Using wp_get_shortlink to get the short link for a post in WordPress

The WordPress function wp_get_shortlink is designed to retrieve the shortlink for a post, page, attachment, or site. This function can be applied to any post type, but it is important to note that it will return an empty string if a shortlink is not available.

The primary use of the wp_get_shortlink function is to generate a concise URL for sharing. These shorter URLs can be beneficial in contexts where space is limited, such as social media posts or text messages.

It is also worth noting that the wp_get_shortlink function does not automatically display the shortlink. Instead, it returns the shortlink as a string, allowing developers to decide how and where to use it within their themes or plugins.

In the event that a shortlink is not available for a specific post type, or if the post type is not public, the function will return the URL of the site’s home page.

Parameters of the wp_get_shortlink Function

The wp_get_shortlink function in WordPress accepts three parameters. These parameters are all optional and are described in detail below:

  • $id (integer): This parameter represents a post or site ID. If no value is provided, the default value is 0, which corresponds to the current post or site.
  • $context (string): This parameter determines whether the ID is a ‘site’ ID, ‘post’ ID, or ‘media’ ID. It also controls whether to consult the post_type of the post (if ‘post’) or the current query (if ‘query’) to determine the ID and context. The default value for this parameter is ‘post’.
  • $allow_slugs (boolean): This parameter controls whether to allow post slugs in the shortlink. The default value is true. However, it’s up to the plugin to decide how and whether to honor this parameter.

Return Value of the wp_get_shortlink Function

The wp_get_shortlink function returns a string. This string is a shortlink if one exists for the requested resource and if shortlinks are enabled. If no shortlink exists for the requested resource or if shortlinks are not enabled, the function will return an empty string.

Examples

How to Display the Shortlink of a Post

The following code snippet displays the shortlink of the current post.

<?php
if (have_posts()) {
 while (have_posts()) {
 the_post();
 echo '<p>Shortlink for this post: ' . wp_get_shortlink() . '</p>';
 }
}
?>

How to Get the Shortlink of a Specific Post

The following code snippet retrieves the shortlink of a specific post by its ID.

<?php
$post_id = 123; // Replace with your post ID
echo '<p>Shortlink for post with ID ' . $post_id . ': ' . wp_get_shortlink($post_id) . '</p>';
?>

How to Disable Slugs in the Shortlink

The following code snippet retrieves the shortlink of a specific post by its ID, but without allowing slugs in the shortlink.

<?php
$post_id = 123; // Replace with your post ID
echo '<p>Shortlink for post with ID ' . $post_id . ' without slugs: ' . wp_get_shortlink($post_id, 'post', false) . '</p>';
?>

In the above code, the $allow_slugs parameter of wp_get_shortlink function is set to false, which means that post slugs are not allowed in the shortlink.

Conclusion

The wp_get_shortlink function in WordPress is primarily used to retrieve the shortlink for a post, page, attachment, or blog. This function is especially handy when you need a condensed URL for sharing via social media or other platforms where a shorter link is more desirable. It’s worth noting that the function retrieves the WordPress URL by default, but it can be filtered to return a different shortlink. However, it’s important to remember that not all WordPress installations will have a shortlink provider available, so the function may return the full-length URL in some cases.

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