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While publishing a custom WordPress plugin on GitHub Releases, a developer noticed something confusing.
After uploading only one ZIP file manually, GitHub displayed three downloadable files under the Release Assets section:
- flipnzee-analytics-v2-refactor.zip
- Source code (zip)
- Source code (tar.gz)
This naturally raised an important beginner question:
“Which one should actually be downloaded and uploaded into WordPress?”
Why GitHub Shows Multiple Files
GitHub Releases automatically generates additional downloadable archives for every release.
Even if a developer uploads only one ZIP file manually, GitHub still creates:
- Source code (zip)
- Source code (tar.gz)
These are automatic snapshots of the repository at that version tag.
They are mainly intended for developers and source-code access.
The Correct File for WordPress Plugin Upload
For WordPress installation, users should normally download the manually uploaded plugin package.
Example:
flipnzee-analytics-v2-refactor.zip
This file is usually:
- cleaned
- production-ready
- install-oriented
- properly packaged
It is specifically prepared for:
WordPress Admin → Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
Why the Auto-Generated Source ZIP Is Different
The automatically generated:
- Source code (zip)
- Source code (tar.gz)
may contain:
- development folders
- Git-related files
- testing assets
- documentation
- extra project structure
These files are useful for developers inspecting or cloning the project, but not ideal for standard WordPress plugin installation.
Recommended Workflow
For Plugin Users
Download:
flipnzee-analytics-v2-refactor.zip
Then upload it directly into WordPress.
For Developers
The GitHub-generated source archives are useful when someone wants to:
- inspect source code
- fork the project
- contribute development changes
- review architecture
Important Takeaway
When publishing WordPress plugins through GitHub Releases:
- the manually uploaded ZIP is usually the install-ready plugin package
- GitHub-generated source archives are mainly repository snapshots
Understanding this distinction helps avoid installation confusion and creates a more professional plugin distribution workflow.
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