Stop Calling get_option Directly. Do This Instead.

I took over a legacy WooCommerce plugin for a new client last month. Total nightmare. The previous developer had sprinkled get_option() and update_option() calls everywhere, like they were going out of style. Some option names had the plugin’s prefix, some didn’t, and one was actually conflicting with an entirely different plugin, causing settings to randomly reset. The client was frustrated that their “save settings” button was basically a roll of the dice. And honestly? I was too.

My first thought was to just do a global find-and-replace. Hunt down every instance of get_option and slap the proper prefix on it. Quick and dirty. And yeah, it would have fixed the immediate bug. But it was a band-aid on a gaping wound. It didn’t solve the architectural problem. The next developer—or me, at 2 AM on a deadline—would inevitably make the same mistake again. The real fix had to go deeper.

A Better Way: The WordPress Options API Wrapper Class

You have to stop calling the WordPress Options API functions directly. Period. For any plugin of non-trivial size, you’re just asking for trouble. Instead, create a simple “gatekeeper” class that handles all the interactions for you. It’s the only part of your plugin that should be allowed to talk to the options table.

Here’s the kicker: it’s not even that much work. You’re just creating a simple wrapper that automatically enforces your rules—like making sure every single option key is prefixed correctly. This approach is a simplified version of a more comprehensive design pattern for the options API, an idea I first saw detailed over at carlalexander.ca.

<?php

/**
 * Manages plugin options with a consistent prefix.
 */
class MyPlugin_Options
{
    private $prefix = 'my_plugin_';

    /**
     * Gets a prefixed option from the database.
     *
     * @param string $name The option name, without prefix.
     * @param mixed $default The default value.
     * @return mixed
     */
    public function get($name, $default = null)
    {
        return get_option($this->prefix . $name, $default);
    }

    /**
     * Sets a prefixed option in the database.
     *
     * @param string $name The option name, without prefix.
     * @param mixed $value The value to set.
     */
    public function set($name, $value)
    {
        update_option($this->prefix . $name, $value);
    }

    /**
     * Removes a prefixed option from the database.
     *
     * @param string $name The option name, without prefix.
     */
    public function remove($name)
    {
        delete_option($this->prefix . $name);
    }
}

// Now, instead of this scattered everywhere:
// update_option('my_plugin_api_key', 'some_value');

// You do this through your gatekeeper:
// $options = new MyPlugin_Options();
// $options->set('api_key', 'some_value');

So, What’s the Point?

By channeling every call through this class, you solve the problem at its source. You can’t “forget” the prefix because the class handles it. You can’t have a typo in the option name in 15 different files, because you only define it once. It’s about building guardrails that make it easy to do the right thing and hard to do the wrong thing.

• Stop scattering raw get_option and update_option calls in your plugin. It’s a recipe for disaster.
• A simple wrapper class centralizes your logic. It’s ten minutes of work that will save you hours of debugging.
• Enforce your prefix automatically. No more guesswork or conflicts.
• Your codebase becomes instantly cleaner, more predictable, and professional. Trust me on this.

Look, this stuff gets complicated fast. If you’re tired of debugging someone else’s mess and just want your site to work, drop my team a line. We’ve probably seen it before.