get_terms( array|string $args = array(), array|string $deprecated = '' )
Retrieves the terms in a given taxonomy or list of taxonomies.
Description
You can fully inject any customizations to the query before it is sent, as well as control the output with a filter.
The return type varies depending on the value passed to $args['fields']. See WP_Term_Query::get_terms() for details. In all cases, a WP_Error object will be returned if an invalid taxonomy is requested.
The ‘get_terms’ filter will be called when the cache has the term and will pass the found term along with the array of $taxonomies and array of $args. This filter is also called before the array of terms is passed and will pass the array of terms, along with the $taxonomies and $args.
The ‘list_terms_exclusions’ filter passes the compiled exclusions along with the $args.
The ‘get_terms_orderby’ filter passes the ORDER BY clause for the query along with the $args array.
Prior to 4.5.0, the first parameter of get_terms() was a taxonomy or list of taxonomies:
$terms = get_terms( 'post_tag', array(
'hide_empty' => false,
) );Since 4.5.0, taxonomies should be passed via the ‘taxonomy’ argument in the $args array:
$terms = get_terms( array(
'taxonomy' => 'post_tag',
'hide_empty' => false,
) );Parameters
- $args
-
(array|string) (Optional) Array or string of arguments. See WP_Term_Query::__construct() for information on accepted arguments.
Default value: array()
- $deprecated
-
(array|string) (Optional) Argument array, when using the legacy function parameter format. If present, this parameter will be interpreted as
$args, and the first function parameter will be parsed as a taxonomy or array of taxonomies.Default value: ''
Return
(WP_Term[]|int[]|string[]|string|WP_Error) Array of terms, a count thereof as a numeric string, or WP_Error if any of the taxonomies do not exist. See the function description for more information.
Source
File: wp-includes/taxonomy.php
function get_terms( $args = array(), $deprecated = '' ) {
$term_query = new WP_Term_Query();
$defaults = array(
'suppress_filter' => false,
);
/*
* Legacy argument format ($taxonomy, $args) takes precedence.
*
* We detect legacy argument format by checking if
* (a) a second non-empty parameter is passed, or
* (b) the first parameter shares no keys with the default array (ie, it's a list of taxonomies)
*/
$_args = wp_parse_args( $args );
$key_intersect = array_intersect_key( $term_query->query_var_defaults, (array) $_args );
$do_legacy_args = $deprecated || empty( $key_intersect );
if ( $do_legacy_args ) {
$taxonomies = (array) $args;
$args = wp_parse_args( $deprecated, $defaults );
$args['taxonomy'] = $taxonomies;
} else {
$args = wp_parse_args( $args, $defaults );
if ( isset( $args['taxonomy'] ) && null !== $args['taxonomy'] ) {
$args['taxonomy'] = (array) $args['taxonomy'];
}
}
if ( ! empty( $args['taxonomy'] ) ) {
foreach ( $args['taxonomy'] as $taxonomy ) {
if ( ! taxonomy_exists( $taxonomy ) ) {
return new WP_Error( 'invalid_taxonomy', __( 'Invalid taxonomy.' ) );
}
}
}
// Don't pass suppress_filter to WP_Term_Query.
$suppress_filter = $args['suppress_filter'];
unset( $args['suppress_filter'] );
$terms = $term_query->query( $args );
// Count queries are not filtered, for legacy reasons.
if ( ! is_array( $terms ) ) {
return $terms;
}
if ( $suppress_filter ) {
return $terms;
}
/**
* Filters the found terms.
*
* @since 2.3.0
* @since 4.6.0 Added the `$term_query` parameter.
*
* @param array $terms Array of found terms.
* @param array|null $taxonomies An array of taxonomies if known.
* @param array $args An array of get_terms() arguments.
* @param WP_Term_Query $term_query The WP_Term_Query object.
*/
return apply_filters( 'get_terms', $terms, $term_query->query_vars['taxonomy'], $term_query->query_vars, $term_query );
}
Expand full source code Collapse full source code View on Trac View on GitHub
Changelog
| Version | Description |
|---|---|
| 4.8.0 | Introduced 'suppress_filter' parameter. |
| 4.5.0 | Changed the function signature so that the $args array can be provided as the first parameter. Introduced 'meta_key' and 'meta_value' parameters. Introduced the ability to order results by metadata. |
| 4.4.0 | Introduced the ability to pass 'term_id' as an alias of 'id' for the orderby parameter. Introduced the 'meta_query' and 'update_term_meta_cache' parameters. Converted to return a list of WP_Term objects. |
| 4.2.0 | Introduced 'name' and 'childless' parameters. |
| 2.3.0 | Introduced. |
User Contributed Notes
You must log in before being able to contribute a note or feedback.
All get_terms attributes with default values:
(I try default from this article and it didn’t work. This works.)
$get_terms_default_attributes = array ( 'taxonomy' => 'category', //empty string(''), false, 0 don't work, and return empty array 'orderby' => 'name', 'order' => 'ASC', 'hide_empty' => true, //can be 1, '1' too 'include' => 'all', //empty string(''), false, 0 don't work, and return empty array 'exclude' => 'all', //empty string(''), false, 0 don't work, and return empty array 'exclude_tree' => 'all', //empty string(''), false, 0 don't work, and return empty array 'number' => false, //can be 0, '0', '' too 'offset' => '', 'fields' => 'all', 'name' => '', 'slug' => '', 'hierarchical' => true, //can be 1, '1' too 'search' => '', 'name__like' => '', 'description__like' => '', 'pad_counts' => false, //can be 0, '0', '' too 'get' => '', 'child_of' => false, //can be 0, '0', '' too 'childless' => false, 'cache_domain' => 'core', 'update_term_meta_cache' => true, //can be 1, '1' too 'meta_query' => '', 'meta_key' => array(), 'meta_value'=> '', );Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
As of WordPress 4.6.1, here’s the array that’s returned (to add to Leo’s helpful note above)
array(1) { [0]=> object(WP_Term) (11) { ["term_id"]=> //int ["name"]=> //string ["slug"]=> //string ["term_group"]=> //int ["term_taxonomy_id"]=> //int ["taxonomy"]=> //string ["description"]=> //string ["parent"]=> //int ["count"]=> // int ["filter"]=> //string ["meta"]=> array(0) { // presumably this would be some returned meta-data? } } }Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
If parent => 0 is passed, only top-level terms will be returned
$terms = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'tax_name', 'parent' => 0 ) );Get categories and subcategories by custom taxonomies:
$taxonomies = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'taxonomy_name', 'hide_empty' => false ) ); if ( !empty($taxonomies) ) : $output = '<select>'; foreach( $taxonomies as $category ) { if( $category->parent == 0 ) { $output.= '<optgroup label="'. esc_attr( $category->name ) .'">'; foreach( $taxonomies as $subcategory ) { if($subcategory->parent == $category->term_id) { $output.= '<option value="'. esc_attr( $subcategory->term_id ) .'"> '. esc_html( $subcategory->name ) .'</option>'; } } $output.='</optgroup>'; } } $output.='</select>'; echo $output; endif;Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Working with Advanced Custom Fields (field type: Taxonomy, output: Object) for filtering taxonomies.
Case: Create a filter with main categories defined by ACF field, and all another should belongs to *others*.
Solution:
// Define Featured Category IDs first $featured_category_ids = array(); // It must be output WP_Object $featured_categories = get_field('main_category_filters'); // Creating loop to insert IDs to array. foreach( $featured_categories as $cat ) { $featured_category_ids[] = $cat->term_id; } // Now, if Featured Categories are match, add their IDs via 'exclude' if( $featured_categories ) { $args = array( 'taxonomy' => 'event_cat', 'parent' => 0, 'exclude' => $featured_category_ids ); } else { // If no featured, just display all terms $args = array( 'taxonomy' => 'event_cat', 'parent' => 0 ); } // Starting query terms now $other_categories = get_terms($args);Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Get all post categories ordered by count.
String syntax:
Array syntax:
Get all the links categories:
List all the terms in a custom taxonomy, without a link:
$terms = get_terms( 'my_taxonomy' ); if ( ! empty( $terms ) && ! is_wp_error( $terms ) ){ echo '<ul>'; foreach ( $terms as $term ) { echo '<li>' . $term->name . '</li>'; } echo '</ul>'; }List all the terms, with link to term archive, separated by an interpunct (·):
$args = array( 'hide_empty=0' ); $terms = get_terms( 'my_term', $args ); if ( ! empty( $terms ) && ! is_wp_error( $terms ) ) { $count = count( $terms ); $i = 0; $term_list = '<p class="my_term-archive">'; foreach ( $terms as $term ) { $i++; $term_list .= '<a href="' . esc_url( get_term_link( $term ) ) . '" alt="' . esc_attr( sprintf( __( 'View all post filed under %s', 'my_localization_domain' ), $term->name ) ) . '">' . $term->name . '</a>'; if ( $count != $i ) { $term_list .= ' · '; } else { $term_list .= '</p>'; } } echo $term_list; }Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Get all post categories ordered by count.
String syntax:
Array syntax:
List terms limit to those matching a specific metadata key and metadata value
$terms= get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'taxonomy name', 'meta_key' => 'metadata key', 'meta_value' => 'metadata value' ) );Get list of terms that match a certain meta_key
$args = array( 'hide_empty' => false, 'meta_query' => array( array( 'key' => 'project_status', 'value' => 'New', 'compare' => '=' ) )); $projects = get_terms( 'Projects', $args );If `get_terms` doesnt works for some odd reason with custom taxonomy not showing registered, try using `WP_Term_Query`:
$term_query = new WP_Term_Query( array( 'taxonomy' => 'regions', // <-- Custom Taxonomy name.. 'orderby' => 'name', 'order' => 'ASC', 'child_of' => 0, 'parent' => 0, 'fields' => 'all', 'hide_empty' => false, ) ); // Show Array info echo '<pre>'; print_r( $term_query->terms ); echo '</pre>'; //Render html if ( ! empty( $term_query->terms ) ) { foreach ( $term_query->terms as $term ) { echo wp_kses_post( $term->name ) . ", "; echo esc_html( $term->term_id ) . ", "; echo esc_html( $term->slug ) . ", "; echo "<br>"; } } else { echo 'No term found.'; }Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Get all args from here: https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/WP_Term_Query/__construct/
Custom Taxonomy and Sub Category Lists.
Your can use this to create list table also.
$taxonomies = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'product_cat', //Custom taxonomy name 'hide_empty' => false ) ); if ( !empty($taxonomies) ) : foreach( $taxonomies as $category ) { if( $category->parent == 0 ) { //remove uncategorized from loop if( $category->slug == 'uncategorized' ){ continue; } //Parent category information echo esc_html__($category->name, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($category->description, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($category->slug, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($category->count, 'text-domain'); //Sub category information foreach( $taxonomies as $subcategory ) { if($subcategory->parent == $category->term_id) { echo esc_html__($subcategory->name, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($subcategory->description, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($subcategory->slug, 'text-domain'); echo esc_html__($subcategory->count, 'text-domain'); } } } } endif;Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Meta Query using a custom field, and then ordering using a different custom field.
$terms = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'tax_slug', 'hide_empty' => false, 'meta_query' => array( [ 'key' => 'meta_key_slug_1', 'value' => 'desired value to look for' ] ), 'meta_key' => 'meta_key_slug_2', 'orderby' => 'meta_key_slug_2' ) );Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Order by parent term ID – not documented, but also works.
$categories = get_terms( 'category', array( 'orderby' => 'parent', ) );Get all child taxonomy of a parent taxonomy
function get_child_taxonomies( $taxonomy_name, $termId, $args = array() ) { $defaults = array( 'taxonomy' => $taxonomy_name, 'orderby' => 'name', 'order' => 'ASC', 'hide_empty' => true, 'child_of' => $termId, ); $args = wp_parse_args( $args, $defaults ); $taxonomies = get_terms( $args ); if ( empty( $taxonomies ) || is_wp_error( $taxonomies ) ) { return false; } return $taxonomies; }Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Get All Terms id and name in a array for make dropdown select:
function custom_get_term_lit( $taxonomy = 'category' ) { $terms = get_terms( [ 'taxonomy' => $taxonomy, 'hide_empty' => false, ] ); if ( ! empty( $terms ) && ! is_wp_error( $terms ) ) { return wp_list_pluck( $terms, 'name', 'term_id' ); } return false; } $category = custom_get_term_lit('custom-taxonomy-id'); echo "<select name='category' id='category-dropdown'>"; foreach ( $category as $cat_id => $cat_name ) { echo "<option value='" . esc_attr( $cat_id ) . "'>" . esc_html__( $cat_name, 'text-domain' ) . "</option>"; } echo "</select>";Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
list categories( or custom taxonomy ) and subcategory in organazid way
//parent category (then child(category) and subchild, then posts in each category ) $parent_ID = 0; //-level_one_clilds- $level_one_clilds = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'lecture_category', 'parent' => $parent_ID , 'depth' => 1, 'hide_empty' => false ) ); foreach( $level_one_clilds as $level_one_clild ): echo $level_one_clild->name . "<hr>" ; //--level_tow_clilds-- $level_tow_clilds = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'lecture_category', 'parent' => $level_one_clild->term_id, 'depth' => 1, 'hide_empty' => false )); foreach( $level_tow_clilds as $level_tow_clild ): echo "- " . $level_tow_clild->name . "<hr>" ; //---level_three_clild --- $level_three_clilds = get_terms( array( 'taxonomy' => 'lecture_category', 'parent' => $level_tow_clild->term_id, 'depth' => 1, 'hide_empty' => false )); foreach( $level_three_clilds as $level_three_clild ): echo "-- " . $level_three_clild->name . "<hr>" ; endforeach ; //level_three_clild endforeach ; //level_tow_clild endforeach ; //level_one_clildsExpand full source codeCollapse full source code
If you have a term assigned to something else than a post, here is a warning:
'hide_empty'is default true so it only shows terms assigned to posts. So if you get an empty Array returned be aware that terms (e.g. categories) assigned to attachments for example are not shown by default unless you use'hide_empty' => false:Loop through taxonomy and list all subcategories.
$taxonomy = 'my_taxonomy'; function listTaxonomies($taxonomy,$term_id = '0') { $output = ''; $args = array( 'taxonomy' => $taxonomy, 'parent' => $term_id ); $categories = get_terms($args); if($categories) { $output.= '<div style="padding-left:2em;">'; foreach( $categories as $category ) { $output.= esc_attr( $category->name ) . ' (' . $category->slug . ')<br>'; $output.= listTaxonomies($taxonomy,$category->term_id); } $output.= '</div>'; } return $output; } listTaxonomies($taxonomy);Expand full source codeCollapse full source code
Get Terms filtered by first letter
$authors = get_terms('book-authors', array('name__like' => $first_l)); function custom_tax_query( $pieces, $taxonomies, $args ) { if ( 'book-authors' == $taxonomies[0] ) { $pieces['where'] = str_replace("LIKE '%", "LIKE '", $pieces['where']); } return $pieces; }Get terms ordered by value of meta-key:
$terms = get_terms( 'taxonomy_name', array( 'meta_key' => 'custom_meta_key', 'orderby' => 'custom_meta_key' ) );