With the release of Divi 5, there’s been some buzz about shortcodes “going away,” causing a bit of worry among Divi users. If you’re a designer, blogger, solopreneur, or agency owner using Divi, you might be wondering what this means for your favorite plugins and custom code that rely on shortcodes.
Let’s clear things up – the good news is that WordPress shortcodes from plugins and custom code will continue to work in Divi 5 just as they did before. The confusion stems from a change in how the Divi Builder itself handles its modules.
Divi’s Internal Shift, Not a WordPress Shortcode Ban
The core of the misunderstanding lies in the difference between Divi’s internal use of shortcodes for its builder modules and the general functionality of WordPress shortcodes.
- Divi 4 Builder: In previous versions like Divi 4, the Divi Builder used shortcodes to render its elements such as sections, rows, and modules. This is why, if you ever disabled Divi or a third-party module plugin, you might have seen blocks of shortcode text on your pages.
- Divi 5 Builder: Divi 5 introduces a new block-based system for its builder modules. This is a more modern approach that aims to improve performance and aligns with the direction of WordPress development. For existing sites, Divi includes a migration tool to smoothly convert your Divi 4 shortcodes into the new block format. New Divi 5 installations will use blocks from the start.
This change is all about how Divi itself works under the hood to build your layouts. It does not mean that the ability to use standard WordPress shortcodes is being removed from Divi.
Your WordPress Shortcodes Are Safe in Divi 5
This is the key takeaway: WordPress shortcodes that you use from plugins (for forms, sliders, galleries, etc.) or any custom code you’ve implemented will continue to function perfectly in Divi 5. You can still embed content and functionality using shortcodes without any issues.
Whether you’re adding a contact form plugin using its shortcode or embedding content from your Divi Library, you can rest assured that these will remain intact and work as expected in Divi 5.
Build with Confidence in Divi 5
The transition to Divi 5 and its block-based builder for modules is an evolution of the theme, designed to future-proof your workflow. The important distinction to remember is that this internal change does not affect the fundamental compatibility with standard WordPress shortcodes.
So, there’s no need to worry about your favorite shortcode-based plugins or custom snippets. They are here to stay and will work seamlessly with Divi 5. Continue building amazing websites with Divi and leveraging the power of WordPress shortcodes!
