How to Display All Categories in WordPress? (3 Ways)

How to Display all categories in WordPress is a common question made by beginners and also developers so I decided to write this article.

Whether you are a seasoned developer or a newbie blogger, understanding WordPress categories and their various display methods can enhance user experience on your site.

Let's explore the multifaceted nature of WordPress categories and discover how you can effectively display them on your platform.

What are WordPress Categories?

WordPress categories serve as an essential tool for grouping related blog posts. Think of them as virtual folders, where related content is kept together, enabling both site managers and visitors to locate specific topics quickly.

Categories simplify navigation, improve search engine optimization (SEO) by enhancing content relevance, and provide a structured framework that can make your site more user-friendly.

How to Display All Categories (Code)

If you're comfortable diving into the world of code, this method offers a tailored approach:

1. Directly in PHP: You can employ the get_categories() function. Here’s a simple snippet:

<?php
$categories = get_categories();
foreach($categories as $category) {
   echo '<a href="' . get_category_link($category->term_id) . '">' . $category->name . '</a><br />';
}
?>

This code fetches all the categories and displays them as links.

2. Shortcodes: You can also craft a custom shortcode to embed within your posts or pages to display categories.

Remember to always back up your WordPress site before altering or adding any code.

Using Widgets

Widgets offer a more straightforward, no-code approach:

1. Navigate to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Click on ‘Appearance' and select ‘Widgets'.
3. Go to your desired location like sidebar or footer and click +.
4. Look for the ‘Categories List' block and click on it.
5. Adjust settings like ‘Display as dropdown', ‘Show post counts', etc. as per your preference.
6. Save changes, and the categories will appear on your site's front-end.

If you use WordPress themes like Specular you will find different widgets that are already styled to show categories in different parts of your site even as home page elements without the need to do any extra coding.

Using Plugins

For those who prefer plug-and-play solutions, several plugins can assist:

1. Category and Tags to Pages: Allows categories for pages too, not just posts.
2. List Categories: A simple plugin that uses shortcodes to display categories anywhere on your site.
3. WP Categories Widget: An advanced version of the default categories widget, offering more customization.

Always ensure that you download plugins from trusted sources, preferably from the official WordPress plugin repository.

FAQs

Other Resources

Scan WordPress Sites for Malware (No Plugins)

How to Fix: WordPress update failed you are probably offline.

Customize a WordPress Theme (Tutorial)

Conclusion

Incorporating categories in your WordPress site is not only beneficial for structuring content but also enhances the overall user experience. With the methods detailed above, from coding to widgets and plugins, displaying these categories becomes a walk in the park.

By understanding and effectively using categories, you can ensure that your site's content is accessible, organized, and primed for both user engagement and optimal SEO results.