add_rewrite_tag( string $tag, string $regex, string $query = '' )

Add a new rewrite tag (like %postname%).

Description

The $query parameter is optional. If it is omitted you must ensure that you call this on, or before, the ‘init’ hook. This is because $query defaults to $tag=, and for this to work a new query var has to be added.

Parameters

$tag

(string) (Required) Name of the new rewrite tag.

$regex

(string) (Required) Regular expression to substitute the tag for in rewrite rules.

$query

(string) (Optional) String to append to the rewritten query. Must end in '='.

Default value: ''

More Information

This function can be used to make WordPress aware of custom querystring variables. Generally, it’s used in combination with add_rewrite_rule() to create rewrite rules for pages with custom templates.

If you use this function to declare a rewrite tag that already exists, the existing tag will be overwritten.

This function must be called on init or earlier.

What it does

  • Gets a query var name by stripping the % signs from the name of the tag: trim($tag, ‘%’)
  • Calls $wp_rewrite->add_rewrite_tag() with the name, generated QV name and regex.
  • Adds the QV as a query var (again, this could be done by filtering query_vars but it might be nicer to add a function to the WP class that stores ‘extra’ QVs like above)

Source

File: wp-includes/rewrite.php

function add_rewrite_tag( $tag, $regex, $query = '' ) {
	// Validate the tag's name.
	if ( strlen( $tag ) < 3 || '%' !== $tag[0] || '%' !== $tag[ strlen( $tag ) - 1 ] ) {
		return;
	}

	global $wp_rewrite, $wp;

	if ( empty( $query ) ) {
		$qv = trim( $tag, '%' );
		$wp->add_query_var( $qv );
		$query = $qv . '=';
	}

	$wp_rewrite->add_rewrite_tag( $tag, $regex, $query );
}

Changelog

Version Description
2.1.0 Introduced.

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Licensed under the GNU GPLv2+ License.
https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/add_rewrite_tag