FAQ

Does this plugin slow down my site?

No. Checks run in the background weekly via WordPress cron with 20-second intervals. Data displays from your database with minimal impact.

Can I manually trigger a status update?

Yes! Click “Refresh Status” on any plugin row for an immediate check, even if automatic checks are disabled.

Does it work with plugins not on wordpress.org?

No. Only plugins hosted on wordpress.org are monitored; others are automatically skipped.

Can I ignore specific plugins from being checked?

Yes! To ignore specific plugins (like WPML that may show false warnings), copy assets/ignored-plugins.json to wp-content/themes/your-theme/fae-herald/ignored-plugins.json and add the plugin slug with a reason. Ignored plugins display a gray notice.

What do the different warnings mean?

• Blue Normal: Latest version released within the past 6 months shows exact date, after 6 months to 12 months shows “X months ago”
• Orange Warning: Plugin not updated in over 1 year
• Red Critical: Plugin not updated in over 2 years or has been closed
• Gray Notice: Not so important information (e.g., non-wordpress.org plugins)

How long does the initial scan take?

With a 20-second interval between checks, a site with 20 plugins will complete in approximately 6-7 minutes. You can leave the page and continue working while checks run in the background.

Note: Timing may vary depending on your cron setup. WP-Cron (default) is triggered by site visits, while server-side cron runs on a schedule.

Can I configure advanced settings via wp-config.php?

Yes! Add these constants to wp-config.php:

• define( ‘FAE_HERALD_CRON_INTERVAL’, 604800 ) – Check frequency in seconds (default: 604800 = 1 week)
• define( ‘FAE_HERALD_CRON_SPACING_DELAY’, 60 ) – Delay between plugin checks in seconds (default: 60)
• define( ‘FAE_HERALD_DISABLE_AUTOMATIC_CRON’, true ) – Set to true to disable automatic checks
• define( ‘FAE_HERALD_DELETE_DATA_ON_DEACTIVATE’, true ) – Set to true to delete all data on deactivation