FV Top Level Categories Review - In-Depth Analysis
This plugin fixes the Top Level Categories issue for WordPress 3.1 and above. It allows category URLs without the 'category/' prefix.
Performance Overview
User Rating
4.4/5 (based on 23+
reviews)
Active Installations
20,000+
Update Frequency
Below Average
It is calculated using the weighted average of same category
plugins.
Security Score
1 / 10
(Very Low Risk)
It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.
What It Does
This is a fix of Top Level Category plugin for WordPress 3.1 and further versions. Its purpose is to provide the same behavior as the original plugin, but in new WordPress versions.
The Top Level Categories plugin allows you to remove the prefix before the URL to your category page. For example, instead of http://foliovision.com/category/work, you can use http://foliovision.com/work for the address of 'work' category. WordPress doesn't allow you to have a blank prefix for categories, this plugin works around that restriction.
This plugin works also if you have a permalink structure like %postname% or %category%/%postname% - this wasn't possible in the original version. However, this feature might not work properly for child categories at this point. Test carefully!
Comparing to Alternatives
FV Top Level Categories is a straightforward plugin designed to remove the 'category' base from WordPress URLs. Compared to other permalink management plugins, it focuses specifically on this task without additional features.
Strengths
- Effectively removes 'category' from URLs without breaking pagination.
- Lightweight and simple to use with minimal configuration.
- Automatically handles redirects to avoid broken links.
- Compatible with popular themes like Avada.
- Requires no complex setup or technical knowledge.
Weaknesses
- Limited to removing 'category' base only, no broader permalink customization.
- No premium version or advanced features available.
- Lacks integration with SEO plugins for enhanced URL management.
User Sentiment Analysis
User feedback highlights the plugin's reliability and ease of use, especially for resolving permalink issues related to category URLs.
Positive highlights
- "Nothing to do. Just perfect. Thank you" - SuzuKube
- "Quick Fix for Pesky Problem" - bamajr
- "Worked for me 🙂" - Pt
- "Works Perfectly :: If you have your other permalinks correct!" - aplusdesign
- "Simple. Light on code. Easy to understand interface." - ADigitalMark
Common complaints
- Limited functionality beyond removing 'category' base.
- No updates or support for advanced permalink structures.
Weaknesses
- No pro version means no access to premium support or features.
- May not suit users needing comprehensive URL customization.
Who Should Use This?
Best for
Users who want a simple, effective solution to remove the 'category' base from their WordPress URLs without breaking pagination or requiring complex setup.
Not ideal for
Users seeking advanced permalink customization, SEO integration, or premium support features may find this plugin too limited for their needs.
Pricing & Value
Free version includes
The free version fully removes the 'category' base from URLs, handles redirects automatically, and works seamlessly with pagination without any cost.
Final Verdict
FV Top Level Categories is a reliable and lightweight plugin that effectively removes the 'category' base from WordPress URLs, ensuring pagination and redirects work correctly.
Its simplicity and free availability make it an excellent choice for users needing this specific functionality without extra features or complexity.
Other Notable Features
Here are a few other notable features of this free
FV Top Level Categories plugin.
FAQ
We recommend that you use the Redirection plugin and add your old an new category links, or use a Regex redirection rule. Make sure you change Tools -> Redirection -> Options -> URL Monitoring to “Don’t monitor”, as there is a bug in that feature (also in latest current version 2.2.5) – not related to FV Top Level Categories.
Make sure your categories have unique slugs – watch out for pages with the same slugs. Normally WordPress uses the category prefix to distinguish page from a category, but with this plugin you need to make sure the slugs are unique, otherwise some pages might turn up instead of categories.
Contributors and developers
“FV Top Level Categories”
is open source software. The following people have
contributed to this plugin.
