If you maintain a technical blog, you might encounter situations where you need to showcase HTML code within your posts. This could involve sharing coding tips and tricks with your readers, and you’re likely searching for the most efficient way to accomplish this. The good news is that displaying HTML code in WordPress is a straightforward process, and you have multiple options at your disposal. You can utilize native blocks or third-party tools to seamlessly integrate code into your posts and pages.
### The Significance of Displaying HTML Code in WordPress
HTML, the standard markup language for web pages, is crucial for creating and enhancing websites. If you’re a technical writer, you might find yourself needing to share snippets of HTML code with your audience, whether it’s to guide them in building a landing page or making modifications to a WordPress file. At Themeisle, for instance, we frequently display HTML code in our WordPress tutorials:
Most of your readers will want to copy this code and apply it to their own projects. Therefore, it’s essential that the code is presented clearly, ideally as a distinct element to avoid blending into the surrounding text and causing confusion.
### Methods for Displaying HTML Code in WordPress Posts and Pages
Now, let’s explore the various approaches for displaying HTML code in WordPress. All of these methods are user-friendly, with the first one being the quickest.
1. **Utilize the Native Code Features in the Block Editor**
The WordPress Block Editor provides two primary ways to incorporate HTML code into your posts or pages. The first method involves using the Inline Code formatting option. Begin by typing your code on the page. Each line will initially appear as an individual paragraph block, but we’ll guide you on how to resolve this:
– Write your code on the page.
– For each paragraph block (or line), click on it and select the More icon from the toolbar. Look for the “Inline code” option and click on it.
– Once you’ve done this for each line, select the entire code and click on the Stack icon in the toolbar.
This is what the HTML code might look like on the front end:
For larger sections of code, we recommend using the Code block instead of Inline Code. Note that the Code block differs from the Custom HTML block, which is used for inserting HTML code to display specific elements like widgets or images on the page. Simply enter the code you wish to display into the block. You can further customize the text and background colors and typography by selecting the Style icon in the Settings panel.
Here’s how it might appear in the live post:
Using the Code block can be a quick and convenient method for showcasing HTML code in WordPress posts.
2. **Utilize a Dedicated Plugin**
Another option is to employ a dedicated plugin like “Highlighting Code Block” to display HTML code in WordPress. This plugin enables you to insert highlighted code into your posts and pages. To get started, install and activate the plugin on your site:
– Open the post or page where you want to showcase the code.
– Look for the “Highlighting Code Block.”
– Enter your code into the block and choose the programming language from the dropdown menu.
This is how it may appear to your readers:
Notice how HTML tags are in a different color from the text, enhancing code readability. Additionally, there’s an icon at the top right corner to highlight the entire text, making it easier for users to copy the code.
3. **Embed HTML Code from Third-Party Tools**
If you desire more control over the presentation of your HTML code, you can use online code editors like CodePen to embed code into your WordPress posts or pages:
– Create and customize the HTML code in CodePen.
– Save your work and copy its URL.
– Open the page or post where you want to display HTML code.
– Add the Embed block and paste the CodePen URL.
Here’s how it might look:
This approach allows users to view both the HTML code and its results, simplifying the process of following your tutorials and verifying their own work.
### Conclusion
For those maintaining a technical blog, the need to display HTML code is common. Whether you’re inserting code snippets into your posts for readers to copy and use on their projects, the process is straightforward. To recap, here are three ways to display HTML code in WordPress posts and pages:
– **Use the Code block and Inline Code formatting in the Block Editor.**
– **Use a dedicated plugin like Highlighting Code Block.**
– **Embed HTML code from third-party tools like CodePen.**
If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding displaying HTML code in WordPress posts and pages, feel free to ask in the comments section below. Your feedback is valuable to us!
