Sectorize

Sectorize is a WordPress plugin that repurposes author archives into sector‑based URLs using the Nickname field.
It hides sensitive /author/username slugs and redirects them to clean, secure /sector/{nickname} URLs — improving privacy, branding, and SEO.

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🔒 Why Sectorize?

• Security‑first: prevents exposure of login‑based author slugs in public URLs
• Zero configuration: install, activate, and it works immediately
• Collective authorship: uses the site name in Schema.org markup so all content is attributed to the collective brand
• Sector‑based bylines: display sector nicknames in place of author names — ideal for single‑author sites or when contributors prefer anonymity
• Governance‑safe: clear admin guidance; never change login/username, only nicknames
• SEO‑ready: automatic schema markup, optimized titles, and canonical URLs
• Smart redirects: 301 redirects from /author/username to /sector/nickname
• Admin UI: settings page with one‑click rewrite flush and success notices
• User management: adds “Sector Nickname” column to the Users table

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🌟 Use Cases

• Content creators: organize posts by sector (e.g. “Insights”, “Reviews”) without exposing author logins
• Corporate sites: group content by department (“Marketing”, “Support”) with sector archives
• Industry portals: create thematic sectors (“Finance”, “Technology”, “Healthcare”)
• Regional content: build geographic sectors (“North America”, “Europe”, “Asia Pacific”)

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🚀 Installation

1. Install and activate Sectorize.
2. Create or edit users and set their nickname to the desired sector name (e.g., “Review”, “Insights”).
3. Assign posts to sector users via Quick Edit or the post editor.
4. Flush rewrite rules once via Settings → Sectorize.

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📖 Usage

In WordPress Admin:

• Manage sector users via Settings → Sectorize
• The Author dropdown in the post editor shows sector nicknames
• The Author column in post lists displays sector nicknames

On Your Website:

• Author names are replaced with sector nicknames automatically
• Archive pages organize content by sector at /sector/{nickname}/
• Schema.org markup attributes content to the site name for collective branding

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🌟 Live Example

See Sectorize in action at ICTStart.com:

• Article sector
• Review sector
• Insights sector

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🎨 Theme Compatibility

Sectorize works with all themes that follow WordPress coding standards.
Most modern themes display author names correctly, but some page builders or premium themes may hardcode “By [Author]” formats. In those cases, minor CSS tweaks or theme‑specific adjustments may be needed. For theme‑specific guidance, consult your theme’s documentation or support forums.

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⚠️ Disclaimer

Sectorize replaces WordPress’s native author archive system.

• The default /author/{username} URLs are redirected to /sector/{nickname}.
• Native author archives will not function in the current version of Sectorize.
• Plugins or themes that depend on WordPress’s default author slugs may require adjustments.
• Sectorize is designed for collective authorship and sector‑based bylines, not for individual author archives.

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📄 License

GPL v2 or later — fully open source

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🛠 Development

Development takes place on GitHub.
Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome!

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Whether it’s bug reports, feature requests, or pull requests, your input helps improve Sectorize.

Pull Requests

• Fork the repository and create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/my-feature).
• Make sure your changes are modular and well‑documented.
• Run tests locally and confirm the plugin activates without errors.
• Submit a clear PR description explaining the problem solved or feature added.

Coding Standards

• Follow WordPress Coding Standards.
• Use PHPCS with the WordPress ruleset to lint your code:

  composer install
  vendor/bin/phpcs --standard=WordPress --ignore=vendor .

• Escape output (esc_html, esc_url) and sanitize input (sanitize_text_field, wp_nonce_field) consistently.
• Prefer __DIR__ over dirname(__FILE__) for path resolution (PHP ≥ 5.3).
• Keep functions small and focused; avoid mixing UI and logic.

Commit Messages

• Use clear, descriptive commit messages (e.g., Fix: sanitize sector nickname input).
• Prefix with Fix:, Add:, Update:, or Docs: for clarity.

Issues

• Before opening a new issue, check if it already exists.
• Include WordPress/PHP version and reproduction steps when reporting bugs.

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🛠 Development Setup

To work on Sectorize locally:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/rancidbluecheese/sectorize.git

2. Install dependencies:

   composer install

3. Set up a local WordPress environment (e.g., using Local or wp-env).
4. Copy the plugin folder into your WordPress wp-content/plugins directory.
5. Activate Sectorize from the WordPress admin dashboard.
6. Run PHPCS to ensure coding standards compliance before committing.

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📄 License

GPL v2 or later — fully open source

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📢 Acknowledgements

Sectorize builds on WordPress’s native author archive system, re‑framing it for collective authorship and governance‑safe presentation. Thanks to the WordPress community for coding standards and reviewer guidance.