Widget Visibility Manager

Add powerful visibility control rules to all WordPress widgets. Show or hide widgets based on user login status, roles, page types, device types, and date ranges. Create personalized user experiences without code.

Single File v1.0.1 Updated 3 days ago

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YT Widget Visibility Manager

Description

The Widget Visibility Manager plugin extends WordPress widgets with advanced visibility rules. Control exactly when and where each widget appears on your site. Perfect for membership sites, e-commerce stores, multi-author blogs, and any site requiring targeted content delivery.

Features

Visibility Rules Panel: Collapsible section added to every widget
Login Status Control: Show to everyone, logged-in only, or logged-out only
User Role Targeting: Display widgets to specific roles (admin, editor, author, etc.)
Page Type Filters: Control visibility by front page, blog, posts, pages, archives, search, 404
Device Detection: Show/hide widgets on mobile, tablet, or desktop
Date Range Scheduling: Display widgets only within specific date ranges
Per-Widget Configuration: Each widget has independent visibility settings
Global Settings: Enable/disable specific rule types site-wide
Status Indicators: Visual badges show active/inactive visibility rules
Collapsible Interface: Clean, organized widget forms
No Database Tables: Uses WordPress options (lightweight)
Translation Ready: Full i18n support
Customizer Compatible: Works in WordPress Customizer
Block Editor Support: Compatible with widget block editor
Secure: Proper capability checks and data sanitization

Installation

Upload yt-widget-visibility-manager.php to /wp-content/plugins/
Upload yt-widget-visibility-manager.css to the same directory
Upload yt-widget-visibility-manager.js to the same directory
Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu
Go to Appearance → Widgets
Configure visibility rules for any widget

Usage

Basic Setup

Go to Appearance → Widgets
Open any widget in a sidebar
Scroll to Visibility Rules section
Click to expand the section
Check Enable visibility rules for this widget
Configure your desired rules
Save the widget

Login Status Rules

Control widget visibility based on authentication:

Everyone

Widget shows to all visitors (default)
No restrictions applied

Logged-in users only

Widget visible only to authenticated users
Hidden from guests and visitors

Logged-out users only

Widget visible only to non-authenticated visitors
Hidden from logged-in users

User Role Rules

Target specific user roles:

Set Login Status to "Logged-in users only" or "Everyone"
Select one or more user roles
Widget shows only to users with selected roles

Available Roles (default WordPress):

Administrator
Editor
Author
Contributor
Subscriber

Custom Roles:

Any custom roles added by plugins also appear
Select multiple roles for broader targeting

Leave Empty:

Shows to all logged-in users regardless of role

Page Type Rules

Control where widgets appear:

All pages

Widget shows everywhere (default)

Front page only

Homepage only (static page or blog)

Blog page

Main blog posts page

Single posts

Individual blog post pages

Pages

Static WordPress pages

Archives

Category, tag, author, date archives

Search results

Search results pages

404 error page

Page not found pages

Device Type Rules

Responsive widget display:

All devices

Shows on mobile, tablet, desktop (default)

Mobile only

Smartphones and small screens
Typically < 768px width

Tablet only

Tablets and medium screens
Typically 768px - 1024px width

Desktop only

Laptops and large screens
Typically > 1024px width

Date Range Rules

Schedule widget appearance:

Check Enable Date Range
Set Start Date (optional)
Set End Date (optional)
Widget shows only within date range

Examples:

Start: 2025-12-01, End: 2025-12-31 (December only)
Start: 2025-01-01, End: (empty) (From January onwards)
Start: (empty), End: 2025-06-30 (Until end of June)

Settings

Navigate to Settings → Widget Visibility to configure:

Enable Rule Types

Control which rule types are available:

Login Status Rules

✓ Enabled: Show login status dropdown in widgets
✗ Disabled: Hide login status controls

User Role Rules

✓ Enabled: Show user role checkboxes
✗ Disabled: Hide role selection

Page Type Rules

✓ Enabled: Show page type dropdown
✗ Disabled: Hide page type controls

Device Type Rules

✓ Enabled: Show device type dropdown
✗ Disabled: Hide device controls

Date Range Rules

✓ Enabled: Show date range inputs
✗ Disabled: Hide date scheduling

Default Behavior

Hide widgets by default when rules don't match

✓ Checked: Hide widget if rules don't match
✗ Unchecked: Show widget unless explicitly hidden

Use Cases

Membership Site

Show different content to members vs. visitors:

Member-Only Widget:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Login Status: Logged-in users only
User Roles: (leave empty for all members)

Guest Welcome Widget:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Login Status: Logged-out users only
Page Type: Front page only

E-commerce Store

Target different customer segments:

Sale Banner (Limited Time):

✓ Enable visibility rules
Date Range: Enabled
Start Date: 2025-11-25
End Date: 2025-11-30

Mobile App Promotion:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Device Type: Mobile only

Multi-Author Blog

Show widgets based on content type:

Author Bio Widget:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Page Type: Single posts

Category Navigation:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Page Type: Archives

Admin-Only Tools

Hidden utilities for administrators:

Site Stats Widget:

✓ Enable visibility rules
Login Status: Logged-in users only
User Roles: Administrator

Configuration Examples

Welcome Message for New Visitors

Widget: Text Widget
Title: "Welcome!"
Visibility Rules:
  ✓ Enable visibility rules
  Login Status: Logged-out users only
  Page Type: Front page only

Premium Content Teaser

Widget: Custom HTML
Title: "Unlock Premium Features"
Visibility Rules:
  ✓ Enable visibility rules
  Login Status: Logged-in users only
  User Roles: Subscriber

Holiday Promotion

Widget: Image Widget
Title: "Christmas Sale"
Visibility Rules:
  ✓ Enable visibility rules
  Date Range: Enabled
  Start Date: 2025-12-15
  End Date: 2025-12-25

Mobile-Only CTA

Widget: Button Widget
Title: "Download Our App"
Visibility Rules:
  ✓ Enable visibility rules
  Device Type: Mobile only

Blog Sidebar Widget

Widget: Recent Posts
Title: "Latest Articles"
Visibility Rules:
  ✓ Enable visibility rules
  Page Type: Blog

Technical Details

File Structure

yt-widget-visibility-manager.php       # Main plugin file (869 lines)
yt-widget-visibility-manager.css       # Widget form styles (470 lines)
yt-widget-visibility-manager.js        # Dynamic interactions (550 lines)
README-yt-widget-visibility-manager.md # Documentation

Constants Defined

YT_WVM_VERSION   // Plugin version (1.0.0)
YT_WVM_BASENAME  // Plugin basename
YT_WVM_PATH      // Plugin directory path
YT_WVM_URL       // Plugin directory URL

Database Storage

Option Name: yt_wvm_options

Option Structure:

array(
    'enable_login_rules'  => true,
    'enable_role_rules'   => true,
    'enable_page_rules'   => true,
    'enable_device_rules' => true,
    'enable_date_rules'   => true,
    'default_hide'        => false
)

Widget Instance Storage:

$instance['yt_wvm_rules'] = array(
    'visibility_enabled' => true,
    'login_status'       => 'logged_in',
    'user_roles'         => array('administrator', 'editor'),
    'page_type'          => 'all',
    'device_type'        => 'all',
    'date_range'         => array(
        'enabled' => true,
        'start'   => '2025-01-01',
        'end'     => '2025-12-31'
    )
)

WordPress Hooks

Actions

plugins_loaded: Load text domain
admin_enqueue_scripts: Load CSS/JS on widgets page
admin_menu: Add settings page
admin_init: Register settings
in_widget_form: Render visibility controls

Filters

widget_display_callback: Filter widget visibility
dynamic_sidebar_params: Add visibility controls to widgets
widget_update_callback: Save visibility settings
plugin_action_links_{basename}: Add settings link

Device Detection

The plugin uses a custom device detection method:

private function detect_device() {
    $user_agent = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'];

    if (wp_is_mobile()) {
        // Check for tablet patterns
        if (preg_match('/(tablet|ipad|playbook|silk)|(android(?!.*mobile))/i', $user_agent)) {
            return 'tablet';
        }
        return 'mobile';
    }

    return 'desktop';
}

Tablet Detection Patterns:

iPad, Android tablets
Kindle Fire, Playbook
Other tablet-specific patterns

Security Features

Capability Checks: manage_options for settings
Nonce Verification: All form submissions
Input Sanitization: All user input cleaned
- sanitize_text_field() for text
- sanitize_key() for role names
Output Escaping: All output escaped
- esc_html() for text
- esc_attr() for attributes
Array Casting: Safe handling of array inputs
XSS Prevention: Proper HTML filtering

Performance

Resource Usage

Database: 1 option entry + per-widget instance data
HTTP Requests: 0 (assets loaded with admin)
Memory: < 50 KB
Widget Check: Minimal overhead per widget

Load Time Impact

Admin Pages: +20-30ms (CSS/JS only on widgets page)
Frontend: +5-10ms per widget (conditional checks)
Caching: Compatible with all cache plugins

Optimization

Conditional Loading: Assets only on widgets/settings pages
No Database Tables: Uses lightweight options
Early Returns: Skip checks when rules disabled
Efficient Checks: Minimal conditional tag calls

Frequently Asked Questions

Which widgets are supported?

All WordPress widgets including:

Core widgets (Text, Image, Categories, etc.)
Theme widgets
Plugin widgets
Custom widgets

Do visibility rules work in the Customizer?

Yes, the plugin fully supports the WordPress Customizer.

Are rules compatible with the block editor?

Yes, visibility rules work with widget blocks in WordPress 5.8+.

Can I use multiple rules together?

Yes, all enabled rules must pass for widget to display. Rules use AND logic.

What happens if rules conflict?

Example: Login Status = "Logged-out" + User Roles = "Administrator"

Widget will never show (can't be logged-out AND have a role)
JavaScript shows a warning in this case

Can I export/import visibility settings?

Not in the current version, but settings are stored in widget instance data and export with widgets.

Does this work with page builders?

It depends on the page builder. If the builder uses WordPress widgets, yes. If it uses custom elements, no.

Can I hide widgets on specific posts/pages?

Not directly. Use Page Type rules to hide on all posts or all pages. For specific pages, consider using categories or custom post types.

Does date range support timezones?

Yes, uses WordPress timezone setting from Settings → General.

What about GDPR compliance?

The plugin doesn't collect or store any personal user data. It only checks current user status and roles.

Troubleshooting

Visibility rules not appearing

Causes:

Plugin not activated
JavaScript error
Theme conflict

Solutions:

Verify plugin activation
Check browser console for errors
Disable other plugins temporarily
Try different theme

Widget still showing when it shouldn't

Causes:

Visibility rules not enabled for widget
Rule type disabled in settings
Caching plugin showing cached version

Solutions:

Check "Enable visibility rules" is checked
Go to Settings → Widget Visibility, verify rule types enabled
Clear cache (site cache, browser cache)
Test in private/incognito window

Rules not saving

Causes:

PHP max_input_vars limit reached
JavaScript error preventing save
Server timeout

Solutions:

Increase max_input_vars in php.ini
Check browser console
Contact hosting support

Date range not working

Causes:

Date range not enabled
Timezone mismatch
Dates in wrong format

Solutions:

Check "Enable Date Range" is checked
Verify WordPress timezone in Settings → General
Use YYYY-MM-DD format (date picker enforces this)

Device detection not accurate

Causes:

User agent spoofing
Unconventional device

Solutions:

Device detection is based on user agent strings
Some edge cases may not be detected correctly
Consider using CSS media queries for critical responsive needs

Widgets disappeared after activation

Causes:

Global setting "Hide by default" enabled
Existing widgets don't have rules enabled

Solutions:

Go to Settings → Widget Visibility
Uncheck "Hide widgets by default when rules don't match"
Re-save settings

Best Practices

Performance

Do:

Enable only rule types you need
Use simple rules when possible
Test with caching enabled

Don't:

Enable all rules for every widget
Create overly complex rule combinations
Forget to clear cache after changes

User Experience

Do:

Show appropriate content to each audience
Use date ranges for time-sensitive content
Test rules from visitor perspective

Don't:

Hide critical navigation widgets
Create confusing experiences with too many rules
Forget to test on actual devices

Maintenance

Do:

Document your visibility rules
Review rules periodically
Remove outdated date ranges

Don't:

Set rules and forget them
Leave expired promotions visible
Overlap conflicting rules

Privacy & Data

What Data is Stored?

Widget visibility settings per widget instance
Global plugin settings
No user-specific data
No tracking or analytics

User Detection

The plugin checks:

Login status (from WordPress session)
User role (from WordPress user object)
Page type (from WordPress conditional tags)
Device type (from HTTP user agent header)
Current date/time (from server time)

GDPR Considerations

No personal data collected
No cookies set
No external API calls
No user tracking
No analytics or telemetry

Uninstallation

When you delete the plugin:

Widget visibility settings remain in widget instances
Global plugin settings deleted
Widgets revert to default behavior (show everywhere)
No database tables to clean up

Note: To completely remove visibility settings, delete and re-add widgets.

Changelog

1.0.0 (2025-01-XX)

Initial release
Login status rules (everyone, logged-in, logged-out)
User role targeting
Page type filters (front, blog, single, page, archive, search, 404)
Device detection (mobile, tablet, desktop)
Date range scheduling
Collapsible interface
Status indicators
Global settings page
WordPress Customizer support
Block editor compatibility
Translation ready
Mobile responsive

Roadmap

Potential future features:

Specific page/post selection
Custom post type support
Taxonomy-based rules
IP address targeting
Geographic location rules
Referrer-based visibility
Query string parameter detection
Cookie-based rules
Time of day scheduling
Rule templates
Bulk edit visibility
Import/export settings
Analytics integration
Visual rule builder
Rule conflicts detection

Developer Notes

Line Count

PHP: 869 lines
CSS: 470 lines
JS: 550 lines
Total: 1,889 lines

Extending the Plugin

Add Custom Device Detection

add_filter('yt_wvm_device_type', function($device_type) {
    // Custom device detection logic
    if (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'], 'CustomDevice') !== false) {
        return 'custom';
    }
    return $device_type;
});

Add Custom Visibility Check

add_filter('yt_wvm_check_visibility', function($visible, $rules, $instance) {
    // Custom visibility logic
    if (isset($rules['custom_rule']) && !my_custom_check($rules['custom_rule'])) {
        return false;
    }
    return $visible;
}, 10, 3);

Add Custom Page Type

add_filter('yt_wvm_page_types', function($page_types) {
    $page_types['custom_cpt'] = __('Custom Post Type', 'yt-widget-visibility-manager');
    return $page_types;
});

add_filter('yt_wvm_check_page_type', function($matches, $page_type) {
    if ($page_type === 'custom_cpt') {
        return is_singular('custom_post_type');
    }
    return $matches;
}, 10, 2);

Modify Available Roles

add_filter('yt_wvm_available_roles', function($roles) {
    // Hide certain roles from selection
    unset($roles['subscriber']);
    return $roles;
});

JavaScript API

Access the JavaScript API:

// Get manager instance
var manager = window.WidgetVisibilityManager;

// Initialize widgets manually
manager.initializeWidgets();

// Collect rules from widget
var rules = manager.collectRules($section);

// Validate date range
var isValid = manager.validateDateRange($section);

// Export settings
manager.exportSettings('widget-id');

Contributing

Follow WordPress Coding Standards:

# PHP Code Sniffer
phpcs --standard=WordPress yt-widget-visibility-manager.php

# JavaScript linting
eslint yt-widget-visibility-manager.js

# CSS linting
stylelint yt-widget-visibility-manager.css

Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests:

License

GPL v2 or later

Author

Krasen Slavov

Website: https://krasenslavov.com
GitHub: @krasenslavov

Take control of your widgets with powerful visibility rules!

YT Widget Visibility Manager

Description

Features

Installation

Usage

Basic Setup

Login Status Rules

User Role Rules

Page Type Rules

Device Type Rules

Date Range Rules

Settings

Enable Rule Types

Default Behavior

Use Cases

Membership Site

E-commerce Store

Multi-Author Blog

Admin-Only Tools

Configuration Examples

Welcome Message for New Visitors

Premium Content Teaser

Holiday Promotion

Mobile-Only CTA

Blog Sidebar Widget

Technical Details

File Structure

Constants Defined

Database Storage

WordPress Hooks

Actions

Filters

Conditional Tags Used

Device Detection

Security Features

Performance

Resource Usage

Load Time Impact

Optimization

Frequently Asked Questions

Which widgets are supported?

Do visibility rules work in the Customizer?

Are rules compatible with the block editor?

Can I use multiple rules together?

What happens if rules conflict?

Can I export/import visibility settings?

Does this work with page builders?

Can I hide widgets on specific posts/pages?

Does date range support timezones?

What about GDPR compliance?

Troubleshooting

Visibility rules not appearing

Widget still showing when it shouldn't

Rules not saving

Date range not working

Device detection not accurate

Widgets disappeared after activation

Best Practices

Performance

User Experience

Maintenance

Privacy & Data

What Data is Stored?

User Detection

GDPR Considerations

Uninstallation

Changelog

1.0.0 (2025-01-XX)

Roadmap

Developer Notes

Line Count

Extending the Plugin

Add Custom Device Detection

Add Custom Visibility Check

Add Custom Page Type

Modify Available Roles

JavaScript API

Contributing

Support

License