AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget Plugin

Plugin counts posts views (hits) by using external AJAX based counter script of this plugin, which is best solution for caching whole page or using other cache plugins.
Plugin also include widget “Popular Posts” for displaying popular posts (based on hits count) with different visibility settings and using predefined placeholders, such as {post_id}, {post_title}, {post_title_N}, {post_excerpt_N}, {post_author}, {post_author_link}, {permalink}, {post_date}, {thumbnail-[medium|...|64x64]}, {post_categories}, {post_hits} and {post_comments_count}.

You can show hits count in Posts/Pages Loop simply adding this line: <?php echo(ajax_hits_counter_get_hits(get_the_ID())); ?> or equivalent <?= ajax_hits_counter_get_hits(get_the_ID()) ?>
Or you can use this shortcode: [hits].
Plugin also have JavaScript-callback function (on client) for “success” (ajaxHitsCounterSuccessCallback(xhr)) and for “failed” (ajaxHitsCounterFailedCallback(xhr)) result status of hits incrementation.

Features

• AJAX based counter ignores most bots/crawlers
• Ability to reset the counter to any number any time
• Plugin not require using any third party code and/or JavaScript-frameworks
• Sortable admin column
• Can be shown anywhere on the site using “Popular Posts Widget”, shortcode [hits], php-code <?= ajax_hits_counter_get_hits(get_the_ID()) ?>
• Data import from WP-PostViews (“Tools”->”Import”)
• W3 Cache/WP SuperCache compatible
• Excluding counts from administrators

From your WordPress dashboard:
1. Open “Plugins” > “Add New” page
2. Search for ‘AJAX Hits Counter’
3. Activate ‘AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget’ from your Plugins page. Now widget counts hits automatically.
4. Optional. You can enable “Popular Posts Widget” in Widgets Management.

From WordPress.org:
1. Download ‘AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget’ from plugin’s page
2. Upload archive from “Add Plugins” page or you can upload directory ajax-hits-counter to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory
3. Activate ‘AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget’ from your “Plugins” page. Now widget counts hits automatically.
4. Optional. You can enable “Popular Posts Widget” in Widgets Management.

1. 

   Popular Posts Widget

2. 

   Edit Hits Count in Admin Dashboard

3. 

   Column with hits count in Admin Dashboard

4. 

   AJAX Hits Counter General Settings

0.10.210305 [2021-03-05]

• Updated for support WordPress 5.7
• Updated screenshots

0.9.10 [2018-03-09]

• Response of increment hits now in JSON format
• You can use callback function for “success” (ajaxHitsCounterSuccessCallback(xhr)) or “failed” (ajaxHitsCounterFailedCallback(xhr)) result status of increment hits script

0.9.9 [2014-12-19]

• Added option in Settings: “Don’t count hits of admin users”. Currently it works only with normal (not “rapid”) counting script. Thanks for the idea to vvvv.
• Updated screenshots with WordPress 4.1

0.9.8 [2014-12-18]

• Added possibility to set Hits Count format from predefined. Thanks for the idea to emik91, Dre_MPMG, Pulseframe.
• Added possibility to exclude Posts/Pages by their IDs. Thanks for the idea to pFrog.

0.9.7 [2013-12-28]

• Bug fixes and visual fixes for WordPress 3.8

0.9.6 [2013-11-29]

• Added translation in serbo-croatian (sr_RS) language. Thanks to Borisa Djuraskovic.

0.9.5 [2013-11-29]

• Replace filter_var() for PHP < 5.2.0 support.

0.9.4 [2013-11-18]

• Added translation in spanish (es_ES) language. Thanks to Maria Ramos.

0.9.3 [2013-11-14]

• Added translations in russian (ru_RU) and ukrainian (uk_UA) languages.

0.9.2 [2013-10-22]

• Bug fixes

0.9.1 [2013-10-22]

• Added shortcode [hits] (or [hits id=12345]). Thanks for the idea to AsankaD.
• Small bugs fixes

0.9.0 [2013-10-22]

• Added very fast (rapid) alternative hits counter script that used WP constant SHORTINIT. You can choose script type via Settings checkbox in admin area.
• Changed design of Popular Posts Widget

0.8.8 [2013-09-15]

• Added classes for <li> elements: item-num-<NUMBER_IN_ORDER> and item-id-<POST_ID>
• Added coefficients for Hits count and Comments count in Sorting Algorithm.
• Added hits column for Pages in admin dashboard.
• Added meta box for change hits count for Pages in admin dashboard.

0.8.7 [2013-09-03]

• Added counting for pages type too. Now you can choose post types to display in Popular Posts Widget: Pages & Posts, Posts only or Pages only.

0.8.6 [2013-09-02]

• Added import views count (hits) from plugin WP-PostViews to hits of AJAX Hits Counter. Accessible from menu: Tools > Import > AJAX Hits Counter: Import from WP-PostViews. Thanks for the idea to fabinhoalmeida.

0.8.5 [2013-08-29]

• Added Exclude category option. It means that Popular Posts Widget will exclude posts from selected category. In future I do it for more than one category. Thanks for the idea to fenomeno0chris.
• New look of Popular Posts Widget

0.8.4 [2013-08-28]

• Small fixes

0.8.3 [2013-08-28]

• Added Custom CSS box. Now you can add your styles from Widget Management

0.8.2 [2013-03-29]

• Display meta box for change hits count only for administrators.
• Improved logic of hits counting

0.8.1 [2013-03-28]

• Added meta box for change hits count in admin dashboard. Thanks for the idea to benben123.
• Rewritten on objects.

0.8.0 [2013-03-28]

• Added Current Category / Any option. It means that Popular Posts Widget will display only posts from current navigated category or for any category for other pages. Thanks for the idea to benben123.
• Added Posts date range selection. Now you can select posts publication date range, such as day, week, month, 3 months, 6 months, year and all time. Thanks for the idea to whatwillb.
• Added placeholder {post_title_N} to Popular Posts Widget, where N – is words count. Thanks for the idea to fenomeno0chris.
• Updated logic of {post_excerpt_N}.

0.7.6 [2013-02-27]

• Cache lifetime bug fix in Popular Posts Widget

0.7.5 [2013-02-25]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.7.4 [2013-02-22]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.7.3 [2013-02-22]

• Added category filter to Popular Posts Widget. Thanks for the idea to benben123.
• Updated screenshot

0.7.2 [2013-01-22]

• Added new function ajax_hits_counter_get_hits($post_id) for displaying hits count in your custom theme.
  Example: echo(ajax_hits_counter_get_hits(get_the_ID()).' hits');

0.7.1 [2013-01-03]

• JS optimization

0.7.0 [2013-01-03]

• For plugin’s work you DON’T need anymore any JS-framework, such as jQuery, MooTools, script.aculo.us etc.

0.6.2 [2012-12-27]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.6.1 [2012-12-27]

• readme.txt updates

0.6.0 [2012-11-24]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.5.9 [2012-11-24]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.5.8 [2012-11-23]

• Added placeholder {post_excerpt_N} to Popular Posts Widget, where N – is words count. Thanks for the idea to meetanik.
• Update screenshot of Popular Posts Widget

0.5.7 [2012-11-07]

• Fix some bugs in Popular Posts Widget

0.5.6 [2012-11-06]

• Update screenshot of Popular Posts Widget

0.5.5 [2012-11-06]

• Added placeholders {post_author} and {post_author_link} to Popular Posts Widget. Thanks for the idea to ebreuers.

0.5.4 [2012-11-06]

• Added Sorting Algorithm (Hits, Comments, Hits + Comments) to Popular Posts Widget
• Added placeholder {post_comments_count} to Popular Posts Widget

0.5.3 [2012-09-22]

• Added placeholder {post_hits} to Popular Posts Widget

0.5.2 [2012-09-05]

• Fixed small bug

0.5.1 [2012-09-05]

• Fixed small bug with already in cache data

0.5 [2012-09-05]

• Added placeholders {post_date} and {post_categories} to Popular Posts Widget
• Some performance optimizations

0.4 [2012-09-04]

• Now you can customize Popular Posts Widget output by using placeholders {post_id}, {post_title}, {permalink} and {thumbnail-[thumbnail|large|medium|...|64x64]}

0.3.1 [2012-09-03]

• Fixed bug with displaying posts in Popular Posts Widget

0.3 [2012-09-03]

• Fixed Transient cache usage for Popular Posts Widget
• Added cleaning widget transient cache on save_post action

0.2 [2012-09-03]

• Added Popular Posts Widget

0.1 [2012-08-27]

• AJAX Hits Counter initialization commit