Wordpress Hooks

Introduction to Hookables

ModulesPress introduces Hookables, a better approach to managing WordPress actions and filters. By leveraging PHP attributes, Hookables replace traditional add_action and add_filter functions, enabling declarative hook registration within service provider classes.

Core Principles

• Declarative Registration: Define hooks directly alongside method implementations
• Lazy Loading: Service providers instantiated only when specific hooks are triggered
• Performance Optimization: Minimal resource consumption
• Clean, Maintainable Code

Evolution of Hook Registration: From Traditional to Modern

Traditional WordPress Hook Registration Challenges

1. Cluttered Constructor Approach

Old Methodology:

class BookPlugin {
    public function __construct() {
        // Hook registrations scattered and hard to read
        add_action('init', [$this, 'initializePlugin']);
        add_action('admin_menu', [$this, 'registerAdminMenu']);
        add_filter('the_content', [$this, 'modifyContentDisplay']);
    }
}

Problems:

• Constructors become bloated
• Poor separation of concerns
• Immediate hook registration causing performance overhead
• Manual priority and condition management

2. Global Function Approach

Old Methodology:

function my_books_init() {
    // Initialization logic
}
add_action('init', 'my_books_init');

Limitations:

• Global namespace pollution
• Lack of object-oriented context
• Difficult dependency management
• Poor encapsulation

ModulesPress: A Modern Solution

class BookServiceProvider
{
    // Clean, declarative hook registration
    #[Add_Action('init', priority: 5)]
    public function earlyInit() {
        // Initialization logic
    }

    #[Add_Action('admin_menu')]
    public function registerAdminMenu() {
        // Admin menu registration
    }
}

Detailed Hook Attribute Usage

Action Hooks: #[Add_Action]

#[Add_Action('wp_enqueue_scripts', priority: 10)] 
public function enqueueFrontendScripts() { 
    wp_enqueue_script('my-frontend-script', 'path/to/script.js', [], '1.0', true); 
}

Filter Hooks: #[Add_Filter]

#[Add_Filter('the_content')] 
public function filterContent($content) { 
    return $content . '<p>Enhanced by ModulesPress</p>'; 
}

Benefits of ModulesPress Hookables

• Clean, Readable Code
• Performance Optimization
• Seamless Dependency Injection
• Simplified Hook Management
• Explicit Intention Declaration

Best Practices

1. Keep hook methods focused and single-responsibility
2. Use meaningful method names
3. Leverage conditional hook registration
4. Minimize logic within hook methods
5. Utilize dependency injection for complex requirements

Comparison: Traditional vs ModulesPress

Aspect	Traditional WordPress	ModulesPress
Hook Registration	Manual, scattered	Declarative, centralized
Performance	Always loaded	Lazy loaded
Code Readability	Complex	Clean, intuitive
Dependency Management	Manual	Integrated
Priority Control	Manual	Built-in attributes

Example: Complete Service Provider

namespace BookPlugin\Provider;

use ModulesPress\Foundation\Hookable\Attributes\Add_Action;
use ModulesPress\Foundation\Hookable\Attributes\Add_Filter;

class BookServiceProvider 
{
    #[Add_Action('init', priority: 5)]
    public function initializeBookSystem() {
        // Initialize book-related systems
    }

    #[Add_Action('admin_menu')]
    public function registerAdminPages() {
        // Register admin menu items
    }

    #[Add_Filter('the_content', priority: 10)]
    public function enhanceBookContent($content) {
        // Modify content display
        return $content;
    }
}

Conclusion

ModulesPress Hookables represent a paradigm shift in WordPress plugin development, offering a more elegant, performant, and maintainable approach to hook management.