Fernlight Companion adds optional editorial blocks, reading enhancements and local
Site Intelligence. The Fernlight theme is complete without this plugin. Companion
activates on other themes, but its visual design is made for Fernlight.

Editorial tools

Eight blocks: Post Hero, Pull Quote, Post Callout, Divider, Related Grid,
Newsletter signup, Icon and Tabs.
A filterable blog grid using the [fernlight_blog_grid] shortcode.
Optional archive load-more and grid/list/masonry switching.
Optional instant search, heading anchors, reading progress, related posts,
previous/next navigation and category accents.
Style and starter-content settings, performance options and generated child themes.

Interactive archive/search enhancements require explicit opt-in. Native links,
search submission and readable content remain available without those enhancements.

Local Site Intelligence and AI connections

Read site context, patterns, style recommendations, validation and maintenance
reports; export useful context as Markdown or JSON. Free Site Intelligence does
not create drafts, edit live pages or publish. Owner-operated settings and Starter
Content are separate explicit actions.

Open Tools > Fernlight AI Connections for Connect AI Client, Editing Guidelines
and Site Context. Administrators save purpose, audience, voice, protected material,
reference pages and environment confirmation in Site Brief. The authenticated
Get Agent Brief gives a compatible client a compact orientation and next reads.

Authenticated REST works without MCP Adapter. Optional MCP requires a separately
installed adapter and administrator-selected exposure. WordPress account
permissions apply to every request. Site-wide content analytics requires
manage_options; the public performance summary is a separate reference.

A successful server-side check does not verify an external AI client connection.
Your chosen client supplies its own AI model; no model subscription is included.
The plugin does not call an external AI provider. You choose what to share with
an outside assistant. Keep credentials and sensitive material out of exports.

Free and premium editions

This WordPress.org edition includes only free functionality: no licensing SDK,
premium implementation or licensing telemetry. Free features need no account or
license. Companion Pro is a separately distributed premium edition of the same
plugin, not a second plugin to activate alongside Free.

Premium customers download their ZIP from Freemius, use Plugins > Add New Plugin >
Upload Plugin > Replace current with uploaded, then activate their license under
Appearance > Fernlight Companion > License & Pro. The free plugin does not download
or install its premium replacement.

Source and builds

Human-readable PHP, JavaScript and CSS sources are included. JavaScript is loaded
as readable source. To rebuild the three generated CSS files from an extracted
plugin directory with Node.js and lightningcss-cli 1.33.0:

npx --yes [email protected] lightningcss --minify --bundle assets/css/blocks.css -o assets/css/blocks.min.css
npx --yes [email protected] lightningcss --minify --bundle assets/css/features.css -o assets/css/features.min.css
npx --yes [email protected] lightningcss --minify --bundle assets/css/force-light.css -o assets/css/force-light.min.css

Development tools are not required to run the plugin. Source/build and public API
reference: https://fernlighttheme.com/companion-reference/
Documentation: https://fernlighttheme.com/docs/
AI workflow guide: https://fernlighttheme.com/support/ai-tools-guide/

External services

The WordPress.org edition does not include or initialize the Freemius SDK and
makes no licensing or external AI requests. Its reports and search use local
WordPress data. No external account is required for the free features.

Freemius (optional premium edition and external checkout)

Freemius provides checkout, customer accounts, license activation/validation and
premium updates. It is used only if you follow a purchase/account link in your
browser or separately install the premium edition and connect/activate it.
Checkout receives the contact, billing and payment information you submit there.
The connected premium SDK sends account email/ID, license and installation IDs,
site URL, product version, WordPress/PHP versions and installation status for
activation, periodic license checks, synchronization and eligible update checks.
Optional usage data depends on the permissions shown in the SDK consent screen.
The plugin does not send post/page content or local AI report exports to Freemius.
Terms: https://freemius.com/terms/
Privacy: https://freemius.com/privacy/

Owner-selected newsletter provider

The optional Newsletter block can submit the visitor’s email and other configured
form fields to the form action URL selected by the site owner, only when the
visitor submits. A provider-plugin shortcode may load that provider’s assets and
collect browser/network data under its own policy. No provider is selected or
contacted by default. The owner must disclose the configured service and obtain
required consent. Examples and their Terms/Privacy links appear below; other
providers require their own policy disclosure.

Newsletter provider examples and their policies:

Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/legal/terms/ and https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/
MailerLite: https://www.mailerlite.com/legal/terms-of-service and https://www.mailerlite.com/legal/privacy-policy
Kit: https://kit.com/terms and https://kit.com/privacy
MailPoet: https://www.mailpoet.com/terms-and-conditions/ and https://www.mailpoet.com/privacy-notice/

For another provider, consult and disclose its own Terms and Privacy Policy.