WP Domain Checker Documentation

1.Introduction #

Last Updated: Version 5.0 – 15 June 2020

WP Domain Checker is a WordPress plugin which allow you to check domain name availability from your wordpress site. You can check domain name availability for any generic top-level domains (gTLD) or country-code top-level domains (ccTLD) and integrate it to WHMCS, Woocommerce, or link it to external URL.

Style 2 Shortcode [wpdomainchecker style="2"]

Style 1 Shortcode [wpdomainchecker style="1"]

WP Domain Checker

2.Features #

  • Check domain name availability for any gTLD and ccTLD
  • Support more than 1300 TLDs
  • Doesn’t require domain reseller/whois API
  • Integrated with WHMCS
  • Integrated with WHMCS Bridge Plugin
  • Integrated with WHMPRESS Plugin
  • Integrated with WooCommerce
  • Custom Domain Pricing for WooCommerce
  • Custom Link for Affiliates
  • Support IDN Domain
  • Whois domain lookup
  • Made with AJAX
  • Multiple domain checker with Shortcode
  • Widget Support
  • Private Domain Checker on Admin Dashboard
  • Color customize from admin panel
  • Protected with New Google reCAPTCHA
  • Support Invisible Google reCAPTCHA
  • Allow Only Specific TLD to Check
  • Custom CSS
  • Unlimited Colors Styling
  • Multiple TLDs Check
  • Custom Whois Server (Optional)

3.Installation & Updating #

Take a moment to review server requirements before installation, or you may encounter issues when using WP Domain Checker.

Server requirements:

Installation

The installation process of WP Domain Checker is quite simple and straightforward, and shouldn’t cause you any troubles at all. Independent of you previous experience with WordPress plugins, you aren’t likely to have any problems, just follow these simple steps:

  1. Download the file from CodeCanyon and unzip it
    Once you purchase WP Domain Checker, you will be able to download the ZIP file from CodeCanyon, containing the current version.Download it to your computer and unzip it. You will get a folder with the plugin name – ‘WP-Domain-Checker‘.
  2. Upload the plugin to your WordPress
    There are 2 ways to do this:

    • Option 1 (easier) open your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins -> Add new -> Upload and choose the wp-domain-checker.zip file that you downloaded from CodeCanyon.
    • Option 2 (if first one doesn’t work) open your WordPress installation folder in some FTP manager (CyberDuck, FileZilla, Total Commander, or any other), go to wp-content/plugins/ and upload the folder that you unzipped in previous step.
  3. Activate the plugin
    In your WordPress admin panel go to Plugins, find WP Domain Checker and click “Activate”. Voila, plugin installed!

Automatic Updating

Download & install Envato Market plugin
This plugin can install WordPress themes and plugins purchased from ThemeForest & CodeCanyon by connecting with the Envato Market API using a secure OAuth personal token. Once your themes & plugins are installed WordPress will periodically check for updates, so keeping your items up to date is as simple as a few clicks.

Manual Updating

If you download new plugin version from CodeCanyon please follow these steps to upgrade from the existing version:

1. Go to your FTP and open WordPress plugins folder
2. Delete the old WP Domain Checker version folder
3. Upload the new version of WP Domain Checker
4. Go to WP-admin panel, open Plugins section.
5. Deactivate WP Domain Checker, and then activate it again.

4.Shortcodes & Widget #

Shortcode

You can easily use shortcode [wpdomainchecker] to show domain name checker form in your page or post.

 

 

ParameterDescriptionExample
ButtonChange button text.
Default: “Check”
[wpdomainchecker button="SEARCH"]
widthChange search box width.
Default: 900px
[wpdomainchecker width="600"]
item_idIntegrated to specific product ID.
(Product ID in settings will be ignored).
[wpdomainchecker item_id="1234"]
sizeChange search box size (small or large).
Default: large
[wpdomainchecker size="small"]
recaptchaEnable/disable recaptcha.
Site Key & Secret Key required.
Default: no
[wpdomainchecker recaptcha="yes"]
allowed_tldAllow only specific tld to be check.
Separate by comma for each extension.
Default: no
[wpdomainchecker allowed_tld="com,net,org"]
styleChoose Search Form Design 1 or 2
Default: 1
[wpdomainchecker style="1"]
[wpdomainchecker style="2"]
available_msgText Message if domain available.
You can use {domain} {sld} {tld} tag here.
[wpdomainchecker available_msg="{domain} Available"]
unavailable_msgText Message if domain unavailable.
You can use {domain} {sld} {tld} tag here.
[wpdomainchecker allowed_tld="Sorry, {domain} Unavailable"]
integrationOverride the default integration.[wpdomainchecker integration="disable"]
[wpdomainchecker integration="woocommerce"]
[wpdomainchecker integration="whmcs"]
[wpdomainchecker integration="whmcs_bridge"]
[wpdomainchecker integration="whm_press"]
[wpdomainchecker integration="custom"]
whois_buttonEnable / Disable Whois Button[wpdomainchecker whois_button="enable"]
[wpdomainchecker whois_button="disable"]
classAdd additional Class to the Search Box
You can use “mobile” class if you place
the shortcode in small container,
this is will make the design fit with the container.
[wpdomainchecker class="mobile"]
whoislookuponlyMake the Domain Search Form to Whois Domain Lookup only.[wpdomainchecker whoislookuponly="yes"]
multiple_tldFull means multiple tld will be checked and displayed whether the extension is included or not.
Partial means multiple tld will be checked and displayed only if the domain is entered without extension. (eg. “google”, “yahoo”).
[wpdomainchecker multiple_tld="disable"]
[wpdomainchecker multiple_tld="full"]
[wpdomainchecker multiple_tld="partial"]

*All above shortcode parameters will override the WP Domain Checker settings in WP Admin Dashboard.

Example:
If you want to set domain checker form size to 300px and button text with “Search”

You have to add “width” and “button” to the shortcode like this [wpdomainchecker width="300" button="Search"]

Multiple domain checker form for multiple product WooCommerce you can add item_id in each shortcode.
e.g: Checker for product ID 123 [wpdomainchecker item_id="123" ]
e.g: Checker for product ID 456 [wpdomainchecker item_id="456" ]

If you not include item_id in the shortcode, default product ID in settings will be used.

 

Widget

Setup WP Domain Checker for Widget is very simple.

Go to Widget section under Appearance in your admin panel and find WP Domain Checker Widget like screenshoot below.

Just add the widget to sidebar or other place whenever you want.

Like shortcode, on widget you can set input size and button text.

5.Whois Lookup Button #

Whois button will appear when domain unavailable. To enable this function, you have to create new page for the Whois page, you can create new page with whatever title you want.
eg: “Whois” or “Whois Domain”. Make sure this is page not post.
Then, put shortcode [wpdomainwhois] on the page and then go to WP Domain Checker settings, on Whois Page section, select page you created before.

Select disable if don’t want to show the Whois Button.

6.Integration #

Please note, you only can integrated with one of them. So if you want to use WHMCS Integration, you can’t use Woocommerce or Custom Link.

6.1.WHMCS Integration #

If you want to integration with your WHMCS, just select Integration with WHMCS.
A Purchase button will appear when domain is available, and if user click the button, user will redirect to your whmcs domain configuration.
Domain will automatically added to cart.

WP Domain Checker Integration With WHMCS

Enter the button text. e.g: “Order” or “Purchase Now”

Enter your WHMCS URL on Integration Button Link. Please include the protocol scheme “http:// or https://” like screenshoot below.

WP Domain Checker Integration With Woocommerce

WP Domain Checker Integration With WHMCS

6.2.Woocommerce Integration #

First, you have to create a Product in Woocommerce. Product data should be Simple Product.

After the product created, get the Product ID. On the screenshot image below, the product id is 567.

Then go to WP Domain Checker settings. On Integration With section, select Woocommerce.
And then, Enter the button text. eg: “Order” or “Purchase Now”
Also, input your product id on integration button link field.

A button will appear when domain is available, and if user click the button, user will redirect to cart.
Domain will be automatically added to cart.

Domain in Cart

Domain in Checkout Detail

Domain in Customer Receipt Email

You can use item_id parameter on the shortcode to override product id in the settings, this will be usefull if you have multiple domain checker with different product ID.
e.g: Checker for product ID 123 [wpdomainchecker item_id="123" ]
e.g: Checker for product ID 456 [wpdomainchecker item_id="456" ]

If you not include item_id parameter in the shortcode, default product ID in the settings will be used.

If you have multiple domain checker form and use item_id parameter in the shortcode and the product ID different with you defined in settings, make sure you enable WDC option in the product editor, check screenshot below:

* Don’t forget to enable Redirect to the cart page after successful addition in your woocommerce settings.

6.2.1.Custom Pricing for WooCommerce #

Since v2.6, you can set custom pricing for each TLD, if you don’t set the price for the TLD, the default product price is used.
you can set the price from wp domain checker settings, scroll down and find WooCommerce Custom Price

for example, you want set price for com $11, net $9, org $8, co $4 and info $3.99
just add like this to the box, com|11,net|9,org|8,co|4,info|3.99

WooCommerce Custom Price

7.IDN Domain Check #

To support IDN domain check you need enable php module extension:
PHP 5 >= 5.3.0,
PECL intl >= 1.0.2,
PECL idn >= 0.1

Tutorial:
Enabling/Installing Intl Extension PHP From Terminal
Enabling/Installing Intl Extension PHP From cPanel

8.Google ReCaptcha #

hero-recaptcha-demo

Protect your domain checker from spam and abuse while letting real people pass through with ease.
Firstly, you need get ReCaptcha Site Key and Secret Key. Register for Free
Secondly, if you already have Site Key and Secret Key, go to WP Domain Checker Settings in you Admin panel
Click on ReCaptcha tab, and fill your ReCaptcha Site Key and Secret Key and save.

Finally, just add recaptcha=”yes” to your shortcode. eg: [wpdomainchecker width="300" button="Search" recaptcha="yes"]

9.Allow Only Specific TLD Extensions #

Allow only specific extensions to check. sparated with comma for each extension. (e.g: com,net,org,co.uk,co.id)
Leave it blank to allow all extensions.

10.Transfer Domain Button #

Actually, there is no Transfer Domain function in WP Domain Checker, but there is an alternative to achieve this. You can transform Whois Button into Transfer Domain button that linked to Woocommerce add to cart, WHMCS add to cart or external link.

In the WP Domain Checker settings:
On Whois Page option select Custom URL.
On Whois Custom URL put this URL:
WooCommerce add to cart:
http://yourwebsite.com/wp-admin/adminajax.php?add-to-cart=YOUR-PRODUCT-ID&domain={domain}
WHMCS add to cart:
https://yourwhmcssite.com/cart.php?a=add&domain=transfer&sld={sld}&tld=.{tld}
*For Woocommerce add to cart, make sure you enable WDC in your Product data.

11.Custom Config #

 

; This is a sample configuration file

[DomainMinLengthRestrictions]
errmsg = "Minimum length of a .{tld} domain name is {length} characters."
com = 3
id = 4
nl = 3
co.uk = 3
;all = 3 ;Restrict all TLDs to 3 characters minimum of length.

;Custom Whois Server, you can use web based (http/https) or whois based server (port 43).
[WhoisServer]
;web based request example
com[uri] = "http://www.whois.server.example/whois.php?domain="
com[string] = "NOT FOUND"

;whois based server port 43 request example
org[uri] = "whois.server.example"
org[string] = "NOT FOUND"

[PriceFormat]
text = "{currency}{price} USD/year"

12.Frequently Asked Questions #

I just want my user to check domain availabiliy, can I use this plugin without WHMCS or WooCommerce?
Yes, WP Domain Checker can work without WHMCS or WooCommerce.

Do I need Whois API?
No, we use public whois server provided by domain registry and it’s free.

What is the limit of queries on whois servers?
It is depend on each whois server, for popular whois server like .com, .org or .net, it should not be a problem to query thousands in a day.

Is it possible to check domains in several TLD at once?
Yes, you can check multiple TLD at once.

Can I link the order button to custom url? for example my affiliate link?
Yes, Custom Link Integration

Why Domain result always Unavailable/already taken ?
Please make sure Port 43 (TCP Outbound) is not blocked by your hosting/server firewall. If you don’t have access to your hosting server, you can ask this to your hosting customer support.

Can I integrate this plugin with Woocommerce Subscription Plugin?
Yes, but only this plugin supported https://woocommerce.com/products/woocommerce-subscriptions/

I just purchased the regular license, how many website I can use?
You only allowed to use on one domain/website. Read more about license here https://help.market.envato.com/hc/en-us/sections/200616950-Licenses

I’m Theme Developer, I want to bundle WP Domain Checker with one of my Theme and distribute it, what license I should use?
Extended License. Read more about license here https://help.market.envato.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005593363-Do-I-need-a-Regular-License-or-an-Extended-License-

Do licenses have an expiry date? Will I ever have to pay any fees (like renewals or royalties)?
No and no! Envato licenses are ongoing and last for the life of the end product you create with the item you’ve licensed, subject to our right to terminate your license if you don’t comply with the license terms. Of course, if you make a different end product you’ll usually need a new license.

Why Whois Server Updater failed to update?
Please make sure the WP Domain Checker plugin directory permission is writable (/wp-content/plugins/wp-domain-checker/). Follow intructions below to change the directory permission: