# How to Add Shortcodes in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce, while powerful, can sometimes feel overwhelming for new users. One way to simplify things and add custom functionality is by using shortcodes. This guide will walk you through adding shortcodes to your WooCommerce store, explaining the “why” and the “how” in simple terms.
What are Shortcodes?
Think of shortcodes as tiny, customizable snippets of code that you can insert into your WordPress pages and posts. They’re essentially shortcuts that perform specific actions, like displaying a product, showing a specific category, or even creating a custom message. Instead of writing lengthy, complex code, you use a simple shortcode – making things much easier to manage.
Imagine you want to display your best-selling product on your homepage. Instead of manually editing the theme files (which is risky and could break your site), you can use a shortcode! This keeps your core WooCommerce files intact and simplifies future edits.
Why Use Shortcodes in WooCommerce?
* Simplicity: They replace complex code with easy-to-remember tags.
* Flexibility: You can customize many aspects of how they function.
* Maintainability: Changes are easy to implement, and your theme files remain untouched.
* Reusability: Once created, you can use the same shortcode multiple times.
How to Add Shortcodes in WooCommerce
There are two main ways to add shortcodes to WooCommerce: using plugins or writing custom code.
Method 1: Using a Plugin (The Easiest Way)
Many plugins offer pre-built shortcodes for WooCommerce. This is the recommended approach for beginners, as it requires no coding skills.
- Find a Plugin: Search the WordPress plugin directory for “WooCommerce shortcodes”. Several free and premium options are available.
- Install and Activate: Once you’ve found a suitable plugin, install and activate it through your WordPress dashboard.
- Use the Shortcodes: The plugin’s documentation will explain how to use its shortcodes. These are usually inserted directly into the page or post editor.
Example: A plugin might offer a shortcode like `[best_selling_products]` to display your best-selling products.
Method 2: Writing Custom Code (For Advanced Users)
This method requires some familiarity with PHP. It offers greater customization but carries a higher risk of errors if not done correctly. Always back up your website before making any code changes.
1. Create a Custom Function:
This function defines the shortcode’s behaviour. Here’s an example that displays a simple message:
function my_custom_woocommerce_shortcode() {
return 'This is a custom WooCommerce shortcode!';
}
add_shortcode( 'my_custom_shortcode', 'my_custom_woocommerce_shortcode' );
Explanation:
- `my_custom_woocommerce_shortcode()` is the function that does the work.
- `add_shortcode( ‘my_custom_shortcode’, ‘my_custom_woocommerce_shortcode’ );` registers the shortcode. `’my_custom_shortcode’` is the name of the shortcode (what you’ll type in your post/page), and the second argument is the function name.
2. Use the Shortcode: You’d then use `[my_custom_shortcode]` in your page or post editor.
3. More Complex Examples (Requires Advanced PHP Skills):
You can create far more sophisticated shortcodes, for example, displaying specific products based on categories or tags. This requires more advanced PHP knowledge and understanding of the WooCommerce API. For instance, you could potentially display products from a specific category:
function display_category_products_shortcode( $atts ) {
$atts = shortcode_atts( array(
'category' => 'clothing',
), $atts, 'category_products' );
$args = array(
‘post_type’ => ‘product’,
‘tax_query’ => array(
array(
‘taxonomy’ => ‘product_cat’,
‘field’ => ‘slug’,
‘terms’ => $atts[‘category’],
),
),
);
$products = new WP_Query( $args );
ob_start(); // Start output buffering
if ( $products->have_posts() ) :
while ( $products->have_posts() ) : $products->the_post();
woocommerce_get_template_part( ‘content’, ‘product’ );
endwhile;
endif;
wp_reset_postdata(); // Important to reset post data
$output = ob_get_clean(); // Get buffered output
return $output;
}
add_shortcode( ‘category_products’, ‘display_category_products_shortcode’ );
This code displays products from a category specified by the `category` attribute in the shortcode (e.g., `[category_products category=”electronics”]`).
Remember to place this code in your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. Always back up your files before making changes.
Conclusion
Adding shortcodes to WooCommerce simplifies the process of customizing your store’s content and functionality. While using a plugin is the easiest method for beginners, advanced users can leverage their PHP skills to create highly customized shortcodes. Remember to always prioritize website backups and thorough testing.
