Plugin + App Case Study
Pet Weight Calculator
A lightweight, embedded web tool that helps pet owners estimate adult dog weight using breed size and current age — built as a reusable WordPress plugin.
Project Overview
The Pet Weight Calculator is a custom-built web tool designed to be embedded seamlessly into WordPress sites.
It provides an intuitive, low-friction way for users to estimate a puppy’s adult weight based on age and size inputs.
This project was conceived, designed, and developed end-to-end as a modular plugin, with a focus on
performance, security, and ease of integration for content-driven websites.
Project Goals
- Create a simple, user-friendly calculator with immediate visual feedback
- Build the tool as a reusable WordPress plugin rather than page-specific code
- Ensure compatibility with page builders and WYSIWYG editors
- Avoid performance issues, unsafe inline scripts, or security flags
- Allow the calculator to be embedded via shortcode for demos and live use
My Role
I built this project independently, handling the full lifecycle from concept to deployment.
- Product concept & logic design
- Front-end UI structure and interaction patterns
- Custom WordPress plugin architecture
- Shortcode-based embedding for flexible placement
- Performance and security considerations (WordPress-safe implementation)
Development Approach
The calculator was built as a standalone WordPress plugin to ensure portability and clean separation from theme code.
The front-end interface is rendered via shortcode, allowing it to be placed anywhere within a page builder or editor
without breaking layout or triggering security warnings.
All logic is encapsulated within the plugin itself, keeping templates clean and avoiding direct script injection
in content areas. This approach makes the tool easy to demo, maintain, and reuse across multiple sites.
Live Demo
The calculator below is embedded using the plugin shortcode.
No custom JavaScript is included directly on this page.
Plugin embed:
Results
- Delivered a fully self-contained WordPress plugin
- Clean, accessible user experience with instant feedback
- Safe for use with security plugins and managed hosting environments
- Easily reusable across multiple WordPress installations
Tech Stack
- WordPress (Plugin Architecture)
- PHP
- Shortcodes
- HTML & CSS
- Vanilla JavaScript (encapsulated within plugin)
Code Reference
A public GitHub repository is available showing the plugin structure and implementation.
Client-specific or production data is not included.