In the last few chapters, you learned how to create custom plugin configuration panels and how to set up custom post types. With this knowledge in hand, we will now see how to customize the post and page editors using meta boxes.
Meta boxes are a very useful tool in the creation of WordPress plugins. They were first used to organize large administration panels into manageable sections in Chapter 3, User Settings and Administration Pages, and then continued to be a key element in the creation of tailored interfaces to edit custom post types in Chapter 4, The Power of Custom Post Types.
This chapter explores how meta boxes can be used to augment the default post and page editors' capabilities. While WordPress posts and pages already offer a lot of functionalities in a default installation, custom data entry fields go a long way in crafting a user experience that...