How to use get_comments_number filter in WordPress

So, you’re diving into the world of WordPress hooks. That’s amazing! Today, let’s talk about the get_comments_number filter. This hook is super handy when you want to modify the returned comment count for a post. You can register this hook using add_filter. It’s always a good idea to create a custom WordPress Plugin to keep things intact, even after theme updates. Now, let’s get into some live examples!

Example 1: Basic Usage

Here’s a simple way to use the get_comments_number filter. This example demonstrates how you can modify the comment count according to your needs.

    function weplugins_modify_get_comments_number($count, $post_id) {
        // Custom logic to modify $count
        return $count;
    }
    add_filter("get_comments_number", "weplugins_modify_get_comments_number", 10, 2);
    

Example 2: Conditional Modification

If you want to conditionally modify the comment count, this example shows how you can achieve that by checking specific post conditions.

    function weplugins_conditional_comments_number($count, $post_id) {
        if($post_id == 42) {
            $count = 10; // Set a custom comment count
        }
        return $count;
    }
    add_filter("get_comments_number", "weplugins_conditional_comments_number", 10, 2);
    

Example 3: Removing a Hook

There might be times when you need to remove this filter. You can do that using remove_filter as shown below.

    remove_filter("get_comments_number", "weplugins_modify_get_comments_number", 10, 2);
    

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

Below are the 2 parameters required to use this hook:

• $count: (string|int) A string representing the number of comments a post has, otherwise 0.
• $post_id: (int) Post ID.