Less PHP Compiler
Includes the less.php preprocessor so that it may be used by other plugins or themes.
Consider an alternative
Less PHP Compiler shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 3K+ sites, is rated 4.5/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.1 (latest is 7.1)
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 Less PHP Compiler stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| compiler | #99 |
| less | >100 |
| preprocessor | #13 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.5 from 4 reviews
About Less PHP Compiler
From the official readme · v2.0.1Description
This is a simple plugin that loads the Less.php and scssc classes and makes them available to other plugins and themes.
When activated this plugin will not do anything.
It has no functionality on its own, but can be used as a dependency for other plugins & themes.
Includes the Less.php class from http://lessphp.gpeasy.com/ and scss from http://leafo.net/scssphp/
Changelog
2.0.1
- PHP 5.2 support: Replaced
__DIR__withdirname(__FILE__)
2.0.0
- Bugfixes
1.9.0
- Included a new Pre_Processors_Compiler class (pending documentation)
1.8.0
- Included the Sass Compiler
- Updated the Less compiler class
1.7.0
- Compilation compatible with LESS 1.7
- Fix sourcemap generation when parser caching used
- Additional less.inc.php functionality
- Assetic compatibility
- Fix order of classes in combined file
1.6.3
- Added fixes and updates from less.js 1.6.3
- Performance enhancements
- Improved Windows compatibility
- Additional lessc.inc.php functionality for users transitioning from leafo/lessphp
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
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FAQ
Less PHP Compiler: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 26, 2026
Is Less PHP Compiler free?
Yes. Less PHP Compiler is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Less PHP Compiler safe to use in 2026?
Less PHP Compiler shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 3K+ sites, is rated 4.5/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 34/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Less PHP Compiler?
Less PHP Compiler is active on 3K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 51,826 times since it launched in January 2014. It was downloaded 215 times in the last 30 days.
Does Less PHP Compiler work with WordPress 7.1?
Less PHP Compiler is officially tested up to WordPress 4.1.42, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Less PHP Compiler last updated?
The latest version, 2.0.1, was released on November 28, 2017 (9 years ago).
Who makes Less PHP Compiler?
Less PHP Compiler is developed and maintained by Ari Stathopoulos.
What are the best alternatives to Less PHP Compiler?
The most popular alternatives to Less PHP Compiler are Lenix scss compiler (700+ installs), Theme SCSS Compiler (100+ installs) and Simple SCSS Compiler (10+ installs).
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