Wordpress is arguably today’s most used CMS / Blogging platform. The number 1 reason is the simplicity that it gives to end users. Adding posts and pages is intuitive and effortless. Anyone can use it, literally.

For some of us, Wordpress lacks and limps in extending the available fields for more complex functionality. Assuming that I did not want to just use the default fields, and wanted to add my own of different types.

(An overly simplified example) For example, if I want to create an event manager, I would need a date field, venue (venue name, venue contact person, venue images, venue address, venue location), speaker(speaker name, speaker topic, speaker bio, speaker image), event location address and attach a directions google map. Traditionally we would use a plugin, if available, else custom fields. As long as they are below 10 fields, they are manageable, anything above that becomes a nightmare. As you can see, its no easy task.

Flutter steps in, to make intelligent ‘custom fields’. The basics of Flutter is an advanced set of usable custom fields. With flutter you can create a completely new content panel separate from posts & pages. In this panel you can create a multitude of fields to use. These fields can be text, text fields, images, dates, time, file uploads, audio & video files, etc.

A panel can have a nested set/group of duplicatable fields. Meaning if you wished to create a set of fields (group) for the venue, and have multiple venue images. You would make venue images field duplicable.

This single plugin makes WP a beast extend-able beyond words. How about creating a jobsite that allows users to add resumes? Imagine just how simple it’ll be using this plugin! The guys at freshout have truly given WordPress a leap into space here!

Of course all these nice things will need you to be knowledgeable in some PHP + CSS + HTML. Because the tags that call the fields is done in the templates. Their documentation and forum will answer 99% of questions and issues you may have.

The plugin is in Alpha for WPMU!! Freaking awesome!!

Note: The plugin is known to conflict with jQuery, so make sure to use the ever handy jQuery.noConflict(); trick as defined here. Like all other things, don’t always take the word of developers (like me), do your research and testing. Read their forums and support boards before plunging into it.

Some plugins like flutter:

Go forth and have some fun!!!

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