Force active/inactive plugins based on your WP_ENV.

env-plugin-manager.php

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: ENV Plugin Manager
Description: Enforces activation and deactivation of specific plugins based on environment. Add your plugins to the appropriate environment array in this file.
Version: 1.1
Author: Matthew Neal
Author URI: https://realcoder.com.au/
*/

// Exit if accessed directly.
if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
    exit;
}

// Get the current environment.
$env = defined( 'WP_ENV' ) ? WP_ENV : 'production';

// Array of plugins to activate per environment.
$plugins_to_activate = array(
    'local' => array(
        'plugin-directory/plugin-file.php',
        'another-plugin/another-plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to activate on local.
    ),
    'staging' => array(
        'plugin-directory/plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to activate on staging.
    ),
    'production' => array(
        'plugin-directory/plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to activate on production.
    ),
);

// Array of plugins to deactivate per environment.
$plugins_to_deactivate = array(
    'local' => array(
        'plugin-to-deactivate-on-local/plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to deactivate on local.
    ),
    'staging' => array(
        'plugin-to-deactivate-on-staging/plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to deactivate on staging.
    ),
    'production' => array(
        'plugin-to-deactivate-on-production/plugin-file.php',
        // Add more plugins to deactivate on production.
    ),
);

/**
 * Manages the activation and deactivation of plugins based on environment.
 *
 * @param array $plugins The array of active plugins.
 * @return array Modified array of active plugins.
 */
function manage_plugins( $plugins ) {
    global $plugins_to_activate, $plugins_to_deactivate, $env;

    // Ensure the environment arrays are defined.
    $activate_plugins = isset( $plugins_to_activate[ $env ] ) ? $plugins_to_activate[ $env ] : array();
    $deactivate_plugins = isset( $plugins_to_deactivate[ $env ] ) ? $plugins_to_deactivate[ $env ] : array();

    // Activate plugins specific to the current environment.
    foreach ( $activate_plugins as $plugin ) {
        if ( ! in_array( $plugin, $plugins, true ) && file_exists( WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/' . $plugin ) ) {
            $plugins[] = $plugin;
        }
    }

    // Deactivate plugins specific to the current environment.
    foreach ( $deactivate_plugins as $plugin ) {
        $key = array_search( $plugin, $plugins, true );
        if ( false !== $key ) {
            unset( $plugins[ $key ] );
        }
    }

    // If a plugin is both in activate and deactivate lists, deactivate it.
    // This is already handled because we deactivate after activation.

    // Reindex array to maintain sequential keys.
    $plugins = array_values( $plugins );

    return $plugins;
}

// Hook into the 'option_active_plugins' filter to modify the active plugins list.
add_filter( 'option_active_plugins', 'manage_plugins' );

// For multisite installations, also hook into 'site_option_active_sitewide_plugins'.
if ( is_multisite() ) {
    /**
     * Manages the activation and deactivation of network-activated plugins based on environment.
     *
     * @param array $plugins The array of active network-wide plugins.
     * @return array Modified array of active network-wide plugins.
     */
    function manage_network_plugins( $plugins ) {
        global $plugins_to_activate, $plugins_to_deactivate, $env;

        // Ensure the environment arrays are defined.
        $activate_plugins = isset( $plugins_to_activate[ $env ] ) ? $plugins_to_activate[ $env ] : array();
        $deactivate_plugins = isset( $plugins_to_deactivate[ $env ] ) ? $plugins_to_deactivate[ $env ] : array();

        // Network-activate plugins specific to the current environment.
        foreach ( $activate_plugins as $plugin ) {
            if ( ! isset( $plugins[ $plugin ] ) && file_exists( WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/' . $plugin ) ) {
                $plugins[ $plugin ] = time();
            }
        }

        // Network-deactivate plugins specific to the current environment.
        foreach ( $deactivate_plugins as $plugin ) {
            if ( isset( $plugins[ $plugin ] ) ) {
                unset( $plugins[ $plugin ] );
            }
        }

        return $plugins;
    }

    add_filter( 'site_option_active_sitewide_plugins', 'manage_network_plugins' );
}