If you’re building out a WordPress site, there’s a ton of plugin and theme options out there. You may find yourself intrigued by a particular website design and wonder what theme or plugins they are using. Well, you’re in luck! This article will show you both manual methods, and tools, that can help you see what theme and plugins a WordPress site is using!
Before we get started, don’t assume that you can just copy a site by using the same technology, but if you’re trying to figure out how they achieved some functionality or design, this can be helpful!
Part 1: Manual Detection
Manual detection of WordPress themes and plugins involves accessing a site’s source code and navigating through it. While this may seem complex, we will guide you step by step.
Detecting Themes
- Right-click on any area of the site you are interested in and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element” from the dropdown menu. This will open the developer tools panel, where the website’s HTML code is displayed.
- Press CTRL+F (or CMD+F for Mac) to open the search bar within the developer panel.
- Type “/wp-content/themes/” into the search bar. This will highlight the instances where this directory path is mentioned. The name following this path will usually be the active theme name.
- To confirm, search for the theme’s name in WordPress’s theme repository or Google it to see if it’s a premium theme.
Detecting Plugins
The process of detecting plugins is similar to that of themes. However, instead of searching for “/wp-content/themes/”, you will look for “/wp-content/plugins/”.
- Follow steps 1 and 2 as mentioned above.
- In the search bar, type “/wp-content/plugins/”. The instances where this directory path appears will be highlighted.
- The name following this directory path is typically the active plugin name. You can then look up this name in WordPress’s plugin repository or Google it for more details.
Please note, this manual detection method may not always be effective, especially for websites that use security measures to hide their theme or plugin details.
Part 2: Using Online Tools
WPDetector
WPDetector is an online tool that automatically detects the theme and plugins used by any WordPress website. Like the other tools on this list, it’s incredibly easy to use!
- Visit the WPDetector website.
- Input the URL of the WordPress site you are interested in and press “Detect”.
- The tool will scan the website and provide you with information about the active theme and any detected plugins.
BuiltWith
BuiltWith is a more comprehensive tool that provides a detailed technology profile of any website, including the content management system, advertising networks, web hosting providers, server technology, and more. It also lists WordPress plugins that are detected.
- Visit the BuiltWith website.
- Enter the website URL and click on “Lookup”.
- On the resulting page, scroll down to “Content Management System” to confirm it’s a WordPress site.
- Further down, under “Widgets”, you can find the WordPress plugins the website is using.
Scan WP
Scan WP is another useful tool that detects not just the theme and plugins, but also theme price, hosting information, and more.
- Visit the Scan WP website.
- Enter the URL of the website you’re interested in, and click “Detect”.
- Wait for the tool to scan the site and present you with a detailed analysis.
Figuring out the theme and plugins of a WordPress website can provide valuable insights, especially for website designers and developers. It’s a great way to learn about new tools and to draw inspiration from successful websites. Whether you choose the manual method or an online tool, the process is quite straightforward, even if you’re not a tech whiz.
While it’s acceptable to gain inspiration from others, remember that each website has its unique needs and audiences. It’s crucial to choose your themes and plugins wisely to match your specific requirements. Happy exploring!