Description
Easy Syntax Highlighter is a powerful WordPress plugin that helps improve your website’s code presentation by providing beautiful syntax highlighting. Using the latest Highlight.js library, it supports over 20 programming languages with 80+ color themes, copy-to-clipboard functionality, and seamless integration with both classic and Gutenberg editors.
Features
- Modern Highlight.js Engine: Uses the latest Highlight.js library for fast, accurate syntax highlighting
- 80+ Themes Included: Over 80 themes for both light and dark modes, all stored locally for offline compatibility
- Unlimited Language Support: Supports 20+ programming languages including JavaScript, PHP, Python, CSS, HTML, SQL, Bash, and more
- Modern JavaScript: Promise-based loading with proper error handling and performance optimizations
- Performance Optimized: Smart asset loading—only loads when code blocks are present on the page
- Security Focused: Proper input sanitization and output escaping
- Admin Interface: Clean, modern settings page with visual theme selector integrated with WordPress admin
- Localization Ready: Translation-ready with proper text domains
- Backward Compatible: Automatic migration from old plugin versions
How to Use
- Gutenberg Block Editor: Use the default WordPress “Code” block. The plugin automatically detects the language and highlights it. There is no language setting in the sidebar; detection is automatic. If you need to force a language, edit the block as HTML and add a class to the
<code>element (e.g.,<code class="language-php">). - Classic Editor: Use the TinyMCE button (code icon) with the modal dialog for easy code insertion.
- Copy to Clipboard: Double-click any code block to instantly copy its content with visual feedback.
Use Cases
- Technical blogs and tutorials
- Documentation websites
- Programming courses and educational content
- Developer portfolios
- API documentation
- Code examples and snippets
Support
For support, bug reports, or feature requests, please visit: Github
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests or open issues on GitHub.
License
This plugin is licensed under the GPLv2 or later.
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Screenshots
Settings Page 
Gutenberg Block 
Classic Editor 
Frontend Display
Installation
Automatic Installation
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New
- Search for “Easy Syntax Highlighter”
- Click Install Now
- Activate the plugin
Manual Installation
- Download the plugin ZIP file
- Upload the plugin files to
/wp-content/plugins/easy-syntax-highlighter/ - Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress
FAQ
-
How does syntax highlighting work?
-
The plugin uses the powerful Highlight.js library to automatically find and highlight code within standard WordPress “Code” blocks. There’s no need to look for a special block; just use the default one, and the plugin handles the rest.
-
Which programming languages are supported?
-
The plugin supports: JavaScript, CSS, PHP, Python, Bash/Shell, SQL, Java, C++, C, C#, Ruby, Go, Rust, TypeScript, JSON, YAML, XML, HTML, Docker, Nginx, and plain text. Auto-detection is also available.
-
How many themes are available?
-
The plugin includes over 80 themes, including popular ones like GitHub, Monokai, Atom One, and many more. All themes are available in both light and dark variants.
-
Does this work with caching plugins?
-
Yes, the plugin works well with caching plugins and can complement them by ensuring proper asset loading and syntax highlighting even with cached content.
-
Can I customize the appearance?
-
Yes! Go to Settings > Syntax Highlighter to choose from over 80 different color themes using a visual theme selector. The copy-on-double-click feature is enabled by default.
-
Does it work with page builders?
-
Yes, the plugin should work with any page builder that uses the standard WordPress “Code” block. For other cases, you might need to use a custom HTML block and wrap your code in
<pre><code class="language-yourlanguage">...</code></pre>. -
How do I highlight specific lines?
-
Line highlighting is not currently supported. This feature may be added in future updates.
-
Is the plugin lightweight?
-
Yes! The plugin only loads its scripts and styles on pages that actually contain a code block, making it very performant.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Easy Syntax Highlighter” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Easy Syntax Highlighter” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
2.0.0
- Complete plugin rewrite using modern, object-oriented PHP and best practices.
- Replaced Google Code Prettify with the latest Highlight.js library for better performance and language detection.
- Added all 80+ official Highlight.js themes, stored locally for offline compatibility and speed.
- Redesigned the admin interface with a visual theme selector and live previews.
- Implemented smart asset loading, so scripts and styles only load on pages with code blocks.
1.0.0
- Initial release with Google Code Prettify integration.