{"id":544,"date":"2014-01-04T16:01:05","date_gmt":"2014-01-04T16:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins-wp\/smk-sidebar-generator\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T13:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T13:15:19","slug":"smk-sidebar-generator","status":"publish","type":"plugin","link":"https:\/\/sw.wordpress.org\/plugins\/smk-sidebar-generator\/","author":13582713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","version":"3.6.0","stable_tag":"3.6.0","tested":"6.9.4","requires":"4.0","requires_php":"5.3","requires_plugins":null,"header_name":"SMK Sidebar Generator","header_author":"Andrei Surdu","header_description":"","assets_banners_color":"fe9796","last_updated":"2026-02-17 13:15:19","external_support_url":"","external_repository_url":"","donate_link":"","header_plugin_uri":"https:\/\/zerowp.com\/sidebar-generator","header_author_uri":"https:\/\/zerowp.com","rating":4.4,"author_block_rating":0,"active_installs":10000,"downloads":405672,"num_ratings":5,"support_threads":0,"support_threads_resolved":0,"author_block_count":0,"sections":["description","installation","faq","changelog"],"tags":{"3.2.0":{"tag":"3.2.0","author":"_smartik_","date":"2019-06-27 22:49:31"},"3.3.1":{"tag":"3.3.1","author":"_smartik_","date":"2019-10-04 20:00:57"},"3.4.0":{"tag":"3.4.0","author":"_smartik_","date":"2020-08-13 20:28:10"},"3.4.1":{"tag":"3.4.1","author":"_smartik_","date":"2020-09-04 11:09:01"},"3.4.2":{"tag":"3.4.2","author":"_smartik_","date":"2021-02-11 09:21:02"},"3.4.3":{"tag":"3.4.3","author":"_smartik_","date":"2021-03-21 11:03:00"},"3.5.0":{"tag":"3.5.0","author":"_smartik_","date":"2023-01-15 13:06:39"},"3.5.1":{"tag":"3.5.1","author":"_smartik_","date":"2023-01-15 13:08:40"},"3.5.2":{"tag":"3.5.2","author":"_smartik_","date":"2023-11-18 13:24:02"},"3.6.0":{"tag":"3.6.0","author":"_smartik_","date":"2026-02-17 13:15:19"}},"upgrade_notice":{"3.6.0":"<p>Major update with redesigned admin interface, security improvements, and bug fixes. 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Please test on a staging site before updating on production.<\/p>"},"ratings":{"1":0,"2":"1","3":0,"4":0,"5":"4"},"assets_icons":{"icon-256x256.png":{"filename":"icon-256x256.png","revision":2360552,"resolution":"256x256","location":"assets","locale":""}},"assets_banners":{"banner-1544x500.png":{"filename":"banner-1544x500.png","revision":2360552,"resolution":"1544x500","location":"assets","locale":""},"banner-772x250.png":{"filename":"banner-772x250.png","revision":2360561,"resolution":"772x250","location":"assets","locale":""}},"assets_blueprints":{},"all_blocks":[],"tagged_versions":["3.2.0","3.3.1","3.4.0","3.4.1","3.4.2","3.4.3","3.5.0","3.5.1","3.5.2","3.6.0"],"block_files":[],"assets_screenshots":{"screenshot-1.jpg":{"filename":"screenshot-1.jpg","revision":1125747,"resolution":"1","location":"assets","locale":""},"screenshot-2.jpg":{"filename":"screenshot-2.jpg","revision":1126664,"resolution":"2","location":"assets","locale":""},"screenshot-3.jpg":{"filename":"screenshot-3.jpg","revision":1126664,"resolution":"3","location":"assets","locale":""}},"screenshots":{"1":"<strong>Main Admin Interface<\/strong> - Clean, modern dashboard showing all your custom sidebars with drag-and-drop reordering","2":"<strong>Conditional Settings<\/strong> - Set up rules to display sidebars on specific pages, posts, or post types","3":"<strong>Sidebar Removal<\/strong> - Safely delete sidebars with a time-limited restore option to prevent accidents"},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"plugin_section":[],"plugin_tags":[14704,2209,168,162],"plugin_category":[43],"plugin_contributors":[78217],"plugin_business_model":[],"class_list":["post-544","plugin","type-plugin","status-publish","hentry","plugin_tags-custom-sidebar","plugin_tags-generator","plugin_tags-sidebar","plugin_tags-widget","plugin_category-customization","plugin_contributors-_smartik_","plugin_committers-_smartik_"],"banners":{"banner":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/banner-772x250.png?rev=2360561","banner_2x":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/banner-1544x500.png?rev=2360552","banner_rtl":false,"banner_2x_rtl":false},"icons":{"svg":false,"icon":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/icon-256x256.png?rev=2360552","icon_2x":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/icon-256x256.png?rev=2360552","generated":false},"screenshots":[{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/screenshot-1.jpg?rev=1125747","caption":"<strong>Main Admin Interface<\/strong> - Clean, modern dashboard showing all your custom sidebars with drag-and-drop reordering"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/screenshot-2.jpg?rev=1126664","caption":"<strong>Conditional Settings<\/strong> - Set up rules to display sidebars on specific pages, posts, or post types"},{"src":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/smk-sidebar-generator\/assets\/screenshot-3.jpg?rev=1126664","caption":"<strong>Sidebar Removal<\/strong> - Safely delete sidebars with a time-limited restore option to prevent accidents"}],"raw_content":"<!--section=description-->\n<p><strong>SMK Sidebar Generator<\/strong> is a powerful yet easy-to-use WordPress plugin that lets you create unlimited custom sidebars and conditionally display them anywhere on your website - without writing a single line of code.<\/p>\n\n<p>Whether you need different sidebars for your blog, shop, landing pages, or specific posts, this plugin gives you complete control over your widget areas.<\/p>\n\n<p>[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VvKjYLDu_W0]<\/p>\n\n<h4>Why Choose SMK Sidebar Generator?<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>100% Free<\/strong> - All features included, no premium version upsells<\/li>\n<li><strong>No Coding Required<\/strong> - Create and manage sidebars entirely from the WordPress admin<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lightweight<\/strong> - Clean code that won't slow down your site<\/li>\n<li><strong>Works With Any Theme<\/strong> - Sidebars automatically inherit your theme's styling<\/li>\n<li><strong>Actively Maintained<\/strong> - Regular updates and WordPress compatibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Key Features<\/h4>\n\n<p><strong>Unlimited Sidebars<\/strong>\nCreate as many sidebars as you need. Perfect for blogs, business sites, WooCommerce stores, or any WordPress website.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Replace Theme Sidebars<\/strong>\nSeamlessly replace your theme's default sidebars with custom ones. No theme file editing required.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Conditional Display<\/strong>\nShow different sidebars based on:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Specific pages<\/li>\n<li>Specific posts<\/li>\n<li>Custom post types<\/li>\n<li>Post type archives<\/li>\n<li>Taxonomy archives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>Drag and Drop Management<\/strong>\nReorder your sidebars with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Easily organize and prioritize your widget areas.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Responsive Admin Interface<\/strong>\nModern, clean admin UI that works great on any device - desktop, tablet, or mobile.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Shortcode Support<\/strong>\nDisplay any sidebar anywhere using a simple shortcode: <code>[smk_sidebar id=\"your-sidebar-id\"]<\/code><\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Developer Friendly<\/strong>\nUse PHP functions in your theme templates:<\/p>\n\n<pre><code>&lt;?php\n\/\/ Display sidebar by ID\nif ( function_exists( 'smk_sidebar' ) ) {\n    smk_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' );\n}\n\n\/\/ Or use WordPress native function\ndynamic_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' );\n\n\/\/ Get all registered sidebars\n$sidebars = smk_get_all_sidebars();\n?&gt;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n<h4>Perfect For<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bloggers<\/strong> - Different sidebars for categories, tags, or specific posts<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business Sites<\/strong> - Unique widget areas for services, about, contact pages<\/li>\n<li><strong>WooCommerce Stores<\/strong> - Shop-specific sidebars separate from blog sidebars<\/li>\n<li><strong>Membership Sites<\/strong> - Conditional sidebars for different content areas<\/li>\n<li><strong>Developers<\/strong> - Template functions and shortcodes for theme integration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Support and Documentation<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/awps\/smk-sidebar-generator\">GitHub Repository<\/a> - Report bugs and contribute<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/support\/plugin\/smk-sidebar-generator\/\">Support Forum<\/a> - Get help from the community<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<!--section=installation-->\n<h4>Automatic Installation (Recommended)<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Go to <strong>Plugins &gt; Add New<\/strong> in your WordPress admin<\/li>\n<li>Search for \"SMK Sidebar Generator\"<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Install Now<\/strong>, then <strong>Activate<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Appearance &gt; SMK Sidebars<\/strong> to create your first sidebar<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Manual Installation<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Download the plugin ZIP file<\/li>\n<li>Go to <strong>Plugins &gt; Add New &gt; Upload Plugin<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Upload the ZIP file and click <strong>Install Now<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Activate the plugin<\/li>\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Appearance &gt; SMK Sidebars<\/strong> to start creating sidebars<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Using FTP<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Download and extract the plugin ZIP file<\/li>\n<li>Upload the <code>smk-sidebar-generator<\/code> folder to <code>\/wp-content\/plugins\/<\/code><\/li>\n<li>Activate through the <strong>Plugins<\/strong> menu in WordPress<\/li>\n<li>Configure at <strong>Appearance &gt; SMK Sidebars<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<!--section=faq-->\n<dl>\n<dt id=\"how%20do%20i%20create%20a%20new%20sidebar%3F\"><h3>How do I create a new sidebar?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><ol>\n<li>Go to <strong>Appearance &gt; SMK Sidebars<\/strong> in your WordPress admin<\/li>\n<li>Click the <strong>\"Add New Sidebar\"<\/strong> button<\/li>\n<li>Enter a name and optional description<\/li>\n<li>Save your changes<\/li>\n<li>Go to <strong>Appearance &gt; Widgets<\/strong> to add widgets to your new sidebar<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"how%20do%20i%20display%20a%20sidebar%20on%20a%20specific%20page%3F\"><h3>How do I display a sidebar on a specific page?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><ol>\n<li>Create or edit a sidebar in <strong>Appearance &gt; SMK Sidebars<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Select which theme sidebar to replace in the \"Sidebars to replace\" dropdown<\/li>\n<li>Check \"Enable conditions\"<\/li>\n<li>Click \"Add condition\" and select the page(s) where you want this sidebar to appear<\/li>\n<li>Save changes<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20use%20the%20sidebar%20in%20page%20builders%20like%20elementor%20or%20beaver%20builder%3F\"><h3>Can I use the sidebar in page builders like Elementor or Beaver Builder?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! Use the shortcode <code>[smk_sidebar id=\"your-sidebar-id\"]<\/code> in any text widget or shortcode module. You can find each sidebar's shortcode displayed in its settings panel.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"will%20this%20plugin%20slow%20down%20my%20website%3F\"><h3>Will this plugin slow down my website?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>No. SMK Sidebar Generator is lightweight and only loads its assets on the admin pages where needed. On the frontend, it simply filters which sidebar to display with minimal overhead.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"does%20it%20work%20with%20my%20theme%3F\"><h3>Does it work with my theme?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! The plugin works with any properly coded WordPress theme. Your generated sidebars will automatically inherit your theme's sidebar styling.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20display%20a%20sidebar%20using%20php%20in%20my%20theme%3F\"><h3>Can I display a sidebar using PHP in my theme?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes, use either method in your theme template files:<\/p>\n\n<pre><code>&lt;?php smk_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' ); ?&gt;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n<p>Or the native WordPress function:<\/p>\n\n<pre><code>&lt;?php dynamic_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' ); ?&gt;\n<\/code><\/pre><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"how%20do%20i%20find%20my%20sidebar%20id%3F\"><h3>How do I find my sidebar ID?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>The sidebar ID is displayed in each sidebar's settings panel, along with the shortcode. You can also use <code>smk_get_all_sidebars()<\/code> to get an array of all sidebar IDs and names.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20show%20different%20sidebars%20for%20different%20categories%3F\"><h3>Can I show different sidebars for different categories?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! When adding conditions, select the post type archive or use taxonomy conditions to target specific categories, tags, or custom taxonomies.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"is%20this%20plugin%20compatible%20with%20woocommerce%3F\"><h3>Is this plugin compatible with WooCommerce?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! You can create shop-specific sidebars and use conditions to display them only on WooCommerce pages like the shop, product pages, cart, or checkout.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20translate%20this%20plugin%3F\"><h3>Can I translate this plugin?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes! The plugin is translation-ready. You can contribute translations on <a href=\"https:\/\/translate.wordpress.org\/projects\/wp-plugins\/smk-sidebar-generator\/\">translate.wordpress.org<\/a> or create your own using the included POT file.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"where%20can%20i%20report%20bugs%20or%20request%20features%3F\"><h3>Where can I report bugs or request features?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Please use the <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/awps\/smk-sidebar-generator\/issues\">GitHub Issues page<\/a> for bug reports and feature requests.<\/p><\/dd>\n\n<\/dl>\n\n<!--section=changelog-->\n<h4>3.6.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Fixed: Shortcode now properly returns content instead of echoing<\/li>\n<li>Security: Added proper escaping to prevent XSS vulnerabilities<\/li>\n<li>Fixed: Undefined variable warning in HTML class helper<\/li>\n<li>Fixed: Removed deprecated extract() function from shortcode<\/li>\n<li>Compatibility: Tested with WordPress 6.9.1<\/li>\n<li>New: Complete admin UI redesign with modern CSS (Flexbox, Grid, CSS Variables)<\/li>\n<li>New: Responsive layout for mobile and tablet devices<\/li>\n<li>New: Accessible form labels with proper for\/id attributes<\/li>\n<li>Improved: Sidebar list with better spacing, hover states, and empty state messages<\/li>\n<li>Improved: Condition rows layout with inline drag handle<\/li>\n<li>Fixed: Sidebar deletion not saving properly<\/li>\n<li>Fixed: Accordion padding conflicts with WordPress admin styles<\/li>\n<li>Dev: Updated GitHub Actions to v4, improved deploy.sh error handling<\/li>\n<li>Dev: Moved tagy config to package.json, removed tagy.js<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.5.2<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Compatibility with WordPress 6.4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.5.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>PHP 8+ Compatibility<\/li>\n<li>Various code improvements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.4.3<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Bug fix: Individual taxonomy conditional fix<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.4.2<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Bug fix: WP 5.7 compatibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.4.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Fix: Incorrect conditional replacement<\/li>\n<li>Compatibility with WordPress 5.5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.1<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Added localization support<\/li>\n<li>Added shortcode with ID to each sidebar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>3.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Complete rewrite from scratch<\/li>\n<li>New conditional sidebar system for pages, posts, and custom post types<\/li>\n<li>Sidebars now inherit theme styling automatically<\/li>\n<li>Modular code architecture for custom condition extensions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.3.2<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>UI fix: Correct info display when new sidebar is created<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.3.1<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Fixed shortcode ID issue<\/li>\n<li>Added \"How to use?\" documentation tab<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.3<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Added import\/export functions<\/li>\n<li>Improved shortcode to work with any sidebar ID<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.2<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Added sidebar removal confirmation<\/li>\n<li>Bug fixes for sidebar creation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.1<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Added <code>smk_get_all_sidebars()<\/code> helper function<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.0<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Initial release<\/li>\n<\/ul>","raw_excerpt":"Create unlimited custom sidebars and widget areas. 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