I’ve been building websites for years and I’ve seen a lot of different form plugins come and go.

But Ninja Forms? It’s a real workhorse.

It’s got a million active installations for a reason.

It’s just solid reliable and user-friendly.

Ready to ditch those clunky, outdated forms and level up your website? 🤔 Ninja Forms is your new best friend. 💪 It’s simple to use, super customizable, and can handle everything from basic contact forms to complex surveys. Get started and unleash the power of Ninja Forms!

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Diving into Ninja Forms: From Simple Forms to Powerful Customizations

Now you might be thinking “Forms are forms right? What’s so special about Ninja Forms?” Well my friend you’d be surprised.

This plugin is like a Swiss Army knife for your website.

You can use it for simple contact forms sure but it’s also packed with features that let you build complex forms for just about anything.

A Beginner’s Guide to Ninja Forms

Let’s say you’re a newbie to the whole form-building thing.

Don’t worry Ninja Forms has you covered.

You’ve got these pre-built templates – think of them like starting points for different types of forms.

1. The Installation Process

Installing Ninja Forms is a piece of cake.

Just go to your WordPress dashboard click on “Plugins” and then “Add New.” Search for “Ninja Forms” and click “Install Now.” After it’s installed click “Activate.” See? Easy peasy.

2. Creating Your First Form

Now you’re ready to build your first form.

Click on “Ninja Forms” in your dashboard and then “Add New.” You’ll see a bunch of pre-made templates.

For a basic contact form go for “Contact Us.” It’s a good starting point.

3. The Drag-and-Drop Interface

You’ll notice this nifty drag-and-drop form builder.

It’s like playing with digital building blocks.

You can add delete or rearrange fields to your heart’s content.

Need a name field? Drag it over.

Need a text area for messages? Drag it over.

It’s super intuitive.

4. Adding Fields

Want to add some extra fields? Click the blue circle with the plus sign in the lower right corner.

Need to change a field? Click the gear icon next to it.

To remove a field hover over the gear icon and a trash can will pop up.

Click it.

Gone!

5. Form Publishing

Once you’re happy with your form click “Done.” Now you need to publish it so people can actually use it.

You’ll see options for embedding it in your pages posts or even using shortcodes.

Adding Ninja Forms to Your Website

There are a few different ways to add your beautiful new form to your website.

1. Gutenberg Blocks (WordPress 5.0 and up)

If you’re using WordPress 5.0 or later you can add Ninja Forms as a Gutenberg block.

Just click the plus icon in the block editor search for “Ninja Forms” and select the form you want to use.

Easy peasy!

2. Shortcodes

Every Ninja Form has its own unique shortcode.

Just copy and paste the shortcode into your page or post and bam! The form appears.

3. Append Forms

In the right sidebar of the editor you’ll see an option to “Append a Ninja Form.” Choose your form and it will appear at the end of the page or post you’re editing.

Form Settings: Fine-Tuning Your Masterpiece

You can always tweak your form settings later.

You’ll find all the options in the form’s settings section.

But let’s focus on one of the most important settings: email notifications.

Keeping in Touch: Email Notifications and Actions

Imagine this: someone fills out your form.

You want to know about it right? That’s where email notifications come in.

1. Setting Up Email Actions

Go to the “Emails & Actions” section within your form’s settings.

You’ll see options for pre-built email actions or the ability to create new actions.

2. Creating New Email Actions

Click the blue circle and plus sign to create a new action.

Select “Email” from the options.

Give it a name and you’re on your way.

3. Recipient Email Addresses

Select the email addresses where you want to receive the notifications.

You can add addresses manually or use merge tags to automatically include data from the form like the user’s email.

4. Automating Replies

Want to send an automatic reply to the user? Use merge tags to insert the user’s email address from the form into the “To” field of your email action.

5. Crafting Your Email Message

Now customize your email message.

You can add a personal touch by including the user’s name or any other information they submitted in the form.

Ninja Forms: A World of Possibilities

That’s the basics my friend.

But there’s so much more to explore.

You can use Ninja Forms to build event registration forms survey forms file upload forms and even integrate with payment gateways.

The possibilities are endless.

Ninja Forms for Developers: Taking It to the Next Level

If you’re a developer Ninja Forms gives you even more power.

You can use its API to create custom integrations build custom fields and add your own logic to your forms.

1. The Ninja Forms API: Power Under the Hood

Ninja Forms has a powerful API that allows you to programmatically interact with forms manage submissions and create custom functionalities.

2. Custom Fields and Extensions

You can extend Ninja Forms by creating custom fields and extensions.

These extensions can add specific functionalities to your forms such as adding calendar fields file upload features or integrating with external services.

3. Action Hooks and Filters

Ninja Forms offers a robust system of action hooks and filters that allow you to modify and extend its core functionality.

This gives developers full control over the form submission process data validation and email notification logic.

A Final Word of Wisdom

Ninja Forms is a real powerhouse.

It’s user-friendly enough for beginners yet powerful enough for seasoned developers.

It’s a great option for building forms that actually work and that look good too.

So my friend what are you waiting for? Go ahead give Ninja Forms a try! You might just be surprised at what you can build.

Just remember the real magic happens when you start experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Happy form building!

How to Use Ninja Forms