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Replace now Radar no. 05 · Quiet

PHP Code Widget

By Samuel Wood (Otto)

What it does: A text widget that also runs PHP code.

Why it’s listed: It runs PHP entered into a widget, which is a powerful job for a plugin last updated in 2022. Any hidden fault here affects code running on your site. It is tested only up to WordPress 5.9. Code in a child theme or a snippet plugin is easier to review than code inside a widget.

View on WordPress.org ↗ Checked Reviewed by Abhishek Deshpande

Active installs
70k+
Last updated
2022-03-30
Tested up to
5.9.20
Rating
4.7 / 5 (61)
Version
2.4
Maintainers
1

Is PHP Code Widget still maintained?

It has gone over two years without an update, and it has a second warning sign: runs site code.

Quiet: No update for over a year.

Placements are our opinion, based on public evidence. Risk here means a plugin may not get a fix if a problem appears. It doesn’t mean we found a flaw, unless we show an advisory. Going quiet alone never puts a plugin in Replace now.

Updates No release since 2022-03-30. That was 4 yr 7 mo before our check. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Compatibility Tested up to WordPress 5.9.20. WordPress 7.1.4 was current on 2026-10-31. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Security No public advisories found. A quiet record is not proof of safety. wpvulnerability.net · checked 2026-10-31
Reviews The latest 10 reviews average 4.2 stars, against 4.7 overall. 2 of them gave 1 or 2 stars. Newest activity: 2022-07-25. These reviews are somewhat lower than the overall score. WordPress.org reviews · checked 2026-10-31
Maintainers 1 listed contributor. No recent support threads. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Usage 1,744 downloads in the last 30 days, including updates. 79.64% of sites run version 2.4. WordPress.org stats · checked 2026-10-31

What to do next

  1. Back up the site, and use a staging copy for any change.
  2. Move your code to one of the alternatives below, then remove this plugin.

If it works today, no need to panic, but don’t leave this for long.

Recommended alternatives to PHP Code Widget

WPCode ↗

Manage code snippets from one screen.

3M+ installs · 4.9 stars · Updated 2026-10-29 · Tested 7.1.4

Code Snippets ↗

Run PHP snippets without editing theme files.

1M+ installs · 4.7 stars · Updated 2026-10-21 · Tested 7.1.4

Child theme ↗

Keep custom code in version-controlled theme files.

No extra plugin needed

Each listed plugin was updated in the last six months, is tested with WordPress 7.0 or newer, and had no open advisory in WPVulnerability when we checked. We have not tried them ourselves. No one pays to appear here.

Latest reviews

Dates show last activity. Titles are written by WordPress.org users.

Also on this radar: Custom code

No one can pay to appear on the radar or to change a placement. How we stay independent

Something wrong, or updated since we checked? Suggest a correction

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