Highlighting Code Block
View on WordPress.orgScores higher than 71% of indexed plugins
About
Add code block with syntax highlighting using prism.js. (Available for Gutenberg and Classic Editor)
Security History
What It Does
Highlighting Code Block adds a dedicated code block to the Gutenberg and Classic Editor with syntax highlighting powered by prism.js. It lets you paste code snippets into posts or pages and render them with colour-coded, language-aware formatting without manual HTML. The plugin is focused on display rather than executing or storing custom code.
Who It's For
This plugin is best for developers, technical bloggers, tutorial writers, and documentation sites that regularly publish code samples in WordPress posts and pages. It suits users who want a lightweight, editor-native block instead of a heavyweight snippet management system. Sites with heavy coding content, such as programming courses or API references, will benefit most.
Who Should Skip It
If you only occasionally share code or need a tool to inject headers, footers, or PHP snippets site-wide, this plugin is overkill. Users looking for snippet management, conditional logic, or a full code insertion system should look at broader alternatives like WPCode.
The Bottom Line
Highlighting Code Block is a focused, well-maintained tool that does one thing well: rendering syntax-highlighted code in WordPress content. Its small install base and thin public support history are the main caveats, but the maintenance signals and rating are strong. If you publish code regularly and want a lightweight, editor-native block, this is a solid pick.
Related Plugins
Pick WPCode if you need to inject PHP, CSS, or tracking snippets site-wide rather than just display code samples in posts.
Choose Spectra if you want a broader collection of Gutenberg blocks alongside some code display features.
Choose Kadence Blocks if you need a full page-building toolkit and only occasionally need to show code.
Choose Starter Templates if your priority is importing full site designs rather than highlighting code snippets.
Classic Widgets is unrelated to code display, so only consider it if you specifically need to restore legacy widget behaviour.