How to Add Custom Code Snippets Without Crashing Your WordPress Site?

At some point, developing a website requires tweaking and adding custom code snippets in your theme’s function.php file. You may want to add advanced functionality and processes to your website. Some of your clients might require a specific flow and system on their websites. In the following discussion, we will share an easy way to add custom code in WordPress without crashing or breaking the website.

Furthermore, you may need to make some changes, and there is a need to add custom code snippets due to your website upgrade or goal. Unless you know how to code clearly and are sure of what you’re doing, things can get quite messy.

Modifying Theme Files Using a WordPress Plugin

Some WordPress users unknowingly modify the files in the parent theme when working with custom code. This might cause real problems and usually takes effect after the theme is updated to a new version. In this sense, use a child theme, especially when making major edits.

To have a quick review before adding custom code, we suggest to:

• Back up your WP website.
• Use a child theme, especially when making major edits. (Oh, by the way Lunar Multipurpose Theme is our favorite! See it for yourself.)
• Modifying theme files using a WordPress plugin.

Likewise, you’ll lose your changes, and you’ll have to deal with it again. This is just one common example of how editing existing code can leave you with a real headache.

Later in this article, we’ll share you how to add custom code to your WordPress theme without crashing the site.

Code Snippets WordPress Plugin

Code Snippets is a WordPress plugin that allows an easy, clean and simple way to run PHP code on your site. With this plugin, you don’t need to add custom snippets directly to your theme’s functions.php file.

Install the Plugin On Your Website

1. From your dashboard, go to Plugins and then Add New. Search for Code Snippets, then install and activate it.
2. Upon activation, the plugin will appear as a dashboard list item labeled “Snippets”.
3. From there, hover over the plugin and click Add New.
4. Input the code snippet title, the custom code you need to extend the functionality of your website, and then hit Save Changes and Activate Your Snippet.

If you want to access all the custom code snippets you have added, just see it with the All Snippets menu item as shown in the image below.

You will see that your code is active as indicated by the blue switch button. You can deactivate the snippet at any time you want too.

Once you have saved and activated the code snippet, it would become effective on your site immediately.

What Makes Code Snippets a Powerful Tool?

There are sevral powerful features in the Code Snippets plugin. For instance, if there is a major mistake with the custom code added to the website, it would immediately make the site inaccessible.

Browsing the website would only give a syntax error or a 500 internal server error. It may take some time to get back to your site after configuring with an FTP Client to undo your code.

Take a look at the example below.
In this custom code, PHP statements must end with a semicolon.

After saving the code, instead of having the site in an internal server error, the Code Snippets plugin displays a significant error message that would help to debug the error.

Conclusion

We presume the WordPress plugin helps you optimize your website, and this article helped you learn how to add custom code in WordPress.

On top of this, if you weren’t sure how code works, and you might want to start an ecommerce website for your online shop or you want to have a nice and clean looking portfolio, check out here.

For those who are already into it and use WooCommerce, give your visitors a truly different shopping experience and convert more sales. Step up your products! Check this out and create exciting products with advanced configuration in just a few clicks.