# Changelog

All notable changes to **Buddy** are documented here.
Format: [Keep a Changelog 1.1.0](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) — versioning: [SemVer](https://semver.org/).

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## [Unreleased]

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## [0.1.0] — 2026-05-25

**Buddy is born.** First release of a new standalone WordPress plugin extracted-and-rebuilt from the tamagotchi feature that once lived inside A-WP-Notes v1.1.5 (now gracefully retired). Buddy stands on its own as a focused, charming companion plugin for the WordPress dashboard.

### Added — Phase A complete (pet exists)
- **Dashboard widget** at WP Admin → Dashboard showing the SVG character, the pet's name, a mood label ("Thriving" / "Content" / "Okay" / "Hungry" / "Distressed"), and four stat bars (Hunger / Happiness / Health / Energy).
- **Dedicated admin page** at WP Admin → Buddy → My Buddy showing the same data in a larger format with the pet's age and a placeholder note describing what's coming next.
- **About page** at WP Admin → Buddy → About with the side-by-side intro pattern, "What Buddy does" / "Who Buddy is for" / "Version history" cards, and a link to this CHANGELOG.md.
- **Settings page** at WP Admin → Buddy → Settings with a name-rename form and the Updates panel.
- **Per-user state storage** via `user_meta` (key: `buddy_state`). Each WP admin gets their own Buddy with its own name, species, and stats.
- **SVG sprite renderer** with three mood tones (happy / neutral / sad) and three sizes (sm / md / lg). Pure inline SVG with CSS keyframe animations (bobbing motion + periodic blinking). No GIFs, no sprite sheets, no image files for the character.
- **Self-hosted update checker** wired up to the Gitea repo from commit 1. Polls `/api/v1/repos/ranger/a-buddy/releases/latest` with a `/tags?limit=1` fallback. 12h success cache, 1h negative cache. UI surface lives on the Settings page.
- **Custom admin-menu icon** (`dashicons-pets`, a paw print) reinforcing the pet identity.

### Architecture (locked from day one)
- **Single-word brand name `Buddy`** — no "WP" prefix, no marketplace trademark hurdle.
- **Public GPL v2+ Gitea repo** at `ranger/a-buddy` on `git.davidtkeane.com`.
- **All persistent notice dismissals** to use `user_meta` + AJAX pattern (port from Logbook when first notice appears).
- **CSS-only animations, all assets local** — bundle stays small.
- **Single H1 per admin page**, no nested toggle boxes, no duplicate sections — Tier-1 discipline carried forward from Logbook.

### Not in this release (planned)
- Phase B — Feed / Play / Clean / Sleep interactions with cooldown timers.
- Phase C — WP-cron stat decay, "Buddy is hungry" dismissible admin notices.
- Phase D — Multiple species (dog, dragon, sprite), per-species personality phrases.
- Phase E — Site-health integration: pet stats react to `wp_get_site_health()` results, outdated plugins drain health, published posts feed hunger, cleared spam boosts happiness.
- Phase F — Pro tier with custom skins, multi-pet farm, social visits.