Postomatic vs Code Engine – PHP Snippets, AI Functions & Automation for WordPress

Code Engine is a snippets manager that doesn’t stop at snippets. Yes, it runs your PHP and JavaScript exactly where and when you want: frontend, backend, on a schedule, or inside your content. But its real magic is what happens after you write a function: the same little piece of code instantly becomes a tool your AI chatbots can call, a step you can drag into a visual workflow, and an endpoint the outside world can trigger. One function, three superpowers. Most “code snippets” plugins stop at a textarea and a toggle. Code Engine treats your functions as first-class building blocks for the whole Meow Apps ecosystem, and for anything that can speak REST. Think out of the box, let your creativity flow, because the possibilities really are endless! ✨ For more, check the official website and come say hi on the Discord. Quick Intro Hello! ☀️ I built Code Engine because I was tired of pasting mystery snippets into functions.php and praying. I wanted a place where small bits of code are organized, safe, AI-assisted, and reusable everywhere. Here’s the idea. You write a function (or let the AI write it for you from a plain-English description). That function immediately shows up in three places: AI Engine: your chatbots and MCP clients (Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code) can call it as a tool, with real arguments. Ask “how many orders shipped today?” and your chatbot runs your function to answer. Workflow Engine: your function appears in the step picker as its very own block. Drag it onto the canvas, wire it between an AI step and a Slack step, done. No glue code. REST / External tools: give it a secure endpoint and a token, then trigger it from Make.com, n8n, Zapier, a cron job, or a webhook. You never wrote an “integration.” You just wrote a function. Code Engine did the rest. 🤝 Core Modules 🧩 Snippets Manager Backend, Frontend, Persistent, Scheduled, Functions, and in-content (PHP/JS) snippets, all in one clean dashboard with tags, search, scope filters, and priorities. 🪄 AI-Assisted Coding Describe what you want in plain English and let AI Engine write the snippet: code, name, arguments, and scope included. Refine existing code or implement it straight from your comments. 🤖 Functions as AI Tools Every Function snippet becomes a function-calling tool and an MCP tool, so your AI Engine chatbots (and external AI agents) can actually do things on your site, not just talk. 🔀 Functions as Workflow Steps Workflow Engine surfaces each of your functions as its own draggable step. Your custom logic becomes a first-class citizen on the automation canvas. 🌐 External Access (REST) Expose any runnable snippet through a secured REST endpoint with a bearer token. Perfect for Make.com, n8n, webhooks, and scheduled external jobs. 🛡️ Safe Mode A snippet that throws a fatal error is automatically caught and disabled before it can take your site down. Code with confidence. ⏰ Scheduling Run a snippet daily at a chosen time via WP-Cron (reports, cleanups, syncs) without touching the server crontab. 🧱 Code Blocks & Shortcodes (Pro) Drop PHP or JS straight into a post or page with a Gutenberg block or the [code-engine] shortcode, with safety guards. 🧩 Snippets, the way they should be Code Engine organizes your code by scope, so each snippet runs exactly where it belongs: Persistent: runs everywhere (frontend and backend). Your everyday “add this to functions.php” code, but managed. Frontend: runs only on the public site. Backend: runs only in the admin. Function: a named, callable function with typed arguments and defaults. This is the reusable building block (see below). Scheduled: runs on a WP-Cron schedule, at the hour and minute you pick. Content (PHP / JS): runs inside a specific post or page, via a Gutenberg Code Block or the [code-engine] shortcode (Pro). Everything is searchable, taggable, sortable by priority, and importable/exportable. The CodeMirror editor gives you proper syntax highlighting and keyboard shortcuts (Cmd+S to save, Cmd+Enter to run). A nikic/php-parser pass validates your PHP before it ever runs. 🪄 Let AI write it for you Don’t feel like writing the boilerplate? Describe the snippet in plain language and Code Engine, powered by AI Engine, generates the whole thing: the code, a sensible name, a description, the right scope, and, for functions, the argument list with names, types, and defaults. Already have code? Ask the AI to modify it from a prompt, or write a few comments describing what you want and let it fill in the implementation. It’s pair programming, right inside your dashboard. ✨ The big idea: write once, use everywhere This is what makes Code Engine different. A Function snippet is not just code you call from other code. It’s a reusable capability that the rest of your stack can plug into. The moment you save it, the same function is available in three places at once: 1. As an AI tool, for chatbots and AI agents With AI Engine active, your functions are exposed through function calling and over MCP (Model Context Protocol). Your on-site chatbot can run them mid-conversation, and external AI agents (Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, OpenClaw) can call them too. Want a chatbot that checks stock, looks up a booking, or kicks off a process? Write the function; the chatbot gains the skill. 2. As a workflow step, for automation With Workflow Engine, every active function shows up in the Add-step picker as its own block, named after your snippet, with one input per argument. Drag it onto the canvas and wire it between other steps: an AI step that summarizes, your function that saves, a Social Engine step that posts. There’s also a generic “Execute snippet (by ID / by name)” step when you want to call one dynamically. You never write integration code; your function is the integration. 3. As a REST endpoint, for the outside world Give a snippet a custom endpoint name and a bearer token, and it’s instantly callable from anywhere: POST /wp-json/code-engine/v1/snippets-endpoint/your-endpoint Pass arguments as JSON in the body, secure it with a token, and trigger it from Make.com, n8n, Zapier, GitHub Actions, or a humble cron job. Automation without a middleware bill. 🛡️ Safe by default Running arbitrary code is powerful, so Code Engine takes safety seriously: Safe Mode catches fatal errors and auto-disables the offending snippet, so a typo never white-screens your site. REST whitelisting means global snippets only run on trusted REST routes by default, so you choose what to open up. Per-snippet tokens secure your external endpoints. Validation with a real PHP parser before code is saved. For developers who want fewer guardrails, there’s a “Bypass REST Security” option and filters (mwcode_rest_authorized, mwcode_rest_whitelist) to tailor exactly what’s allowed. Works beautifully with the Meow Apps family Code Engine is one engine in a connected set, each one useful alone, magical together: AI Engine: chatbots, content generation, and MCP. Turns your functions into AI tools. Workflow Engine: visual automation. Turns your functions into draggable steps. SEO Engine: smart, lightweight AI SEO. Social Engine: schedule and automate social posts. Why Code Engine? Reusable, not throwaway Other snippet plugins give you a place to paste code. Code Engine gives you a place to build capabilities that your AI, your workflows, and your external tools can all use. Native to WordPress Clean, fast, and built the WordPress way. No clunky external dashboards, no bloat. AI-native Write snippets with AI, expose them to AI. The whole loop lives in your wp-admin. Developer friendly REST API, MCP tools, function calling, scheduling, import/export, and plenty of filters to hook into. Cared for Part of the Meow Apps family, with regular updates and a real human behind it. 💕

Postomatic writes SEO-ready blog posts for you, in one click or on a set schedule. Set a title or topic, choose a language, tone, and category, and let Postomatic’s AI write a complete, structured, SEO-optimized post – automatically filled in for Yoast SEO, Rank Math, All in One SEO, SEOPress, The SEO Framework, and WP Meta SEO. Save time on content creation while keeping full editorial control: every post is saved as a draft first, so you can review before it goes live. Two ways to create content Instant Generation – Open “Add Post”, enter a title or topic, pick your settings, and click Generate. Your post is ready in the time it takes to get a coffee. AutoPilot – Set it up once and let Postomatic keep publishing on autopilot: choose a frequency (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), a number of posts per run, a credit budget, and Postomatic takes care of the rest. Perfect for blogs and stores that want a steady stream of fresh content without daily manual work. Sell more with AI-written product content Running a store? Postomatic automatically detects WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, or SureCart on your site – no configuration needed – and lets you generate content built specifically to sell: Product Promotion – a focused article about one product, pulling in its real name, price, description, and images. Product Comparison – compare up to 3 products side by side in a single, well-structured post. Everything you can control Content Goal – Single post, Bulk posts (PRO), or Boost Product Sales (PRO) Language – write in the language your audience reads Category – pick manually or let AI auto-select the best fit Voice / Speaker – neutral, personal (“I”), team (“We”), direct (“You”), third-person, brand voice, or narrative/storytelling Content Tone – conversational, professional, academic, technical, persuasive, storytelling, or humorous Content Length – brief, standard, detailed, or comprehensive Featured Image – AI-generated (PRO) or your own custom upload In-Body Images – attach and describe your own images for the AI to place inside the article Comments, Author, and Publish Status – open/closed comments, choose the WordPress author, publish immediately or save as a draft Built to stay out of your way Runs as a normal WordPress admin screen – no page builder or theme changes required Generated posts always start as a draft, so nothing goes live without your review Floating credit tracker keeps your available balance visible while you work Low-credit warnings before AutoPilot tasks run out of budget One-time credit purchases – no forced recurring subscription to get started Requirements WordPress 5.8 or higher (tested up to WordPress 7.1) PHP 7.4 or higher (PHP 8.0+ recommended for optimal performance) Ability to make outbound HTTPS requests to external APIs A publicly reachable site (not required for pure localhost/offline development environments) Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) with JavaScript enabled Sufficient server memory (minimum 128MB PHP memory limit recommended) Optional: WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, or SureCart if you want to use “Boost Product Sales” Features AI-Powered Content Creation – Generates complete, structured blog posts from just a title or topic. AutoPilot Scheduling – Set a frequency and post count once, and Postomatic keeps publishing new content on that schedule. Automatic Store Detection for Product Content – Detects WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, or SureCart automatically; no setup needed to start writing product-focused content. Product Promotion & Product Comparison – Generate single-product sales copy or side-by-side comparisons of up to 3 products, with real prices, descriptions, and images pulled in automatically. Built-in SEO Plugin Integration – Automatically fills the SEO title, meta description, and focus/secondary keywords for Yoast SEO, Rank Math, All in One SEO, SEOPress, The SEO Framework, and WP Meta SEO – whichever you already have installed. Multi-Language Content – Generate posts directly in the language your readers use. Voice & Tone Controls – Choose who’s “speaking” (personal, team, direct, brand, narrative) and the overall tone (conversational, professional, academic, technical, persuasive, humorous, storytelling). Flexible Content Length – From a brief 600+ word post to a comprehensive 2,500+ word deep dive. Featured & In-Body Images – Upload your own images for the featured spot and for placement inside the article body, each with its own description. Draft-First Safety – Every generated post is created as a draft (or published immediately, your choice) so you always review before publishing. Free + Pay-As-You-Go Credits – Start with free credits, then top up with one-time credit purchases or a plan – no forced recurring subscription. Low-Credit Protection – Get warned in the admin bar and before AutoPilot runs if your balance won’t cover the next batch of posts. Full Admin Panel Control – Manage credits, plans, support tickets, and every generated post directly from the WordPress admin, without leaving your dashboard. Usage Instant Generation Open Postomatic > Add Post in your WordPress admin sidebar. Choose your Content Goal: Single Title, Bulk Titles (PRO), or Boost Product Sales (PRO). Enter your title/topic, then set language, category, voice, tone, and any images you want included. Click Generate Post. Your new post appears as a draft, ready to review, tweak, and publish. AutoPilot (hands-off publishing) Open Postomatic > AutoPilot. Choose “Boost Product Sales” or “SEO-Focused Content” as your goal. Walk through the short setup wizard: goal details/keywords, budget, and publishing frequency. Review the summary and create the task – Postomatic will keep generating and publishing on that schedule until you pause or delete it. Managing Credits and Plans Check your remaining credits anytime from the Postomatic dashboard or the floating credit tracker. When credits run low, either purchase more credits or upgrade to a paid plan for a larger allotment and additional features. Credit purchases and plans are one-time payments – no recurring billing surprises. Best Practices Always review generated drafts before publishing – treat the AI as a strong first draft, not a final copy. Add your own images and internal links to strengthen the post. Use the Voice and Tone controls to keep content consistent with your brand. For product content, make sure your product has a clear name, description, and image set in WooCommerce/EDD/SureCart first – the AI writes from what’s already there. For AutoPilot, start with a conservative frequency and post count until you’re happy with the output quality, then scale up. External Service Notice This plugin relies on an external service to function: Service Name: Postomatic Content Generator by Buildomatics Service URL: https://buildomatics.com/pages/postomatic/documentation Terms of Service: https://buildomatics.com/pages/postomatic/agreement Privacy Policy: https://buildomatics.com/pages/postomatic/privacy The plugin connects to Postomatic’s API when you generate content, purchase credits, activate plans, or request support. Only essential data (Such as your WordPress site URL, initialization token, admin email, and site name) is transmitted during these operations and only when initiated by you. The plugin will not function without this connection. By using the plugin, you acknowledge and accept these external connections. Legal Information Plugin Modification Disclaimer: You are free to modify Postomatic under the terms of the GPL license. However, we cannot provide support or guarantee compatibility for modified versions of the plugin. Hosting and Server Responsibility: Users are responsible for ensuring their hosting environment is secure, up-to-date, and compatible with Postomatic. We are not responsible for any site issues resulting from misconfiguration or outdated environments. AI Content Disclaimer: The content generated by Postomatic is produced using AI models trained on publicly available data. We do not guarantee that the generated content is original or free from third-party copyright claims. Users are solely responsible for reviewing and editing all generated content before publishing. External API Usage: This plugin connects to the external Postomatic API (https://buildomatics.com/v1) to perform tasks such as post generation, subscription management, and credit tracking. Only the necessary data is transmitted and only when you initiate actions that require it. Privacy and Data Protection: We collect and process only the information necessary to operate the plugin and connect with your account. For details, please see our full Privacy Policy at: https://postomatic.com/privacy