Your Ultimate Guide to WordPress Classes
WordPress Classes Cheat Sheet for Developers
Explanation of Columns:
Class Name: The name of the WordPress class.
Current Status: Indicates whether the class is currently working or deprecated.
PHP Version: The minimum PHP version required for the class.
Class Type: The type of class (e.g., Query Class, User Management, etc.).
Class Usage: Brief description of what the class does.
Built-in Extensions Available: Any built-in extensions or classes that extend this class.
Benefits: Benefits of using this class.
Tips: Tips for using this class effectively.
Alternates: Alternate methods or classes that provide similar functionality.
WP Class | WP Class Type | WP Class Uses |
|---|---|---|
WP_List_Table PHP Version: 5.6+ | Admin UI Class | Usage: Base class for creating list tables in the WordPress admin. Benefits: Simplifies creating tables for listing data in the admin area. Tips: Extend this class to create custom list tables. Alternates: Custom HTML tables using PHP and HTML. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Meta_Box PHP Version: 5.6+ | Admin UI Class | Usage: Handles adding custom meta boxes in the WordPress admin. Benefits: Simplifies adding custom meta boxes to post editing screens. Tips: Use add_meta_box() to register meta boxes. Alternates: Custom admin UI using HTML and PHP. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Block_Type PHP Version: 5.6+ | Block Editor Class | Usage: Represents a block type in the WordPress block editor. Benefits: Standardizes block creation and management. Tips: Use register_block_type() to register custom blocks. Alternates: Custom block implementations using JavaScript and PHP. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Comment PHP Version: 5.6+ | Comment Class | Usage: Represents a comment in WordPress. Benefits: Provides a structured way to access comment data. Tips: Use get_comment() to retrieve comment objects. Alternates: Direct database access via $wpdb->get_row(). Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Control PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Base class for adding controls to the Customizer. Benefits: Simplifies adding custom controls to the Customizer. Tips: Use with WP_Customize_Manager to add customizer settings and controls. Alternates: Custom admin pages or settings API. Built-in Extensions Available: Core controls extend this class (e.g. WP_Customize_Color_Control) Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Manager PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Manages the Customizer interface. Benefits: Provides a structured way to add and manage Customizer settings and controls. Tips: Use with WP_Customize_Control to add customizer settings and controls. Alternates: Custom admin pages or settings API. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Panel PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Represents a panel in the Customizer. Benefits: Provides a structured way to add and manage Customizer panels. Tips: Use with WP_Customize_Manager to add customizer panels. Alternates: WP_Customize_Panel Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Partial PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Represents a partial in the Customizer, allowing selective refresh. Benefits: Improves performance by only refreshing parts of the preview. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_Customize_Manager and WP_Customize_Control. Alternates: Custom admin pages or settings API. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Section PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Represents a section in the Customizer. Benefits: Provides a structured way to add and manage Customizer sections. Tips: Use with WP_Customize_Manager to add customizer sections. Alternates: WP_Customize_Section Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Customize_Setting PHP Version: 5.6+ | Customizer Class | Usage: Represents a setting in the Customizer. Benefits: Provides a structured way to add and manage Customizer settings. Tips: Use with WP_Customize_Manager and WP_Customize_Control. Alternates: WP_Customize_Setting Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Error PHP Version: 5.6+ | Error Handling | Usage: Represents an error in WordPress. Benefits: Standardizes error handling across WordPress. Tips: Check for errors using is_wp_error(). Alternates: Custom error handling classes or mechanisms. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Feed_Cache PHP Version: 5.6+ | Feed Parser Class | Usage: Handles caching of RSS feed data. Benefits: Improves performance by caching feed data. Tips: Use with fetch_feed() to parse and cache feeds. Alternates: Custom caching solutions using transients or other methods. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Feed_Cache_Transient PHP Version: 5.6+ | Feed Parser Class | Usage: Handles transient-based caching of RSS feed data. Benefits: Uses transients to cache feed data, improving performance. Tips: Use with fetch_feed() to parse and cache feeds. Alternates: Custom caching solutions using direct database access or other methods. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_SimplePie_File PHP Version: 5.6+ | Feed Parser Class | Usage: Handles retrieving and caching feed data. Benefits: Simplifies working with RSS feeds and other feed formats. Tips: Use in conjunction with fetch_feed() to parse and cache feeds. Alternates: Custom feed parsing solutions using SimplePie or other libraries. Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Filesystem PHP Version: 5.6+ | Filesystem Class | Usage: Abstracts file system operations in WordPress. Benefits: Simplifies file system operations, supports multiple methods (direct, FTP, SSH). Tips: Use WP_Filesystem() to initialize and perform file operations. Alternates: WP_Filesystem Built-in Extensions Available: Extended by classes like WP_Filesystem_Direct, WP_Filesystem_SSH2, WP_Filesystem_FTPext, and WP_Filesystem_ftpsockets Current Status: Working |
WP_Hook PHP Version: 5.6+ | Hook System | Usage: Manages hooks and filters in WordPress. Benefits: Standardizes hook management and execution. Tips: Use to add or remove hooks and filters. Alternates: WP_Hook Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Http PHP Version: 5.6+ | HTTP API Class | Usage: Handles HTTP requests in WordPress. Benefits: Simplifies making HTTP requests and handling responses. Tips: Use for making remote requests and interacting with external APIs. Alternates: WP_Http Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Image_Editor PHP Version: 5.6+ | Image Management | Usage: Base class for handling image editing in WordPress. Benefits: Standardizes image editing operations. Tips: Use wp_get_image_editor() to get an instance of the image editor. Alternates: WP_Image_Editor Built-in Extensions Available: Extended by classes like WP_Image_Editor_GD and WP_Image_Editor_Imagick Current Status: Working |
WP_Image_Editor_GD PHP Version: 5.6+ | Image Management | Usage: Handles image editing using the GD library. Benefits: Provides image editing capabilities using the GD library. Tips: Use wp_get_image_editor() to get an instance of this editor. Alternates: WP_Image_Editor_GD Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Image_Editor_Imagick PHP Version: 5.6+ | Image Management | Usage: Handles image editing using the Imagick library. Benefits: Provides image editing capabilities using the Imagick library. Tips: Use wp_get_image_editor() to get an instance of this editor. Alternates: WP_Image_Editor_Imagick Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Locale PHP Version: 5.6+ | Locale Management | Usage: Handles localization and translation in WordPress. Benefits: Simplifies managing translations and locale settings. Tips: Use in conjunction with __() and _e() functions for translations. Alternates: WP_Locale Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Network PHP Version: 5.6+ | Multisite Class | Usage: Represents a network in a multisite installation. Benefits: Provides a structured way to access network data. Tips: Use get_network() to retrieve network objects. Alternates: WP_Network Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Site PHP Version: 5.6+ | Multisite Class | Usage: Represents a site in a multisite network. Benefits: Provides a structured way to access multisite data. Tips: Use get_site() to retrieve site objects. Alternates: WP_Site Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_oEmbed PHP Version: 5.6+ | oEmbed Class | Usage: Handles embedding content from oEmbed providers. Benefits: Simplifies embedding content from external providers. Tips: Use wp_oembed_get() to embed content. Alternates: WP_oEmbed Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Post PHP Version: 5.6+ | Post Class | Usage: Represents a single post in WordPress. Benefits: Provides a structured way to access post data. Tips: Use get_post() to retrieve post objects. Alternates: WP_Post Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Meta_Query PHP Version: 5.6+ | Query Class | Usage: Handles complex meta queries in WordPress. Benefits: Allows complex meta queries for posts, users, terms, etc. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_Query for advanced meta queries. Alternates: WP_Meta_Query Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Query PHP Version: 5.6+ | Query Class | Usage: Handles querying posts and pages in WordPress. Benefits: Powerful and flexible, allows complex queries. Tips: Use caching to improve performance. Alternates: WP_Query Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Site_Query PHP Version: 5.6+ | Query Class | Usage: Handles querying sites in a multisite network. Benefits: Allows complex queries for sites in a multisite network. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_Site for advanced site queries. Alternates: WP_Site_Query Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Term_Query PHP Version: 5.6+ | Query Class | Usage: Handles querying terms in WordPress. Benefits: Allows complex term queries. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_Term for advanced term queries. Alternates: WP_Term_Query Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_REST_Controller PHP Version: 5.6+ | REST API Class | Usage: Base class for creating REST API controllers. Benefits: Simplifies creating REST API endpoints. Tips: Extend this class to add custom API routes. Alternates: WP_REST_Controller Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Role PHP Version: 5.6+ | Roles and Capabilities | Usage: Represents a user role in WordPress. Benefits: Provides a structured way to manage user roles and capabilities. Tips: Use get_role() to retrieve role objects. Alternates: WP_Role Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Session_Tokens PHP Version: 5.6+ | Sessions API Class | Usage: Manages user session tokens. Benefits: Enhances security by managing user sessions. Tips: Use in conjunction with wp_set_auth_cookie() and wp_clear_auth_cookie(). Alternates: WP_Session_Tokens Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_SimplePie_Sanitize_KSES PHP Version: 5.6+ | Feed Parser Class | Usage: Sanitizes feed data using KSES. Benefits: Improves security by sanitizing feed data. Tips: Use in conjunction with fetch_feed() to parse and sanitize feeds. Alternates: WP_SimplePie_Sanitize_KSES Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Taxonomy PHP Version: 5.6+ | Taxonomy Class | Usage: Represents a taxonomy in WordPress. Benefits: Provides a structured way to manage taxonomies. Tips: Use register_taxonomy() to register custom taxonomies. Alternates: WP_Taxonomy Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Term PHP Version: 5.6+ | Term Class | Usage: Represents a term in a taxonomy. Benefits: Provides a structured way to manage terms. Tips: Use get_term() to retrieve term objects. Alternates: WP_Term Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_User PHP Version: 5.6+ | User Class | Usage: Represents a user in WordPress. Benefits: Provides a structured way to manage user data. Tips: Use get_user_by() to retrieve user objects. Alternates: WP_User Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_User_Query PHP Version: 5.6+ | Query Class | Usage: Handles querying users in WordPress. Benefits: Allows complex user queries. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_User for advanced user queries. Alternates: WP_User_Query Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Widget PHP Version: 5.6+ | Widget Class | Usage: Base class for creating widgets in WordPress. Benefits: Simplifies creation of custom widgets. Tips: Extend this class to create custom widgets. Alternates: WP_Widget Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |
WP_Widget_Factory PHP Version: 5.6+ | Widget Class | Usage: Manages the registration of widgets. Benefits: Standardizes widget registration and management. Tips: Use in conjunction with WP_Widget to register custom widgets. Alternates: WP_Widget_Factory Built-in Extensions Available: None Current Status: Working |