Gaurav Sachdeva

WordPress is a popular platform for website development due to its flexibility and ease of maintenance. After using WordPress extensively, I am now sharing my experiences and some do's and don'ts while developing sites with it. One important aspect to consider at the beginning is disabling the editing of theme files.

Why Do I Recommend Disabling Theme File Editing?

Disabling theme file editing in WordPress is crucial for maintaining the security and integrity of your website. Allowing direct access to theme and plugin files can lead to accidental or malicious changes that can break your site or introduce vulnerabilities. By disabling this feature, you ensure that any modifications to your site's code are done through a more controlled process, such as using a version control system.

Step-by-Step Guide for Disabling File Editing in WordPress

Follow these steps to disable file editing in your WordPress site:

1. Access your wp-config.php file:
   • Use a file editor or an FTP client to access the wp-config.php file in your WordPress installation directory.
2. Backup your wp-config.php file:
   • Before making any changes, create a backup of the wp-config.php file to ensure you can revert back if needed.
3. Edit the wp-config.php file:
   • Open the wp-config.php file in your editor.
   • Find the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */.
4. Add the following line above that line:
   • Copy code define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
5. Save the file:
   • Save the changes to the wp-config.php file.
   • If you are working on a remote server, upload the modified file back to the server.
6. Verify the changes:
   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to “Appearance > Editor” and “Plugins > Editor”.
   • You should no longer see the links for these options, even if you are logged in as an Administrator.

That's it! You have successfully disabled file editing in WordPress. This simple step enhances your site's security and ensures that code changes are made through a more secure and manageable process. By following this and other best practices, you can maintain a healthy and secure WordPress site.