Template Dictionary
Template Dictionary is a plugin which can be used to create template variables editable by admins.
Consider an alternative
Template Dictionary shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 6 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 5 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.5 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & supportDaily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Template Dictionary stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| dictionary | >100 |
| options | >100 |
| settings | >100 |
| template | >100 |
| variables | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Template Dictionary
From the official readme · v1.6.1Description
Template Dictionary is a plugin which can be used to create template variables editable by admins.
The plugin is multilingual ready. It includes Polylang integration, another multilingual plugin can be integrated with filters.
Admin pages
There are few admin pages for managing the plugin.
- Template Dictionary – view, edit and delete the template variables values
- Settings list – view, edit and delete template variables settings
- Add setting – add new or edit template variables setting
- Edit values – edit a value, this page is accessable from the page Template Dictionary
- Export/Import – export settings and values to xml or import it from xml
Usage in template
You can use a value in template by calling function get of Template Dictionary object, which can be accessed by function TmplDict().
For example, if you set a setting with code the_code, you can use it’s value by:
TmplDict()->get( 'the_code' );
This function returns the value. If you need to echo the value, you can use function eget. Both functions have an optional argument $default, which is the default returned/echoed value, if the admin value is empty.
You can also get the value by accessing the code as property:
$value = TmplDict()->the_code;
Usage with shortcode
You can also use a shortcode [tmpl_dict] with attributes code, default and do_shortcode. The last attribute says, if the function do_shortcode will be called on the value.
Setup template language
Default template language can be set by setting the constant TMPL_DICT_DEFAULT_LANG in wp-config. Default value of this constant consists of two first characters of the current WP locale. It is important to set the default language constant properly if you plan to create your site multilingual in future.
If you have a multilingual site, you need to set current template language with the filter template_dictionary_language. For users of Polylang, it is already integrated in this plugin, the current template language is the Polylang current language slug.
Setup available languages
If you have a multilingual site, you also need to set available languages with the filter template_dictionary_languages. Again, if Polylang is activated, these available languages consist of Polylang languages slugs.
If your site is not multilingual, there is only one available language – the default language.
Use JS object
To generate JavaScript dictionary object, you need to define TMPL_DICT_JS_VAR_NAME constant. Add to wp_config.php:
define( 'TMPL_DICT_JS_VAR_NAME', 'dict' );
Then you can use it in JS:
$('#some-element').text( dict.the_code );
Changelog
1.6.1
- Fix: When exporting both settings and values, export empty settings too.
- Fix: Correct number of placeholders for wpdb::prepare.
1.6
- Added method to get whole dictionary array.
- Added JS dictionary object.
1.5
- Added term field type.
- Add admin info notice if
TMPL_DICT_DEFAULT_LANGconstant is not set.
1.4
- Fix: Page for editing settings was not showing.
- Show admin submenu opened on Edit Values page.
1.3
- Fix: screen option per_page on settings list
- Enabled caching of values
- Set user locale as language in admin if it is in available languages list.
- Refactored admin pages
1.02
- Added post-multiple field type.
- Added method __get for accessing dictionary values as properties.
For developers
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Best Template Dictionary alternatives
All dictionary plugins →FAQ
Template Dictionary: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 10, 2026
Is Template Dictionary free?
Yes. Template Dictionary is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Template Dictionary safe to use in 2026?
Template Dictionary shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 6 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Template Dictionary?
Template Dictionary is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,031 times since it launched in August 2017. It was downloaded 50 times in the last 30 days.
Does Template Dictionary work with WordPress 7.1?
Template Dictionary is officially tested up to WordPress 5.5.23, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Template Dictionary last updated?
The latest version, 1.6.1, was released on November 16, 2020 (6 years ago).
Who makes Template Dictionary?
Template Dictionary is developed and maintained by radovank.
What are the best alternatives to Template Dictionary?
The most popular alternatives to Template Dictionary are CM Tooltip Glossary (7K+ installs), Heroic Glossary (3K+ installs) and Name Directory (2K+ installs).
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