Enqueuing WordPress playlist scripts with wp_playlist_scripts

The wp_playlist_scripts function in WordPress is a part of the core WordPress API. This function is primarily responsible for enqueueing the necessary scripts and styles needed to display native WordPress audio and video playlists.

When the wp_playlist_scripts function is invoked, it enqueues several scripts and styles that are necessary for the correct functioning of the WordPress MediaElement.js library. This library is used by WordPress to handle audio and video playback, and it requires specific scripts and styles to be present on the page to function correctly.

The wp_playlist_scripts function is typically used when a WordPress theme or plugin needs to display a native WordPress audio or video playlist. By invoking this function, a developer can ensure that all the necessary scripts and styles are properly loaded on the page, thereby ensuring that the playlist will be displayed correctly and function as expected.

It’s important to note that the wp_playlist_scripts function does not actually output any HTML or generate any playlist markup. Instead, it simply ensures that the necessary scripts and styles are enqueued and ready to be used by the MediaElement.js library.

Parameters Accepted by the wp_playlist_scripts Function

The wp_playlist_scripts function in WordPress accepts a single parameter. The details of this parameter are as follows:

  • $type (string): This is a mandatory parameter. It specifies the type of playlist. The function accepts either ‘audio’ or ‘video’ as the value for this parameter.

Return Value of the wp_playlist_scripts Function

The wp_playlist_scripts function does not return any value. Its purpose is to perform a specific task without providing any output.

Examples

How to Enqueue Playlist Scripts for Audio

The following code snippet demonstrates how to enqueue playlist scripts for audio using the wp_playlist_scripts function.

function enqueue_audio_playlist() {
 wp_playlist_scripts('audio');
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_audio_playlist');

How to Enqueue Playlist Scripts for Video

The next example shows how to use the wp_playlist_scripts function to enqueue playlist scripts for video.

function enqueue_video_playlist() {
 wp_playlist_scripts('video');
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_video_playlist');

How to Conditionally Enqueue Playlist Scripts

In this final example, we demonstrate how to conditionally enqueue playlist scripts for either audio or video based on a boolean variable $is_audio.

function enqueue_playlist() {
 $is_audio = true; // change this to false for video
 if ($is_audio) {
 wp_playlist_scripts('audio');
 } else {
 wp_playlist_scripts('video');
 }
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_playlist');

In all the examples above, the wp_playlist_scripts function is used to enqueue the necessary JavaScript and CSS for the mediaelement player used by WordPress for audio or video playlists.

Conclusion

The wp_playlist_scripts function in WordPress is responsible for enqueuing the necessary scripts and styles for displaying media playlists. It is typically used when a theme or plugin wants to display a playlist of audio or video files, and it ensures that the correct JavaScript and CSS files are loaded to handle the playlist functionality. The function must be called before outputting the playlist to ensure that the required scripts and styles are available.

Related WordPress Functions

in WordPress Functions