Connectors screen: Users are blocked on sites with a read-only file system (`DISALLOW_FILE_MODS`)

[westonruter]

Description

This is a follow-up to #75980 (and #77089).

Normally, the Connectors screen looks as follows on a fresh install:

However, when DISALLOW_FILE_MODS is enabled in an environment, it looks like this:

This is not helpful, because a user is completely blocked from knowing how to enable the AI functionality. I know that on Pantheon, for example, all production live environments have a readonly filesystem. This is an issue for any site configured with the DISALLOW_FILE_MODS constant enabled in wp-config.php. Users will have no idea how to proceed.

Suggestions:

• A notice should be added that explains that plugin installation is disabled due to the DISALLOW_FILE_MODS constant. Users should perhaps be advised to install the AI plugin and AI provider plugins manually as they normally install plugins on their environment. Perhaps even a WP-CLI command could be displayed for each plugin, which would be particularly useful in this case since it is likely that Git is being used to manage the site.
• There is no context for the "Not available" message. A link to the plugin on the directory should be displayed for each.
• The AI plugin banner should still be shown, but with a "Learn More" link instead of installation button.
• The paragraph at the bottom should remain, with an external link to the tag search on the localized plugin directory, e.g. https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/ai-connectors/

There is a similar issue faced by the Performance Lab plugin in the feature install screen, which also involves installing a plugin when a feature is activated. See WordPress/performance#1138 and WordPress/performance#1148 (comment).

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

1. Add define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true ); to the wp-config.php.
2. Access the Connectors screen.

Screenshots, screen recording, code snippet

No response

Environment info

• WordPress trunk (7.1-alpha)
• Gutenberg trunk at b30d634

Please confirm that you have searched existing issues in the repo.

• Yes

Please confirm that you have tested with all plugins deactivated except Gutenberg.

• Yes

Please confirm which theme type you used for testing.

• Block
• Classic
• Hybrid (e.g. classic with theme.json)
• Not sure

[coderGtm]

Hello,

I would like to work on this issue. Is there a consensus on which of the provided suggestions to work upon and anything I should keep in mind before working on it?

If required I can work on all of the suggested pointers.

Thanks!

[coderGtm]

I started with the notice. Sharing it here for feedback and keeping everyone in loop.

[fcoveram]

The notice above shows information that could confuse and alarm users not familiar with them. The notice messages should be simpler and provide links to solve and/or understand what's going on.

We're discussing here (WordPress/ai#457) the flow for the happy path, and this issue could tap into that same design.

---

If I understand the problem correctly, the are two blockers for installing the Connector plugins. Those are not errors but system conditions that limit user actions. If so, then the use cases for not being able to install plugins are:

• Disabled for the user at the system level. User need to contact an admin.
• Disabled for the user at the system level. User needs to do it manually by going to the plugin directory or via WP-CLI.

If the above is correct, then I suggest showing two different screens with different messages. Here is a mockup for each.