[WordPress] Sample plugin demonstrating how to retrieve data like plugin name, description, version etc. from the plugin file header and use retrieved data in the front-end.

retrieve-plugin-headers.php

<?php
defined( 'ABSPATH' ) or die( 'Poop.' );
/**
 * Plugin Name:  __Retrieve Plugin Headers (Sample Plugin)
 * Description:  Retrieves data like this description, or version from the plugin file header.
 * Version:      1.2.3
 * Plugin URI:   https://gist.github.com/glueckpress/b720341600e13d31d4f5
 * Author:       Caspar Hübinger
 * Author URI:   https://profiles.wordpress.org/glueckpress/
 * License:      GPL3
 * License URI:  https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html
 */

/**
 * Retrieve data from file header.
 * @return void
 */
function sample_plugin__retrieve_file_headers() {

	// List of headers to retrieve.
	$headers = array(
		// my key    => file header
		'name'       => 'Plugin Name',
		'desc'       => 'Description',
		'version'    => 'Version',
		'plugin_uri' => 'Plugin URI',
		'author'     => 'Author',
		'author_uri' => 'Author URI',
	);

	// Beacause get_plugin_data() will only work in wp-admin.
	$file_data = get_file_data( __FILE__, $headers );

	// Sample output for the front-end.
	$dump  = '<h4>Retrieving Plugin File Headers</h4>';
	$dump .= '<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"><tbody>';
	$dump .= sprintf( 
		"<tr><td>Plugin&#160;Name:</td><td>%s</td></tr>\n", 
		$file_data['name']
	);
	$dump .= sprintf( 
		"<tr><td>Plugin&#160;Version:</td><td>%s</td></tr\n",
		$file_data['version']
	);
	$dump .= sprintf(
		"<tr><td>Plugin&#160;URI:</td><td><a href='%1$s'>%1$s</a></td></tr\n",
		$file_data['plugin_uri']
	);
	$dump .= sprintf(
		"<tr><td>Author:</td><td>%s</td></tr\n",
		$file_data['author']
	);
	$dump .= sprintf(
		"<tr><td>Author&#160;URI:</td><td><a href='%1$s'>%1$s</a></td></tr\n",
		$file_data['author_uri']
	);
	$dump .= sprintf( 
		"<tr><td>Description:</td><td>%s</td></tr\n",
		$file_data['desc']
	);
	$dump .= '</tbody></table>';

	if ( ! is_admin() )
		wp_die( $dump, "Sample Output via {$file_data['name']}" );
}
add_action( 'init', 'sample_plugin__retrieve_file_headers' );