Using GitHub Updater

GitHub Updater is a WordPress plugin that allows you to add and update themes and plugins hosted in GitHub repositories. It allows OIT Design to publish homegrown themes and plugins to NC State’s GitHub Enterprise platform, and when changes are ready to go live, push updates from GitHub to WordPress.

OIT Design staff install GitHub Updater on client WordPress installations. If you are not a client of ours but you are interested in using one of our campus-branded themes or plugins, we recommend you install GitHub Updater on your site first, and then use GitHub Updater to install one of our themes or plugins.

Installing GitHub Updater

  1. Download the latest release as a .zip file.
  2. Upload, install, and activate GitHub Updater.
  3. Generate a Personal Access Token in NC State’s GitHub instance for use in your website.
  4. From the WordPress Dashboard, go to Settings > GitHub Updater.
  5. Paste your Personal Access Token into the field labeled “GitHub Enterprise Access Token” and save.

Screenshot of GitHub Access Token field

Installing an OIT Design Theme or Plugin Using GitHub Updater

  1. Find the repository in NC State’s GitHub that you want to install. Copy its URI, eg. https://github.ncsu.edu/oitdesign/hillsborough.
  2. From the WordPress Dashboard, go to Settings > GitHub Updater.
  3. From the tabs across the top of the page, choose “Install Plugin” or “Install Theme.”
  4. Paste the theme or plugin URI into the appropriate field.
  5. In most cases, leave the “Repository Branch” field empty. If there is a particular branch you want to install, enter that name here.
  6. Click the install button.

The theme or plugin will then be installed from GitHub to your WordPress site. When the version number of the theme or plugin changes, or when a new release is published, you will be prompted to update in WordPress.

Making Your Own Theme or Plugin GitHub Updater-Friendly

If you are a campus web developer building your own theme or plugin that you want to deploy using GitHub Updater, minor edits are required to make it updatable via GitHub Updater. The plugin authors include information on these edits, including the changes required for GitHub Enterprise projects, in their Readme file.