Developer Debug Mode for WordPress Plugin Directory

Stop editing wp-config.php every time you need to debug your WordPress site.

Developer Debug Mode lets you toggle all WordPress debug constants directly from your dashboard with beautiful toggle switches. Changes save automatically — no clicking save buttons, no FTP access needed, no risk of syntax errors in your config file.

🎯 The Problem This Plugin Solves Every WordPress developer knows the pain:

Something breaks on your site

You need to enable WP_DEBUG to see the error

You open FTP/File Manager, find wp-config.php, edit it carefully

Debug the issue

Remember to turn debug off before visitors see ugly error messages

Repeat next time something breaks

Developer Debug Mode eliminates steps 2-5 entirely. Toggle debug on, find the error, toggle off. Done in seconds.

✨ Key Features One-Click Debug Toggles

Control all six WordPress debug constants from a clean, modern interface:

WP_DEBUG — Master switch for WordPress debugging

WP_DEBUG_LOG — Save errors to wp-content/debug.log

WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY — Show errors on screen (careful on production!)

SCRIPT_DEBUG — Use unminified core CSS/JS files

SAVEQUERIES — Log database queries for performance analysis

WP_DISABLE_FATAL_ERROR_HANDLER — See raw PHP fatal errors instead of recovery mode

Admin Bar Quick Toggle (New in 1.2.0!)

Toggle any debug constant directly from the WordPress admin bar — no need to visit the settings page. Perfect for quick debugging sessions.

Built-in Debug Log Viewer

View, search, download, and clear your debug.log without leaving WordPress:

Color-coded entries (fatal, error, warning, notice)

Search with highlighting

Auto-refresh option for real-time monitoring

One-click download and clear

Auto-Save Technology

Changes save instantly as you toggle. No save button, no page refresh, no waiting.

Frontend Debug Warning

A tasteful notification bar appears when WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY is active, reminding you to turn it off before visitors see error messages.

Cross-Tab Synchronization

Toggle debug in one browser tab and watch other open tabs update instantly.

Automatic Backups

Every change creates a backup of wp-config.php. The plugin keeps the 5 most recent backups, so you can always recover if something goes wrong.

🔧 Perfect For

Theme developers debugging template issues

Plugin developers testing new code

Site administrators troubleshooting problems

Agencies managing multiple client sites

Freelancers who need quick debugging without FTP access

Anyone tired of manually editing wp-config.php

💡 Why Choose Developer Debug Mode? Unlike other debug plugins, we focus on user experience:

✅ Instant toggles — No save buttons, changes apply immediately

✅ Visual feedback — Clear status indicators show exactly what’s enabled

✅ Admin bar access — Toggle debug from anywhere in WordPress

✅ Production-safe — Frontend warnings prevent accidentally exposing errors

✅ Modern design — Beautiful UI that fits naturally in your dashboard

✅ Lightweight — No bloat, loads only where needed

🔒 Built With Security In Mind

Capability checks ensure only administrators can change settings

Nonce verification on all AJAX requests

Automatic wp-config.php backups before every change

No data sent to external servers

Clean uninstall removes all plugin data

📚 Debug Constants Explained Not sure what each constant does? Here’s a quick guide:

WP_DEBUG

The master switch. When enabled, WordPress will display PHP errors, notices, and warnings. Required for the other debug constants to work.

WP_DEBUG_LOG

Saves all debug messages to /wp-content/debug.log. Essential for debugging issues that happen in the background (AJAX, cron jobs, REST API).

WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY

Shows errors directly on your web pages. Useful during development but never enable on production — it can expose sensitive information to visitors.

SCRIPT_DEBUG

Forces WordPress to use the development versions of core CSS and JavaScript files instead of minified versions. Helpful when debugging scripts.

SAVEQUERIES

Stores database queries in a global array for later analysis. Useful for identifying slow queries but adds overhead — disable when not needed.

WP_DISABLE_FATAL_ERROR_HANDLER

Disables WordPress’s “recovery mode” so you see the actual PHP fatal error instead of “There has been a critical error on this website.”

🤝 Support & Documentation Need help? We offer:

Free Support — Post in the WordPress.org support forum

Documentation — Visit glimbyte.ie for guides and tutorials

Express Support — Fast turnaround for urgent issues via glimbyte.ie/support

🌐 Works Great With

Query Monitor — Use alongside for deeper debugging

Debug Bar — Compatible with Debug Bar and its add-ons

Any caching plugin — Clear cache after toggling debug constants

Managed WordPress hosts — Works on most hosts including Kinsta, WP Engine, SiteGround

Credits Developed with ❤️ by Glimbyte — WordPress Development & Support.

Special thanks to the WordPress community for feedback and suggestions.

Privacy Policy Developer Debug Mode does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. All settings are stored locally in your WordPress database and wp-config.php file.

The optional support contact form (available in the plugin settings) sends data directly to Glimbyte’s support team. This data is handled according to Glimbyte’s Privacy Policy.

Additional Info Contribute Found a bug or have a feature request? We’d love to hear from you!

Support Forum: wordpress.org/support/plugin/developer-debug-mode

Website: glimbyte.ie

Translations Want to help translate Developer Debug Mode into your language? Visit translate.wordpress.org to contribute.