{"id":1783,"date":"2019-10-14T15:00:13","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/?p=1783"},"modified":"2021-06-29T13:06:51","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T11:06:51","slug":"what-are-wordpress-shortcodes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qodeinteractive.com\/magazine\/what-are-wordpress-shortcodes\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Shortcodes in WordPress?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What exactly are shortcodes? What do they do? How do they work? If you\u2019re new to WordPress, you\u2019ve probably heard about them, but their exact meaning might still be something of a mystery. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]The word \u201cshortcode\u201d is used in WordPress tutorials, in lists of WordPress theme features, on forums, and so on. It\u2019s everywhere. Shortcodes are inherent to WordPress and are one of the things that make the platform so functional and user-friendly<\/strong>. In addition, all the premium WordPress themes<\/a> come with a selection of custom shortcodes designed to increase the theme value and usability.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]But even if you have been using shortcodes yourself, chances are you\u2019re still not quite sure what they are. Today, we\u2019re going to fix that and offer a plain but thorough explanation of this practical feature.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”68px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What Are Shortcodes<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Shortcodes are, essentially, just what their name suggests. They are shortened, truncated versions of longer code<\/strong>, performing a specific function. In the backend, they are indicated by brackets and look something like this: [I am shortcode]<\/code>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]Shortcodes don\u2019t show in your frontend<\/strong>. Well, they do, but not in this form. Depending on what they\u2019re created to do, they can look like an image gallery, an audio player, and so on \u2013 whatever their function is.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]The importance of shortcodes lies in their potential for customization<\/strong>. WordPress is open-source, meaning you can add any code you want to make a website look and work like you want it. However, if you\u2019re not a developer, this is not exactly an option.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]That\u2019s where shortcodes come in. They allow \u201cregular\u201d WordPress users to add functionalities and features to their website without having to actually write any code for it. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]Let\u2019s look at one example of the common use of shortcodes. This is a basic WordPress gallery that we created, set the number of columns and added to our page.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”]

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\n \"Basic <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=”38px”][vc_column_text]Below you can see the gallery added using the Visual Editor. Being a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, it bypasses any need for the actual code. But it doesn\u2019t leave much room for customization, and doesn\u2019t make it easier to replicate the same or similar content on a different page. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”]
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\n \"Gallery <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=”38px”][vc_column_text]If we look at the same image gallery, on the same page, but this time using the Text Editor, our gallery will look like this: [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”]
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\n \"Gallery <\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space height=”38px”][vc_column_text]As you can see, there are no images here to preview directly, just some code in square brackets \u2013 the shortcode. More precisely, the gallery shortcode. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]You may wonder why anyone would prefer using shortcodes and Text Editor instead of just adding images using the Visual Editor. After all, it\u2019s easier when you get to see exactly what your gallery will look like. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”28px”][vc_column_text]However, shortcodes allow for additional customization right there in the editor, and they can be placed (via copy\/paste) anywhere on your site<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”68px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

How to Use Shortcodes<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As for adding shortcodes to your site, there are three ways you can go about this. [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”6px”]