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STUDIO.md: State the core-files rule once, with its reason #5210

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chubes4 merged 1 commit into from
Oct 20, 2026
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STUDIO.md: State the core-files rule once, with its reason #5210

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10 changes: 2 additions & 8 deletions skills/STUDIO.md
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Expand Up @@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ Run `studio mcp --help` for per-assistant install commands and config paths. Doc

| Don't | Do instead |
|-------|-----------|
| Edit `wp-includes/` or `wp-admin/` | Use actions/filters in a plugin or child theme |
| Use bare `wp` CLI | Use `studio wp` |
| Reference `DB_HOST`, `DB_NAME`, etc. | Use `$wpdb` directly (SQLite handles it) |
| Delete `wp-content/db.php` | It's the SQLite drop-in — leave it |
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -187,16 +186,13 @@ studio auth logout # Clear stored credentials

**Themes and plugins:** Add custom themes to `wp-content/themes/` and plugins to `wp-content/plugins/`. To customise an existing theme, create a child theme rather than modifying the parent directly.

**Use hooks, not direct edits:** Extend WordPress via actions and filters. NEVER edit core files in `wp-includes/` or `wp-admin/`.
Core edits are overwritten on every WordPress update, so extend through hooks instead.
**Use hooks, not direct edits:** Extend WordPress via actions and filters in a plugin or theme, leaving the core files in `wp-includes/` and `wp-admin/` as shipped. Core edits are overwritten on every WordPress update.

```php
// Correct: extend via hooks
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function () {
wp_enqueue_style( 'my-theme', get_stylesheet_uri() );
} );

// Incorrect: do not edit wp-includes/ or wp-admin/ directly
```

**Data handling:** Always sanitize input and escape output.
Expand All @@ -211,7 +207,7 @@ add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function () {
## When to Create vs. Modify

- **"Add a plugin/theme"**: Create files in `wp-content/plugins/` or `wp-content/themes/`
- **"Change the site"**: Modify existing theme/plugin files, NEVER core files
- **"Change the site"**: Modify existing theme/plugin files
- **"Install X"**: Use `studio wp plugin install X --activate`
- **"Debug/fix"**: Enable debug logging first: `studio config set --debug-log`

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -262,8 +258,6 @@ exported MySQL dump above)

## Studio-Specific Notes

**WordPress core:** Do NOT modify files inside `wp-includes/` or `wp-admin/`.

**Must-use plugins:** The `wp-content/mu-plugins/` directory contains the SQLite integration. Do NOT remove files from this directory.

**Port and URL:** The local URL and port are assigned dynamically by Studio. Always retrieve the current URL with `studio status` rather than hardcoding it.
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