Getting started

WP Freeform Fields is a free, open-source custom fields plugin for WordPress, inspired by ACF PRO and compatible with its data. It adds field groups, repeaters, flexible content, options pages and PHP-rendered blocks. Everything is free under the GPL: there is no "Pro" version.

Values are stored in the same format as Advanced Custom Fields, and the template functions are the same (get_field(), have_rows(), …). An existing ACF site can be switched over without converting data or rewriting the theme.

Requirements

• WordPress 6.5+ and PHP 8.1+.
• Block Bindings preview in the editor needs WordPress 6.7+.
• The Abilities API needs WordPress 6.9+.

Install

1. Download freeform-fields-x.y.z.zip from the latest release.
2. In WordPress, open Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, choose the zip and activate it.
3. Go to Custom Fields → Add New to create your first field group.

Coming from ACF? Read Moving from ACF first.

Your first field group

You can build groups in the admin, or register them from code. In code, use the wpff/init action:

add_action( 'wpff/init', function () {
	wpff_add_local_field_group( array(
		'key'      => 'group_book',
		'title'    => 'Book',
		'fields'   => array(
			array( 'key' => 'field_book_isbn', 'name' => 'isbn', 'label' => 'ISBN', 'type' => 'text', 'required' => 1 ),
			array( 'key' => 'field_book_cover', 'name' => 'cover', 'label' => 'Cover', 'type' => 'image', 'return_format' => 'url' ),
			array( 'key' => 'field_book_shop', 'name' => 'shop', 'label' => 'Bookshop', 'type' => 'google_map' ),
		),
		'location' => array( array( array( 'param' => 'post_type', 'operator' => '==', 'value' => 'post' ) ) ),
	) );
} );

Show the values

// In a template:
echo esc_html( get_field( 'isbn' ) );
printf( '<img src="%s" alt="">', esc_url( get_field( 'cover' ) ) );

$shop = get_field( 'shop' ); // array( 'address' => …, 'lat' => …, 'lng' => …, 'zoom' => … )

Every function also has a wpff_ name (wpff_get_field(), …) that is always available. See Functions and values.

More examples are in the examples/ folder of the repository.

Next steps

• Features — everything the plugin can do.
• Blocks — PHP-template blocks, InnerBlocks and Block Bindings.
• Hooks — change how values are loaded, saved and validated.
• Known differences — read before switching a production site from ACF.