Shortcode Galaxy

Overview

Shortcode Galaxy adds a library of utility shortcodes for common WordPress tasks such as outputting site details, dates, post data, user data, URLs, and WooCommerce information.

All shortcodes are disabled by default. A shortcode only becomes available after you enable it in the plugin settings.

Requirements

• WordPress 6.5 or newer
• PHP 7.4 or newer
• WooCommerce is optional and only required for WooCommerce shortcodes

Installation

1. Upload the shortcode-galaxy plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/.
2. Activate Shortcode Galaxy from the WordPress Plugins screen.
3. Go to Settings > Shortcode Galaxy.
4. Enable the shortcodes you want to use.
5. Save your settings if JavaScript is disabled. With JavaScript enabled, toggles save automatically.

Managing Shortcodes

The settings screen is the control center for the plugin.

• Each shortcode is shown in a card with its name, description, and example output.
• Use the toggle on a card to enable or disable that shortcode.
• Use the copy button to copy the base shortcode tag.
• Open Attributes & Builder to review supported attributes, build a custom shortcode, and preview output.
• Disabled shortcodes are not registered on the front end.

Editor Support

In the WordPress block editor, the core Shortcode block includes a Shortcode Galaxy toolbar picker.

• You can browse available shortcodes by category.
• You can enable or disable shortcodes without leaving the editor.
• You can build a shortcode with attributes and insert it into the block.
• You can preview shortcode output before inserting it.

In Elementor, the Shortcode widget includes a Browse Shortcodes button in the widget sidebar.

• You can open Shortcode Galaxy without leaving the Elementor widget controls.
• You can enable or disable shortcodes from the same modal used in the block editor.
• You can build a shortcode with attributes and insert it directly into the widget’s shortcode field.
• You can preview shortcode output before inserting it.
• The Elementor modal is styled for readable light and dark editor themes.
• The Elementor modal content area scrolls independently so you can reach the full shortcode list and longer builder panels.

Common Attributes

Most shortcodes support these shared attributes:

Attribute	Description	Default
before	Text added before the shortcode output.	Empty
after	Text added after the shortcode output.	Empty
fallback	Text used when the shortcode would otherwise return no value.	Empty

Example:

[site_title before="Welcome to " after="!"]

Shortcode Reference

Date & Time

[current_year]

Outputs the current year.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	full, short	full
offset	Integer year offset	0

Examples:

[current_year]
[current_year format="short"]
[current_year offset="1"]

[current_month]

Outputs the current month.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	numeric, leading_zero, name, short	leading_zero
offset	Integer month offset	0

Examples:

[current_month]
[current_month format="name"]

[current_day]

Outputs the current day of the month.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	numeric, leading_zero	leading_zero
offset	Integer day offset	0

[current_date]

Outputs the current date using the site timezone.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	Any PHP date format string	Site date format
offset	Relative date string such as +1 day	Empty

Examples:

[current_date]
[current_date format="F j, Y"]
[current_date offset="+1 week"]

[current_time]

Outputs the current time using the site timezone.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	Any PHP date format string	Site time format
offset	Relative time string such as +30 minutes	Empty

[current_datetime]

Outputs the current date and time together.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	Any PHP date format string	Site date format + time format
offset	Relative date/time string	Empty

[current_timestamp]

Outputs the current timestamp.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	unix, mysql	unix
offset	Relative date/time string	Empty

[current_day_name]

Outputs the current weekday name.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	full, short	full
offset	Relative date string	Empty

[current_month_name]

Outputs the current month name.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	full, short	full
offset	Relative date string	Empty

[year_range]

Outputs a single year or a year range.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
start	Year such as 2020	Empty
end	Year such as 2028, or current	current
separator	Plain text	-

Example:

[year_range start="2020"]

Site Info

[site_title]

Outputs the WordPress site title.

Attributes:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
linked	yes, no	no

Example:

[site_title linked="yes"]

[site_tagline]

Outputs the site tagline or description.

[site_url]

Outputs the WordPress site URL, or a clickable link.

[home_url]

Outputs the home URL, or a clickable link.

[theme_name]

Outputs the active theme name.

[theme_version]

Outputs the active theme version.

[wp_version]

Outputs the installed WordPress version.

These URL-style shortcodes support the same attributes:

Shortcode	Extra attributes
[site_url]	link_text, target, rel
[home_url]	link_text, target, rel

Example:

[home_url link_text="Visit our homepage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"]

[site_domain]

Outputs the site domain only.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
strip_www	yes, no	no

[admin_email]

Outputs the site admin email address.

[site_language]

Outputs the site language.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	locale, html	html

[site_charset]

Outputs the configured site charset.

URLs & Navigation

These shortcodes support link_text, target, and rel when noted.

[login_url]

Outputs the login URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
redirect	Absolute or relative URL	Empty
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

https://wellplayedwp.com/wp-login.php?action=logout&_wpnonce=ddee94a9f2

Outputs the logout URL.

Attributes are the same as [login_url].

https://wellplayedwp.com/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword

Outputs the password reset URL.

Attributes are the same as [login_url].

[register_url]

Outputs the registration URL when registration is available.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

[privacy_policy_url]

Outputs the privacy policy page URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

[current_url]

Outputs the full current page URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

[request_path]

Outputs only the current request path.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
trim_slashes	yes, no	no

[search_url]

Outputs a search URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
query	Plain text	Empty
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

Example:

[search_url query="WordPress tips" link_text="Search now"]

[search_query]

Outputs the current search term.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
default	Plain text	Empty

[archive_url]

Outputs an archive URL for a post type.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
post_type	Registered post type slug	Current post type, then post
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

Post & Content

These shortcodes use the current post by default. If you pass an id attribute, the shortcode will use that post instead.

[post_id]

Outputs the current or selected post ID.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post

[post_title]

Outputs the current or selected post title.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
linked	yes, no	no

[post_excerpt]

Outputs the current or selected post excerpt.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
words	Integer	Empty
more	Plain text	...

[post_url]

Outputs the current or selected post permalink.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

[post_date]

Outputs the publish date.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
format	PHP date format string	Site date format

[post_modified_date]

Outputs the modified date.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
format	PHP date format string	Site date format

[post_author]

Outputs a field from the post author.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
field	display_name, user_login, user_email, first_name, last_name	display_name

[post_type]

Outputs the post type slug.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post

[post_terms]

Outputs terms from a taxonomy.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
taxonomy	Registered taxonomy slug	category
separator	Plain text	,
links	yes, no	no
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

Example:

[post_terms taxonomy="category" links="yes"]

[featured_image_url]

Outputs the featured image URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Post ID integer	Current post
size	Registered image size slug	full
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

User Context

These shortcodes use the logged-in user by default. You can also target a specific user with user_id.

[current_user_id]

Outputs the user ID.

[current_user_display_name]

Outputs the display name.

[current_user_first_name]

Outputs the first name.

[current_user_last_name]

Outputs the last name.

[current_user_email]

Outputs the email address.

[current_user_role]

Outputs the first assigned role.

For all six shortcodes above:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
user_id	User ID integer	Current logged-in user

If no user is available, these shortcodes return an empty value unless you provide fallback.

[is_user_logged_in]

Outputs different text based on login status.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
logged_in	Plain text	yes
logged_out	Plain text	no

Example:

[is_user_logged_in logged_in="Welcome back" logged_out="Please sign in"]

WooCommerce

WooCommerce shortcodes only work when WooCommerce is active. If WooCommerce is not active, or the required cart or product context is missing, the shortcode returns an empty value unless noted otherwise.

[wc_cart_count]

Outputs the number of items in the cart.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
format	number, text	number

[wc_cart_total]

Outputs the cart total.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
empty	Plain text	Empty

[wc_shop_url]

Outputs the WooCommerce shop page URL.

[wc_checkout_url]

Outputs the checkout URL.

[wc_my_account_url]

Outputs the My Account URL.

For the three URL shortcodes above:

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

[wc_product_price]

Outputs the product price for the current or selected product.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Product ID integer	Current product
include_prefix	yes, no	yes

[wc_product_sku]

Outputs the product SKU.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Product ID integer	Current product

[wc_product_stock]

Outputs stock information.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Product ID integer	Current product
format	text, slug	text

[wc_product_add_to_cart_url]

Outputs an add-to-cart URL.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
id	Product ID integer	Current product
link_text	Plain text	Empty
target	_self, _blank	_self
rel	Plain text	Empty

Examples:

[wc_cart_count format="text"]
[wc_product_price id="123"]
[wc_product_add_to_cart_url id="123" link_text="Add to cart"]

Advanced & Misc

[query_var]

Outputs the value of a WordPress query variable.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
key	Query var slug	Empty

Example:

[query_var key="paged"]

Copyright © 2026 WellPlayedWP

Outputs a copyright line.

Attribute	Accepted values	Default
start	Year such as 2020	Empty
end	Year such as 2028 or current	current
holder	Plain text	Site title
prefix	Plain text	Copyright
symbol	Any text such as © or Copyright	©
separator	Plain text	-

Example:

Copyright © 2020-2026 Acme Inc.

Output Notes

• Text-based shortcodes are escaped for safe output.
• Link-generating shortcodes can either output the raw URL or a clickable anchor when link_text is provided.
• HTML-producing shortcodes such as WooCommerce price output are sanitized before display.
• When a shortcode has no usable value, fallback is used if provided.

Uninstalling

Deleting Shortcode Galaxy removes the plugin-owned enabled shortcode option from the site. Content that already contains shortcode tags is not modified.

Troubleshooting

A shortcode does not work

Check the following:

• The shortcode is enabled in Settings > Shortcode Galaxy
• The shortcode tag is spelled correctly
• The current page has the right context, such as a post, logged-in user, search query, or WooCommerce product

A WooCommerce shortcode is blank

This usually means one of these is true:

• WooCommerce is not active
• There is no cart yet
• The page is not in a product context
• A specific product ID was not supplied

The shortcode shows nothing

Some shortcodes depend on the current page context. When needed, pass attributes like id, user_id, key, or post_type, or use the fallback attribute.

Developers

Shortcode Galaxy is primarily aimed at site builders and content editors.

Current developer-facing notes:

• The plugin does not currently register custom action hooks or filter hooks for third-party extensions.
• The available shortcode set is the built-in library shown on the settings screen and in this document.
• If you are integrating the plugin into custom site code, treat the built-in shortcode tags and their documented attributes as the public interface.

Changelog

1.0.1 – 2026-06-01

• Add uninstall cleanup for the plugin-owned enabled shortcode option.
• Fix the WellPlayedWP Library plugin-row notice so it works even when another plugin loads the shared updater class first.
• Fix release metadata and changelog formatting for readme compatibility.
• Document uninstall behavior in the plugin documentation.

1.0.0 – 2026-04-15

• Add an Elementor sidebar launcher for the shortcode widget builder.
• Fix Elementor shortcode builder modal contrast in dark mode.
• Fix Elementor shortcode builder modal scrolling for longer shortcode lists and builder panels.
• Add direct shortcode builder access from both the block editor toolbar and Elementor shortcode widget editing.
• Document the new Elementor shortcode widget workflow.