Using is_tax to check for taxonomy archives in WordPress
The is_tax function is a part of WordPress’s conditional tag system. This function is primarily used to check if a taxonomy archive page is being displayed. A taxonomy in WordPress is a way to group posts and custom post types together. The is_tax function checks for any taxonomy archive page, not just the categories and tags that come built-in with WordPress.
By using this function, developers can conditionally change the behavior or appearance of a website depending on whether or not a taxonomy archive page is being displayed. This function returns either a true or false value, which can then be used to control the flow of code execution within a WordPress theme or plugin.
It’s important to note that this function only returns true on the taxonomy archive pages themselves, and not on single post or custom post type pages that are associated with a term in the taxonomy.
In summary, the is_tax function is a conditional tag in WordPress that checks if a taxonomy archive page is being displayed. It is a useful tool for developers looking to customize the behavior or appearance of a website based on the type of page being viewed.
Parameters Accepted by the is_tax Function in WordPress
The is_tax function in WordPress accepts two optional parameters. These are:
$taxonomy(string|string[]): This parameter is optional and its default value is an empty string. It represents the taxonomy slug or slugs that the function will check against.$term(int|string|int[]|string[]): This is another optional parameter with its default value as an empty string. It represents the term ID, name, slug, or an array of such that the function will check against.
Return Value of the is_tax Function
The is_tax function returns a boolean value that indicates whether the query is for an existing custom taxonomy archive page. If the query is for a custom taxonomy archive page, the function returns true. However, for built-in taxonomies such as category and tag archives, the function returns false.
Examples
How to Check if a Specific Taxonomy Page is being Displayed
The following code snippet checks if a specific taxonomy page is being displayed.
if ( is_tax( 'genre' ) ) {
echo '<p>We are viewing a genre taxonomy</p>';
}
In this code snippet, the is_tax function is used to determine if the current page is a taxonomy archive page for the ‘genre’ taxonomy. If it is, the function returns true and the message ‘We are viewing a genre taxonomy’ is displayed.
How to Check if Any Taxonomy Page is being Displayed
The following code snippet checks if any taxonomy page is being displayed.
if ( is_tax() ) {
echo '<p>We are viewing a taxonomy page</p>';
}
In this code snippet, the is_tax function is used without any parameters to check if the current page is a taxonomy archive page. If it is, the function returns true and the message ‘We are viewing a taxonomy page’ is displayed.
How to Check if a Specific Term of a Specific Taxonomy Page is being Displayed
The following code snippet checks if a specific term of a specific taxonomy page is being displayed.
if ( is_tax( 'genre', 'horror' ) ) {
echo '<p>We are viewing the horror genre</p>';
}
In this code snippet, the is_tax function is used with two parameters to check if the current page is a taxonomy archive page for the ‘horror’ term of the ‘genre’ taxonomy. If it is, the function returns true and the message ‘We are viewing the horror genre’ is displayed.
Conclusion
The is_tax function is a WordPress function that checks whether a taxonomy archive page is being displayed. This function is typically used in theme development to alter the layout or functionality of a page depending on the type of taxonomy being displayed. It can be utilized to create custom layouts for specific taxonomies, or to add additional functionality to taxonomy archive pages. Overall, the is_tax function provides developers with a way to customize the user experience on taxonomy archive pages.