Markdown Comment Block
Add markdown inspired comments to posts that render only within the block editor.
The facts
- Rating
- 5★ from 1
- Active installs
- 300+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 14 Jul 2024
- Added
- Jun 2021
- Requires WP
- 5.7
- Tested up to
- WP 6.6.7
- Requires PHP
- 7.0
- Downloads
- 11,005
Our analysis
AI-assistedMarkdown Comment Block is a WordPress plugin designed for adding comments that only appear in the block editor. It allows you to jot down ideas, reminders, and notes without them being visible on the front-end of your site, maintaining a clean published article.
The plugin includes features like block transforms for easy conversion between comments and headings or paragraphs, a toolbar control for quickly removing comments, and minimal rich text support to keep the editing experience straightforward. It is suitable for users who want to keep their editing process organised without cluttering their published content.
Best for: This plugin is best for content creators who want to manage internal comments without affecting the front-end display of their posts.
What it does well
- ✓Comments only render in the block editor
- ✓Supports block transforms for easy editing
- ✓Quickly resolve comments with a toolbar control
- ✓Minimal impact on editing experience
- ✓Compatible with CSS variables for theming
Where it falls short
- •Limited rich text support
- •No save function for comments
Verdict
Markdown Comment Block offers a practical solution for keeping notes within the editor. It is a useful tool for writers looking to organise their thoughts without cluttering their published work.
From the developer
Rich Tabor's own description of Markdown Comment Block, lightly tidied.
Comments that only render in the block editor
I honestly enjoy drafting articles either locally in Ulysses, or on my blog using the Iceberg Editor. While I do love Iceberg, once I publish an article I typically bring back the default Gutenberg experience — thus removing any comments I previously added.
Having the ability to add, and keep, any relevant editing comments within my posts, without rendering them on the front-end, means that I am freed up to mentally jot any idea down without thinking about it. It is simply natural and convenient.
What’s interesting about Markdown Comment:
1. Editor only
The block only renders within the editor. For developers reading this, that means there’s no save function. I don’t want my unfinished ideas, reminders, and notes rendered within my post – even if they’re hidden by CSS.
2. Helpful block transforms
I added a couple transforms, to and from headings and paragraphs, and a raw shortcut when you type %% and hit the [space] key. This lets me quickly add comments, and even convert whole paragraphs or headings to a comment.
3. Easily resolve comments
To support that path towards simplicity, I wanted a method to quickly resolve — i.e. banish — a comment entirely. So, I added a toolbar control to quickly resolve the comment, removing the block entirely.
4. No rich text support
Comments need to have minimal impact on editing, and feel as natural as possible. That’s why there are no typical RichText controls (although you can still bold, italicize and add hyperlinks). And while you can change the color of the comment — there are no other typographic controls.
5. Entirely CSS Variable ready
Global styles and full site editing are opening the door for themes to be heavily powered by CSS variables. Blocks should be designed with that same mentality, which is exactly what I did here. I added simple CSS variables with fallbacks that are the default values. To further theme the comment, there’s no need to override any styles with classes, just write a few CSS variables.