How to Create a Dynamic WordPress Post List with Shortcodes

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What Are WordPress Shortcodes?
• Why Use Shortcodes for Post Lists?
• Creating a Basic WordPress Post List Shortcode
• Customizing the Post List Output
• Adding Shortcodes to Pages and Widgets
• Using Plugins for Advanced Post Lists
• FAQs

Introduction

Displaying a list of posts dynamically in WordPress can improve content visibility and enhance user experience. The easiest way to do this is by using shortcodes. In this guide, you will learn how to create and use shortcodes to generate dynamic post lists on your website.

What Are WordPress Shortcodes?

Shortcodes are small snippets of code that let you insert dynamic content into WordPress posts, pages, and widgets. They are enclosed in square brackets, like [your_shortcode], and can execute custom PHP functions.

Why Use Shortcodes for Post Lists?

• They allow easy customization without modifying theme files.
• You can reuse them anywhere on your website.
• They enable dynamic content updates based on criteria such as category, tag, or date.

Creating a Basic WordPress Post List Shortcode

You can create a simple shortcode to display a list of posts by adding the following code to your theme’s functions.php file:

function custom_post_list_shortcode($atts) {
    $atts = shortcode_atts(
        array(
            'category' => '',
            'posts_per_page' => 5,
        ),
        $atts,
        'post_list'
    );
    
    $args = array(
        'posts_per_page' => $atts['posts_per_page'],
        'category_name' => $atts['category'],
    );
    
    $query = new WP_Query($args);
    $output = '<ul>';
    
    while ($query->have_posts()) {
        $query->the_post();
        $output .= '<li><a href="' . get_permalink() . '">' . get_the_title() . '</a></li>';
    }
    
    wp_reset_postdata();
    $output .= '</ul>';
    return $output;
}
add_shortcode('techykp_post_list', 'custom_post_list_shortcode');

Now, you can use [techykp_post_listposts_per_page="5" category="news"] in your WordPress editor to display posts dynamically.

Customizing the Post List Output

You can modify the shortcode to:

• Display post thumbnails.
• Show excerpts.
• Filter posts by tag, author, or date.

For example, adding the following line inside the while loop will show post excerpts:

$output .= '<p>' . get_the_excerpt() . '</p>';

Adding Shortcodes to Pages and Widgets

To add your shortcode to a page, simply place it in the WordPress editor:

[techykp_post_list posts_per_page="5" category="blog"]

You can also use it in widgets by adding a Shortcode Block or Text Widget in your sidebar.

Using Plugins for Advanced Post Lists

If you prefer not to edit theme files, plugins like Display Posts or WP Show Posts offer user-friendly interfaces for listing posts dynamically.

FAQs