list WordPress post based on categories and limit number of returns

most-recent-posts.php

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Most Recent Posts
Description: Lists posts based on categories and limits the number of returns
*/

function most_recent_posts_shortcode($atts) {
    $a = shortcode_atts(
        array(
            'postnumber' => 3,
            'category' => 0,
        ),
        $atts
    );

    ob_start();

    $devuri_recent_posts = wp_get_recent_posts(array(
        'numberposts' => $a['postnumber'],
        'category' => $a['category'],
        'post_status' => 'publish',
    ));

    foreach ($devuri_recent_posts as $devuri_recent) {
        echo '<div class="mrp-wrapper" style="padding: 2px;">';

        echo '<ul class="mrp-ul" style="padding: 8px; overflow: hidden; border-top: solid thin beige;"><li>';
        echo '<div class="mrp-featimage" style="padding-right: 12px;">';
        echo '<a href="' . get_permalink($devuri_recent['ID']) . '"> ' . get_the_post_thumbnail($devuri_recent['ID'], 'medium') . '</a>';
        echo '</div>';
        echo ' <strong><a href="' . get_permalink($devuri_recent['ID']) . '"> ' . $devuri_recent['post_title'] . '</a></strong>';
        echo '<br/>' . date('jS F, Y', strtotime($devuri_recent['post_date']));
        echo '</li></ul>';
        echo '</div>';
    }

    wp_reset_query();
    $output_mrp_obj = ob_get_contents();
    ob_end_clean();
    return $output_mrp_obj;
}
add_shortcode('most_recent_post', 'most_recent_posts_shortcode');