Slides from my presentation at SWIG Liverpool covering the various options for data storage and handling within WordPress

1. Data Damian Gostomski
Handling in @damiangostomski
http://gostomski.co.uk
WordPress

2. Intro Lots of options for data handling
Why
I will not teach you everything
Overview
about them, I will raise your
CPTs
awareness of them
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

3. Intro Why do we need additional data
Why handling?
Overview
CPTs
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

4. Intro WordPress is now a full blown
Why CMS, used for all sorts of sites.
Overview
CPTs
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

5. Intro Custom Custom
Why Post Type Taxonomies
Overview
CPTs
Taxonomies Users Options
Users
Options
Database Database Files
Files
External
Summary External
Questions

6. Intro Make your own post types.
Why WordPress handles most of the
Overview logic.
CPTs
Taxonomies Examples:
Users • Events
Options
• Portfolio items
Database
Files • Products
External • Services
Summary
Questions • Questions

7. Intro Store additional content in post
Why meta.
Overview
CPTs
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

8. Intro Use the standard template loop
Why and template tags to render.
Overview
archive-$posttype.php / single-
CPTs
$posttype.php
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

9. Intro register_post_type($type, $args)
Why • Label
Overview • Public
CPTs
• Show UI
Taxonomies
Users • Capability Type
Options • Hierarchical
Database • Supports
Files • Register metabox
External • Has Archive
Summary • Rewrite
Questions

10. Intro Establish relationship between
Why CPTs.
Overview Make your own, or use existing
CPTs taxonomies.
Taxonomies
Examples:
Users
Options • Film Genre
Database • Event type
Files
External • Product categories
Summary • Group users by type
Questions

11. Intro Users are data structures too.
Why
Useful for social/community,
Overview
directory and multi author sites.
CPTs
Taxonomies Can store anything in user meta.
Users
Can apply taxonomies to users
Options
too!
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

12. Intro Site wide named pieces of data.
Why
Can store any data structure,
Overview
String, Integer, Array or Object.
CPTs
Taxonomies Multiple options vs single
Users structure?
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

13. Intro add_option($key, $data, ‘’, ‘yes’)
Why
update_option($key, $data)
Overview
CPTs get_option($key, $default)
Taxonomies
delete_option($key)
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

14. Intro The Transient API offers a simple
Why way to cache data:
Overview
set_transient($key, $data, $expire)
CPTs
Taxonomies get_transient($key)
Users
delete_transient($key)
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

15. Intro Direct access via $wpdb
Why
Create database tables on plugin
Overview
activation.
CPTs
Taxonomies Escape all input!
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

16. Intro Can write files to the uploads
Why folder - can’t guarantee elsewhere!
Overview WordPress offers a File System API
CPTs to get around that.
Taxonomies
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

17. Intro Lots of websites share their
Why content using APIs.
Overview
More often pull than push.
CPTs
Taxonomies Example APIs:
Users
• Social media
Options
Database • Payment services
Files • Maps
External • Web services
Summary • Web apps
Questions

18. Intro WordPress offers us a HTTP API
Why to make our lives easier. Use it!
Overview
wp_remote_get($url, $args)
CPTs
Taxonomies wp_remote_post($url, $args)
Users
Options
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

19. Intro No one right method, it depends
Why on:
Overview
• Number of items
CPTs
Taxonomies • Complexity
Users
• Relations
Options
Database • Existing data availability
Files
• Customisation
External
Summary • Site wide settings
Questions

20. Intro WordPress has an API for most
Why tasks, use them!
Overview
Custom Post Types can fulfil your
CPTs
requirements in 90% of cases.
Taxonomies
Users No reason you can’t use a hybrid
Options of these methods.
Database
Files
External
Summary
Questions

21. Intro … Or can we go to the pub?
Why
Overview
CPTs
Taxonomies
Damian Gostomski
Users
Options @damiangostomski
Database
http://gostomski.co.uk
Files
External
Summary
Questions