Using parse_blocks to process block structure in WordPress
The parse_blocks function is a part of the WordPress core functionality that is primarily used for processing and interpreting block content. The function is especially relevant in the context of the Gutenberg editor, which structures content into blocks.
When called, the parse_blocks function takes the content input and breaks it down into individual blocks. These blocks are then returned as an array, with each item in the array being a block object that holds information about that specific block. This includes the block name, attributes, and inner content.
The parse_blocks function can be useful in several ways. For instance, it can be used to programmatically access and manipulate the content of individual blocks within a post or page. This can be helpful when you need to perform operations on specific blocks, such as modifying the attributes or content of a block, or when you need to analyze the structure of the content.
Furthermore, the parse_blocks function can be used to extract data from blocks for use in other parts of a WordPress site. For example, it can be used to pull out specific block data and display it elsewhere on a site, such as in a sidebar or footer.
The parse_blocks function provides a way to interact with and manipulate block content in WordPress at a granular level, which can be useful in a variety of development scenarios.
Parameters Accepted by the WordPress parse_blocks Function
The parse_blocks function in WordPress accepts one parameter. The parameter is as follows:
$content(string) – This is a required parameter. It represents the content of the post.
Return Value of the WordPress parse_blocks Function
The parse_blocks function returns an array of parsed block objects. This means that the function processes the input parameter and outputs it as an array of parsed block objects.
If the function does not accept any parameters, this will be clearly stated. In the case of the parse_blocks function, it does require a parameter to operate.
Examples
Example 1: How to parse a post content into blocks
The following code snippet shows how to parse the content of a post into blocks using the parse_blocks function in WordPress.
$post_content = get_the_content();
$blocks = parse_blocks( $post_content );
foreach ( $blocks as $block ) {
if ( $block['blockName'] === 'core/paragraph' ) {
echo wp_kses_post( $block['innerHTML'] );
}
}
This code first retrieves the content of the current post using the get_the_content function. Then, it uses parse_blocks to parse the content into blocks. It then loops through the blocks and checks if the block name is ‘core/paragraph’. If it is, it echoes the inner HTML of the block.
Example 2: How to get the first image block from a post
The following code snippet shows how to retrieve the first image block from a post using the parse_blocks function in WordPress.
$post_content = get_the_content();
$blocks = parse_blocks( $post_content );
foreach ( $blocks as $block ) {
if ( $block['blockName'] === 'core/image' ) {
echo wp_kses_post( $block['innerHTML'] );
break;
}
}
This code first retrieves the content of the current post using the get_the_content function. Then, it uses parse_blocks to parse the content into blocks. It then loops through the blocks and checks if the block name is ‘core/image’. If it is, it echoes the inner HTML of the block and breaks the loop, thus only returning the first image block.
Example 3: How to count the number of specific blocks in a post
The following code snippet shows how to count the number of a specific type of block in a post using the parse_blocks function in WordPress.
$post_content = get_the_content();
$blocks = parse_blocks( $post_content );
$count = 0;
foreach ( $blocks as $block ) {
if ( $block['blockName'] === 'core/paragraph' ) {
$count++;
}
}
echo "The post contains " . $count . " paragraph blocks.";
This code first retrieves the content of the current post using the get_the_content function. Then, it uses parse_blocks to parse the content into blocks. It then loops through the blocks and checks if the block name is ‘core/paragraph’. If it is, it increments a counter. After the loop, it echoes the number of paragraph blocks in the post.
Conclusion
The parse_blocks function in WordPress is a tool used to parse block structure from the post content. This function is primarily utilized to extract the blocks from a content string and return an array of parsed block objects. It is a crucial part of working with the block editor in WordPress, as it enables developers to manipulate and interact with the content blocks in a structured and programmatic way. The functionality of parse_blocks allows for a wide range of applications, from rendering content in different ways based on block type, to programmatically modifying or creating content.