Introduction
This page documents the JavaScript APIs available to WordPress plugin developers, and how to use them.
This article assumes you have already read Writing a Plugin, which gives an overview (and many details) of how to develop a plugin, and that you already have a firm understanding of object-oriented JavaScript.
Locations
Most of WordPress's JavaScript files can be found in two locations.
- Global JavaScript
- The source scripts for use anywhere are located in
js/_enqueues/wp/ and output in `wp-includes/js/` during the build process.
- Admin JavaScript
- The source scripts for use in admin are located in
js/_enqueues/admin/ and output in `wp-admin/js/` during the build process.
Core Admin Libraries
- wp (object) - The namespace object for nearly all WordPress scripts
- wp.media - Handles the interactive media library
3rd Party Libraries
The following 3rd party libraries are included with WordPress:
php Support Functions
- wp_register_script()
- Used to register a script with WordPress without enqueuing
- wp_deregister_script()
- Used to de-register a script with WordPress without enqueuing
- wp_enqueue_script()
- Used to add a script to WordPress's rendering queue
- wp_dequeue_script()
- Used to remove a script from WordPress's rendering queue
- wp_script_is()
- Determines the status of a script: whether it's been registered, enqueued, or printed/rendered.
- wp_localize_script()
- Used to output PHP as JavaScript, typically so that JavaScript text can be localized.
- wp_enqueue_media()
- Used to force all WordPress media-management assets to be loaded, generally used when you need to access the media scripts and libraries on screens where they are not automatically enqueued.