Shortcode in WordPress are text macros which are used in content area of a Page or Post and May be Widgets. Shortcodes are created by using a collections of functions. You will learn about shortcode and How to create a custom shortcode as you proceed.
What is a Shortcode?
Shortcode are text macros or shorthand tags, which can be used in post or pages to display some codes or some custom texts.
syntax :
0 1 2 | [myshortcode] |
Shortcode can be of two types: Self closing and enclosing. Shortcodes can have attributes too.
Self closing: [myshortcode]
Enclosing: [myshortcode] Some text [/myshortcode]
With Attributes: [myshortcode att1="name" att2="phone"]
Build in Shortcodes in WordPress :
There are some build in Shortcodes which are using to display gallery, audio. video etc.
Creating a custom Shortcode
There are two component of a simple shortcode a shortcode tag and a callback function as shown below.
a. Create a simple self-closing Shortcode.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 | //[myshortcode] function myshortcode_func( $atts ){ return "My First Shortcode!"; } add_shortcode( 'myshortcode', 'myshortcode_func' ); |
Here myshortcode is shortcode tag and myshortcode_func() is callback function. This code block may either be included in active theme functions.php file or as a standalone plugin.
b. Create a self-enclosing Shortcode with attributes.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | //[myshortcode] function myshortcode_func( $atts ) { $var = shortcode_atts( array( 'f_name' => 'Gyan', 'l_name' => 'Giri', ), $atts ); return "Full Name: {$var['f_name']} {$var['f_name']}"; } add_shortcode( 'myshortcode', 'myshortcode_func' ); |
Here myshortcode is shortcode tag and myshortcode_func() is callback function. This Shortcode support attributes to display full name. This code block may either be included in active theme functions.php file or as a standalone plugin.
If no attributes will be used, the shortcode will display default values set in f_name and l_name.
[myshortcode] will output: Full Name: Gyan Giri .
[myshortcode f_name="Sanjay" l_name="Kumar"] will output: Full Name: Sanjay Kumar.
c. Create a enclosing Shortcode.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 | // [myshortcode] Any Text [/myshortcode] function myshortcode_func( $atts, $content = null ) { return '<span class="title">' . $content . '</span>'; } add_shortcode( 'myshortcode', 'myshortcode_func' ); |
Here myshortcode is shortcode tag and myshortcode_func() is callback function. This code block may either be included in active theme functions.php file or as a standalone plugin.
This Shortcode will wrap a span will class title to any content enclosed within the Shortcode.
Output:
[myshortcode] Hello John [/myshortcode] will output the text with span wrapped in text.
0 1 2 | <span class="title"> Hello John</span> |
d. Create a enclosing Shortcode with attributes.
A enclosing shortcode can also have attributes.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | // [myshortcode classname="title" ] Any Text [/myshortcode] function myshortcode_func( $atts, $content = null ) { $a = shortcode_atts( array( 'classname' => 'title', ), $atts ); return '<span class="'.esc_attr($a['classname']).'">' . $content . '</span>'; } add_shortcode( 'myshortcode', 'myshortcode_func' ); |
Here myshortcode is shortcode tag and myshortcode_func() is callback function. This code block may either be included in active theme functions.php file or as a standalone plugin.
This enclosing shortcode will have option to modify class name as well as display text too.
Output:
[myshortcode classname="heading" ] Post title [/myshortcode] will output.
0 1 2 | <span class="heading"> Post title </span> |
Troubleshooting:
Add following code to functions.php or plugin file you are developing to enable the shortcode to Text Widgets.
0 1 2 3 | add_filter( 'widget_text', 'shortcode_unautop' ); add_filter( 'widget_text', 'do_shortcode' ); |
shortcode are a great functionality, When used wisely It will do Wonders.
Hey, Gyanendra! This guide was super useful for me, I think you really know what you’re doing and how to explain it to the community =) So I wanted to say Thank You before I go back to work on my wordpress!