CodeColorer
by Dmytro Shteflyuk · Uncategorized
Also makes 2 other plugins · 1.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Syntax highlighting for code snippets in posts, comments, and RSS, with inline code, themes, and line numbers.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
1K+
≈1.5K estimated
Momentum
+41%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “code”, “comments” and “snippet” for “bibtex”, “svn” and “bash”. “code” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bibtex” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “comments” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “svn” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “snippet” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bash” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 58 average across 25,738 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.8%
of downloads still active
At least 1K of 128.4K lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,771 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 3 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 77 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 11 reviews, smoothed to 4.24★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
37
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
14%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| co2 | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| bibtex | #4 | #3 | 0 |
| line numbers | #8 | #14 | 0 |
| svn | #5 | #4 | 0 |
| whois | #7 | #6 | 0 |
| latex | #7 | #8 | up 2 |
| nice scrollbar | #7 | #9 | down 1 |
| twig | #7 | #6 | up 1 |
| bash | #7 | #4 | 0 |
| syntax highlighting | #18 | #18 | down 4 |
| color scrollbar | #12 | #17 | down 1 |
| python | #11 | #7 | 0 |
| whitespace | #12 | #10 | down 4 |
| yaml | #12 | #9 | down 1 |
| syntax your tag | #24 | #21 | down 1 |
| highlighting your tag | #24 | #23 | down 5 |
| sass | #14 | #15 | down 1 |
| upc | #21 | #17 | down 2 |
| code highlighting | #24 | #22 | down 1 |
| color scheme | #23 | #21 | up 1 |
| code your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| comments your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| snippet your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
77 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 53 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “code”, “comments” and “snippet” for “bibtex”, “svn” and “bash”. “code” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bibtex” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “comments” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “svn” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “snippet” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bash” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- Slipping on “highlighting”. Down 5 places since 2026-09-23, now #24. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 1.2K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
3
releases in the last 12 months
3mo ago
latest release · v0.12.0 · 15 Aug 2026
35
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.5 years ago; the previous band took 24 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 19 Mar 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ hummdis6.0y ago
This is a great plugin and despite some quirks, which I think are in WordPress, it works great, even in WordPress 5.5.3.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ rob1010117.3y ago
I use this plugin to display code snippets in service documentation and it looks great. To maintain support with wordpress 5+ use this plugin alongside the classic editor plugin created by wordpress: https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/classic-editor/
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mariushosting8.8y ago
Hope the author continue to update this plugin. IS the best plugin for code style. Work perfect on wordpress 4.9.2.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Steffen Voß9.2y ago
Very nice plugin, that makes my shitty code look great. 😀
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Samuel Santos12.5y ago
Should replace the lang attribute with class or data-lang attributes. Must importantly, should use <pre> instead of <code> elements.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ DocLeonard12.9y ago
An excellent plugin! More than I was looking for. The plugin allows for an impressive set of different languages to be automatically colored and allows for this to be done with a more than adequate set of themes. Furthermore, it allows you to customize styles with CSS rules and classes, on top of a proper choice of settings available.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ rafael.oshiro13.3y ago
I’ve been looking for a plugin like this, with color scheme like TextMate and this is perfect and is working great.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hansaplastique13.3y ago
Although it appears no longer maintained, it works great on my WP MU setup. Lightweight and looks great!
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 3 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (0.12.0). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.1 CodeColorer <= 0.10.1 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'class' attribute in 'cc' Comment Shortcode ↗2026-04-15 CVE-2026-4032 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 0.10.1 Patched in 0.10.2
- 2025-12-30 CVE-2025-68012 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 0.10.1 Patched in 0.10.2
- Patched Medium · 4.4 CodeColorer <= 0.10.0 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2023-06-05 CVE-2023-2795 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 0.10.0 Patched in 0.10.1
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 32 languages, 13 at 90% or more
Plus 8 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
6 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ✓ Has a FAQ 10 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 9 of 10 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you have", "if you want").
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 3 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 5,416 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-05-06 2K+ → 1K+ down after 707 days in tier
- 2022-05-30 3K+ → 2K+ down after 552 days in tier
- 2020-11-24 4K+ → 3K+ down after 192 days in tier
- 2020-05-16 5K+ → 4K+ down after 265 days in tier
- 2019-08-25 4K+ → 5K+ up after 1021 days in tier
- 2016-11-07 5K+ → 4K+ down after 266 days in tier
- 2016-02-15 6K+ → 5K+ down
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A - U Urvanov Syntax Highlighter 3K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
-
Code Prettify 1K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Code Click to Copy 700+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags C -
Code Snippet DM 500+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags C -
Pastacode 400+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for CodeColorer into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/codecolorer" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="CodeColorer — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> CodeColorer: 1K+ active installs, 4.9★ (11 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/codecolorer
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