Be The Loop: WordCamp Chicago 2017

We live inside the boundaries of The Loop. As an intrinsic part of WordPress, does it mystify you? Are you feeling a bit stuck in there? Want to expand its limits? In this talk, we’ll go over what the loop is all about as well as learn more about the creative possibilities of customizing what data you’re retrieving through the use of WP_Query to write your very own queries and loops.

Transcript

1. Be The Loop
   You Want To
   See In The
   World
   

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2. H’allo there…
   I’m Allison.
   ◎ Feminist. Writer. Lover
   of guacamole.
   ◎ Front-end developer at
   WebDevStudios
   ◎ @allisonplus
   

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3. We’re going to go over...
   ◎ What is The Loop?
   ◎ The power of customizing WP_Query();
   ◎ Examples of customizations
   

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4. 1.
   AHHHHHHHHH!
   The Loop.
   Let’s start with taking a deep breath.
   

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5. “
   The loop is PHP code used by
   WordPress to display posts.
   https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop
   

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6. What does it do?
   ◎ It’s the thing that goes and gets your
   content from the database.
   ◎ Loops over posts to bring in data.
   ◎ Makes our lives easier!
   

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8. The Loop is Lovely
   because it...
   ◎ Saves time
   ◎ Keeps your code condensed & tidy
   ◎ Efficient!
   

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10. The Loop in real talk.
    If there are any posts
    And only while there are still posts,
    Give me the post!
    (if not, do something else)
    

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13. What can the Loop output?
    ◎ Template Tags
    ◎ HTML your content is wrapped in
    ◎ Customizations (if any)
    

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15. Every Loop has a
    query.
    The query is the request for the
    information your Loop will have
    access to.
    

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16. In the regular ol’ Loop...
    WordPress automatically
    loads a global variable to
    get the appropriate
    content.
    

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17. What if I want more?
    What if
    that loop
    isn’t good
    enough?
    

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18. WP_Query()
    Blah blah blah.
    https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Query
    

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19. There’s a few
    different ways to
    go about this
    ● WP_Query()
    ● pre_get_posts()
    ● query_posts()
    

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20. Custom Post Types
    For use within plugins &/or widgets
    Posts by multiple authors
    Why would we need a
    custom query?
    

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21. WP_Query Ingredients
    ◎ Define what you’re asking for
    ◎ Arguments for the query
    ◎ The Loop
    ◎ Leave no trace.
    

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23. Arguments
    Define it.
    Loop
    Clean-up!
    

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24. Arguments
    Your arguments feed the query.
    The query feeds The Loop.
    https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Query#Parameters
    

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27. Define Your Query
    $fancy_new_query = new WP_Query( $args );
    

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28. The Loop
    

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29. Leave No Trace.
    

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30. wp_reset_postdata();
    Resets the global $post data we’ve
    been messing with after a custom
    query.
    https://codex.wordpress.org/wp_reset_postdata
    

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32. Display a sticky post
    I can do anything?!
    Grabbing a random
    selection from a
    Custom Post Type
    

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33. Random Team Member
    

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34. Display a Sticky Post
    

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35. Thanks!
    Any questions?
    Come hang out with me online at:
    ◎ @allisonplus
    ◎ hello@allisontarr.com
    ◎ allisontarr.com
    Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
    

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