Retrieving theme details in WordPress using wp_get_theme

The wp_get_theme function is a part of WordPress’s theme API. This function retrieves information about the current active theme or any other specified theme installed on the WordPress site. The information that can be retrieved includes the theme’s name, its version, the author, and other metadata.

One of the main uses of the wp_get_theme function is to obtain data about the theme currently in use or any other theme. This data can be used for a variety of purposes, such as displaying the theme’s information on the site, checking the theme’s version for updates, or making certain features or functionalities available based on the theme’s capabilities.

Moreover, the wp_get_theme function can also be used to retrieve information about a child theme’s parent theme. This can be useful when developing or managing child themes, as it allows developers to easily access the parent theme’s data.

Parameters Accepted by the wp_get_theme Function

The wp_get_theme function in WordPress accepts two parameters. These parameters are both optional and help define the theme that the function will retrieve.

  • $stylesheet – This is a string parameter that refers to the directory name of the theme. If no value is provided, the function will default to the currently active theme.
  • $theme_root – This is also a string parameter, representing the absolute path of the theme root. If this is not provided, the function will use the get_raw_theme_root() method to calculate the theme root based on the $stylesheet provided (or the active theme if no $stylesheet is provided).

Return Value of the wp_get_theme Function

The wp_get_theme function will return a WP_Theme object. This object represents the theme that has been retrieved by the function. It’s important to note that if you need to verify the existence of the theme, you should use the exists() method of the returned WP_Theme object.

Examples

How to Display Current Theme Information

The following code snippet uses the wp_get_theme function to retrieve information about the current theme and display it.

$current_theme = wp_get_theme();
echo '<p>Theme Name: ' . $current_theme->get('Name') . '</p>';
echo '<p>Theme Version: ' . $current_theme->get('Version') . '</p>';
echo '<p>Theme Author: ' . $current_theme->get('Author') . '</p>';

How to Check If the Current Theme is a Child Theme

The wp_get_theme function can also be used to check if the current theme is a child theme. The following code snippet demonstrates this.

$current_theme = wp_get_theme();
if ($current_theme->parent()) {
 echo '<p>This is a child theme. The parent theme is: ' . $current_theme->parent()->get('Name') . '</p>';
} else {
 echo '<p>This is not a child theme.</p>';
}

How to Check If a Specific Theme is Installed

The wp_get_theme function can be used to check if a specific theme is installed on the WordPress site. The following code snippet demonstrates this by checking if the ‘Twenty Twenty’ theme is installed.

$theme = wp_get_theme('twentytwenty');
if ($theme->exists()) {
 echo '<p>The Twenty Twenty theme is installed.</p>';
} else {
 echo '<p>The Twenty Twenty theme is not installed.</p>';
}

Conclusion

The wp_get_theme function in WordPress is a valuable utility for retrieving information about the currently active theme or about any specified theme. It returns an instance of the WP_Theme class, which has methods that can be used to access the theme’s header data. This function can be used to fetch data such as the theme’s name, description, author, version, and more. It’s an essential function for developers working with WordPress themes, as it provides a standardized way to access theme metadata.

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in WordPress Functions