Generic.PHP.DisallowAlternativePHPTags.MaybeASPOpenTagFound

Alternative PHP tag found

The plugin contains PHP syntax or file formatting that can cause compatibility problems.

medium weight

Why It Shows Up

Plugin Check found short tags, alternative PHP tags, byte order marks, mixed line endings, or similar formatting issues.

Why It Matters

Formatting issues can break parsing, cause unexpected output, or behave differently across PHP configurations and hosts.

How to Fix

  • Use full `<?php` opening tags.
  • Save files as UTF-8 without a byte order mark.
  • Normalize line endings and run formatting checks before release.

Affected Plugins

RankPluginScoreErrorsWarningsInstallsAddedUpdatedTop Issue
#1Happyforms – Form Builder for WordPress: Drag & Drop Contact Forms, Surveys, Payments & Multipurpose Forms221,03772220k+Unsafe printing function
#2CoDesigner – All in One Elementor WooCommerce Builder224,1317745k+Text Domain Mismatch
#3Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery232,129993400k+Text Domain Mismatch
#4Ultimate Fields23371458700Alternative PHP tag found
#5Product Options and Price Calculation Formulas for WooCommerce – Uni CPO232,5141,9291k+Output is not escaped
#6Stripe Payment Forms by WP Full Pay – Accept Credit Card Payments, Donations & Subscriptions231,1231,8609k+Output is not escaped
#7FunnelKit Automations – Email Marketing Automation and CRM for WordPress & WooCommerce239412,17920k+SQL query is not prepared
#8Dynamics 365 Integration24383166600Output is not escaped
#9Piotnet Forms251873743k+Alternative PHP tag found
#10Easy Appointments2613556910k+Alternative PHP tag found
#11WP Chat App27120274100k+Alternative PHP tag found
#12Pop-up311039110k+Output is not escaped
#13Opal Mega Menu32419119400Text Domain Mismatch
#14YourChannel: Everything you want in a YouTube plugin.3426211510k+Text Domain Mismatch
#15Business Hours Indicator351391068k+Alternative PHP tag found
#16WP Image Markers – Easy Hotspot Solution3717966700Text Domain Mismatch
#17PO/MO Editor39106451k+Unsafe printing function