The file editor WordPress should have shipped with.
FileSmith Editor keeps the familiar theme and plugin editor layout and adds what is missing: create, upload, rename, move, back up and restore files, with access you control per role or user.
- Free, GPLv2 or later
- WordPress 5.8+ and PHP 7.4+
- No ads, no tracking, no remote calls
my-plugin.phpThis preview is live. Open files from the list, then press a key inside the code to see an unsaved change.
Everything the built-in editor leaves out.
The core editor can only change files that already exist. FileSmith Editor lets you manage the whole folder.
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Open files in tabs
Keep several files open. Each tab keeps its own undo history and cursor, and shows a dot while it has unsaved changes.
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The editor you already know
Syntax highlighting, line numbers, a light or dark theme and your own font size, using the same code editor WordPress ships with.
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Create files and folders
Add a new file or folder anywhere in a theme or plugin. Rename, move and duplicate from the file list.
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Upload files New permission
Drop in images, fonts and code files. Existing files are never overwritten, and double extensions such as
.php.pngare blocked. -
Download as a zip
Package a whole theme or plugin in one click. Version control folders and
node_modulesare left out. -
PHP syntax check before every save
A file with a parse error is not saved, so a missing semicolon cannot take your site down. The code is parsed, never run.
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Backups with a changes view
Every save makes a backup first, with the name of who saved it. Compare any backup with the editor line by line, then load it back.
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Trash instead of permanent delete
Deleted files and folders can be restored for 30 days. Backups follow a file when you rename or move it.
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Respects WordPress file-edit locks
If
DISALLOW_FILE_EDITorDISALLOW_FILE_MODSis set, the editor stays off, exactly like the built-in editors. -
Access by role or by user
Decide who can view, edit, create, upload, rename, move, delete, restore and download. Settings can only limit access, never grant more than WordPress allows.
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Activity log
See who saved, created, uploaded, renamed, moved or deleted which file, and when. Entries are pruned after the number of days you set.
Try to break a file. It will not let you.
This is a simulation of what happens when you press Save. The code below has a typo on line 2. Save it as it is, then fix it.
0 on line 2.
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Syntax check
PHP files are parsed with the tokenizer. Nothing is executed. A parse error stops the save here.
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Backup
The current file is copied to a protected folder. If the backup fails, the file is not saved.
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Write
The new content is written through the WordPress filesystem API.
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Log
Your name, the file and the time go in the activity log.
Editing live code is always risky. FileSmith Editor adds a safety net, but it cannot catch runtime errors such as calling a function that does not exist. Keep regular full-site backups.
You decide who can do what.
Tick the actions each role may use, or give one person their own list. Administrators always have full access. Try the table.
Built-in editor or FileSmith Editor.
| What you need | WordPress editors | FileSmith Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Edit existing files | Yes | Yes, with tabs |
| Create and delete files and folders | Not possible | Yes, with a trash |
| Rename, move and duplicate | Not possible | Yes |
| Upload files | Not possible | Yes, with its own permission |
| Backups and restore | None | Before every save, with a diff view |
| Protection from a broken save | Checks the site after saving | Blocks parse errors before saving |
| Access by role or user | Same for everyone | Per role and per user |
| Activity log | None | Who changed what, and when |
| Download a theme or plugin as a zip | Not possible | Yes |
Install it in a minute.
FileSmith Editor is not on WordPress.org, because the directory does not host code editors. You install it from this page, the same way as any plugin zip.
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Download the zip
Get filesmith-editor.zip. Do not unzip it.
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Upload it in WordPress
Go to Plugins, Add New Plugin, Upload Plugin. Choose the zip and click Install Now.
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Activate and open FileSmith
Click Activate Plugin, then open FileSmith, Editor in the admin menu. Pick a theme or plugin and start editing.
Prefer the command line?
wp plugin install filesmith-editor.zip --activate
Questions people ask.
Is FileSmith Editor on WordPress.org?
No. The WordPress.org team does not host code editors, so you download FileSmith Editor from this page and install it with Plugins, Add New, Upload Plugin.
Is it safe to edit live theme and plugin files?
Editing live code always carries risk. FileSmith Editor reduces it: a PHP syntax check blocks files with parse errors, every save makes a backup first, deleted files go to a trash, and access can be limited by role or user. Keep regular full-site backups as well.
Why can't my Editor role see FileSmith?
FileSmith requires the WordPress capabilities edit_themes or edit_plugins, which the Editor role does not have. The settings can only limit access, never grant more than WordPress core allows. The Access control tab shows a warning for roles that cannot be given access.
Does it respect DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT?
Yes. When DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT or DISALLOW_FILE_MODS is set in wp-config.php, the editor is not available, the same as the built-in editors.
Where are my backups stored?
In a folder with a random name inside your uploads folder, protected by an index.php and an .htaccess file. Backups use the .bak extension so they can never be executed. The latest 20 backups of each file are kept by default.
Does it work with single-file plugins and multisite?
Plugins must live in their own folder, so single-file plugins are not supported yet. On multisite, only super admins can use the editor.
What happens to my data when I delete the plugin?
The settings, activity log and backup folder are removed on uninstall. Add define( 'FSED_KEEP_DATA', true ); to wp-config.php before deleting the plugin to keep them.
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Download FileSmith Editor, upload the zip, and manage your theme and plugin files without leaving WordPress.