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SyntaxHighlighter Evolved

By Alex Mills

Content Management / Blog & Article Publishing

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

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

SyntaxHighlighter Evolved Review - In-Depth Analysis

Easily post syntax-highlighted code to your site without modifying the code. Supports the new block editor in WordPress 5.0.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.97/10

User Rating

4.3/5 (based on 86+ reviews)

Active Installations

20,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

SyntaxHighlighter Evolved allows you to easily post syntax-highlighted code to your site without losing its formatting or making any manual changes. It uses the SyntaxHighlighter JavaScript package by Alex Gorbatchev.

For a live demo, see this plugin's homepage. For a list of supported languages, see the WordPress.com support document.

Development of this plugin is on GitHub. Translation of the plugin into different languages is available on the translation page.

As seen on WordPress.com.

Comparing to Alternatives

SyntaxHighlighter Evolved is a popular code syntax highlighting plugin with several alternatives available that offer different features and customization options.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Supports a wide range of programming languages, especially C and C#.
Easy to use with clean code display on pages.
Free to use with no paid version required.
Well-established with a strong user base and positive ratings.
Regular updates addressing security vulnerabilities.

Weaknesses

Does not support some specific code types like Unity C# scripts and Shaders.
Known past security vulnerabilities requiring updates.
Issues with copying code from frontend causing syntax errors.
Limited color variation for different source code types.

User Sentiment Analysis

Based on 86 ratings with a strong majority of 4-5 star reviews, users generally appreciate the plugin's functionality and ease of use, though some report issues with code copying and limited language support.

Positive highlights

"Works Great! But…" - Andrey Sirota appreciates its performance for C and C#.
"Good plugin. But need better color variation for each source code type" - wordruman.
"really awsome, so useful and great!" - dreamsoft
"Thank you" - Alex
"Works Great! But…" - Andrey Sirota (reiterated)

Common complaints

Copying code from the frontend adds spaces causing syntax errors.
PHP code lines get commented out and do not display in the visual editor.

Weaknesses

Limited support for Unity game engine scripts and Shaders.
Issues with code copying leading to parse errors.
Past security vulnerabilities requiring prompt updates.
Color variation options could be improved.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a free, reliable syntax highlighting plugin for common programming languages like C and C# with straightforward setup.

Not ideal for

Users needing advanced language support such as Unity scripts or requiring flawless code copying from frontend, or those concerned about past security issues without timely updates.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers comprehensive syntax highlighting for many programming languages with easy integration and no cost.

Final Verdict

SyntaxHighlighter Evolved is a well-regarded free plugin that effectively highlights code for many popular languages, backed by a strong user base and frequent updates. However, users should be aware of its limitations with certain languages like Unity scripts and occasional issues with copying code from the frontend.

While it has had some security vulnerabilities in the past, these have been addressed in recent updates. Users looking for advanced features or flawless copying might consider alternatives, but for straightforward syntax highlighting needs, this plugin remains a solid choice.