How to use init action in WordPress

init action

The ‘init’ action hook is used when WordPress is initializing and loading all required php files, plugins and themes under the hood. This hook is best suitable hook to register your plugin or widgets or assets is in functions.php.

To use init action, first you have to register it using add_action. You can write this code into functions.php of your activated theme or in a custom WordPress Plugin.

We at WePlugins, (formerly Flipper Code), always prefer to create a custom WordPress Plugin while using hooks so nothing breaks when you update your WordPress Theme in the future.

In the below live example, we have defined a function execute_on_init_event and we registered using add_action. The first parameter init is name of the hook, The second parameter execute_on_init_event is name of the function which need to be called, third parameter is the priority of calling the hook if same hook is used multiple times and the last parameter is the number of arguments (if any) to be passed in the registered function.

Sometime, you have to remove a registered hook so you can use remove_action to remove init action.

Parameters

• No parameters

Live Example

add_action( 'init', 'process_post' );
 function process_post() {
     if( isset( $_POST['unique_hidden_field'] ) ) {
          // process $_POST data here
     }
}

Below is an example how you can use this hook.

                        function execute_on_init_event(){
                            //You can write code here to be executed when this action occurs in WordPress website according to your requirements.
                            
                        }
                        // add the action
                        add_action( "init", "execute_on_init_event");

Registering a Custom Post Type Example

function custom_post_type_registration() {
    $args = array(
        'public' => true,
        'label'  => 'Custom Post Type'
        // Add more arguments as needed
    );
    register_post_type('custom_post', $args);
}

add_action('init', 'custom_post_type_registration');

Enqueuing Custom Stylesheet Example

function enqueue_custom_stylesheet() {
    wp_enqueue_style('custom-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/css/custom-style.css', array(), '1.0', 'all');
}

add_action('init', 'enqueue_custom_stylesheet');

Custom Taxonomy Registration Example

function custom_taxonomy_registration() {
    $args = array(
        'hierarchical' => true,
        'label'        => 'Custom Taxonomy'
        // Add more arguments as needed
    );
    register_taxonomy('custom_taxonomy', array('post'), $args);
}

add_action('init', 'custom_taxonomy_registration');

To remove a hook callback, use the example below.

remove_action( "init", "execute_on_init_event");

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

WePlugins is a Premium WordPress Plugins development company and integrating new functionalites into WordPress sites in form of custom WordPress Plugins since 2012. If you’re having any trouble using this hook, please contact our WordPress Development Team and we’d be happy to assist you.