get_filesystem_method( array $args = array(), string $context = '', bool $allow_relaxed_file_ownership = false ): string

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Determines which method to use for reading, writing, modifying, or deleting files on the filesystem.

Description

The priority of the transports are: Direct, SSH2, FTP PHP Extension, FTP Sockets (Via Sockets class, or fsockopen()). Valid values for these are: ‘direct’, ‘ssh2’, ‘ftpext’ or ‘ftpsockets’.

The return value can be overridden by defining the FS_METHOD constant in wp-config.php, or filtering via ‘filesystem_method’.

Parameters

$argsarrayoptional
Connection details.

Default:array()

$contextstringoptional
Full path to the directory that is tested for being writable.

Default:''

$allow_relaxed_file_ownershipbooloptional
Whether to allow Group/World writable.

Default:false

Return

string The transport to use, see description for valid return values.

Source

 * The return value can be overridden by defining the `FS_METHOD` constant in `wp-config.php`,
 * or filtering via 'filesystem_method'.
 *
 * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/wordpress/wp-config/#wordpress-upgrade-constants
 *
 * Plugins may define a custom transport handler, See WP_Filesystem().
 *
 * @since 2.5.0
 *
 * @global callable $_wp_filesystem_direct_method
 *
 * @param array  $args                         Optional. Connection details. Default empty array.
 * @param string $context                      Optional. Full path to the directory that is tested
 *                                             for being writable. Default empty.
 * @param bool   $allow_relaxed_file_ownership Optional. Whether to allow Group/World writable.
 *                                             Default false.
 * @return string The transport to use, see description for valid return values.
 */
function get_filesystem_method( $args = array(), $context = '', $allow_relaxed_file_ownership = false ) {
	// Please ensure that this is either 'direct', 'ssh2', 'ftpext', or 'ftpsockets'.
	$method = defined( 'FS_METHOD' ) ? FS_METHOD : false;

	if ( ! $context ) {
		$context = WP_CONTENT_DIR;
	}

	// If the directory doesn't exist (wp-content/languages) then use the parent directory as we'll create it.
	if ( WP_LANG_DIR === $context && ! is_dir( $context ) ) {
		$context = dirname( $context );
	}

	$context = trailingslashit( $context );

	if ( ! $method ) {

		$temp_file_name = $context . 'temp-write-test-' . str_replace( '.', '-', uniqid( '', true ) );
		$temp_handle    = @fopen( $temp_file_name, 'w' );
		if ( $temp_handle ) {

			// Attempt to determine the file owner of the WordPress files, and that of newly created files.
			$wp_file_owner   = false;
			$temp_file_owner = false;
			if ( function_exists( 'fileowner' ) ) {
				$wp_file_owner   = @fileowner( __FILE__ );
				$temp_file_owner = @fileowner( $temp_file_name );
			}

			if ( false !== $wp_file_owner && $wp_file_owner === $temp_file_owner ) {
				/*
				 * WordPress is creating files as the same owner as the WordPress files,
				 * this means it's safe to modify & create new files via PHP.
				 */
				$method                                  = 'direct';
				$GLOBALS['_wp_filesystem_direct_method'] = 'file_owner';
			} elseif ( $allow_relaxed_file_ownership ) {
				/*
				 * The $context directory is writable, and $allow_relaxed_file_ownership is set,
				 * this means we can modify files safely in this directory.
				 * This mode doesn't create new files, only alter existing ones.
				 */
				$method                                  = 'direct';
				$GLOBALS['_wp_filesystem_direct_method'] = 'relaxed_ownership';
			}

			fclose( $temp_handle );
			@unlink( $temp_file_name );
		}
	}

	if ( ! $method && isset( $args['connection_type'] ) && 'ssh' === $args['connection_type'] && extension_loaded( 'ssh2' ) ) {
		$method = 'ssh2';
	}
	if ( ! $method && extension_loaded( 'ftp' ) ) {

Changelog

VersionDescription
2.5.0Introduced.

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