WordPress Plugin Guide

Complete guide to installing and configuring Classy Comments on WordPress

Installation

Method 1: Upload via WordPress Admin (Recommended)

  1. Download the plugin (classy-comments.zip)
  2. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
  3. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
  4. Click Upload Plugin at the top
  5. Click Choose File and select the downloaded zip file
  6. Click Install Now
  7. After installation, click Activate Plugin

Method 2: Manual Installation via FTP

  1. Download and unzip the plugin file
  2. Upload the classy-comments folder to /wp-content/plugins/
  3. Go to WordPress admin → Plugins
  4. Find "Classy Comments" and click Activate

Requirements

  • WordPress: 5.0 or higher (6.0+ recommended)
  • PHP: 7.4 or higher (8.0+ recommended)
  • Browser: Modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • HTTPS: Recommended for production

Configuration

After activation, go to Settings → Classy Comments to configure the plugin.

Basic Settings

Enable Plugin

Check this box to activate Classy Comments on your site. Uncheck to temporarily disable without deactivating the plugin.

Demo Mode

Enabled (Default): Works offline using rule-based refinement. No API key needed. Perfect for testing!

Disabled: Uses full AI-powered refinement. Requires API key from classycomments.com

Strict Mode

When enabled, all comments MUST go through the refinement modal. Users cannot bypass it. Recommended for production.

AI Mode Settings

API URL

Default: https://api.classycomments.com

For self-hosted backend, use your own URL.

API Key

Get your API key by creating an account at classycomments.com

Format: cc_live_sk_xxxxxxxx or cc_demo_sk_xxxxxxxx

Refinement Settings

Formality Level (1-5)

  • 1 - Very Casual: "hey that's awesome!"
  • 3 - Neutral: "That's great!"
  • 5 - Very Formal: "I appreciate this contribution."

Tone

  • Friendly: Warm and personable
  • Neutral: Balanced and objective
  • Professional: Formal and business-like

Profanity Handling

  • Remove: Delete all profanity
  • Soften: Replace with milder alternatives
  • Keep: Leave as-is

Emoji Handling

  • Remove: Strip all emojis
  • Keep: Preserve existing emojis
  • Add: AI adds appropriate emojis

Text Corrections

  • Caps Correction: Fix ALL CAPS text → Proper Case
  • Punctuation Cleanup: Fix excessive !!!, ???, etc.

How It Works

User Flow

  1. Visitor writes a comment in the standard WordPress comment form
  2. Visitor clicks "Post Comment" button
  3. Classy Comments intercepts the submission
  4. Modal appears showing:
    • Original text (left side)
    • Refined text (right side)
    • Three buttons: Approve, Edit Original, Cancel
  5. Visitor reviews and chooses:
    • Approve: Submit the refined comment
    • Edit Original: Make changes and re-process
    • Cancel: Don't submit the comment
  6. Approved comment is submitted to WordPress

Security Features

  • WordPress Nonce: CSRF protection
  • Honeypot Field: Bot detection
  • Security Tokens: HMAC SHA-256 cryptographic verification
  • Rate Limiting: 5 comments per 15 minutes per IP
  • Strict Mode: Enforce refinement process

Troubleshooting

Modal not appearing

  • Check that plugin is enabled in Settings
  • Ensure JavaScript is enabled in browser
  • Check browser console for errors
  • Verify assets loaded (view page source, search for "classy-comments.js")

AI mode not working

  • Verify API key is correct (check dashboard)
  • Ensure Demo Mode is disabled
  • Check API URL is correct
  • Verify you haven't exceeded usage quota
  • Check browser Network tab for API errors

Comments being blocked

  • Check rate limiting (5 comments per 15 min)
  • Verify security token is being generated
  • Check WordPress debug log for errors
  • Try disabling Strict Mode temporarily

Theme compatibility issues

  • Check for CSS conflicts (z-index issues)
  • Ensure theme uses standard comment form structure
  • Test with a default theme (Twenty Twenty-Four)
  • Contact support with theme details

Customization

Customize Modal Appearance

Add custom CSS to your theme to style the modal:

/* In your theme's style.css or custom CSS */

/* Change modal background */
.classy-comments-modal {
  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
}

/* Customize modal content */
.classy-comments-modal-content {
  border-radius: 12px;
  box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

/* Style the enhance button */
.classy-comments-enhance-btn {
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
}

Programmatic Access

WordPress hooks for advanced customization:

// Modify settings programmatically
add_filter('classy_comments_settings', function($settings) {
    $settings['formalityLevel'] = 3;
    $settings['tone'] = 'professional';
    return $settings;
});

// Skip refinement for specific users
add_filter('classy_comments_should_process', function($should_process, $user) {
    if (user_can($user, 'moderate_comments')) {
        return false; // Skip for moderators
    }
    return $should_process;
}, 10, 2);

Best Practices

  • Start with Demo Mode to test functionality before using AI mode
  • Enable Strict Mode in production to ensure all comments are refined
  • Monitor API usage in your dashboard to avoid quota overages
  • Set appropriate formality based on your site's audience and topic
  • Test on staging before deploying to production
  • Keep the plugin updated for security and new features
  • Inform users via a notice that comments will be refined before posting

Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions:

Check FAQGitHub IssuesEmail Support