Looking to add some slick features to your WordPress site but don’t want to wrestle code? Good news! That’s where shortcodes come in, little gems like

or [contact-form] tucked in square brackets. These simple bracketed commands enable site owners to add complex functionality. They’ve served millions of WordPress sites since version 2.5 by providing a simple way to enhance content without needing any coding knowledge.

What Are Shortcodes, Anyway?

Simply put, they’re simple snippets in brackets that stand in for various WordPress functions. The WordPress Shortcode API processes bracketed text like

and replaces it with dynamic content. When a page loads, WordPress scans for square brackets, identifies registered shortcodes, executes the associated PHP functions, and displays the generated HTML to visitors.

Three main types exist:

Self-closing:

or [recent-posts] Enclosing: Content here Parameterized:

Shortcodes save you time. No need to code a video embed or button, just drop a shortcode and let WordPress do the heavy lifting. This system maintains security by controlling what functions execute, preventing the risks associated with allowing raw PHP in content areas.

Built-in Shortcodes

WordPress includes six core shortcodes that require no additional plugins, making them immediately available

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