Dynamic Post Grid – Gutenberg Blocks, Shortcodes & Elementor Addon
Dynamic Post Grid is a lightweight, SEO-friendly plugin for displaying posts, pages, custom post types, and WooCommerce products in beautiful grid, masonry, list, and slider layouts. It works three ways: as a Gutenberg…
Use with caution
Dynamic Post Grid works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 58/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (20+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Dynamic Post Grid stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| elementor | >100 |
| gutenberg blocks | >100 |
| post grid | >100 |
| posts | >100 |
| woocommerce | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Dynamic Post Grid
From the official readme · v1.9.0Description
Dynamic Post Grid is a lightweight, SEO-friendly plugin for displaying posts, pages, custom post types, and WooCommerce products in beautiful grid, masonry, list, and slider layouts. It works three ways: as a Gutenberg block, a standalone Shortcode Builder (no page builder needed), and an Elementor widget.
What makes this plugin different? Unlike other grid plugins that lock you into fixed templates, Dynamic Post Grid uses a block-based layout builder. Each grid is a JSON document describing individual blocks — making layouts serializable, exportable, shareable, and composable. Combined with transient caching, REST API, and Abilities API, it’s built for performance and developer flexibility.
Core Features
- Elementor Widget — Drag-and-drop post/product grids directly inside Elementor with 7 layout styles and full styling controls.
- Gutenberg Block — Native Block Editor integration with layout selector and attribute overrides.
- Standalone Shortcode Builder — Build custom post grids with a visual drag-and-drop block editor. No Elementor required.
- 4 Layout Modes — Grid, Masonry, List, and Slider layouts with responsive columns.
- 14 Block Types — Thumbnail, title, meta, excerpt, read more, terms, divider, spacer, custom HTML, button, price, rating, custom field, and slider.
- 10 Hover Effects — Zoom In, Zoom Out, Grayscale to Color, Blur, Brightness, Overlay Fade, Overlay Slide Up, Overlay Slide Left, Overlay Scale, and Border Draw.
- AJAX Category Filtering — Category filter buttons that reload the grid without page refresh.
- Load More Pagination — AJAX-powered load more button for paginated grids.
- Infinite Scroll — Automatic loading via Intersection Observer when scrolling near the bottom.
- 8 Style Presets — Built-in layout presets plus save and reuse your own custom presets.
- WooCommerce Ready — Display products with price, ratings, add-to-cart buttons, and sale badges.
- Transient Caching — Server-side caching for grid output with automatic invalidation.
- REST API — Full API access to grid data for headless/decoupled usage.
- Abilities API — WordPress 6.9+ AI-agent-ready abilities for programmatic grid operations.
Shortcode Reference
Basic Usage
[depg_grid id="123"]
All Attributes
[depg_grid id="123" layout_mode="grid" columns="3" per_page="6" orderby="date" order="DESC" filter="yes" filter_tax="category" load_more="yes" infinite_scroll="yes"]
Attribute
Type
Default
Description
id
integer
(required)
Shortcode post ID
layout_mode
string
grid
Layout mode: grid, masonry, list, or slider
columns
integer
3
Number of columns (1-4)
per_page
integer
6
Posts per page (-1 for all)
orderby
string
date
Sort by: date, title, ID, modified, rand, menu_order
order
string
DESC
Sort direction: ASC or DESC
filter
string
no
Show filter buttons: yes, 1, or true
filter_tax
string
auto
Taxonomy for filter buttons
load_more
string
no
Show Load More button: yes, 1, or true
infinite_scroll
string
no
Enable infinite scroll: yes, 1, or true
REST API
Endpoint: GET /wp-json/depg/v1/grid/{id}
Parameters: page, per_page, filter (term ID), taxonomy, layout_mode
Response:
json
{
"settings": {
"post_type": "post",
"layout_mode": "grid",
"columns": 3,
"per_page": 6,
"orderby": "date",
"order": "DESC"
},
"blocks": [...],
"posts": [
{
"id": 123,
"title": "Hello World",
"permalink": "https://example.com/hello-world/",
"excerpt": "This is a sample post...",
"date": "2026-07-18T10:00:00+00:00",
"author": { "id": 1, "name": "Admin" },
"featured_image": { "src": "...", "alt": "..." },
"terms": [{ "taxonomy": "category", "name": "Uncategorized" }]
}
],
"paging": {
"current_page": 1,
"max_num_pages": 5,
"total_posts": 48,
"remaining": 42
}
}
Abilities API (WordPress 6.9+)
Ability
Type
Description
dynamic-post-grid/render-grid
Read-only
Render a grid as HTML
dynamic-post-grid/get-grid-data
Read-only
Get structured post data as JSON
dynamic-post-grid/create-shortcode
Write
Create a new grid programmatically
dynamic-post-grid/export-layout
Read-only
Export layout as portable JSON
dynamic-post-grid/import-layout
Write
Import a layout JSON
Execute via: POST /wp-json/wp-abilities/v1/execute/{ability-name}
Installation
- Go to Plugins > Add New and search for “Dynamic Post Grid Elementor Addon”.
- Install and activate the plugin.
- Elementor users: The widget appears under “WPC Elements” in the Elementor panel.
- Shortcode users: Go to Grid Shortcodes > Add New in your admin to create a layout, then copy the shortcode.
Frequently asked questions
Does the plugin require Elementor?
The Elementor widget requires Elementor 3.0 or higher. However, the Standalone Shortcode Builder works independently — you can use the [depg_grid] shortcode in the Block Editor, classic editor, widgets, or any page builder.
How do I use the Shortcode Builder?
Go to Grid Shortcodes > Add New in your WordPress admin. Give your layout a title, configure the query settings (post type, columns, etc.), drag blocks into the layout builder, and publish. Copy the generated shortcode and paste it into any post, page, or widget area.
What layout modes are available?
Three layout modes are available in the Post Query settings: Grid — Classic column-based grid layout. Masonry — Pinterest-style layout with CSS columns (no JavaScript dependency). List — Horizontal layout with featured image on the left and content on the right. You can also override the layout mode via shortcode attribute: [depg_grid id="123" layout_mode="masonry"]
How do hover effects work?
Hover effects are configured per Thumbnail block. In the Layout Builder, click Settings on a Thumbnail block and select a hover effect from the dropdown. Available effects: Zoom In — Image scales up on hover. Zoom Out — Image starts zoomed and scales to normal on hover. Grayscale to Color — Image transitions from black-and-white to full color. Blur — Image blurs on hover. Brightness — Image brightens on hover. Overlay Fade — Dark overlay with link icon fades in. Overlay Slide Up — Dark overlay slides up from bottom. Overlay Slide Left — Dark overlay slides in from the right. Overlay Scale —…
How does AJAX filtering work?
Enable filtering in the Post Query section by checking “Show category filter buttons”. On the frontend, clicking a filter button reloads the grid content via AJAX without a page refresh. The filter respects your category restrictions — if you limit the grid to specific categories, only those categories appear as filter buttons. You can also enable it via shortcode attribute: [depg_grid id="123" filter="yes" filter_tax="category"]
How does Load More work?
Enable Load More in the Post Query section by selecting “Load More” as the pagination mode. A “Load More (X remaining)” button appears below the grid. Clicking it loads the next page of posts via AJAX and appends them to the grid. The button disappears when all posts are loaded.
How does Infinite Scroll work?
Enable Infinite Scroll in the Post Query section by selecting “Infinite Scroll” as the pagination mode. As the user scrolls near the bottom of the grid, new posts are automatically loaded via AJAX and appended to the grid. A spinner shows while loading, and a “No more posts” message appears when all posts are loaded. You can also enable it via shortcode attribute: [depg_grid id="123" infinite_scroll="yes"]
How does caching work?
Grid output is cached using WordPress transients for 1 hour by default. Cache is automatically invalidated when: A post is saved, deleted, or its status changes. A grid shortcode is updated. You click “Clear All Grid Cache” in the Shortcode Builder. You can change the cache duration with the depg_cache_duration filter: add_filter( 'depg_cache_duration', function() { return 30 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS; } );
What is the REST API?
All grid data is available via REST API for headless/decoupled usage: GET /wp-json/depg/v1/grid/{id} Optional parameters: page, per_page, filter (term ID), taxonomy, layout_mode. The response includes structured post data (title, permalink, excerpt, author, featured image, terms) and paging information. No authentication required.
What is the Abilities API?
On WordPress 6.9+, the plugin registers 5 AI-agent-ready abilities that can be discovered and executed by AI agents, automation tools (Zapier, n8n), and MCP servers: dynamic-post-grid/render-grid — Render a grid as HTML. dynamic-post-grid/get-grid-data — Get structured post data as JSON. dynamic-post-grid/create-shortcode — Create a new grid programmatically. dynamic-post-grid/export-layout — Export a grid layout as portable JSON. dynamic-post-grid/import-layout — Import a layout JSON.
Can I override shortcode settings in the shortcode itself?
Yes. You can pass any of these attributes to override the saved settings: [depg_grid id="123" layout_mode="masonry" columns="2" per_page="12" orderby="title" order="ASC" filter="yes" load_more="yes"] Available attributes: id (required), layout_mode (grid/masonry/list), columns (1-4), per_page (number of posts), orderby (date, title, ID, modified, rand, menu_order), order (ASC or DESC), filter (yes/1/true), filter_tax (taxonomy slug), load_more (yes/1/true).
Can I save my own layout presets?
Yes. Build a layout in the Shortcode Builder, click Save Current as Preset, enter a name, and save. Your custom presets appear in the My Presets dropdown alongside the built-in presets.
Can I export and import grid layouts?
Yes. Use the REST API or Abilities API to export a grid configuration as JSON. The JSON contains the full settings and block configuration. Import it on another site to create an identical grid.
Does it work with WooCommerce products?
Yes. Select “Product” as the post type in the query settings. The shortcode builder includes Price and Rating blocks specifically for WooCommerce products.
Does this plugin work with all themes?
Yes. It works with all WordPress themes.
Changelog
Advanced Query Tab — taxonomy queries, date queries, author/search/status filters, and critical bug fixes for filters not applying.
1.9.0
- [Feature] Advanced Query Tab — full WP_Query control from the Shortcode Builder (no code needed).
- [Feature] Taxonomy Query repeater — filter by multiple taxonomies and terms with AND/OR relation.
- [Feature] Date Query — filter posts by date range (after/before) or year/month/day.
- [Feature] Author, Search, Include IDs, Post Status, and Has Password filters.
- [Fix] Advanced query settings (exclude, offset, post_parent, ignore_sticky_posts, meta_query) now actually apply to WP_Query — previously saved but never used.
- [Fix] AJAX filter now applies all advanced query filters (was previously ignored in AJAX requests).
- [Fix] Removed dead
has_passwordcode that checked=== '0'and never triggered. - [Fix] Taxonomy query merge with existing category filter now preserves all clauses correctly.
- [Fix] Date query month/day save edge case (value 0 was saved instead of empty).
- [Performance] Extracted shared
apply_advanced_query_filters()method for reuse across render paths. - [Testing] Added standalone test suite with 21 test cases covering all advanced query filters.
1.8.0
- [Feature] Plugin renamed to “Dynamic Post Grid – Gutenberg Blocks, Shortcodes & Elementor Addon” for better SEO and discoverability.
- [Fix] Gutenberg blocks not rendering in editor — removed conflicting editorScript/editorStyle from block.json, script loading now handled via enqueue_block_editor_assets.
- [Fix] Slider layout not working in shortcode — shortcode renderer now falls back to saved slider_settings when layout_mode is slider.
- [Fix] Swiper CSS/JS not loading — moved Swiper enqueue from render_slider() (too late, after wp_head) to enqueue_assets() (before wp_head).
- [Fix] Slider navigation broken on first page load with filter enabled — removed fragile inline script, Swiper now initializes via depg-filter.js on DOMContentLoaded and window.load.
- [Fix] AJAX filter now re-initializes Swiper after replacing slider content.
- [Fix] Case-sensitivity bug in depg-filter.js — DEPG_Filter vs DEPG_FILTER caused ReferenceError on frontend.
- [Fix] Cache stale after settings change — cache key now includes layout_mode and columns, ensuring different settings produce different cache entries.
- [Fix] block.json trailing commas — removed invalid trailing commas from all 4 block.json files.
- [Tweak] depg-filter.js now depends on Swiper script to guarantee load order.
- [Tweak] Slider config stored as data attributes on container instead of inline script.
1.7.0
- [Feature] Gutenberg Blocks — 4 native blocks: Dynamic Post Grid, Dynamic Post List, Dynamic Post Masonry, and Dynamic Post Filter.
- [Feature] Numbered pagination — AJAX-powered page links with prev/next, ellipsis, and current page indicator.
- [Feature] Dropdown filter style — compact dropdown alternative to filter buttons.
- [Feature] URL deep-linking — filter state persists in browser URL (?depg_123=456) for shareable filtered views.
- [Feature] Browser back/forward support — navigation history restores filter state automatically.
- [Feature] 3 new grid presets — Magazine (large first + 2-col), Card Overlay (image + title overlay), Title List (compact title-focused).
- [Feature] Filter Style selector — choose between Buttons or Dropdown in Shortcode Builder and Gutenberg blocks.
- [Feature] Standalone Filter block — place a filter bar anywhere on the page, connected to any grid.
- [Feature] Pagination attribute —
[depg_grid id="123" pagination="numbers"]for shortcode override. - [Feature] Review prompt — admin notice after creating 3+ grids, with one-click dismiss.
- [Feature] Infinite Scroll pagination — automatic loading via Intersection Observer, configurable threshold.
- [Feature] Slider layout mode — moved from block palette to layout mode selector with dedicated options card.
- [UI] Pagination Mode selector — None, Numbered, Load More, or Infinite Scroll (4 options).
- [UI] Complete Shortcode Builder redesign — modern 5-tab interface (Query, Layout, Builder, Style, Advanced).
- [UI] Visual layout mode cards with icons for Grid, Masonry, List, and Slider.
- [Fix] REST API now includes pagination_mode and slider_settings in response.
- [Fix] Cache key now differentiates between pagination modes.
- [Fix] Fixed JavaScript variable redeclaration bug in frontend filter JS.
- [Fix] Cache clear AJAX action now uses its own dedicated nonce instead of reusing the presets nonce.
- [Fix] Cache invalidation now uses tracked keys with delete_transient() instead of raw SQL, ensuring proper clearing when object caching (Redis/Memcached) is active.
1.6.0
- [Feature] Masonry layout mode — Pinterest-style CSS column layout, responsive (3/2/1 columns).
- [Feature] List layout mode — horizontal layout with featured image on left, content on right, responsive stacking on mobile.
- [Feature] 10 thumbnail hover effects — Zoom In, Zoom Out, Grayscale to Color, Blur, Brightness, Overlay Fade, Overlay Slide Up, Overlay Slide Left, Overlay Scale, Border Draw.
- [Feature] Transient-based caching for grid output (1 hour default, filterable).
- [Feature] Auto cache invalidation on post save, delete, and status change.
- [Feature] “Clear All Grid Cache” button in Shortcode Builder.
- [Feature] REST API endpoint —
GET /wp-json/depg/v1/grid/{id}for headless/decoupled usage. - [Feature] Abilities API — 5 AI-agent-ready abilities for WordPress 6.9+ (render-grid, get-grid-data, create-shortcode, export-layout, import-layout).
- [Feature] Shortcode attribute
layout_mode— override layout mode via[depg_grid id="123" layout_mode="masonry"]. - [Fix] Exclude IDs, Offset, Ignore Sticky Posts, Post Parent, and Meta Query fields now save correctly in the Shortcode Builder.
- [Fix]
$featured_imageundefined variable notice for posts without thumbnails in REST API response. - [Fix] Help page now documents current shortcode attributes instead of legacy Elementor widget attributes.
- [Security] Abilities API — all block types individually sanitized with proper escaping (wp_kses_post for HTML, esc_url_raw for URLs, sanitize_key for keys, etc.).
- [Security] Abilities API — import-layout now passes blocks through
sanitize_block_for_ability()before storage. - [Security] Abilities API — block type whitelist prevents unknown types from being stored.
- [Security] Abilities API — layout_mode values sanitized with
sanitize_key()in create-shortcode and import-layout. - [Security] Admin save logic — layout_mode sanitized with
sanitize_key()on save. - [UI] Admin form modernized with flexbox grid layout (no more table-based form).
- [UI] Renamed “Query Settings” to “Post Query” for clarity.
- [Performance] Cache layer reduces database queries for repeated grid renders.
1.5.0
- [Feature] AJAX category filtering — category filter buttons that reload posts without page refresh.
- [Feature] Load More pagination — AJAX-powered load more button with remaining post count.
- [Feature] Reset to Default — one-click reset in the layout builder restores the default block configuration.
- [Feature] New
filter,filter_tax, andload_moreshortcode attributes. - [Feature] Frontend filter and load more settings configurable from the Shortcode Builder UI.
- [UI] Redesigned Post Query section with modern flexbox form grid layout.
- [UI] Renamed “Query Settings” to “Post Query” for clarity.
- [Fix] Removed unused auto-preset detection that cleared the dropdown on block changes.
1.4.0
- [Feature] Slider carousel block — Swiper 11 carousel with configurable slides per view, autoplay, loop, arrows, and dots.
- [Feature] Button block — customizable text, optional custom URL, and target selection.
- [Feature] Price block — WooCommerce product price with optional prefix/suffix.
- [Feature] Rating block — WooCommerce star rating with optional review count.
- [Feature] Custom Field block — display any post meta value with an optional label.
- [Fix] Shortcode builder now works without Elementor.
- [Fix] Meta block date checkbox label missing opening tag in JS palette template.
Screenshots
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FAQ
Dynamic Post Grid: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 6, 2026
Is Dynamic Post Grid free?
Yes. Dynamic Post Grid is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Dynamic Post Grid safe to use in 2026?
Dynamic Post Grid works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 58/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Dynamic Post Grid?
Dynamic Post Grid is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 3,054 times since it launched in May 2024. It was downloaded 110 times in the last 30 days.
Does Dynamic Post Grid work with WordPress 7.1?
Dynamic Post Grid is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.7, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Dynamic Post Grid need?
Dynamic Post Grid requires PHP 5.6 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Dynamic Post Grid last updated?
The latest version, 1.9.0, was released on July 19, 2026 (3 months ago).
Who makes Dynamic Post Grid?
Dynamic Post Grid is developed and maintained by Maidul.
What are the best alternatives to Dynamic Post Grid?
The most popular alternatives to Dynamic Post Grid are Ultimate Addons for Element… (2M+ installs), Essential Addons for Elemen… (1M+ installs) and Royal Addons for Elementor (600K+ installs).
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