# Prism Syntax Highlighter

> Prism Syntax Highlighter has 20+ active installs and 51 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 24/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Consider an alternative.** Prism Syntax Highlighter shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 14 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.

**Prism is a new lightweight, extensible syntax highlighter, built with modern web standards in mind, by Lea Verou. This is a WordPress plugin to make it super simple to use Prism on your WordPress site.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 20+
- **Total downloads:** 3,558
- **Downloads (30 days):** 51 (+45.7% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** No ratings yet
- **Health score:** 24/100 (At risk)
- **Version:** 1.0
- **Last updated:** Aug 3, 2012
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 3.4.2
- **Requires:** WordPress 3.4+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Gilbert Pellegrom (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/gilbitron/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/prism-syntax-highlighter/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [code](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/code/) | #94 | 228 |
| [highlighter](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/highlighter/) | #20 | 39 |
| [pre](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/pre/) | #4 | 12 |
| [prism](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/prism/) | #4 | 12 |
| [syntax](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/syntax/) | #29 | 63 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| code | >100 | 10,000 |
| highlighter | >100 | 229 |
| pre | >100 | 5,755 |
| prism | #64 | 67 |
| syntax | >100 | 2,203 |

## Version adoption

- 1.0: 100%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/insert-headers-and-footers/) | 3M+ | 4.9/5 (1,905) | Oct 8, 2026 | 95/100 |
| 2 | [Code Snippets](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/code-snippets/) | 1M+ | 4.7/5 (509) | Oct 12, 2026 | 95/100 |
| 3 | [Head & Footer Code](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/head-footer-code/) | 100K+ | 5/5 (51) | Aug 31, 2026 | 77/100 |
| 4 | [Simple Custom CSS Plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/simple-custom-css/) | 100K+ | 4.7/5 (159) | Mar 11, 2025 | 51/100 |
| 5 | [Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for Anything](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/shortcoder/) | 100K+ | 4.9/5 (227) | Sep 14, 2026 | 81/100 |
| 6 | [Scripts n Styles](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/scripts-n-styles/) | 30K+ | 4.4/5 (30) | Jun 6, 2023 | 45/100 |
| 7 | [SyntaxHighlighter Evolved](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/syntaxhighlighter/) | 20K+ | 4.3/5 (86) | Mar 3, 2025 | 51/100 |
| 8 | [Code Embed](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/simple-embed-code/) | 10K+ | 4.4/5 (45) | Aug 21, 2026 | 83/100 |
| 9 | [WP Coder – Insert & Manage Code Snippets](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-coder/) | 10K+ | 4.9/5 (32) | Oct 2, 2026 | 85/100 |
| 10 | [Advance Custom HTML – Show Off Code Snippets with Live Preview](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/advance-custom-html/) | 10K+ | 2.5/5 (4) | Oct 1, 2026 | 73/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Prism Syntax Highlighter free?
Yes. Prism Syntax Highlighter is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Prism Syntax Highlighter safe to use in 2026?
Prism Syntax Highlighter shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites and was last updated 14 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Prism Syntax Highlighter?
Prism Syntax Highlighter is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 3,558 times since it launched in August 2012. It was downloaded 51 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Prism Syntax Highlighter work with WordPress 7.1?
Prism Syntax Highlighter is officially tested up to WordPress 3.4.2, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### When was Prism Syntax Highlighter last updated?
The latest version, 1.0, was released on August 3, 2012 (14 years ago).

### Who makes Prism Syntax Highlighter?
Prism Syntax Highlighter is developed and maintained by Gilbert Pellegrom.

### What are the best alternatives to Prism Syntax Highlighter?
The most popular alternatives to Prism Syntax Highlighter are WPCode (3M+ installs), Code Snippets (1M+ installs) and Head & Footer Code (100K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/prism-syntax-highlighter/ · Generated 2026-10-14 18:07 UTC by PageForge