Ask the Origin – Remote Media Proxy

Use production media on local and staging WordPress sites without copying the uploads library. Existing local files take precedence; missing media is cached privately, never added to uploads.

Setup

Requires WordPress 7.0+ and PHP 8.3+. Install in wp-content/plugins/ask-the-origin-remote-media-proxy/, activate, and configure the source under Settings > Media. Composer is not required at runtime.

The source must use a different hostname and matching uploads paths. Supported Apache layouts are configured automatically; other servers need manual routing. Review existing Apache rules before enabling, and protect the destination site separately from the source.

See readme.txt for server requirements, caching, compatibility and security notes.

Configuration in code

Define any of these constants in wp-config.php to override saved settings:

define('ASK_THE_ORIGIN_ENABLED', true);
define('ASK_THE_ORIGIN_URL', 'https://production.example');
define('ASK_THE_ORIGIN_USERNAME', 'example-user');
define('ASK_THE_ORIGIN_PASSWORD', 'example-password');

Use a boolean for ENABLED and strings for the other values. Defined false and empty strings are intentional overrides. Constant-controlled fields are disabled in Media settings; their previously saved values remain available if the constants are removed. Code-supplied passwords are not saved or displayed.

The ask_the_origin_options filter runs after saved settings and constants:

add_filter('ask_the_origin_options', static function (array $options): array {
    $options['enabled'] = true;
    $options['url'] = 'https://production.example';
    return $options;
});

Apply configuration site-wide, not just during template rendering. Visit the site's admin after code changes to update Apache routing.

Development

composer install
composer check-platform-reqs
composer validate --strict
composer php:lint
composer rector:run  # Advisory dry-run

See tests/README.md for integration checks. CI runs the Timber integration suite and strict WordPress Plugin Check. Tests and development dependencies are excluded from release packages.

License

GPLv3 or later. See LICENSE.