Hook naming

The newfold/context/type/name convention for custom action and filter hooks

Id wp-hooks-naming Applies to pluginthememodule Status active Enforceable yes, no check yet Tags wordpresshooksnamingactionsfilters

A consistent naming convention for hooks is crucial when developing WordPress themes or plugins to ensure readability and maintainability. Below is a standardized approach to naming action and filter hooks tailored to Newfold Digital’s development practices.

Naming conventions

General structure

Prefix: All hooks begin with a newfold/ vendor prefix to ensure uniqueness and prevent conflicts with WordPress core or other plugins.
Context: Follows the prefix and describes the context in which it is used. Any hook in a module should use the module name in slug format. If a hook is specific to a plugin, the plugin brand name should be used in slug format. Use your best judgment in any other context. For example, if the module name is “Help Center”, the context should be help-center.
Type: Specify whether it is an action or a filter.
Identifier: A descriptive name that indicates what the hook does.

Actions

General form: newfold/[context]/action/[actionName]

Action name: Action names should always use camel case and should always start with a lowercase letter. The following scenarios may also apply when creating an action name:

Timing prefix: Actions are tied to specific events in WordPress, but sometimes we want to do things just before, just after, or during an event. In these cases, use the following conventions:
- Before - If firing an action before an event happens, use the before prefix. Example: beforeSave.
- During - If firing an action during an event, use the on prefix. Example: onSave.
- After - If firing an action after an event happens, use the after prefix. Example: afterSave.
Value context: Sometimes we might create dynamic action hooks that surface a value as part of the name. In such cases, we should use a : followed by the dynamic value. For example, if you have a registerPostType hook, you might also dynamically append the post type name to make extending functionality for a single post type easier. Example: registerPostType:page.

Examples:

newfold/settings/action/beforeSave
newfold/settings/action/onSave
newfold/settings/action/afterSave
newfold/settings/action/onRenderTemplate
newfold/settings/action/onRenderTemplate:my-template

Filters

General form: newfold/[context]/filter/[filterName]

Filter name: Filter names should always use camel case and should always start with a lowercase letter. The following scenarios may also apply when creating a filter name:

Action:
- Get - Indicates that a filter is applied to a fetched value. Example: getTemplate.
- Set - Indicates that a filter is applied to a value being updated. Example: setTemplate.
- Other - In some scenarios, another verb may make more sense. Examples: validateInput, sanitizeOutput.
Booleans: Any filter where a boolean is expected should use one of these prefixes:
- Should - Use when a filter determines if an event should occur. Example: shouldRender.
- Is - Use when a filter otherwise returns a boolean. Examples: isAuthorized, isValid.
Context:
- Default - Use when filtering a default value. Example: defaultTemplate.
- Pre - Use when the filter forcefully overrides or short-circuits logic to get a value. Example: preGetTemplate.

Purpose-specific naming: Filters should have names that clearly reflect the value they modify or the decision they influence.