WordPress get_posts() – Syntax & Examples

Quick answer (copy-paste)

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => 10, 'post_status' => 'publish', ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

foreach ( $posts as $post ) {
setup_postdata( $post );
echo get_the_title( $post ) . "\n";
}
wp_reset_postdata();

What get_posts() is (and isn’t)

• Wrapper around WP_Query; returns WP_Post objects (or IDs).
• Best for quick lists, widgets, simple filters.
• Defaults: posts_per_page=5, post_status='publish', orderby='date', order='DESC', suppress_filters=true.

Frequently used args (cheat sheet)

Return IDs only (faster)

$ids = get_posts([ 'post_type' => 'post', 'fields' => 'ids', 'numberposts' => 20, // alias of posts_per_page ]);

Tip: Need pagination or totals? Use WP_Query (below).

Filter by taxonomy (tax_query)

$args = [ 'post_type' => ['post','your_cpt'], 'tax_query' => [[ 'taxonomy' => 'category', 'field' => 'slug', // or 'term_id', 'name' 'terms' => ['featured','news'], 'operator' => 'IN', ]], 'posts_per_page' => 10, ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

Filter by meta (meta_query)

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'product', 'meta_query' => [[ 'key' => '_stock_status', 'value' => 'instock', 'compare' => '=', ]], ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

Order by a meta value (e.g., price)

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'product', 'meta_key' => '_price', 'orderby' => 'meta_value_num', 'order' => 'ASC', 'posts_per_page' => 12, ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

Performance flags you can add

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => 10, 'no_found_rows' => true, 'update_post_term_cache' => false, 'update_post_meta_cache' => false, 'suppress_filters' => true, ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

When to use WP_Query instead

Use WP_Query for pagination (paged), complex loops, or when you need totals:

$paged = max( 1, get_query_var('paged') ); $q = new WP_Query([ 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => 10, 'paged' => $paged, 'tax_query' => [[ 'taxonomy' => 'category','field' => 'slug','terms' => ['featured'] ]], ]); if ( $q->have_posts() ) { while ( $q->have_posts() ) { $q->the_post(); the_title('<h2>','</h2>'); } wp_reset_postdata(); }

get_posts() vs get_post() (quick compare)

Docs: get_posts() · WP_Query

Custom post type + multiple terms + meta condition

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'portfolio', 'tax_query' => [ 'relation' => 'AND', [ 'taxonomy' => 'project_type', 'field' => 'slug', 'terms' => ['app','web'], // posts that are app OR web 'operator' => 'IN', ], [ 'taxonomy' => 'industry', 'field' => 'slug', 'terms' => ['healthcare'], 'operator' => 'IN', 'include_children' => true, ], ], 'meta_query' => [ [ 'key' => '_featured', 'value' => '1', 'compare' => '=', ], ], 'posts_per_page' => 12, ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

Tip: Use relation in tax_query and meta_query for complex logic; set include_children when you expect child terms.

Pagination: switch to WP_Query

get_posts() doesn’t handle paged pagination well. Use WP_Query with the same args and add paged:

$paged = max( 1, get_query_var('paged') ); $q = new WP_Query( [ 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => 10, 'paged' => $paged, // ... your tax_query/meta_query here ... ] ); // loop... wp_reset_postdata();

Alternative: For simple “load more”, keep get_posts() and pass offset, but true numbered pagination = WP_Query.

Exclude IDs and ignore sticky posts

$args = [ 'post_type' => 'post', 'posts_per_page' => 8, 'post__not_in' => [12, 34, 56], // exclude these IDs 'ignore_sticky_posts' => true, // don't pin stickies ]; $posts = get_posts( $args );

Also useful: post__in to enforce a specific list/order (then set orderby => 'post__in').