HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

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

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 97% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price.

1. ★★★★★ xiaoxiewl

   2.1y ago

   这个代码高亮插件是我测试过效果最好的一个，但是只能在后台实现，如何在前端文章页面也使用高亮效果呢

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ Marco Panichi

   2.5y ago

   In the era of Gutenberg and visual builders, as a good old programmer of the past, I need to edit HTML code in the showcase pages of the WordPress sites I create. This plugin is therefore a must-have for me. It works very well, it doesn’t have many options but all those necessary to configure the editing environment comfortable for me.

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ Alexander Guskov

   4.8y ago

   The fantastical plugin that converts faceless TinyMCE to the powerful tool. The only suggestion is to mark dark/light themes, please

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ FolioVision

   5.0y ago

   HESH is built on top of Code Mirror which is first class code. The implementation is somewhat eclectic including a settings button in the front end which allows the user to really play with editor settings. Easy access to the settings is convenient at first and then a bit of a distraction. HESH even highlights WordPress shortcodes [shortcode] syntax. What HESH doesn’t have is Markdown syntax highlighting in the posts/pages plain text editor but the WordPress shortcodes and HTML highlighting helps make up for it. What is buggy are the settings on iPhone (iOS 13.5) where the settings buttons more or less don’t work and the settings can’t be closed. If you don’t touch the settings though, HESH provides a better plain text editor than WordPress default (which can be very finicky to accept text entry). It remains easier to edit on iOS with HESH installed than without so no downnmarks here. All in all a great plugin, a bit overwhelmed right now with legacy support for WordPress 4.9 editor, Classic Editor, Code view, plain text editor, Gutenberg and the sixteen different kinds of blocks which might need syntax highlighting. I can’t blame the plugin authors for not being on top of all editors all the time now in the current Gutenberg-induced editor hell. Very, very grateful for their hard work and looking forward to HESH v3. This topic was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by FolioVision.

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ ximbor

   5.0y ago

   Thank you for taking the time to create such an awesome plugin 🙂 lots of options of colours etc. Very good.

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ muhiBBi

   5.2y ago

   It’s nice that this plugin is customizable. However, it causes delays while writing in the editor. These pauses are very frustrating.

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ Tim Reeves

   5.4y ago

   And what’s really neat, is that there is no WP Admin page, all settings are performed while editing. This is a perfect job. I have only used the classic editor (still waiting until Gutenberg is more mature). A previous reviewer wrote that text added in the Text tab is lost when switching to Visual – I have not seen this happen. I’m very happy 🙂

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ liaris

   6.0y ago

   Amazing!

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 2.4.4 Added about 15 new themes 2.4.4
2. — Version 2.4.3 Updated css for wordpress v5.8 2.4.3
3. — Version 2.4.2 removing survey notice 2.4.2
4. — Version 2.4.1 fixed bug: notification would not dismiss if the visual editor was open fix bug: Setting Form can now submit from memory, not just when the dom is in the page. 2.4.1
5. — Version 2.4.0 updating a major number so I can review downloads more accurately. reorganized the codebase Reverting the name-change of hesh.php This name-change of html-editor-syntax-highlighter.php to hesh.php caused the plugin to de 2.4.0
6. — Version 2.3.5 remove Github Updater headers testing WP update Process 2.3.5

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 5.8.1

Translated into 7 languages, 7 at 90% or more

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2025-01-25 60K+ → 50K+ down after 265 days in tier
2. 2024-05-05 50K+ → 60K+ up after 145 days in tier
3. 2023-12-12 60K+ → 50K+ down after 263 days in tier
4. 2023-03-24 50K+ → 60K+ up after 19 days in tier
5. 2023-03-05 60K+ → 50K+ down after 10 days in tier
6. 2023-02-23 50K+ → 60K+ up after 90 days in tier
7. 2022-11-25 60K+ → 50K+ down after 10 days in tier
8. 2022-11-15 50K+ → 60K+ up after 1 days in tier

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).

• U Urvanov Syntax Highlighter 3K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags B
• CodeMirror Blocks 1K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags C
• AH Code Highlighter 60+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
• R rtSyntax 10+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags D
• S Simpler Syntax Highlighter — installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags D
• Code Syntax Highlighter — installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags D

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Drop a live Pulse card for HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

HTML Editor Syntax Highlighter: 50K+ active installs, 4.4★ (110 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-25. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/html-editor-syntax-highlighter