1. register_post_type()
Role:
- Registers a Custom Post Type (CPT) in WordPress.
- Lets you create new content types beyond the default ones (posts, pages).
Example Use Case:
- Creating a “Portfolio”, “Events”, or “Products” section in your site.
Basic Syntax:
function create_portfolio_post_type() {
register_post_type( 'portfolio',
array(
'labels' => array(
'name' => __( 'Portfolios' ),
'singular_name' => __( 'Portfolio' )
),
'public' => true,
'has_archive' => true,
'supports' => array( 'title', 'editor', 'thumbnail' ),
)
);
}
add_action( 'init', 'create_portfolio_post_type' );2. register_taxonomy()
Role:
- Registers a Custom Taxonomy in WordPress.
- Taxonomies group and organize content (similar to categories or tags).
Example Use Case:
- Creating a taxonomy like “Genres” for a Movies CPT, or “Skills” for a Portfolio CPT.
Basic Syntax:
function create_genre_taxonomy() {
register_taxonomy(
'genre',
'movies',
array(
'label' => __( 'Genres' ),
'hierarchical' => true, // true = category-like, false = tag-like
)
);
}
add_action( 'init', 'create_genre_taxonomy' );Key Difference
| Function | Purpose |
|---|---|
register_post_type() | Defines what kind of content you store. |
register_taxonomy() | Defines how you group or classify that content. |
💡 Analogy:
If your website is a library:
- Custom Post Type = “Books” shelf
- Taxonomy = “Genres” to organize those books.