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Free Plugin by InstaWP v2.6.7

String locator

Find and edit code or texts in your themes and plugins

String locator

The facts

Rating
4.6★ from 125
Active installs
100k+
Price
Free
Last updated
15 Jan 2025
Added
Aug 2013
Requires WP
4.9
Tested up to
WP 6.7.7
Downloads
1,413,272

Our analysis

AI-assisted

String Locator is a WordPress plugin designed to help you find hardcoded text within themes, plugins, or the WordPress core. It allows you to search for specific text and view a list of files where the text appears, along with the exact line number. You can make edits directly in your browser, which can streamline the modification process.

The plugin also includes a consistency check that looks for common syntax errors, such as mismatched braces or brackets, to help reduce the risk of breaking your site during edits. It is suitable for developers or site administrators who need to make precise changes to their WordPress files.

Best for: This plugin is best for developers and site administrators who need to modify hardcoded text in WordPress.

What it does well

  • Easily searches themes, plugins, and WordPress core files
  • Provides a list of files and line numbers for matched text
  • Allows direct edits in the browser
  • Includes a consistency check for syntax errors

Where it falls short

  • No absolute guarantee against breaking the site
  • Limited information about additional features

Verdict

String Locator offers a practical solution for locating and editing text within WordPress files, making it a useful tool for those who manage themes and plugins.

From the developer

InstaWP's own description of String locator, lightly tidied.

When working on themes and plugins you often notice a piece of text that appears hardcoded into the files, you need to modify it, but you don’t know what theme or plugin it’s in, and certainly not which individual file to look in.

Easily search through your themes, plugins or even WordPress core and be presented with a list of files, the matched text and what line of the file matched your search.
You can then quickly make edits directly in your browser by clicking the link from the search results.

By default a consistency check is performed when making edits to files, this will look for inconsistencies with braces, brackets and parenthesis that are often accidentally left in.
This drastically reduces the risk of breaking your site when making edits, but is in no way an absolute guarantee.

Create a replica of your live site a.k.a – WordPress Staging site before testing substitutions.

Read the full description on the official page →

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