DocumentCloud
Embed DocumentCloud resources in WordPress content.
The facts
- Rating
- 4★ from 1
- Active installs
- 1k+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 24 Sep 2025
- Added
- Apr 2015
- Requires WP
- 5.0
- Tested up to
- WP 6.8.8
- Downloads
- 57,908
Our analysis
AI-assistedDocumentCloud is a WordPress plugin designed for journalists to analyze, annotate, and publish documents. It allows users to embed DocumentCloud resources into their WordPress sites using either a raw URL or a custom shortcode. The plugin fetches and stores the latest embed code from DocumentCloud servers, ensuring that the embedded content remains current.
The plugin offers responsive embedding, meaning documents will adjust to fit the available content area. Users can also set specific dimensions or control the default view mode for the embedded documents. This tool is particularly useful for journalists and content creators who need to present documents effectively on their websites.
Best for: Journalists and content creators looking to embed documents on their WordPress sites.
What it does well
- ✓Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
- ✓Supports embedding via raw URLs or shortcodes
- ✓Automatically updates embed code with changes from DocumentCloud
- ✓Responsive design adapts to content area
- ✓Allows customization of embed settings
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on advanced features
- •Only one rating available, indicating limited user feedback
Verdict
DocumentCloud provides a straightforward solution for embedding documents, particularly suited for journalists. However, the limited feedback and feature details may be a consideration for potential users.
From the developer
muckrock's own description of DocumentCloud, lightly tidied.
DocumentCloud is a service that allows journalists to analyze, annotate and publish documents, hosted by Investigative Reporters & Editors. Initial development of this plugin supported by NPR as part of the StateImpact project.
This plugin allows you to embed DocumentCloud resources using either the raw URL on its own line:
Here's something you should really take a look at:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html
Isn't that interesting?
Or a custom shortcode:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html"]
When you save, WordPress fetches and stores the actual embed code HTML from the DocumentCloud servers using oEmbed. You can freely toggle between visual and HTML mode without mangling embed code, and your embed will always be up to date with the latest embed code.
By default, documents will have a responsive width (it will narrow and widen as necessary to fill available content area) and use the theme’s default height. If you want to override this, you can either set responsive="false" or explicitly set a width:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html" width="600"]
You can set your own defaults in Settings > DocumentCloud, but default widths will be ignored unless responsive is disabled:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html" responsive="false"]
To embed a single page, use any page-specific URL. Pages ignore width/height and always act responsively:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html#document/p1"]
To embed a note, use any note-specific URL. Notes ignore width/height and always act responsively:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html#document/p1/a53674"]
To control which view is displayed by default, use the mode parameter:
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html" mode="notes"]
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html" mode="text"]
[documentcloud url="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/282753-lefler-thesis.html" mode="grid"]