Table of Contents Plus
Plugin Review
AI-ResearchedWhat is Table of Contents Plus?
Table of Contents Plus is a long-standing WordPress plugin that automatically generates a table of contents for your pages and posts. Developed by Syed Balkhi, this plugin has been available for 15 years. It currently holds 200,000 active installs with a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from 159 ratings. The rating breakdown shows 77% five-star reviews and 12% one-star reviews, indicating strong satisfaction alongside some critical feedback.
The plugin creates a context-specific index for long pages, appearing before the first heading by default. This design, inspired by Wikipedia, allows authors to insert lead-in content that summarizes the page. It also includes a unique numbering scheme that remains stable across different CSS themes. Beyond tables of contents, the plugin can output a sitemap listing pages and categories across your entire site.
Key Features of Table of Contents Plus
- Automatic TOC Generation: The plugin inserts a table of contents before the first heading, with no shortcode required for basic operation.
- Custom Post Type Support: You can enable TOC insertion for specific custom post types, provided they use the
the_content()function. - Shortcode Control: The
[toc]shortcode lets you place the TOC anywhere, overriding default settings for label, wrapping, and heading levels. - Widget Integration: Drag the TOC+ widget to your sidebar under Appearance > Widgets for a persistent index.
- Administration Options Panel: Customize display position, minimum heading count, and appearance through Settings > TOC+.
- Advanced Exclusion Options: Exclude specific heading levels like h5 or h6, disable the included CSS file, or adjust the top offset.
- Full-Site Sitemap Output: Generate a sitemap listing pages and categories across your site, going beyond standard TOC functionality.
- GitHub Collaboration: The plugin is open-source, allowing you to fork, collaborate, or participate on its GitHub repository.
Who Should Use Table of Contents Plus?
This plugin suits bloggers and content managers who write long, structured articles. It works well for content management system oriented configurations, where pages often exceed 1,000 words. The plugin requires minimal technical skill, as it activates with default settings that work immediately. With 200,000 active installs, it is a trusted choice for sites that need a simple, automatic index.
Power users benefit from the advanced options panel, which lets you exclude heading levels or disable CSS. The shortcode system gives developers precise control over placement on specific pages. The plugin is tested up to WordPress 6.7.5, ensuring compatibility with modern sites. If you run a site with 50+ posts, the automatic insertion saves hours of manual linking.
Installation & Setup
Installation follows the standard WordPress process. You can search for "table of contents plus" from your plugin screen or upload the folder manually to /wp-content/plugins/. After activation, the plugin works immediately with no configuration needed. For customization, visit Settings > TOC+ to adjust display position, heading minimums, and advanced options.
Support & Community
Support data from the last 2 months shows 1 open thread and 1 resolved thread, yielding a 100% resolution rate. This indicates the developer responds to issues promptly. The rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars reflects general reliability, though 12% one-star reviews suggest some users face compatibility or display problems. The plugin is 15 years old, meaning its community has a long history of documented solutions on forums and GitHub. For direct help, you can fork the plugin on GitHub or post in the WordPress.org support forum.
Pros & Cons
- With 200K+ active installs and a 4.4/5 rating from 159 reviews, it is a widely trusted solution for automatic table of contents generation.
- 77% of ratings are 5-star, indicating high user satisfaction with its core functionality and reliability.
- It offers flexible placement options, including automatic insertion before the first heading, shortcode control, and sidebar widget support.
- The plugin includes a site-wide sitemap feature for pages and categories, extending its utility beyond just table of contents.
- Administration options allow fine-grained control, such as setting a minimum heading count for display and excluding specific heading levels (e.g., h5, h6).
- Auto insertion only works for custom post types that use the_content(), limiting compatibility with some page builders or custom templates.
- The unique numbering scheme can break or appear inconsistent on themes with non-standard CSS heading styling.
- With only 1 support thread resolved, the plugin may have limited community or developer support for troubleshooting uncommon issues.
- The 12% 1-star rating suggests some users encounter bugs or usability problems, possibly related to theme conflicts or outdated code.
Technical Details
- Requires WordPress
- 3.2+
- Tested up to WP
- 6.7.5
- First Released
- 2011 (15+ years)
- Support (last 2 months)
- 1 threads — 100% resolved
Feature Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Table of Contents Plus is completely free and available on WordPress.org. It has been free since its first release in 2011.
Over 200,000 WordPress sites actively use Table of Contents Plus. It also holds a strong rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from 159 user ratings.
Table of Contents Plus requires WordPress version 3.2 or higher. It has been tested up to WordPress 6.7.5 for full compatibility.
Yes, the plugin is actively maintained and was last updated on November 21, 2024, to version 2411.1. It has been consistently updated since its first release in 2011.
Support is excellent, with 100% of support threads resolved in the last two months (1 out of 1). Most users find the plugin easy to set up without needing help.
Yes, it is designed to be user-friendly and works automatically by inserting a table of contents before the first heading. You can also customize it easily through the administration options panel.
It automatically creates a table of contents for long pages and custom post types, and can also output a site-wide sitemap. You can customize the display position, exclude heading levels, use shortcodes, or add the index to a sidebar via the widget.