Recently I built a front-end form for a WordPress site that lets non-technical users submit new entries to a custom post type, no dashboard access needed.
The stack:
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Custom Post Type:
Staff(created via CPT UI) -
ACF field group: name, title, contact info, bio, region, featured image
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Hand-coded form: outputs clean markup, validates inputs, maps each field to ACF, and publishes directly to the CPT
My goal was to make the submission process frictionless, especially for a client who just wants to manage team bios without ever logging into wp-admin.
I used GPT (via a custom “Coding Assistant” persona I built) to:
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Structure field logic and post mapping
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Troubleshoot post_title and slug sync
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Write and refine the CSS for a compact, mobile-first layout
The difference? I’m not relying on plugins to do the heavy lifting. I’m using AI to accelerate the parts I want control over, layout, logic, structure.
If you’re working with ACF and CPTs in WordPress, building your own front-end forms is still one of the most useful, client-friendly workflows out there.
Curious how it all fits together? I’m happy to share a walkthrough or snippets.