diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 70c3471bb..f2b7d367c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ The following files are also included unless the `--skip-tests` is used:
 * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current plugin active when running the test suite.
 * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing test cases.
-* `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+* `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 
 **OPTIONS**
 
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ The following files are generated by default:
 * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current plugin active when running the test suite.
 * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing the actual tests.
-* `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+* `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 
 Learn more from the [plugin unit tests documentation](https://make.wordpress.org/cli/handbook/plugin-unit-tests/).
 
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ The following files are generated by default:
 * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current theme active when running the test suite.
 * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing the actual tests.
-* `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+* `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 
 Learn more from the [plugin unit tests documentation](https://make.wordpress.org/cli/handbook/plugin-unit-tests/).
 
diff --git a/features/scaffold-plugin-tests.feature b/features/scaffold-plugin-tests.feature
index 158ea5d1f..e42358d1d 100644
--- a/features/scaffold-plugin-tests.feature
+++ b/features/scaffold-plugin-tests.feature
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Feature: Scaffold plugin unit tests
       """
       <exclude>./tests/test-sample.php</exclude>
       """
-    And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/phpcs.xml.dist file should exist
+    And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/.phpcs.xml.dist file should exist
     And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/circle.yml file should not exist
     And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/.circleci directory should not exist
     And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/bitbucket-pipelines.yml file should not exist
diff --git a/features/scaffold-theme-tests.feature b/features/scaffold-theme-tests.feature
index 79250adcc..b6b61dc45 100644
--- a/features/scaffold-theme-tests.feature
+++ b/features/scaffold-theme-tests.feature
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Feature: Scaffold theme unit tests
       """
       <exclude>./tests/test-sample.php</exclude>
       """
-    And the {THEME_DIR}/p2child/phpcs.xml.dist file should exist
+    And the {THEME_DIR}/p2child/.phpcs.xml.dist file should exist
     And the {THEME_DIR}/p2child/circle.yml file should not exist
     And the {THEME_DIR}/p2child/.circleci directory should not exist
     And the {THEME_DIR}/p2child/bitbucket-pipelines.yml file should not exist
diff --git a/features/scaffold.feature b/features/scaffold.feature
index e56bbb67a..e270d34e8 100644
--- a/features/scaffold.feature
+++ b/features/scaffold.feature
@@ -224,9 +224,12 @@ Feature: WordPress code scaffolding
       .git
       .gitignore
       """
-    And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/phpcs.xml.dist file should contain:
+    And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/.phpcs.xml.dist file should contain:
+      """
+      	<rule ref="PHPCompatibilityWP"/>
+      """
+    And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/.phpcs.xml.dist file should contain:
       """
-      	<rule ref="PHPCompatibility"/>
       	<config name="testVersion" value="5.3-"/>
       """
     And the {PLUGIN_DIR}/hello-world/hello-world.php file should contain:
diff --git a/src/Scaffold_Command.php b/src/Scaffold_Command.php
index c85edf8a0..057575696 100644
--- a/src/Scaffold_Command.php
+++ b/src/Scaffold_Command.php
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ private function get_output_path( $assoc_args, $subdir ) {
 	 * * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 	 * * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current plugin active when running the test suite.
 	 * * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing test cases.
-	 * * `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+	 * * `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 	 *
 	 * ## OPTIONS
 	 *
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ function plugin( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 	 * * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 	 * * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current plugin active when running the test suite.
 	 * * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing the actual tests.
-	 * * `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+	 * * `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 	 *
 	 * Learn more from the [plugin unit tests documentation](https://make.wordpress.org/cli/handbook/plugin-unit-tests/).
 	 *
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ public function plugin_tests( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 	 * * `bin/install-wp-tests.sh` configures the WordPress test suite and a test database.
 	 * * `tests/bootstrap.php` is the file that makes the current theme active when running the test suite.
 	 * * `tests/test-sample.php` is a sample file containing the actual tests.
-	 * * `phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
+	 * * `.phpcs.xml.dist` is a collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules.
 	 *
 	 * Learn more from the [plugin unit tests documentation](https://make.wordpress.org/cli/handbook/plugin-unit-tests/).
 	 *
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ private function scaffold_plugin_theme_tests( $args, $assoc_args, $type ) {
 		$to_copy = array(
 			'install-wp-tests.sh' => $bin_dir,
 			'phpunit.xml.dist'    => $target_dir,
-			'phpcs.xml.dist'   => $target_dir,
+			'.phpcs.xml.dist'     => $target_dir,
 		);
 
 		foreach ( $to_copy as $file => $dir ) {
diff --git a/templates/.phpcs.xml.dist b/templates/.phpcs.xml.dist
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..50f02ba19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/.phpcs.xml.dist
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<ruleset name="WordPress Coding Standards based custom ruleset for your plugin">
+	<description>Generally-applicable sniffs for WordPress plugins.</description>
+
+	<!-- What to scan -->
+	<file>.</file>
+	<exclude-pattern>/vendor/</exclude-pattern>
+
+	<!-- How to scan -->
+	<!-- Usage instructions: https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/wiki/Usage -->
+	<!-- Annotated ruleset: https://github.com/squizlabs/PHP_CodeSniffer/wiki/Annotated-ruleset.xml -->
+	<arg value="sp"/> <!-- Show sniff and progress -->
+	<arg name="basepath" value="./"/><!-- Strip the file paths down to the relevant bit -->
+	<arg name="colors"/>
+	<arg name="extensions" value="php"/>
+	<arg name="parallel" value="8"/><!-- Enables parallel processing when available for faster results. -->
+
+	<!-- Rules: Check PHP version compatibility -->
+	<!-- https://github.com/PHPCompatibility/PHPCompatibility#sniffing-your-code-for-compatibility-with-specific-php-versions -->
+	<config name="testVersion" value="5.3-"/>
+	<!-- https://github.com/PHPCompatibility/PHPCompatibilityWP -->
+	<rule ref="PHPCompatibilityWP"/>
+
+	<!-- Rules: WordPress Coding Standards -->
+	<!-- https://github.com/WordPress-Coding-Standards/WordPress-Coding-Standards
+	<!-- https://github.com/WordPress-Coding-Standards/WordPress-Coding-Standards/wiki/Customizable-sniff-properties -->
+	<config name="minimum_supported_wp_version" value="4.6"/>
+	<rule ref="WordPress">
+		<exclude name="WordPress.VIP"/>
+	</rule>
+	<rule ref="WordPress.NamingConventions.PrefixAllGlobals">
+		<properties>
+			<!-- Value: replace the function, class, and variable prefixes used. Separate multiple prefixes with a comma. -->
+			<property name="prefixes" type="array" value="my-plugin"/>
+		</properties>
+	</rule>
+	<rule ref="WordPress.WP.I18n">
+		<properties>
+			<!-- Value: replace the text domain used. -->
+			<property name="text_domain" type="array" value="my-plugin"/>
+		</properties>
+	</rule>
+	<rule ref="WordPress.WhiteSpace.ControlStructureSpacing">
+		<properties>
+			<property name="blank_line_check" value="true"/>
+		</properties>
+	</rule>
+</ruleset>
diff --git a/templates/phpcs.xml.dist b/templates/phpcs.xml.dist
deleted file mode 100644
index 7044659a0..000000000
--- a/templates/phpcs.xml.dist
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
-<ruleset name="WordPress Coding Standards for Plugins">
-	<description>Generally-applicable sniffs for WordPress plugins</description>
-
-	<rule ref="PHPCompatibility"/>
-	<config name="testVersion" value="5.3-"/>
-
-	<rule ref="WordPress-Core" />
-	<rule ref="WordPress-Docs" />
-
-	<!-- Check all PHP files in directory tree by default. -->
-	<arg name="extensions" value="php"/>
-	<file>.</file>
-
-	<!-- Show progress and sniff codes in all reports -->
-	<arg value="ps"/>
-
-	<exclude-pattern>*/node_modules/*</exclude-pattern>
-	<exclude-pattern>*/vendor/*</exclude-pattern>
-</ruleset>
diff --git a/templates/plugin-distignore.mustache b/templates/plugin-distignore.mustache
index 6b7c70ebf..de45f50cb 100644
--- a/templates/plugin-distignore.mustache
+++ b/templates/plugin-distignore.mustache
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ phpunit.xml
 phpunit.xml.dist
 multisite.xml
 multisite.xml.dist
+.phpcs.xml
 phpcs.xml
+.phpcs.xml.dist
 phpcs.xml.dist
 README.md
 wp-cli.local.yml