ShortCut and Dummy Text Generator
ShortCut and Dummy Text Generator is a Gutenberg block that lets you scaffold content at speed. Add the block to any post or page, type an abbreviation — just like Emmet in code editors — and press Tab or Enter. The block immediately expands into proper WordPress core blocks: paragraphs, headings, lists, tables, groups, quotes, and more.
No more clicking through the block inserter to build repetitive layouts. Write ul>li*5>lorem6 and get a five-item list with six words of lorem ipsum per item in one keystroke.
How it works
- Add the ShortCut and Dummy Text Generator block anywhere in the Gutenberg editor.
- Type an abbreviation in the input field.
- Press Tab or Enter.
- The block either replaces itself with the generated blocks (default) or inserts the new blocks after itself — controlled by the toggle in the sidebar.
Abbreviation Syntax
Lorem ipsum text
lorem→ 20 words of lorem ipsumlorem5→ 5 words of lorem ipsum
Single elements
p>lorem10→ Paragraph with 10 lorem wordsh2>lorem5→ H2 heading with 5 lorem wordsh1throughh6are all supported
Repeating elements
Use *N to repeat a tag N times:
ul>li*3>lorem4→ Unordered list with 3 items, each 4 wordsol>li*4>lorem6→ Ordered list with 4 items, each 6 wordstable>tr*3>td*4>lorem3→ Table with 3 rows and 4 columns
Nesting
Use > to nest elements:
group>h2>lorem5→ Group block containing an H2 headingdiv>p>lorem20→ Group block containing a paragraphblockquote>p>lorem15→ Quote block with a paragraph inside
Sibling elements
Use , to create multiple sibling blocks in one go:
h2>My Title, p>lorem20→ An H2 heading followed by a paragraphh3>lorem4, ul>li*3>lorem5, p>lorem10→ Heading, list, and paragraph
Complex combinations
group>h2>lorem5, p>lorem20→ Group block with a heading and paragraphtable>tr*2>td*3>lorem4→ 2×3 table filled with lorem ipsum
Supported Block Types
Abbreviation tag Gutenberg block
p
core/paragraph
h1 – h6
core/heading
ul
core/list (unordered)
ol
core/list (ordered)
table
core/table
group / div
core/group
blockquote
core/quote
pre
core/preformatted
Block Settings
Replace block on Tab/Enter (sidebar toggle)
- On (default): pressing Tab or Enter replaces this block with the generated blocks.
- Off: the generated blocks are inserted into the editor without removing this block, so you can keep typing more abbreviations.
Remove block: click the × button in the top-right corner of the block to delete it from the editor.
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Developer Notes
Source code is publicly available on GitHub for review, study, and contributions:
https://github.com/bplugins/lorem-ipsum
