Blueprints

A Blueprint is a reviewable JSON build plan for WordPress. Save it once, then use it whenever you create a sandbox or bake it into a reusable Template.

Create a Blueprint

1. Open Blueprints from the SandyWP app navigation.
2. Click New Blueprint.
3. Choose Upload ZIP, From URL, or JSON.
4. Add an optional name and description, then click Save Blueprint.

SandyWP validates the document and adapts compatible WordPress Playground instructions automatically. The list shows whether the saved Blueprint is ready or needs attention.

Import from a URL

Use the original blueprint.json URL whenever possible. If the document references sibling files such as ./theme.zip, ./content.xml, or ./data.sql, SandyWP resolves them relative to that URL. Paths written from the bundle root — /theme.zip — resolve against the blueprint.json folder too, matching WordPress Playground.

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/example/project/main/blueprint.json

The same field also accepts a URL that serves a ZIP bundle. SandyWP downloads the archive and imports it exactly as an uploaded bundle.

https://example.com/kits/brewcommerce.zip

Upload a ZIP bundle

Upload a bundle when the Blueprint and its assets belong together. Put blueprint.json at the ZIP root or inside one top-level folder; bundled resources are resolved from that manifest folder, whether they are written as ./theme.zip or /theme.zip.

Paste or write JSON

Paste any self-contained Blueprint document, or type one directly in the editor. A minimal Blueprint looks like this:

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "My SandyWP Site"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Start a sandbox from a Blueprint

1. Open My sites and click New sandbox.
2. Open the starting-point picker and choose a saved Blueprint.
3. Review the stack and site name, then create the sandbox.

SandyWP provisions a normal container first and runs the compatible Blueprint steps inside it. Progress and errors appear in the same creation dialog.

Manage saved Blueprints

Click a Blueprint row to edit it. Open the … menu—or right-click the row—to access the other actions:

• Edit Blueprint updates the Blueprint document and display details.
• Save as Template runs the Blueprint and stores the finished site as a snapshot.
• Delete Blueprint removes the Blueprint without deleting Templates already baked from it.

Starter Blueprints

Copy one of these examples into the JSON tab, then adjust it for your project. These are intentionally small so every instruction remains easy to review.

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "My SandyWP Site",
        "blogdescription": "A clean WordPress sandbox"
      }
    }
  ]
}

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "installPlugin",
      "pluginData": {
        "resource": "wordpress.org/plugins",
        "slug": "query-monitor"
      },
      "options": {
        "activate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "step": "installPlugin",
      "pluginData": {
        "resource": "wordpress.org/plugins",
        "slug": "wp-crontrol"
      },
      "options": {
        "activate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "Plugin Lab",
        "blogdescription": "A SandyWP plugin testing workspace"
      }
    }
  ]
}

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "installPlugin",
      "pluginData": {
        "resource": "wordpress.org/plugins",
        "slug": "woocommerce"
      },
      "options": {
        "activate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "My Store",
        "blogdescription": "A WooCommerce store built on SandyWP"
      }
    }
  ]
}

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "installTheme",
      "themeData": {
        "resource": "wordpress.org/themes",
        "slug": "twentytwentyfive"
      },
      "options": {
        "activate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "Theme Preview",
        "blogdescription": "Explore a WordPress theme in SandyWP"
      }
    }
  ]
}

{
  "$schema": "https://playground.wordpress.net/blueprint-schema.json",
  "steps": [
    {
      "step": "installPlugin",
      "pluginData": {
        "resource": "wordpress.org/plugins",
        "slug": "classic-editor"
      },
      "options": {
        "activate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "step": "setSiteOptions",
      "options": {
        "blogname": "My Blog",
        "blogdescription": "Stories, notes, and ideas",
        "show_on_front": "posts"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Compatibility matrix

SandyWP validates the original recipe and reports every compatibility change before execution. An information or warning finding does not block a run; an error does.

Blueprint execution can run PHP, SQL, and WP-CLI, so running or baking a Blueprint requires a paid plan.

Next steps

• Explore the Blueprints feature.
• Create a sandbox from a saved Blueprint.
• Templates turn a finished Blueprint run into a fast reusable snapshot.
• Automate it: the API covers the same create/validate/bake/run operations, and sandywp blueprint … in the CLI wraps them for scripts and CI (--wait polls a bake to completion).