KB CSS)