Title: Duplicate or Clone a WordPress Plugin
Last modified: September 24, 2020

---

# Duplicate or Clone a WordPress Plugin

 *  [buzzygeek](https://wordpress.org/support/users/buzzygeek/)
 * (@buzzygeek)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/)
 * Hi everyone,
 * I recently dabbled into WordPress Plugin development. As I am a beginner, I was
   wondering if there was any way to clone a WordPress plugin and then change the
   code instead of starting from scratch.
 * Any help will be appreciated.
 * Thanks.
    -  This topic was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/).
      Reason: link removed. spam?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/)
 * (@sterndata)
 * Volunteer Forum Moderator
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13451274)
 * I think that’s how most of us started. 🙂 Be kind and give props to the folks
   who helped you out. And respect the GPL.
 *  Thread Starter [buzzygeek](https://wordpress.org/support/users/buzzygeek/)
 * (@buzzygeek)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13451309)
 * Thanks for your response, Steven but you didn’t provide any guide or resource
   to help me get started.
 * Can you be of any further assistance?
 *  Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/)
 * (@sterndata)
 * Volunteer Forum Moderator
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13451518)
 * Start at developer.Wordpress.org fir the plugin dev handbook.
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13458229)
 * While copying and altering a GPL licensed plugin is perfectly acceptable, depending
   on your actual need and the plugin involved, it may not be necessary. Most of
   WP, as well as many themes and plugins, can be altered through the use of action
   and filter hooks added from your own custom plugin. It’s more of an extension
   concept than of duplicating or forking the entire plugin. In the handbook Steven
   referenced, pay particular attention the the section on hooks, starting at [https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/hooks/](https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/hooks/)
 *  Thread Starter [buzzygeek](https://wordpress.org/support/users/buzzygeek/)
 * (@buzzygeek)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13458239)
 * Thanks for the explanation [@bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/).
   It’s really helpful.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Duplicate or Clone a WordPress Plugin’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [plugin-development](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/plugin-development/)

 * In: [Developing with WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/wp-advanced/)
 * 5 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [buzzygeek](https://wordpress.org/support/users/buzzygeek/)
 * Last activity: [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/duplicate-or-clone-a-wordpress-plugin/#post-13458239)
 * Status: not a support question

## Topics

### Topics with no replies

### Non-support topics

### Resolved topics

### Unresolved topics

### All topics