Do uploaded plugins get updates if they came from the wordpress plugin directory?

Question

I'm a plugin developer and want to ensure my users are getting updates when I release an update within the wordpress plugin svn repo. I know if they search for the plugin through the plugin area of their admin and install it that way that they see updates.

However I'm not sure if people download the zip file from the public wordpress plugin listing, ie from a page like this, and then upload it manually to their wordpress installation, is it still linked like the previous method where they will see updates if there is a newer version in the wordpress plugin svn repo?

I'm ultimately trying to figure out if I should direct future users to the plugin description page on wordpress.org, or if I instead should be telling them how to search for it within their wordpress admin.

Answer 1

Here is how you should be updating your plugin. The WordPress install sends data to the repository and the repository sorts out the versioning and talks back to the install. Here is an article by Mark Jaquith on this subject, and the lengths to go though to turn it off.

There has been a vigorous discussion going on regarding what data WordPress installs send to WordPress.org when doing update checks. Because WordPress (the software) doesn’t know whether a theme or plugin is listed in the WordPress.org repositories, it has to check them all, and let the repository sort it out. Some have expressed concern that private plugins developed for a single client could contain sensitive information in their headers, like contact information for the developer, etc.