Key Features

Automated Page Scanning: Scans up to 50 links per page directly from the frontend interface.
Asynchronous AJAX Processing: Performs checks smoothly in the background without refreshing or slowing down the page.
Built-in Security (Anti-SSRF): Automatically blocks requests to private IP ranges, reserved IPs, and localhost to prevent Server-Side Request Forgery attacks.
Smart HTTP Method Fallback: Performs lightweight HEAD requests first, falling back to GET requests for accurate checking without unnecessary server strain.
Modern Soft Purple Design: Clean, modern, and light-themed user interface that blends well with modern WordPress themes.

Ideal For

SEO Specialists: Identify dead or broken links quickly to prevent SEO score drops.
Website Owners & Administrators: Effortlessly audit pages without installing heavy background plugins.
Web Developers: A lightweight code snippet alternative to full-fledged, resource-heavy plugins.

Lightweight & High Performance: Runs only when triggered via shortcode—no heavy database bloat or continuous background server tasks.
Improved User Experience (UX): Prevents visitors from landing on 404 error pages.
SEO Optimization: Clean link profiles help search engine crawlers index your site more effectively.
Zero Dependency: Requires no external API keys or third-party paid services.

You can set up this snippet in a few simple steps:

Install and activate the free Code Snippets plugin from the WordPress repository.
Go to Snippets → Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
Paste the provided PHP code into the code editor.
Set the code type to PHP Snippet.
Click Save Changes and Activate.

Go to Appearance → Theme File Editor (or access your server via FTP/cPanel).
Open your active child theme’s functions.php file.
Paste the PHP code at the end of the file.
Save the file.

Insert this shortcode into any Page, Post, or Widget area:

Plaintext :[broken_link_checker]

WordPress Version: 5.6 or higher
PHP Version: 7.4 or higher (including PHP 8.x)
Themes: Compatible with standard Classic themes, Block themes (FSE), and popular builders like Elementor, Divi, and Bricks.
Browsers: Works on all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari).

1 Complete PHP Code Snippet containing shortcode functionality, CSS styling, and JavaScript logic.
Ready-to-use Shortcode: [broken_link_checker]
Customizable Soft Purple UI Theme embedded directly within the snippet CSS.

Q: Why does it only check up to 50 links per page?
- A: The 50-link limit prevents your server from timing out or hitting PHP execution limits during a single request.
Q: Will this slow down my website?
- A: No. Unlike traditional plugins that constantly scan in the background, this code only runs when a user manually clicks the “Check Links” button.
Q: Why are some valid links flagged as broken?
- A: Certain external websites block automated server requests or web crawlers via Cloudflare/firewalls, returning standard 403 Forbidden or 405 Method Not Allowed responses.

PHP Timeout: If you test pages with many slow external links, ensure your server’s max_execution_time is set to at least 30 seconds.
Domain Restrictions: The tool strictly checks valid http:// and https:// URLs; relative paths or mailto links (mailto:) are skipped intentionally.