=== AddonLogic Comment Author Badges ===
Contributors: snehalpancholi
Tags: comments, badges, commenter, author badge, comment roles
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 6.7
Requires PHP: 8.1
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPL-2.0+
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Displays role-based and activity-based badges next to comment author names — configurable labels, tiers, and colours.

== Description ==

AddonLogic Comment Author Badges automatically adds small visual badges beside commenter names to signal their status at a glance.

**Role badges** show a custom label (e.g. "Admin", "Editor") whenever the commenter is a registered WordPress user. Leave a role's label blank to suppress the badge for that role.

**Count badges** assign a tier to any commenter (including guests) based on how many approved comments they have submitted site-wide. Three configurable tiers — Tier 1 (Newcomer), Tier 2 (Regular), Tier 3 (Veteran).

Role badges take priority over count badges when both are enabled.

= Features =
* Role-based badges with configurable label per role
* Three-tier count-based badges with configurable thresholds and labels
* Colour picker for badge background and text colour
* Pure CSS, no JavaScript on the front end
* Works with any theme

== Installation ==
1. Upload the `comment-author-badges` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`.
2. Activate via **Plugins → Installed Plugins**.
3. Go to **Settings → Comment Badges** to configure labels and colours.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this work with guests who comment without registering? =
Yes. Guest comments are assigned a tier badge based on the email address they use to comment.

= Can I disable one type of badge? =
Yes. Uncheck "Enable Role Badges" or "Enable Comment Count Badges" independently.

= Will the badges slow my site down? =
Role badges require a `get_userdata()` call (cached by WordPress object cache). Count badges run one extra `COUNT(*)` query per comment render. On cached pages the queries only fire on cache miss.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.

== Screenshots ==

1. Comment list showing "Admin" role badge and "Regular" count badge beside commenter names.
2. Settings page — role labels, tier thresholds, and colour pickers.
