Thinking of publishing special posts on your website? Need to create your own custom post types in WordPress? Not sure how to configure custom post type settings using code?
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Custom Post Type UI: Quick Review
The Custom Post Type UI plugin for WordPress enables users to register and manage custom post types and taxonomies through a point and click interface. The plugin has a premium version that packs advanced functionality that helps you display the custom post types.
I did a review and tutorial of the Custom Post Type UI plugin for Nimbus Themes that you should check out if you’re thinking about using this plugin on your own site or would simply like to read about it in detail.
A Developer’s Perspective
WordPress comes with some reserved post types out of the box. But if you want to take things up a notch and add your own parameters to your content, you’ll have to register your own custom post types. Realistically speaking, registering a custom post type or two by adding a function to your theme/plugin’s files isn’t all that difficult – especially since there are tools that can help you generate it in a few clicks.
That said, if you’ve been writing custom plugins to implement custom post type functionality in client websites then I recommend switching over to the Custom Post Type UI plugin. It’ll save you a lot of time and you won’t have to worry as much about compatibility issues. The only downside to using this plugin is that it locks you in. So, once you deactivate the plugin, your custom post types will be gone.
Pros
- Saves you from having to register custom post types manually.
- Makes it easy to manage custom post types.
- Lets you import/export custom post types.
Cons
- Locks you in.
An Average User’s Perspective
As an average user I’m happy with the Custom Post Type UI plugin. It lets me create and manage custom post types and offers a lot of helpful instructions along the way. What’s more is that you can configure each custom post type’s settings. So, for instance, if you wanted to exclude a particular one from search results or choose to show it in the REST API, the plugin would let you do that.
The only trouble I had with it was that all of the custom post types I created with it disappeared once I deactivated the plugin. They showed up again when I re-activated it. (Phew!)
Pros
- Intuitive and easy to use.
- Lets you register custom post types and taxonomies.
Cons
- Lock-in; you have to keep the plugin activated.
To Sum It Up
Should you use the Custom Post Type UI plugin or register custom post types manually?
As a developer, if you’re having to create similar custom post types for client projects then I recommend using the Custom Post Type UI plugin. It lets you import/export custom post types that you’ve created before and makes it easy for clients to manage them.
And if you’re an average user, you should definitely opt for the plugin solution. It’s really easy to use and managing your registered custom post types will be a breeze. Just remember not to deactivate the plugin!
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