How to use get_adjacent_post_sort filter in WordPress

Understanding get_adjacent_post_sort

The dynamic portion of the hook name, $adjacent, refers to the type of adjacency, ‘next’ or ‘previous’. To use the get_adjacent_post_sort filter, first, you have to register it using add_filter. You can write this code into functions.php of your activated theme or in a custom WordPress Plugin. At WePlugins, we always prefer to create a custom WordPress Plugin while using hooks so nothing breaks when you update your WordPress Theme in the future.

Parameters

Below are the 3 parameters required to use this hook.

• $order_by: (string) The ORDER BY clause in the SQL.
• $post: (WP_Post) WP_Post object.
• $order: (string) Sort order. ‘DESC’ for previous post, ‘ASC’ for next.

Example 1: Basic Usage of get_adjacent_post_sort

Below is an example of how you can use this hook to modify post sorting.

    function weplugins_modify_get_adjacent_post_sort_defaults($order_by, $post, $order) { 
        // Update the $order_by variable according to your website requirements and return this variable.
        return $order_by; 
    }
    // Add the filter
    add_filter("get_adjacent_post_sort", "weplugins_modify_get_adjacent_post_sort_defaults", 10, 3);
    

Example 2: Removing a Hook Callback

To remove a hook callback, use the example below.

    remove_filter("get_adjacent_post_sort", "weplugins_modify_get_adjacent_post_sort_defaults", 10, 3);
    

Please make sure to provide the same callback function name, priority, and number of arguments while removing the hook callback.

Example 3: Conditional Order Update

Sometimes, you may want to update the order conditionally. Here’s how you can do it.

    function weplugins_conditional_modify_get_adjacent_post_sort($order_by, $post, $order) {
        if ($order === 'DESC') {
            $order_by = 'post_date DESC';
        } else {
            $order_by = 'post_date ASC';
        }
        return $order_by;
    }
    add_filter("get_adjacent_post_sort", "weplugins_conditional_modify_get_adjacent_post_sort", 10, 3);
    

Contact Us

If you’re having any trouble using this hook or need customization, please contact us and we’d be happy to assist you.