=== Stylish Top Author Widget ===
Contributors: Obaid2013
Donate link: https://github.com/obaidhossain
Tags: author, widget, top author, blog, users
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 6.9
Stable tag: 3.0.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Display your top WordPress authors with avatar, bio, and post count in a clean, modern, and lightweight widget.

== Description ==

Stylish Top Author Widget is a lightweight WordPress plugin that displays your top contributing author or a selected author in a beautifully styled widget.

It automatically detects the author with the highest number of published posts or allows manual selection of a specific author.

Features include:
- Display top author by post count
- Select a specific author manually
- Show author avatar, name, and bio
- Display total published posts
- Lightweight and fast
- Fully compatible with WordPress 6.x and block widgets

This plugin is perfect for blogs, magazines, and multi-author websites that want to highlight their top contributors.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress

= Classic Theme =
3. Go to Appearance → Widgets
4. Add "Stylish Top Author Widget" to your widget area
5. Configure title and optional author ID

= Gutenberg Theme =
3. Go to Appearance → Editor → Templates/Template Parts in full-site editing
4. Click the "+" to add a new block and search for "Stylish Top Author".
5. Insert the "Stylish Top Author" block into your desired widget area or template location.
6. Configure the block settings: set the title, optionally enter a specific Author ID, and toggle display options for avatar, bio, and post count.
7. Save the widget area or template to apply the changes site-wide.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= How does it choose the top author? =
It selects the user with the highest number of published posts automatically.

= Can I manually choose an author? =
Yes, you can enter a specific Author ID in the widget settings.

= Does it support Gutenberg? =
Yes, it works with the latest WordPress block-based widget system.

= Is it compatible with caching plugins? =
Yes, it works normally with popular caching plugins.

== Changelog ==

= 3.0.0 =
* Complete modern rewrite
* Updated for WordPress 6.x compatibility
* Improved security (sanitization & escaping)
* Better author query performance
* Removed deprecated functions
* Improved widget structure

= 2.0.0 =
* Small Bug Fixed.
* Author’s Permalink modified/fixed.
* Font Awesome Integration.
* Help/Documentation Added.

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 3.0.0 =
This is a major update with full WordPress 6.x compatibility. Update recommended.