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Collapsing Categories

By robfelty

Site Structure & Navigation / Menu Management & Mega Menus

Collapsing Categories Review - In-Depth Analysis

Collapsing Categories adds a widget that dynamically expands or collapses posts for each category. It can be used as a widget or integrated into your theme.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.87/10

User Rating

4.1/5 (based on 57+ reviews)

Active Installations

4,000+

Update Frequency

Very Good It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

6.1 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Collapsing Categories creates an expandable list of categories and subcategories. It can also expand to show posts. The primary usage is as a widget, but you can also use the code in your theme manually if you wish.

Options can be set from the block panel. You can insert the code into your theme manually instead of using a widget. Various options allow customization such as sorting categories and posts, showing post counts, and linking to category archives.

This plugin relies on Javascript for functionality. If a user's browser does not support Javascript, they will still be able to access category links, but not the posts.

Comparing to Alternatives

Collapsing Categories offers a straightforward solution for managing category displays in WordPress, standing out among similar plugins with its simplicity.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and easy to use interface
Effective category collapsing functionality
Compatible with recent WordPress and PHP versions
Allows custom CSS for styling flexibility

Weaknesses

Some advanced options are not fully functional
Widget code remains active even when widgets are disabled
Limited updates and support responsiveness
Lacks premium features found in alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback highlights both the plugin's ease of use and areas needing improvement.

Positive highlights

Works perfectly after recent updates (damicron)
Simple and easy to use, highly recommended (yicing)
Useful for shops with customization options (Artan)
Functions as expected (sjoerddooren)

Common complaints

Unresolved support issues and ignored user queries (Avantart)
Advanced options button not working (Artan)
Widget code remains even when widgets are turned off (Hincapie)

Weaknesses

Limited developer support and updates
Some features are buggy or incomplete

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a lightweight, easy-to-use plugin to collapse WordPress categories without needing advanced features.

Not ideal for

Those requiring robust support, frequent updates, or advanced customization options may find this plugin lacking.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides basic category collapsing functionality with some customization via CSS, suitable for most standard uses.

Final Verdict

Collapsing Categories is a simple and effective plugin for managing category displays, ideal for users who want straightforward functionality without complexity.

However, limited support and some functional bugs may deter users needing advanced features or reliable developer assistance.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Collapsing Categories plugin.

collapsing categories

category widget

expandable categories

Screenshots

FAQ

If you want to use images, you can upload your own images to
http://yourblogaddress/wp-content/plugins/collapsing-categories/img/collapse.gif
and expand.gif

There is an option for this.

As of version 2.0, there are several default styles that come with
collapsing-categories. You can choose from these in the widget settings , or you
can create your own custom style. A good strategy is to choose a default, then
modify it slightly to your needs.

The following classes are used:
* collapsing-categories – applied to all ul and li elements
* list – applied to the top-level ul
* item – applied to each li which has no sub-elements
* expand – applied to a category which can be expanded (is currently
collapsed)
* collapse – applied to a category which can be collapsed (is currently
expanded)
* sym – class for the expanding / collapsing symbol

An example:

<ul id='widget-collapscat-15-top ' class='collapsing-categories list'>   <li class='collapsing-categories post'><a     href='http://mysite.com/your-website/about-your-own-site/'     title='About your own site'>About your own site</a>   </li>   <li class='collapsing-categories'><span class='collapsing-categories expand'     onclick='expandCollapse(event, "▶","▼", 1, "collapsing categories"); return     false'><span class='sym'>▶</span>Web hosting</span>     <ul id='collapsCat-176-15' style="display:none">       <li class='collapsing-categories post'><a          href='http://mysite.com/your-website/web-hosting/about-webhosting/'         title='About webhosting'>About webhosting</a>       </li>       <li class='collapsing-categories post'><a          href='http://mysite.com/products/webhosting-1/'         title='Webhosting #1'>Webhosting #1</a>       </li>       <li class='collapsing-categories post'><a          href='http://mysite.com/products/webhosting-2/'         title='Webhosting #2'>Webhosting #2</a>       </li>     </ul>   </li> <!-- ending subcategory -->