plugin_dir_path( string $file ): string

User Contributed Notes

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   Codex 9 years ago

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   Including all PHP files from a plugin sub folder and avoiding adding a unnecessary global just to determine a path that is already available everywhere just using WP core functions.

   foreach ( glob( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . "subfolder/*.php" ) as $file ) {
       include_once $file;
   }
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   Aurovrata Venet 8 years ago

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   If you want the get the path one level up from the current dir, you can do

   //current path: /home/user/var/www/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/my-plugin/
   $dir = plugin_dir_path( __DIR__ );
   //$dir is set to /home/user/var/www/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/
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   Codex 9 years ago

   You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 7You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note

   Get the directory of the current file:

   $dir = plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ );
   // Example: /home/user/var/www/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/my-plugin/

   • The example comment refers to the return value if the code is called from the root of the my-plugin directory.

     Denis Žoljom 4 years ago
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   Codex 9 years ago

   You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 5You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note

   Define path constant

   For calling numerous files, it is sometimes convenient to define a constant:

   define( 'MY_PLUGIN_PATH', plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) );
   include( MY_PLUGIN_PATH . 'includes/admin-page.php');
   include( MY_PLUGIN_PATH . 'includes/classes.php');
   // etc.
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   Codex 9 years ago

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   Conditional loading

   It is sometimes efficient to conditionally load files, e.g., admin-only (or even by specific admin screen):

   if ( is_admin() ) {
       include_once( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'includes/admin-functions.php' );
   } else {
       include_once( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'includes/front-end-functions.php' );
   }
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   Beda 11 months ago

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   If you use this function, you can as well just use trailingslashit( __DIR__ ). There is literally no point at all in using the wrapper.

   This is NOT a pendant to what it “pretends” to be (get_template_directory), and it is a big negligence that such pendant simply does not exist for plugins.

   One has to either use trailingslashit( WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/your-plugin' ) to get the pendant of get_template_directory in a plugin, or create a custom function, if you do not want to use a constant.

   • If/until the definition is adjusted to be specific to plugins. Probably won’t happen because of WP’s backwards compatibility standards, but one can hope maybe someday.

     crstauf 11 months ago
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   bharatthapa 3 years ago

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   define( 'PREFIX_BASE_PATH', plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) );
define( 'PREFIX_ASSETS_URL', plugins_url( '/assets', __FILE__ ) );

   use constant ‘PREFIX_BASE_PATH to include files in functions and files, e.g.,
   include( PREFIX_BASE_PATH . 'inc/init.php' );

   use constant: ‘PREFIX_ASSETS_URL’ to load assets via url (like; js, css, and images). e.g.,
   wp_register_style( 'prefix_library', PREFIX_ASSETS_URL . '/dir/lib.css' );
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   raihanbabuam2am 7 years ago

   You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: -6You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note

   if ( is_admin() ) {
       include_once( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'includes/admin-functions.php' );
   } else {
       include_once( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) . 'includes/front-end-functions.php' );
   }