How to Use the Tags No Comma Shortcode in WordPress

What Is the Tags No Comma Shortcode?

WordPress’s default tag display uses commas (e.g., “WordPress, Plugins, Bricks”). The [tags_no_comma] shortcode displays the same tags with a customizable separator, so you can use bullets, pipes, icons, or any character that fits your design.

The shortcode accepts a separator attribute:

[tags_no_comma separator=" • "]
[tags_no_comma separator=" | "]
[tags_no_comma separator=" &#9679; "]  <!-- bullet character -->

The default separator is a single space when no attribute is provided.

Why You Need It

The default comma-separated tag list is functional but rarely matches a site’s visual design. Common reasons to use a custom separator:

• Design consistency: Many sites use bullet (•) or pipe (|) separators to match navigation and footer styling
• Visual hierarchy: A non-comma separator (like → or ⇒) suggests forward motion or progression
• Internationalization: Some languages and scripts have different separator conventions (e.g., middle dot · in French, ideographic comma 、 in Chinese/Japanese)
• Accessibility: A meaningful separator (vs. a comma) is easier for screen readers to parse when reading the tag list aloud

The shortcode is a small but useful customization for any site that cares about tag display.

How to Use the Tags No Comma Shortcode in Classic Monks

Step 1: Enable the Shortcode

In the Classic Monks settings, go to the Core tab, Content subtab. Scroll to the Shortcode and Filter Utilities section and toggle on Tags with No Comma Shortcode.

Step 2: Save Changes

Click Save Changes.

Step 3: Add the Shortcode to Your Content

Open any post or page edit screen. In the content editor, add the shortcode where you want the tag list to appear:

[tags_no_comma separator=" • "]

Step 4: Customize the Separator

Change the separator attribute to whatever character or string fits your design:

[tags_no_comma separator=" | "]      <!-- pipe -->
[tags_no_comma separator=" / "]      <!-- forward slash -->
[tags_no_comma separator=": "]     <!-- em dash (do not actually use this; use a colon or comma in real text) -->
[tags_no_comma separator=" " ]      <!-- single space (the default) -->

Step 5: View the Result

Preview or publish the post. The tags appear with your custom separator.

Configuration Options

Option	Description	Default
Tags with No Comma Shortcode	Master toggle. Enables the [tags_no_comma] shortcode.	Off

The separator attribute is per-shortcode-instance, set when you use the shortcode.

Usage Examples

# Default (single space):
[tags_no_comma]
Output: WordPress Plugins Bricks

# With bullet separator:
[tags_no_comma separator=" • "]
Output: WordPress • Plugins • Bricks

# With pipe separator:
[tags_no_comma separator=" | "]
Output: WordPress | Plugins | Bricks

# With arrow separator:
[tags_no_comma separator=" → "]
Output: WordPress → Plugins → Bricks

# No separator (just space):
[tags_no_comma separator=" "]
Output: WordPress Plugins Bricks (single space between)

# Empty separator (no space):
[tags_no_comma separator=""]
Output: WordPressPluginsBricks

Developer Notes

This feature is a single toggle with no developer hooks currently exposed. The feature-specific logic is loaded conditionally when the toggle is enabled.

Options used:

Option	Type	Default
Feature toggle	Boolean	false

Troubleshooting

The shortcode shows up as literal text

Cause: The shortcode toggle is off, or shortcodes are not being processed in the content area.
Fix: Verify the toggle is on. If you’re using a custom block or widget that doesn’t process shortcodes, switch to a standard WordPress content area (page/post editor, classic widget, classic block).

The separator is HTML-encoded on the page

Cause: The separator is being escaped as HTML, so & becomes &, etc.
Fix: This is correct security behavior. If you need to use HTML entities in the separator (e.g., ● for a bullet), make sure your shortcode attribute is wrapped in quotes: [tags_no_comma separator=" ● "]. Some plugins strip quotes from shortcode attributes; in that case, use the Unicode character directly.

The shortcode only shows on the post, not on archive pages

Cause: The shortcode is in the post content, which only renders on the single post view. Archive pages use the theme’s tag list template.
Fix: To use the shortcode on archive pages, add it to your theme’s template (e.g., archive.php, category.php) using <?php echo do_shortcode('[tags_no_comma separator=" • "]'); ?>. Or use a child theme to override the theme’s tag list rendering.

The shortcode is showing the separator but the tags list is empty

Cause: The post has no tags assigned, or the tags are private (not visible to non-logged-in visitors).
Fix: Add tags to the post in the post edit screen. Verify the tags are public (not private).

The custom separator works in the editor preview but not on the front-end

Cause: Caching, or a theme function is overriding the shortcode output.
Fix: Clear all caching layers. Check your theme for any the_content filter that might be stripping shortcode attributes. Use the [the_content filter example above] to apply the separator consistently.