Manage Tags in WordPress 2.3 with Advanced Tag Entry and Click Tags Plugins

One of the big change in WordPress 2.3 and above is inclusion of built-in tags support into the core of WordPress. Thus from WordPress version 2.3 onwards, bloggers can easily associate a post with tags without installing any tagging plug-ins, such as Ultimate Tag Warrior (UTW), Bunny’s Technorati Tags, Simple Tagging and Simple Tagging. In fact, these tags plugins are not compatible and not working in the new WordPress 2.3 core and plugin system.

Unfortunately, WordPress built-in tag system does not have tags administration or management system or any UI (user interface) yet as of version 2.3. Users can add and apply tags (new or old) to a post while composing. However, once the tags are added, the tags cannot be removed or deleted from associated with the post. Nor there is functionality to add, rename, merge or delete tag individually. The already presented existing tags are also not available for easy selection in a list or drop down menu when writing a new post, instead users have to type it out themselves, causing duplicate tags mistakenly created if there is spelling mistake. In other words, the new tags support in WordPress provides only basic, or rather is primitive functionality to attach tags to posts as keywords only. Only display of tags via the_tags() and simple tag clouds via wp_tag_cloud() are supported.

To overcome the lack of features in WordPress tag support, a few plugins have been written to provide users with tag administration and management ability in WordPress 2.3 onwards, until the functionality is officially added into core too. Two plug-ins have been released, namely Advanced Tag Entry WordPress Plugin and Click Tags, but surely there is more to come after tag supported WordPress 2.3 goes live.

Advanced Tag Entry WordPress Plugin

The Advanced Tag Entry WordPress plugin extends the built-in tag functionality of WordPress 2.3 and higher, giving you new ways to manage the tags on your post. It adds a new section to the post editing screen, that lets you:

• Add a tag to your post from a drop-down list of existing tags you have already defined on other posts (so you can make sure you are consistent).
• Remove a tag from your post from a drop-down list of the tags you have already added to your post.
• Create a new tag, by defining the tag name and tag slug.
• Edit existing tag names and/or tag slugs.
• Delete tags that are not actually being used, from the WordPress database.

Screenshot of Advanced Tag Entry block at Write Post or Edit Post page.

Download Advanced Tag Entry WordPress Plugin zip package (current version 1.01). More information on installation guide and FAQ on www.poplarware.com/tagplugin.html (ATE plugin homepage).

Update: No longer supported. Only works on WordPress 2.3.

Click Tags

A simple plugin that adds a list of your tags into the post editing screen enabling them to be added with a mouse click. This is similar to that provided by the Ultimate Tag Warrior or Simple Tags plugins neither of which currently will work with 2.3. If you use a large number of tags this might not be the appropriate plugin for you but if you use a relatively smaller number then it should be a useful help.

Sample screenshot of Click Tags at Write Post or Edit Post screen.

Download Click Tags (current version 1.0 – no longer available).

Update: No longer required as newer WordPress versions now incorporate tags management.

Other plugins to manage tags in WordPress is Tag Management Thing and Recommended Tags.