WordPress is a great Content Management System that never took custom fields seriously. We would have an easy system for custom fields if it had. But, what WordPress doesn’t offer by default, we have plugins for that, and that’s where ACF – Advanced Custom Fields come in. Developers who distance themselves from no-code tech might already know about ACF, while no-code lovers are more in touch with block-based templates. Elementor, Gutenberg, and WPBakery are a few examples of block-based templates.
ACF – Advanced Custom Fields
ACF is an important plugin that developers love to custom code the data fields and use to build sections/pages of their website. The data is stored in the database so developers can display it anywhere they want. This allows the developers to build customized websites very easily.
The plugin makes the process of adding custom field functionality to your WordPress theme. If you have ever tried to do it without the plugin, then you would know that the process is complex and time-consuming.
ACF empowers with all the required functionality to display on the admin panel and API to display on the front end of your website through PHP.
Why would anyone want to build a site using ACF instead of Gutenberg, Elementor?
The number one reason would be ‘for the love of code’ and the power that comes with custom coding.
When listing products on your eCommerce website, the advanced custom fields can help mention the product specifications of all the products without repetitive effort. Even a smartphone has a long list of specifications; adding more products to the list adds to the complexity of the display, but ACF can handle it easily.
ACF helps you meet your website customization needs. Only some people want a simple content-displaying website. They want to add their business’ USP to it and some completely unique elements. For all such custom requirements, ACF can be pretty handy.
You can Integrate ACF with Elementor for a completely different and pleasant experience. ACF brings endless possibilities, and Elementor brings robustness to the scene completing your website picture.
The list of field types in ACF is good for starting your custom website. You will see the button, image, gallery, calendar, Google Maps, Date Picker, among others.
“The technically sound customers like ACF Pro since they have total control of the code and backend files.” Fareed Daar, Expert WordPress/E-Commerce/Frontend Developer, Computan.
What is the advantage of a developer building a website using ACF Pro?
Advanced Custom Fields give more power to the developer. “It gives the developers control over the design and functionality. Developers can build a customized admin panel to ease the complex functionalities and meet the requirements.” Hassan Hashmi, WordPress Team Lead, Computan.
Without custom field functionality, the developer has to look into the theme and plugin files to see whether they have the option of custom editing. Themes and plugins sometimes do come with limited editable options, so Advanced Custom Fields come to the rescue then.
Since I mentioned that a technically sound website owner would love to have a website built in ACF, and if the owner hires the developer, they can work together well. It will be easier for the developer to make the owner understand how things will work.
What is the disadvantage for marketers/site owners to building sites using ACF Pro
ACF does make the job easier and acts as a playground for developers who love code raw. But it might become a little heavy on the pocket of the site owners because the pro version costs a little over than the other options in the same domain.
Fareed Daar, Expert WordPress/E-Commerce/Frontend Developer, Computan, lists prices and reasons marketers and site owners might not like ACF. “If the website owner is non-technical, then he/she might find it difficult to make even minor changes on the website.”
- $49 for one site per year – all features
- $149 for ten sites per year – all features
- $249 or unlimited sites per year – all features
“The non-technical site owners or customers find it tough to rearrange the structures or columns from page builder,” says Fareed. The best of WordPress is its no-code feature and easy way around the plugins. If the site owners are not utilizing that, they will have a tough time managing their websites independently.
What do customers/marketers feel about sites built in ACF Pro?
There are over 1 million websites that use ACF Pro. And because of that, it has a strong community dedicated to supporting ACF users. It also has many add-ons and libraries supporting its features and functionalities. Finding a solution to an ACF issue is easy if you run into one.
If the marketer/customers have a strong team of web developers, things will be easier for them, so you can get in touch with Computan developers if you want a customized website and love to work around ACF.
