How to use added_existing_user action in WordPress

WordPress is loaded with a whole bunch of hooks, and one such useful one is the added_existing_user action. This action fires up right after an existing user is added to a site. You can easily register this action using add_action, and it’s a common best practice to drop this code into your theme’s functions.php or even better, into a custom WordPress plugin. Why? Because it keeps things neat and safe when you update your theme.

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into some live examples to better understand how this hook works.

Example 1: Basic Hook Usage

Here’s a straightforward example of how to use the added_existing_user action. This snippet shows how to execute a custom function when this action occurs.

    function weplugins_execute_on_added_existing_user_event($user_id, $result){
       // Custom code to be executed whenever the user is added.
    }

    // Add the action
    add_action("added_existing_user", "weplugins_execute_on_added_existing_user_event", 10, 2);
    

Example 2: Removing the Hook

Sometimes, you might need to remove a registered hook. Here’s how you can use remove_action to do just that.

    // Remove the action
    remove_action("added_existing_user", "weplugins_execute_on_added_existing_user_event", 10, 2);
    

Example 3: Advanced Usage with Error Handling

This example adds a bit more complexity by incorporating error handling to check if the user was successfully added.

    function weplugins_advanced_user_addition_handler($user_id, $result){
       if(is_wp_error($result)) {
           // Handle the error
       } else {
           // Execute code if user added successfully
       }
    }

    // Add the action
    add_action("added_existing_user", "weplugins_advanced_user_addition_handler", 10, 2);
    

Remember, when removing a hook, ensure you provide the same callback function name, priority, and number of arguments.