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Fedya Related Articles

Fedya Related Articles is a lightweight, fast, and beautiful WordPress plugin that displays related posts with thumbnails, modern card design, and full control — automatically or via shortcode.

by fedya Serafiev · github.com/fedya-dev/fedya-related-articles · website

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Install

No release zip yet. The repository archive installs, but the folder name will carry the branch suffix and updates will not flow:

wp plugin install https://github.com/fedya-dev/fedya-related-articles/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Readme github.com/fedya-dev/fedya-related-articles ↗

Description

Fedya Related Articles is a lightweight, fast, and beautiful WordPress plugin that displays related posts with thumbnails, modern card design, and full control — automatically or via shortcode.

Boost your SEO, reduce bounce rate, and keep visitors engaged by showing relevant content they'll love to read next.

Key Features:

  • 4-level smart matching algorithm - finds related posts even when tags/categories are missing
  • Stunning responsive cards with featured images
  • Auto-display at the end of posts (toggle on/off)
  • Two shortcode options: [fedya_related] and quick [fedya]
  • Advanced shortcode parameters: custom title, columns, limit
  • Intelligent caching - optimized performance with 1-hour cache
  • Optional excerpts - show post descriptions under titles
  • Customizable: title, number of posts, layout columns
  • Zero bloat: no external CSS/JS – inline styles load instantly
  • Fully translatable (ready for any language)
  • Mobile-first design – looks great on all devices
  • Debug mode for administrators - see why posts are/aren't showing

Perfect for blogs, news sites, magazines, and content-heavy websites.

"Може да ви е интересно и..." – now in perfect English: "You might also like..."

No configuration needed out of the box — just activate and watch internal linking improve your site!

Installation

  1. Upload the plugin files to /wp-content/plugins/fedya-related-articles/ directory, or install through WordPress plugins screen
  2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' screen in WordPress
  3. Go to Settings → Related Articles to configure (optional)
  4. Related posts will automatically appear at the end of each post!

How It Works

Intelligent 4-Level Matching Algorithm

The plugin uses a sophisticated multi-level approach to always find relevant content:

  1. Level 1 - Posts with matching tags AND categories (strongest relevance)
  2. Level 2 - Posts with matching tags only
  3. Level 3 - Posts with matching categories only
  4. Level 4 - Latest published posts (fallback - ensures related posts always appear)

This means you'll always have related posts showing, even on brand new articles without tags or categories!

Usage

Automatic Display

Related posts automatically appear at the end of every post. Toggle this in Settings → Related Articles.

Manual Placement with Shortcodes

You have two shortcode options:

Quick shortcode (NEW in v3.3):

[fedya]

Standard shortcode:

[fedya_related]

Both shortcodes support the same parameters:

Basic Examples:

[fedya]
[fedya limit="5"]
[fedya title="Read Next"]
[fedya columns="3"]

Advanced Examples:

[fedya limit="6" columns="3"]
[fedya limit="4" title="More From This Topic" columns="2"]
[fedya_related limit="8" columns="4"]

Shortcode Parameters:

Parameter Description Default Example
limit Number of posts to show 3 limit="5"
title Custom heading text From settings title="Keep Reading"
columns Fixed column layout auto columns="3"

Column Options:

  • columns="2" - Always 2 columns (responsive on mobile)
  • columns="3" - Always 3 columns (2 on tablet, 1 on mobile)
  • columns="4" - Always 4 columns (2 on tablet, 1 on mobile)
  • No parameter - Auto-fit based on available space

Settings

Navigate to Settings → Related Articles in your WordPress admin:

Available Options:

  1. Title - Change the heading text (default: "You might also like:")
  2. Number of Posts - How many related posts to show (1-10)
  3. Auto Display - Toggle automatic display at end of posts
  4. Show Excerpt - Display short post descriptions under titles (NEW in v3.5)

What's New

Version 3.5

  • ✨ 4-level intelligent matching - always finds related posts
  • 🎯 Fallback to latest posts - never shows empty related section
  • 🐛 Better debug mode - shows tag/category count for admins
  • ⚡ Performance boost - improved caching and query optimization
  • 🔧 Excludes sticky posts - cleaner results

Version 3.3

  • ✨ New quick shortcode: [fedya] - easier to type!
  • 🎨 Column control: Set exact column layout with columns parameter
  • 📝 Custom titles per shortcode: Override default heading
  • 💾 Smart caching: Results cached for 1 hour - faster page loads
  • 📱 Better responsive: Improved mobile/tablet layouts

Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren't related posts showing on some articles?

With version 3.5+, this should never happen! The plugin now uses a 4-level matching system that always finds content. If you're an admin, you'll see a debug message explaining the matching levels used.

Can I use both shortcodes on the same site?

Absolutely! Both [fedya] and [fedya_related] work identically. Use whichever you prefer, or mix them - perfect for sites with existing [fedya_related] codes that want the shorter option for new posts.

Does this slow down my site?

No! The plugin:

  • Uses inline CSS (no extra HTTP requests)
  • Implements 1-hour caching
  • Uses optimized database queries
  • Lazy-loads images automatically

Can I customize the design?

Yes! Add custom CSS in Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS. All elements have .fedya-related-* class names for easy targeting.

Does it work with custom post types?

Currently optimized for standard WordPress posts. Custom post type support coming in future versions.

Is it translation-ready?

Yes! The plugin is fully translatable using the fedya-related text domain. Translation files go in /languages/ directory.

Technical Details

Performance Features:

  • Object caching - 1 hour cache per post
  • Optimized queries - Only fetches post IDs, not full post objects
  • Lazy loading - Images load on scroll
  • No external dependencies - Zero HTTP requests for assets

Developer Friendly:

  • Clean, well-documented code
  • WordPress coding standards compliant
  • Secure: All outputs escaped, inputs sanitized
  • Extensible: Easy to customize via theme functions

Screenshots

  1. Beautiful card design - Modern, responsive layout with featured images
  2. Settings page - Simple, intuitive configuration
  3. Mobile view - Perfect display on all screen sizes
  4. Shortcode examples - Flexible placement options
  5. Debug mode - See matching logic for admins

Changelog

3.5 (2024)

  • Added 4-level intelligent matching algorithm
  • Added fallback to latest posts
  • Improved debug information display
  • Added ignore_sticky_posts parameter
  • Performance optimizations

3.3 (2024)

  • Added [fedya] quick shortcode
  • Added shortcode parameters: title, columns
  • Implemented 1-hour result caching
  • Added optional post excerpts
  • Improved responsive column layouts
  • Better mobile/tablet breakpoints

3.2 (2024)

  • Initial public release
  • Auto-display functionality
  • [fedya_related] shortcode
  • Settings page
  • Card design with thumbnails

Credits

Author: fedya Serafiev
Website: https://urocibg.eu/

Built with ❤️ for the WordPress community.

Support

For support, feature requests, or bug reports, please visit:

License

This plugin is licensed under GPLv2 or later. You are free to use, modify, and distribute this plugin as needed.