If you’re new to WooCommerce, you might be wondering how to use WooCommerce hooks. Hooks are essentially functions that allow you to change the behavior of WooCommerce. By using hooks, you can add your own code to customize WooCommerce without having to edit the core WooCommerce files.
In this article, we’ll show you how to use WooCommerce hooks and some of the most popular hooks that are used by developers.
What are WooCommerce Hooks?
WooCommerce hooks are essentially PHP functions that are triggered at specific points during the execution of a WooCommerce request. They allow you to modify the default behavior of WooCommerce without having to edit the core WooCommerce files.
There are two types of hooks in WooCommerce: actions and filters.
- Actions are hooks that are triggered at specific points during the execution of a WooCommerce request. They allow you to add your own code at those points.
- Filters are hooks that allow you to modify data before it’s displayed on the frontend or before it’s saved to the database.
How Do I Use WooCommerce Hooks?
To use a hook, you need to first identify the hook that you want to use and then write a function that will be executed when that hook is triggered.
Your function must be registered with WordPress so that it can be executed when the hook is triggered. You can register your function using the add_action() or add_filter() functions.
Let’s take a look at an example of how to use a hook. Suppose we want to add a message on the checkout page thanking the customer for their purchase. We can do this by using the WooCommerce_thankyou hook which is triggered after an order is placed.
First, we need to write a function that will display our message:
function my_custom_checkout_message() {
echo '<p>Thank you for your purchase! </p>';
}Then we need to register our function so that it runs when the WooCommerce_thankyou hook is triggered:
add_action( 'woocommerce_thankyou', 'my_custom_checkout_message' );Most Popular WooCommerce Hooks
Here are some of the most popular WooCommerce hooks that are used by developers:
WooCommerce_before_shop_loop: This hook is used to insert content before the products loop starts. It’s often used to display a banner or category description.
WooCommerce_after_shop_loop: This hook is used to insert content after the products loop ends. It’s often used to display a call-to-action button or related products section.
WooCommerce_before_single_product: This hook is used to insert content before the single product template starts. It’s often used to display a product enquiry form or product reviews section.
WooCommerce_after_single_product: This hook is used as an alternative way (compared with WooCommerce_before_addtocart_form) of inserting content between the product image/gallery and Add To Cart button on single product pages
WooCommerce_before_addtocart _form : This hook is used before displaying Add To Cart button on single product pages
