As WP Theme developer , here is some plugins which you must know for develop your creativity on theme
- Simple Page Sidebar : This plugin is to show multiple sidebar on your page or post. It’s easy to add or delete custom page sidebar.
- Custom Category Templates : Use this to choose Category Template (just like Page Template). If you want to make the category is different layout, just use this template
- WP Custom Post Template : You can use Post template on your post (just like Page Template)
- Event Manager : just make sure your theme support event manager , because based on my experience many user who use this plugin.
- WPML : WordPress multilingual Plugin. You can translate any page/post on your blog
- RTL Tester : just use RTL Tester to make sure your theme support RTL. Don’t forget theme to support RTL , you can use
is_rtl()to use different css and javascript for RTL theme. A usefull for converting LTR to RTL is http://cssjanus.commoner.com/ - Codestyling Localization : This plugin to generate mo/po for your theme for easy localization from wordpress admin area. You can translate directly from your wordpress admin area
- Titan Framework : if you want to make admin area for plugins or theme. Just use this framework, It’s easy to use. The lack only it doesn’t support repeater group. But i think it’s powerful enough if you want to make plugin/theme without repeater support
- Redux Framework : This is powerfull wordpress admin framework for theme. For metabox support you can use addons
- Vafpress Framework : This is powerfull for wordpress admin framework for theme admin and metabox and support repeater group. The lack only it’s not support include the javascript the right way on admin area as wordpress standard. So if you submit your theme which use Vafpress Framework in the wordpress.org , it will be probably rejected. But i think it’s the most powerfull framework.
- Theme Check : You can use this plugin to check you theme has passed the test wordpress standard theme or not.
- Update Notifier : If you program premium wptheme which is not hosted in wordpress.org just give notifier with this code http://wplift.com/notify-your-theme-users-about-updates-in-their-dashboard