register_sidebar( array|string $args = array() )

Builds the definition for a single sidebar and returns the ID.


Description Description

Accepts either a string or an array and then parses that against a set of default arguments for the new sidebar. WordPress will automatically generate a sidebar ID and name based on the current number of registered sidebars if those arguments are not included.

When allowing for automatic generation of the name and ID parameters, keep in mind that the incrementor for your sidebar can change over time depending on what other plugins and themes are installed.

If theme support for ‘widgets’ has not yet been added when this function is called, it will be automatically enabled through the use of add_theme_support()


Parameters Parameters

$args

(array|string) (Optional) Array or string of arguments for the sidebar being registered.

  • 'name'
    (string) The name or title of the sidebar displayed in the Widgets interface. Default 'Sidebar $instance'.
  • 'id'
    (string) The unique identifier by which the sidebar will be called. Default 'sidebar-$instance'.
  • 'description'
    (string) Description of the sidebar, displayed in the Widgets interface. Default empty string.
  • 'class'
    (string) Extra CSS class to assign to the sidebar in the Widgets interface.
  • 'before_widget'
    (string) HTML content to prepend to each widget's HTML output when assigned to this sidebar. Default is an opening list item element.
  • 'after_widget'
    (string) HTML content to append to each widget's HTML output when assigned to this sidebar. Default is a closing list item element.
  • 'before_title'
    (string) HTML content to prepend to the sidebar title when displayed. Default is an opening h2 element.
  • 'after_title'
    (string) HTML content to append to the sidebar title when displayed. Default is a closing h2 element.

Default value: array()


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Return Return

(string) Sidebar ID added to $wp_registered_sidebars global.


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Source Source

File: wp-includes/widgets.php

function register_sidebar( $args = array() ) {
	global $wp_registered_sidebars;

	$i = count( $wp_registered_sidebars ) + 1;

	$id_is_empty = empty( $args['id'] );

	$defaults = array(
		/* translators: %d: Sidebar number. */
		'name'          => sprintf( __( 'Sidebar %d' ), $i ),
		'id'            => "sidebar-$i",
		'description'   => '',
		'class'         => '',
		'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">',
		'after_widget'  => "</li>\n",
		'before_title'  => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
		'after_title'   => "</h2>\n",
	);

	/**
	 * Filters the sidebar default arguments.
	 *
	 * @since 5.3.0
	 *
	 * @see register_sidebar()
	 *
	 * @param array $defaults The default sidebar arguments.
	 */
	$sidebar = wp_parse_args( $args, apply_filters( 'register_sidebar_defaults', $defaults ) );

	if ( $id_is_empty ) {
		_doing_it_wrong(
			__FUNCTION__,
			sprintf(
				/* translators: 1: The 'id' argument, 2: Sidebar name, 3: Recommended 'id' value. */
				__( 'No %1$s was set in the arguments array for the "%2$s" sidebar. Defaulting to "%3$s". Manually set the %1$s to "%3$s" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content.' ),
				'<code>id</code>',
				$sidebar['name'],
				$sidebar['id']
			),
			'4.2.0'
		);
	}

	$wp_registered_sidebars[ $sidebar['id'] ] = $sidebar;

	add_theme_support( 'widgets' );

	/**
	 * Fires once a sidebar has been registered.
	 *
	 * @since 3.0.0
	 *
	 * @param array $sidebar Parsed arguments for the registered sidebar.
	 */
	do_action( 'register_sidebar', $sidebar );

	return $sidebar['id'];
}

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Changelog Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
2.2.0 Introduced.


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User Contributed Notes User Contributed Notes

  1. Skip to note 2 content
    Contributed by Codex

    This example creates a sidebar named “Main Sidebar” with and before and after the title.

    /**
     * Add a sidebar.
     */
    function wpdocs_theme_slug_widgets_init() {
    	register_sidebar( array(
    		'name'          => __( 'Main Sidebar', 'textdomain' ),
    		'id'            => 'sidebar-1',
    		'description'   => __( 'Widgets in this area will be shown on all posts and pages.', 'textdomain' ),
    		'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">',
    		'after_widget'  => '</li>',
    		'before_title'  => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
    		'after_title'   => '</h2>',
    	) );
    }
    add_action( 'widgets_init', 'wpdocs_theme_slug_widgets_init' );
    
  2. Skip to note 3 content
    Contributed by jave.web

    Sidebar id must be in lowercase ! (and no spaces)
    From codex: id – Sidebar id – Must be all in lowercase, with no spaces (default is a numeric auto-incremented ID). If you do not set the id argument value, you will get E_USER_NOTICE messages in debug mode, starting with version 4.2.

  3. Skip to note 4 content
    Contributed by FrancoisV
    /* Add Multiple sidebar 
    */
    if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') ) {
    	$sidebar1 = array(
    		'before_widget' => '<div class="widget %2$s">',
    		'after_widget' => '</div>',
    		'before_title' => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
    		'after_title' => '</h2>',        
    		'name'=>__( 'My sidebar 1', 'textdomain' ),	
    	);	
    	$sidebar2 = array(
    		'before_widget' => '<div class="widget %2$s">',
    		'after_widget' => '</div>',
    		'before_title' => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
    		'after_title' => '</h2>',        
    		'name'=>__( 'My sidebar 2', 'textdomain' ),	
    	);
        $sidebar3 = array(
    		'before_widget' => '<div class="widget %2$s">',
    		'after_widget' => '</div>',
    		'before_title' => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
    		'after_title' => '</h2>',        
    		'name'=>__( 'My sidebar 3', 'textdomain' ),	
    	);
        $sidebar4 = array(
    		'before_widget' => '<div class="widget %2$s">',
    		'after_widget' => '</div>',
    		'before_title' => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
    		'after_title' => '</h2>',        
    		'name'=>__( 'My sidebar 4', 'textdomain' ),	
    	);
    	
    	register_sidebar($sidebar1);
    	register_sidebar($sidebar2);
        register_sidebar($sidebar3);
        register_sidebar($sidebar4);
    }

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