Any output generated within the configuration page implementation function will be sent to the browser, enclosed within the WordPress administration interface layout. In this recipe's code, we first start by using the ch2pho_get_options function that we defined earlier in this chapter to retrieve all options for the plugin, conveniently organized in an array that we can store in a single variable.

We then use a closing PHP bracket to be able to write direct HTML code for the rest of the function's body, sending this content directly to the browser. The HTML code takes care of creating a standard form, rendering a text field to display and accepting new values for the Google Analytics Account Number, and a checkbox for the user to specify whether or not outgoing links should be tracked. Finally, the HTML code adds a Submit button to allow users to submit any changes made to the plugin's configuration.

Taking a closer look at the code, it also contains small snippets of PHP code that display the current configuration values when the options page is displayed and uses the checked WordPress utility function to output the correct HTML code when the passed argument is true.

The biggest advantage of using straight HTML to render a plugin's configuration page is that it allows for the creation of intricate layouts to present all of the options to the end user. This is in sharp contrast to using the Settings API, as we will see in a later recipe. HTML is also easier to understand for many web designers than working with intricate functions.