Using a plugin class inside a template

The best way to use your class without knowing the object is an action. You register the action before the theme files for presentation are loaded, WordPress will handle the rest.

Sample code:

<?php # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
/**
 * Plugin Name: Plugin Action Demo
 */
add_action( 'init', array ( 'Plugin_Action_Demo', 'init' ) );

class Plugin_Action_Demo
{
    /**
     * Creates a new instance.
     *
     * @wp-hook init
     * @see    __construct()
     * @return void
     */
    public static function init()
    {
        new self;
    }

    /**
     * Register the action. May do more magic things.
     */
    public function __construct()
    {
        add_action( 'plugin_action_demo', array ( $this, 'print_foo' ), 10, 1 );
    }

    /**
     * Prints 'foo' multiple $times.
     *
     * Usage:
     *    <code>do_action( 'plugin_action_demo', 50 );</code>
     *
     * @wp-hook plugin_action_demo
     * @param int $times
     * @return void
     */
    public function print_foo( $times = 1 )
    {
        print str_repeat( ' foo ', (int) $times );
    }
}

Now you can call do_action( 'plugin_action_demo', 50 ); somewhere in your theme or in another plugin, and you don’t have to care about the inner workings of the class anymore.

If you deactivate the plugin you are still safe: WordPress just ignores unknown actions and the do_action() will do no harm. Plus, other plugins are able to remove or replace the action, so you have build a nice mini API with one add_action().

You could also build a singleton:

<?php # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
/**
 * Plugin Name: Plugin Singleton Demo
 */
class Plugin_Singleton_Demo
{
    protected static $instance = NULL;

    /**
     * Creates a new instance if there isn't one.
     *
     * @wp-hook init
     * @return object
     */
    public static function get_instance()
    {

        NULL === self::$instance and self::$instance = new self;
        return self::$instance;
    }

    /**
     * Not accessible from the outside.
     */
    protected function __construct() {}

    /**
     * Prints 'foo' multiple $times.
     *
     * @param int $times
     * @return void
     */
    public function print_foo( $times = 1 )
    {
        echo str_repeat( ' foo ', (int) $times );
    }
}

Now print_foo() is accessible per:

Plugin_Singleton_Demo::get_instance()->print_foo();

I don’t recommend the Singleton pattern. It has some serious drawbacks.