Title: get_the_generator
Published: April 25, 2014
Last modified: February 24, 2026
---
# get_the_generator( string $type ): string|void
## In this article
* [Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#description)
* [Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#parameters)
* [Return](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#return)
* [Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#source)
* [Hooks](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#hooks)
* [Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#related)
* [Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#changelog)
[ Back to top](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#wp--skip-link--target)
Creates the generator XML or Comment for RSS, ATOM, etc.
## [Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#description)
Returns the correct generator type for the requested output format. Allows for a
plugin to filter generators on an individual basis using the [‘get_the_generator_$type’](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/get_the_generator_type/)
filter.
## [Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#parameters)
`$type`stringrequired
The type of generator to return – (`html|xhtml|atom|rss2|rdf|comment|export`).
## [Return](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#return)
string|void The HTML content for the generator.
## [Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#source)
```php
function get_the_generator( $type = '' ) {
if ( empty( $type ) ) {
$current_filter = current_filter();
if ( empty( $current_filter ) ) {
return;
}
switch ( $current_filter ) {
case 'rss2_head':
case 'commentsrss2_head':
$type = 'rss2';
break;
case 'rss_head':
case 'opml_head':
$type = 'comment';
break;
case 'rdf_header':
$type = 'rdf';
break;
case 'atom_head':
case 'comments_atom_head':
case 'app_head':
$type = 'atom';
break;
}
}
switch ( $type ) {
case 'html':
$gen = '';
break;
case 'xhtml':
$gen = '';
break;
case 'atom':
$gen = 'WordPress';
break;
case 'rss2':
$gen = '' . sanitize_url( 'https://wordpress.org/?v=' . get_bloginfo_rss( 'version' ) ) . '';
break;
case 'rdf':
$gen = '';
break;
case 'comment':
$gen = '';
break;
case 'export':
$gen = '';
break;
}
/**
* Filters the HTML for the retrieved generator type.
*
* The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$type`, refers to the generator type.
*
* Possible hook names include:
*
* - `get_the_generator_atom`
* - `get_the_generator_comment`
* - `get_the_generator_export`
* - `get_the_generator_html`
* - `get_the_generator_rdf`
* - `get_the_generator_rss2`
* - `get_the_generator_xhtml`
*
* @since 2.5.0
*
* @param string $gen The HTML markup output to wp_head().
* @param string $type The type of generator. Accepts 'html', 'xhtml', 'atom',
* 'rss2', 'rdf', 'comment', 'export'.
*/
return apply_filters( "get_the_generator_{$type}", $gen, $type );
}
```
[View all references](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/files/wp-includes/general-template.php/)
[View on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/6.9.4/src/wp-includes/general-template.php#L5152)
[View on GitHub](https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/blob/6.9.4/src/wp-includes/general-template.php#L5152-L5226)
## [Hooks](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#hooks)
[apply_filters( “get_the_generator_{$type}”, string $gen, string $type )](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/get_the_generator_type/)
Filters the HTML for the retrieved generator type.
## [Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#related)
| Uses | Description |
| [current_filter()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/current_filter/)`wp-includes/plugin.php` |
Retrieves the name of the current filter hook.
|
| [get_bloginfo_rss()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_bloginfo_rss/)`wp-includes/feed.php` |
Retrieves RSS container for the bloginfo function.
|
| [esc_attr()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/esc_attr/)`wp-includes/formatting.php` |
Escaping for HTML attributes.
|
| [get_bloginfo()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_bloginfo/)`wp-includes/general-template.php` |
Retrieves information about the current site.
|
| [sanitize_url()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/sanitize_url/)`wp-includes/formatting.php` |
Sanitizes a URL for database or redirect usage.
|
| [apply_filters()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/apply_filters/)`wp-includes/plugin.php` |
Calls the callback functions that have been added to a filter hook.
|
[Show 4 more](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#)
[Show less](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#)
| Used by | Description |
| [the_generator()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/the_generator/)`wp-includes/general-template.php` |
Displays the generator XML or Comment for RSS, ATOM, etc.
|
## [Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_generator/?output_format=md#changelog)
| Version | Description |
| [2.5.0](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/since/2.5.0/) | Introduced. |
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