WP_Query::get_posts(): WP_Post[]|int[]

Description

Compatibility

Present in every tracked release (6.7.7 to 7.1.0), and compiles on PHP 7.4 through 8.6-dev.

Return value

WP_Post[]|int[]

Array of post objects or post IDs.

Performance profile

How much work a call to WP_Query::get_posts() does, and what it touches: the algorithmic scaling, the Zend instruction count per call across PHP versions, the hooks it hands control to, and the core code that calls it. Measured from the compiled opcodes, not a stopwatch, so every number is identical on any machine running the same PHP version, and every function in core is ranked by cost.

Cost class

Heavy

Reaches the database via get_post().

Scaling

Scales with input

The body loops, so the work grows with how much data it finds.

Instructions

471–571

Executed per call on PHP 8.5, depending on the branch taken. The body compiles to 3312.

Plugin surface

35 hooks

Third-party callbacks on 'pre_get_posts', 'wp_allow_query_attachment_by_filename', 'posts_search' run inside this call, and their cost is not bounded by anything here.

Called by

1

1 place in core call this, so the cost is paid more often than your own code shows.

What it touches

• hookthird-party callbacksdo_action_ref_array()called directly
• optionoption read or writeget_option()called directly
• querycontent queryget_post()called directly
• cacheobject cachewp_cache_get_last_changed()called directly
• serializeserialisationserialize()called directly

Further down the call graph this can also reach transient. That is the worst case, several calls deep and usually down an error path, not what a normal call pays.

What one call costs · 32 distinct outcomes

One number would be a lie: the work depends on which branch runs. These are every distinct cost WP_Query::get_posts() can have, taken from its control-flow graph on PHP 8.5.

This body has more branch combinations than are worth enumerating, so the table covers the outcomes found first rather than every one that exists.

Hooks and filters fired · 40

40 hooks fire while WP_Query::get_posts() runs, in this order:

1. 1
   do_action( pre_get_posts )actionline 1916 (+16 into the body)

   Fires after the query variable object is created, but before the actual query is run.

2. 2
   apply_filters( wp_allow_query_attachment_by_filename )filterline 1931 (+31 into the body)

   Filters whether an attachment query should include filenames or not.

3. 3
   apply_filters( posts_search )filterline 2297 (+397 into the body)

   Filters the search SQL that is used in the WHERE clause of WP_Query.

4. 4
   apply_filters( posts_search_orderby )filterline 2574 (+674 into the body)

   Filters the ORDER BY used when ordering search results.

5. 5
   apply_filters( posts_where )filterline 2796 (+896 into the body)

   Filters the WHERE clause of the query.

6. 6
   apply_filters( posts_join )filterline 2806 (+906 into the body)

   Filters the JOIN clause of the query.

7. 7
   apply_filters( comment_feed_join )filterline 2847 (+947 into the body)

   Filters the JOIN clause of the comments feed query before sending.

8. 8
   apply_filters( comment_feed_where )filterline 2857 (+957 into the body)

   Filters the WHERE clause of the comments feed query before sending.

9. 9
   apply_filters( comment_feed_groupby )filterline 2867 (+967 into the body)

   Filters the GROUP BY clause of the comments feed query before sending.

10. 10
    apply_filters( comment_feed_orderby )filterline 2877 (+977 into the body)

    Filters the ORDER BY clause of the comments feed query before sending.

11. 11
    apply_filters( comment_feed_limits )filterline 2887 (+987 into the body)

    Filters the LIMIT clause of the comments feed query before sending.

12. 12
    apply_filters( posts_where_paged )filterline 2947 (+1047 into the body)

    Filters the WHERE clause of the query.

13. 13
    apply_filters( posts_groupby )filterline 2957 (+1057 into the body)

    Filters the GROUP BY clause of the query.

14. 14
    apply_filters( posts_join_paged )filterline 2969 (+1069 into the body)

    Filters the JOIN clause of the query.

15. 15
    apply_filters( posts_orderby )filterline 2979 (+1079 into the body)

    Filters the ORDER BY clause of the query.

16. 16
    apply_filters( posts_distinct )filterline 2989 (+1089 into the body)

    Filters the DISTINCT clause of the query.

17. 17
    apply_filters( post_limits )filterline 2999 (+1099 into the body)

    Filters the LIMIT clause of the query.

18. 18
    apply_filters( posts_fields )filterline 3009 (+1109 into the body)

    Filters the SELECT clause of the query.

19. 19
    apply_filters( posts_clauses )filterline 3032 (+1132 into the body)

    Filters all query clauses at once, for convenience.

20. 20
    do_action( posts_selection )actionline 3052 (+1152 into the body)

    Fires to announce the query's current selection parameters.

21. 21
    apply_filters( posts_where_request )filterline 3069 (+1169 into the body)

    Filters the WHERE clause of the query.

22. 22
    apply_filters( posts_groupby_request )filterline 3081 (+1181 into the body)

    Filters the GROUP BY clause of the query.

23. 23
    apply_filters( posts_join_request )filterline 3093 (+1193 into the body)

    Filters the JOIN clause of the query.

24. 24
    apply_filters( posts_orderby_request )filterline 3105 (+1205 into the body)

    Filters the ORDER BY clause of the query.

25. 25
    apply_filters( posts_distinct_request )filterline 3117 (+1217 into the body)

    Filters the DISTINCT clause of the query.

26. 26
    apply_filters( posts_fields_request )filterline 3129 (+1229 into the body)

    Filters the SELECT clause of the query.

27. 27
    apply_filters( post_limits_request )filterline 3141 (+1241 into the body)

    Filters the LIMIT clause of the query.

28. 28
    apply_filters( posts_clauses_request )filterline 3166 (+1266 into the body)

    Filters all query clauses at once, for convenience.

29. 29
    apply_filters( posts_request )filterline 3219 (+1319 into the body)

    Filters the completed SQL query before sending.

30. 30
    apply_filters( posts_pre_query )filterline 3238 (+1338 into the body)

    Filters the posts array before the query takes place.

31. 31
    apply_filters( split_the_query )filterline 3416 (+1516 into the body)

    Filters whether to split the query.

32. 32
    apply_filters( posts_request_ids )filterline 3438 (+1538 into the body)

    Filters the Post IDs SQL request before sending.

33. 33
    apply_filters( posts_results )filterline 3484 (+1584 into the body)

    Filters the raw post results array, prior to status checks.

34. 34
    apply_filters( comment_feed_join )filterline 3489 (+1589 into the body)

    Filters the JOIN clause of the comments feed query before sending.

35. 35
    apply_filters( comment_feed_where )filterline 3492 (+1592 into the body)

    Filters the WHERE clause of the comments feed query before sending.

36. 36
    apply_filters( comment_feed_groupby )filterline 3495 (+1595 into the body)

    Filters the GROUP BY clause of the comments feed query before sending.

37. 37
    apply_filters( comment_feed_orderby )filterline 3499 (+1599 into the body)

    Filters the ORDER BY clause of the comments feed query before sending.

38. 38
    apply_filters( comment_feed_limits )filterline 3503 (+1603 into the body)

    Filters the LIMIT clause of the comments feed query before sending.

39. 39
    apply_filters( the_preview )filterline 3578 (+1678 into the body)

    Filters the single post for preview mode.

40. 40
    apply_filters( the_posts )filterline 3641 (+1741 into the body)

    Filters the array of retrieved posts after they've been fetched and internally processed.

Uses · 59

• do_action_ref_array()Calls the callback functions that have been added to an action hook, specifying arguments in an array.
• apply_filters()Calls the callback functions that have been added to a filter hook.
• remove_all_filters()Removes all of the callback functions from a filter hook.
• _deprecated_argument()Marks a function argument as deprecated and inform when it has been used.
• __()Retrieves the translation of $text.
• get_option()Retrieves an option value based on an option name.
• absint()Converts a value to non-negative integer.
• get_post_type_object()Retrieves a post type object by name.
• sanitize_title_for_query()Sanitizes a title with the 'query' context.
• get_page_by_path()Retrieves a page given its path.
• wp_basename()i18n-friendly version of basename().
• get_post()Retrieves post data given a post ID or post object.

Used by · 1

• WP_Query::query()Sets up the WordPress query by parsing query string.

Source code

View on Trac ↗View on GitHub ↗

1900	public function get_posts() {1901		global $wpdb;1902 1903		$this->parse_query();1904 1905		/**1906		 * Fires after the query variable object is created, but before the actual query is run.1907		 *1908		 * Note: If using conditional tags, use the method versions within the passed instance1909		 * (e.g. `$query->is_main_query()` instead of `is_main_query()`). This is because the functions1910		 * like `is_main_query()` test against the global `$wp_query` instance, not the passed one.1911		 *1912		 * @since 2.0.01913		 *1914		 * @param WP_Query $query The WP_Query instance (passed by reference).1915		 */1916		do_action_ref_array( 'pre_get_posts', array( &$this ) );1917 1918		// Locally scoped reference for easy of use.1919		$query_vars = &$this->query_vars;1920 1921		// Fill again in case 'pre_get_posts' unset some vars.1922		$query_vars = $this->fill_query_vars( $query_vars );1923 1924		/**1925		 * Filters whether an attachment query should include filenames or not.1926		 *1927		 * @since 6.0.31928		 *1929		 * @param bool $allow_query_attachment_by_filename Whether or not to include filenames.1930		 */1931		$this->allow_query_attachment_by_filename = apply_filters( 'wp_allow_query_attachment_by_filename', false );1932		remove_all_filters( 'wp_allow_query_attachment_by_filename' );1933 1934		// Parse meta query.1935		$this->meta_query = new WP_Meta_Query();1936		$this->meta_query->parse_query_vars( $query_vars );1937 1938		// Set a flag if a 'pre_get_posts' hook changed the query vars.1939		$hash = md5( serialize( $this->query_vars ) );1940		if ( $hash !== $this->query_vars_hash ) {1941			$this->query_vars_changed = true;1942			$this->query_vars_hash    = $hash;1943		}1944		unset( $hash );1945 1946		// First let's clear some variables.1947		$distinct         = '';1948		$whichauthor      = '';1949		$whichmimetype    = '';1950		$where            = '';1951		$limits           = '';1952		$join             = '';1953		$search           = '';1954		$groupby          = '';1955		$post_status_join = false;1956		$page             = 1;1957 1958		if ( isset( $query_vars['caller_get_posts'] ) ) {1959			_deprecated_argument(1960				'WP_Query',1961				'3.1.0',1962				sprintf(1963					/* translators: 1: caller_get_posts, 2: ignore_sticky_posts */1964					__( '%1$s is deprecated. Use %2$s instead.' ),1965					'<code>caller_get_posts</code>',1966					'<code>ignore_sticky_posts</code>'1967				)1968			);1969 1970			if ( ! isset( $query_vars['ignore_sticky_posts'] ) ) {1971				$query_vars['ignore_sticky_posts'] = $query_vars['caller_get_posts'];1972			}1973		}1974 1975		if ( ! isset( $query_vars['ignore_sticky_posts'] ) ) {1976			$query_vars['ignore_sticky_posts'] = false;1977		}1978 1979		if ( ! isset( $query_vars['suppress_filters'] ) ) {

Changelog

Introduced in 1.5.0. Unchanged from 6.7.7 through 7.1.0.

1. 6.7.7
2. 6.8.8
3. 6.9.7
4. 7.0.4
5. 7.1.0

Signature, return type and hooks compared across 5 parsed releases.

About this page

Parsed data

Generated from the wordpress-develop 7.1.0 tag, from src/wp-includes/class-wp-query.php, and regenerated for each WordPress release so it tracks the code rather than a snapshot of it.

Corrections

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