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Display Environment Type

By Stoil Dobreff

Site Administration & Utilities / Site Health & Diagnostics

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Display Environment Type Review - In-Depth Analysis

Displays the environment type setting in the admin bar and dashboard widget. Useful for distinguishing between development, staging, and production environments.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.73/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 4+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

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 plugin helps you identify your site's environment type by displaying it in the admin bar and the dashboard's 'At a Glance' widget. It is particularly beneficial for users managing multiple environments such as development, staging, and production.

WordPress 5.5 introduced a feature to differentiate between these environment types, and this plugin makes it easy to see that information at a glance. For users who want more control over their environment settings, additional functionality can be achieved by installing the recommended plugin.

Consider using the 0 Day Analytics plugin for deeper insights into errors and runtime behavior, which includes various management tools for your site.

Comparing to Alternatives

Display Environment Type is a unique plugin with no close direct alternatives available in its category, making it a distinct choice for users needing environment differentiation.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Clear visual indicator of environment type in admin bar and dashboard widget
No configuration needed, easy to install and use
Helps prevent accidental changes on production sites
Lightweight and unobtrusive plugin design
Supports multiple environment types like development, staging, and production

Weaknesses

Limited to displaying environment type only
No customization options for the indicator
No pro version or advanced features
Lack of integration with other environment management tools

User Sentiment Analysis

With a perfect 5-star rating from all reviewers, users consistently praise the plugin's simplicity and effectiveness in preventing mistakes across different site environments.

Positive highlights

'Nice little helper' that works like a charm with no settings needed - Bego Mario Garde
Makes it very clear which site environment is active, helping avoid errors - Bjarne Oldrup
Incredibly useful and clutter-free, exactly what a developer needs - drinkmaker
Easy to see reminder of the current site version - ericsackett

Common complaints

Weaknesses

No settings or customization options
Limited functionality focused solely on environment display
No advanced features or integrations

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers and site administrators who frequently switch between development, staging, and production environments and need a simple, reliable way to avoid mistakes by clearly displaying the current environment.

Not ideal for

Users looking for a plugin with advanced environment management features, customization options, or integrations with other tools may find this plugin too basic for their needs.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes all core features: displaying the environment type clearly in the admin bar and dashboard widget without any configuration required.

Final Verdict

Display Environment Type excels at its singular purpose, providing a clear and immediate visual cue of the current site environment to prevent costly mistakes. Its simplicity, ease of use, and lack of configuration make it an excellent choice for developers and site managers who want a no-fuss solution.

While it lacks customization and advanced features, the plugin's flawless user ratings and absence of security vulnerabilities make it a trustworthy and valuable tool. Its uniqueness and effectiveness justify its place despite the absence of direct alternatives.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Display Environment Type plugin.

environment type

development

staging

production

Screenshots

FAQ

Colors are intentionally fixed to avoid confusion. If colors were configurable, they’d need to be identical across all related servers to remain consistent.

By default, the environment type is shown only to users with administrative capabilities. This avoids exposing a prominent colored indicator to regular subscribers and other non-admin users.

For additional control, use the det_display_environment_type filter hook. Example:

function rt_det_display_filter( $display ) {     // Disable the environment type display for user ID 2.     return ( get_current_user_id() !== 2 ); } add_filter( 'det_display_environment_type', 'rt_det_display_filter' );