Can I display a sidebar using PHP in my theme?

Yes, use either method in your theme template files: Or the native WordPress function:

by Andrei Surdu 4.4 (5 reviews)

SMK Sidebar Generator

Name: SMK Sidebar Generator
Rating: 4.4 (5 reviews)
Author: Andrei Surdu

Create unlimited custom sidebars and widget areas. Display different sidebars on specific pages, posts, or custom post types with conditional logic.

SMK Sidebar Generator ranks #1,747 among WordPress.org plugins with 10,000+ active installations, is #250 of 8,562 in the Customization category, a 4.4/5 rating from 5 reviews, and was last updated Feb 17, 2026. Data from WordPress.org, refreshed twice daily — see methodology.

Tested up to WP 6.9.8 (Current: 7.1.1)

v3.6.0 Current Version v3.6.0

Updated 7 months ago Last Update on 17 Feb, 2026

Refreshed 11 hours ago Last Refreshed on

#250 of 8,562 in Customization Top 5% by installs

View on WordPress.org

Rank

#1,747

-10 this week

Active Installs

10K+

-38.3%

KW Avg Position

8.7

— No change

Downloads

411.4K

+23 today

Support Resolved

— No change

Rating

88%

Review 4.4 out of 5

4.4 (5 reviews)

Next Milestone 20K

Total Progress 59%

10K+ 20K+

330

Ranks to Climb

Growth Needed

8,000,000

Active Installs

Pro

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Need 4,100 more installs to reach 20K+

Rank Changes

Current #1,747

Change

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Active Installs Growth

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Active Installs 0,000,000+

Growth +0.0%

Peak 0,000,000

Downloads Growth

Downloads

Growth

Peak

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Reviews & Ratings

4.4

5 reviews

Overall 88%

4 (80%)

0 (0%)

1 (20%)

0 (0%)

Security History

Source: WPVulnerability

No known vulnerabilities on record for SMK Sidebar Generator. Checked 1 week ago.

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Plugin Details

Version: 3.6.0
Last Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Requires WP: 4.0+
Tested Up To: 6.9.8
PHP Version: 5.3 or higher
Author: Andrei Surdu

Support & Rating

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 4.4
Reviews: 5
Support Threads: 0
Resolved: 0%

Keywords

custom sidebar generator sidebar widget

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TL;DR

AI summary of the plugin's readme

This plugin is for WordPress site owners and developers who need multiple widget areas that change depending on the page, post, or content type. It solves the problem of manually editing theme files to show different sidebars in different contexts by letting users create and conditionally display sidebars from the admin without coding.

Unlimited custom sidebars
Conditional display logic
Replace theme sidebars
Drag and drop management
Responsive admin interface
Shortcode support
PHP template functions
Works with any theme

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SMK Sidebar Generator

Go to Appearance > SMK Sidebars in your WordPress admin Click the "Add New Sidebar" button Enter a name and optional description Save your changes Go to Appearance > Widgets to add widgets to your new sidebar

Create or edit a sidebar in Appearance > SMK Sidebars Select which theme sidebar to replace in the "Sidebars to replace" dropdown Check "Enable conditions" Click "Add condition" and select the page(s) where you want this sidebar to appear Save changes

Yes! Use the shortcode [smk_sidebar id="your-sidebar-id"] in any text widget or shortcode module. You can find each sidebar's shortcode displayed in its settings panel.

No. SMK Sidebar Generator is lightweight and only loads its assets on the admin pages where needed. On the frontend, it simply filters which sidebar to display with minimal overhead.

Yes! The plugin works with any properly coded WordPress theme. Your generated sidebars will automatically inherit your theme's sidebar styling.

Yes, use either method in your theme template files: <?php smk_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' ); ?> Or the native WordPress function: <?php dynamic_sidebar( 'your-sidebar-id' ); ?>

The sidebar ID is displayed in each sidebar's settings panel, along with the shortcode. You can also use smk_get_all_sidebars() to get an array of all sidebar IDs and names.

Yes! When adding conditions, select the post type archive or use taxonomy conditions to target specific categories, tags, or custom taxonomies.

Yes! You can create shop-specific sidebars and use conditions to display them only on WooCommerce pages like the shop, product pages, cart, or checkout.

Yes! The plugin is translation-ready. You can contribute translations on translate.wordpress.org or create your own using the included POT file.