WP GitHub Tools
Use the custom GitHub Commit widget to display a list of the latest updates from a repository. Additionally, you can use shortcodes to add commit lists or embed any gist. The plugin will cache the GitHub response for a…
Consider an alternative
WP GitHub Tools shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.5 (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 WP GitHub Tools stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| commit | >100 |
| Github | >100 |
| repository | >100 |
| tool | >100 |
| widget | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About WP GitHub Tools
From the official readme · v1.4.4Description
Use the custom GitHub Commit widget to display a list of the latest updates from a repository. Additionally, you can use shortcodes to add commit lists or embed any gist.
The plugin will cache the GitHub response for a certain time period. You can change this value to any wordpress schedules you have isntalled (default: hourly, half-day, daily). To get more time frames you will need an additional plugin that extends the cron schedules.
Shortcodes
[gist id=’gist_id‘ ]
Embeds a gist in your post. Parameters:
- id (required) The id of the gist you want to embed.
[commits repository=’your-repository’ count=’max-count’ title=’your-title’]
Displays the latest commits from your repository. Parameters:
- repository (required) The name of the repository you wish to get.
- count (optional) The number of commits to retrieve (order by date). Default: 5
- title (optional) A title to display before the list (h2). Default: none
[releases repository=’your-repository’ count=’max-count’ title=’your-title’]
Displays the latest releases from your repository. Parameters:
- repository (required) The name of the repository you wish to get.
- count (optional) The number of releases to retrieve (order by date). Default: 5
- title (optional) A title to display before the list (h2). Default: none
[chart repository=’your-repository’ width=’chart-width’ height=’chart-height’ class=’additional-css-classes’ color=’bar-color’ background=’chart-background’ count=’commit-count’ title=’your-title’]
Displays an activity chart for the given repository. Parameters:
- repository (required) The name of the repository you wish to get.
- width (optional) The width of the chart. Default: auto
- height (optional) The height of the chart. Default: auto
- class (optional) Additional CSS classes to add to the chart element. Default: ”
- color (optional) The chart bar colors. Must be a valid color string (rgb, hex or name). Default: ‘#f17f49’
- background (optional) The chart background color. Must be a valid color string (rgb, hex or name). Default: ‘transparent’
- count (optional) The number of commits to retrieve (order by date). Default: 30
- title (optional) A title to display before the list (h2). Default: none
PHP functions
Feel free to use the Gihub helper class in your theme or plugin development.
<?php WP_Github_Tools_API::get_repos($user, $access_token); ?>
<?php WP_Github_Tools_API::get_user($user, $access_token); ?>
<?php WP_Github_Tools_API::get_commits($repo, $user, $access_token); ?>
<?php WP_Github_Tools_API::get_releases($repo, $user, $access_token); ?>
<?php WP_Github_Tools_API::get_gists($user, $access_token); ?>
Contribute!
If you have suggestions for a new add-on, feel free to contact me on Twitter. Alternatively, you can fork the plugin from Gihub
Installation
- Download the plugin files and upload them to your
/wp-content/plugins/directory- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Create a Github application (make sure the redirect url points back to the github tools settings page)
- Add your client ID and secret
- Connect to Github
- Ready to go!
Changelog
Version 1.4 allows access to private repos and parses Markdown release notes to HTML.
1.4
- Provides access to private repos. Current users will need to re-authorize their repository.
- Markdown-formatted release notes are rendered into HTML.
1.3
- Added custom widget to display repository releases.
- Implemented custom shortcode to display repository releases.
1.2
- Added Chart functionality (beta) that allows users to display their commit activity using a graph.
- Enabled automatic build to deliver updates more quickly.
- Minifying assets for greater performance.
1.1
- Using OAuth to connect to Github
- Improved settings page
- Better caching system
1.0
- Added custom widget to display repository commits.
- Implemented custom shortcode to display repository commits.
- Implemented custom shortcode to embed gists.
- Customizable cache system.
- Live validation of GitHub usernames.
Screenshots
For developers
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Best WP GitHub Tools alternatives
All commit plugins →| Rank | Plugin | Active installs |
|---|---|---|
| 2 |
Testing Elevated
Quick testing environment for WordPress. It helps to test the feature and commit or…
|
<10 |
FAQ
WP GitHub Tools: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 17, 2026
Is WP GitHub Tools free?
Yes. WP GitHub Tools is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is WP GitHub Tools safe to use in 2026?
WP GitHub Tools shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
How many websites use WP GitHub Tools?
WP GitHub Tools is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,613 times since it launched in February 2013. It was downloaded 37 times in the last 30 days.
Does WP GitHub Tools work with WordPress 7.1?
WP GitHub Tools is officially tested up to WordPress 4.5.33, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was WP GitHub Tools last updated?
The latest version, 1.4.4, was released on August 11, 2016 (10 years ago).
Who makes WP GitHub Tools?
WP GitHub Tools is developed and maintained by vilmosioo.
What are the best alternatives to WP GitHub Tools?
The most popular alternatives to WP GitHub Tools are Testing Elevated (<10 installs).
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