Advanced Custom Fields plugin in Wordpress - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Create a Custom WordPress Page with Advanced Custom Fields

📖 Scenario: You are building a WordPress site for a local bakery. You want to create a custom page template that shows special offers with custom fields for the offer title, description, and expiration date.

🎯 Goal: Build a WordPress page template that uses the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin to display a special offer with a title, description, and expiration date.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create custom fields for offer_title, offer_description, and offer_expiration using ACF

Create a PHP array with sample offer data

Add a variable to hold the current date for comparison

Use ACF functions to display the offer fields in the template

Show a message if the offer is expired

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Many WordPress sites use Advanced Custom Fields to add flexible content areas that site owners can edit easily without coding.

💼 Career

Understanding how to use ACF and PHP together is essential for WordPress developers building custom themes and client sites.

1

Set up sample offer data array

Create a PHP array called $offer with keys 'offer_title', 'offer_description', and 'offer_expiration'. Set the values exactly to 'Spring Sale', 'Get 20% off all cakes.', and '2024-07-01' respectively.

Wordpress

<?php
// WordPress page template start

// Your code here

Hint

Use a PHP array with keys and exact string values as shown.

2

Add current date variable

Add a variable called $today and set it to the current date in Y-m-d format using the date() function.

Wordpress

 'Spring Sale',
    'offer_description' => 'Get 20% off all cakes.',
    'offer_expiration' => '2024-07-01'
];

// Your code here

Hint

Use date('Y-m-d') to get the current date string.

3

Display offer fields using ACF functions

Use the_field() function calls to display the offer_title, offer_description, and offer_expiration fields from the $offer array. Use echo with the array values to simulate ACF output.

Wordpress

 'Spring Sale',
    'offer_description' => 'Get 20% off all cakes.',
    'offer_expiration' => '2024-07-01'
];

$today = date('Y-m-d');

// Your code here

Hint

Use echo with array values inside HTML tags to show the fields.

4

Show expiration message if offer expired

Add an if statement that compares $today with $offer['offer_expiration']. If $today is greater, echo a paragraph with the text 'This offer has expired.'.

Wordpress

 'Spring Sale',
    'offer_description' => 'Get 20% off all cakes.',
    'offer_expiration' => '2024-07-01'
];

$today = date('Y-m-d');

echo '' . $offer['offer_title'] . '';
echo '' . $offer['offer_description'] . '';
echo 'Expires on: ' . $offer['offer_expiration'] . '';

// Your code here

Hint

Use a simple if condition comparing the date strings.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin in WordPress?

easy

A. To add and manage extra custom fields without changing the database manually

B. To create new WordPress themes automatically

C. To speed up WordPress site loading times

D. To backup WordPress site data

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what ACF does

   ACF allows users to add custom fields easily without coding database changes.

2. Step 2: Compare options

   Only To add and manage extra custom fields without changing the database manually describes adding and managing extra fields without manual database edits.

3. Final Answer:

   To add and manage extra custom fields without changing the database manually -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   ACF purpose = add/manage custom fields [OK]

Hint: ACF is for custom fields, not themes or backups [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing ACF with theme builders
• Thinking ACF speeds up site loading
• Assuming ACF handles backups

2. Which of the following is the correct way to retrieve a custom field value named subtitle using ACF in a WordPress template?

easy

A. the_field('subtitle');

B. fetch_field('subtitle');

C. get_field('subtitle');

D. custom_field('subtitle');

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct ACF function for retrieving values

   The function get_field() returns the value of a custom field.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   the_field() echoes the value, not returns it; others are invalid functions.

3. Final Answer:

   get_field('subtitle'); -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Retrieve field value = get_field() [OK]

Hint: Use get_field() to get value, the_field() to print directly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using the_field() when value is needed for logic
• Using non-existent functions like fetch_field()
• Confusing echo and return functions

3. Consider this code snippet in a WordPress template using ACF:

$subtitle = get_field('subtitle');
if ($subtitle) {
  echo "
$subtitle
";
} else {
  echo "
No subtitle found
";
}

What will be the output if the custom field subtitle is empty or not set?

medium

A. PHP error will occur

B.

C. Nothing will be displayed

D. No subtitle found

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the if condition

   The code checks if $subtitle has a value. If empty or not set, condition is false.

2. Step 2: Check the else block output

   If false, it echoes "

   No subtitle found

   ".

3. Final Answer:

   <h2>No subtitle found</h2> -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Empty field triggers else output [OK]

Hint: Empty fields trigger else block output [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming empty string prints empty <h2>
• Expecting no output when field is empty
• Thinking PHP error occurs on missing field

4. You have this code in your WordPress template:

echo get_field('price');

Sometimes it shows nothing and breaks the page layout. What is the best way to fix this issue?

medium

A. Remove the get_field() call completely

B. Check if the field has a value before echoing it

C. Use the_field() instead of get_field()

D. Change the field name to 'price_value'

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the problem cause

   Echoing an empty or null field can break layout if no fallback is provided.

2. Step 2: Apply a check before echoing

   Use if (get_field('price')) to ensure value exists before output.

3. Final Answer:

   Check if the field has a value before echoing it -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Always check field value before output [OK]

Hint: Always verify field value exists before printing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Removing field call instead of fixing output
• Using the_field() which echoes without checks
• Changing field name without updating code

5. You want to display a list of team members with their custom fields: name, role, and photo. Which approach correctly uses ACF to loop through a repeater field called team_members and display each member's info?

hard

A. if (have_rows('team_members')) {
while (have_rows('team_members')) {
the_row();
echo get_sub_field('name');
echo get_sub_field('role');
echo '';
}
}

B. foreach (get_field('team_members') as $member) {
echo $member['name'];
echo $member['role'];
echo '';
}

C. while (have_rows('team_members')) {
echo get_sub_field('name');
echo get_sub_field('role');
echo get_sub_field('photo');
}

D. if (get_field('team_members')) {
echo get_field('team_members')['name'];
echo get_field('team_members')['role'];
echo get_field('team_members')['photo'];
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand repeater field usage

   Repeater fields require have_rows() and the_row() to loop through rows.

2. Step 2: Check sub field retrieval

   Use get_sub_field() inside the loop to get each subfield value.

3. Step 3: Verify image field handling

   Image fields return an array; access ['url'] for the image source.

4. Final Answer:

   Correct repeater loop with have_rows(), the_row(), get_sub_field(), and image url access -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Repeater loop = have_rows() + the_row() + get_sub_field() [OK]

Hint: Use have_rows() and the_row() to loop repeater fields [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using foreach on get_field() without have_rows()
• Missing the_row() call inside loop
• Not accessing image url from array