Tax queries and meta queries in Wordpress - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to query posts with a specific taxonomy term.

Wordpress

<?php
$args = [
  'post_type' => 'post',
  'tax_query' => [
    [
      'taxonomy' => 'category',
      'field' => 'slug',
      'terms' => '[1]'
    ]
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);
?>

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Anews

Bauthor

Cdate

Dtitle

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a taxonomy name instead of a term slug.

Using a post field like 'author' instead of a term slug.

The 'terms' key expects the slug of the taxonomy term you want to filter by. Here, 'news' is a valid category slug.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to query posts where meta key 'price' is greater than 100.

Wordpress

<?php
$args = [
  'post_type' => 'product',
  'meta_query' => [
    [
      'key' => 'price',
      'value' => 100,
      'compare' => '[1]',
      'type' => 'NUMERIC'
    ]
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);
?>

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A=

BLIKE

C<=

D>

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '=' which only matches exactly 100.

Using 'LIKE' which is for string pattern matching.

The 'compare' operator '>' filters posts where the meta value is greater than 100.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the tax_query to filter posts with taxonomy 'genre' and term slug 'fiction'.

Wordpress

<?php
$args = [
  'post_type' => 'book',
  'tax_query' => [
    [
      'taxonomy' => '[1]',
      'field' => 'slug',
      'terms' => 'fiction'
    ]
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);
?>

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Acategory

Bgenre

Cpost_tag

Dauthor

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'category' which is a default taxonomy but not the one needed.

Using 'post_tag' which is for tags, not genres.

The taxonomy name must be 'genre' to match the taxonomy you want to query.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to query posts with meta key 'rating' between 4 and 5.

Wordpress

<?php
$args = [
  'post_type' => 'movie',
  'meta_query' => [
    [
      'key' => 'rating',
      'value' => [[1], [2]],
      'compare' => 'BETWEEN',
      'type' => 'NUMERIC'
    ]
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);
?>

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A4

B5

C3

D6

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Swapping the lower and upper bounds.

Using values outside the expected rating scale.

The 'value' array sets the range for the 'BETWEEN' comparison. Here, 4 and 5 define the rating range.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to query posts with taxonomy 'color' term 'blue' and meta key 'size' equal to 'large'.

Wordpress

<?php
$args = [
  'post_type' => 'product',
  'tax_query' => [
    [
      'taxonomy' => '[1]',
      'field' => '[2]',
      'terms' => '[3]'
    ]
  ],
  'meta_query' => [
    [
      'key' => 'size',
      'value' => 'large',
      'compare' => '='
    ]
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);
?>

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Acolor

Bslug

Cblue

Dname

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'name' instead of 'slug' for the field.

Using wrong taxonomy or term names.

The taxonomy is 'color', the field type is 'slug', and the term is 'blue' to filter posts correctly.

Practice

1. Which of the following best describes a tax_query in WordPress?

easy

A. It filters posts based on custom field values.

B. It sorts posts by date or title.

C. It filters posts based on categories, tags, or custom taxonomies.

D. It updates post metadata values.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand tax_query purpose

   A tax_query is used to filter posts by taxonomy terms like categories or tags.

2. Step 2: Compare with meta_query

   A meta_query filters by custom fields, not taxonomies.

3. Final Answer:

   It filters posts based on categories, tags, or custom taxonomies. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   tax_query = taxonomy filter [OK]

Hint: Tax queries filter by taxonomy terms like categories [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing tax_query with meta_query
• Thinking tax_query sorts posts
• Assuming tax_query updates data

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a meta query filtering posts where the meta key 'color' equals 'blue'?

easy

A. tax_query => [ ['taxonomy' => 'color', 'field' => 'slug', 'terms' => 'blue'] ]

B. meta_query => [ ['key' => 'color', 'value' => 'blue', 'compare' => '='] ]

C. meta_query => [ ['key' => 'color', 'value' => 'blue', 'compare' => 'LIKE'] ]

D. meta_query => [ ['key' => 'color', 'value' => ['blue'], 'compare' => 'IN'] ]

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify meta_query structure

   A meta query uses 'key', 'value', and 'compare' keys to filter custom fields.

2. Step 2: Match exact equality

   To check exact match, 'compare' should be '=' and 'value' a string, not array.

3. Final Answer:

   meta_query => [ ['key' => 'color', 'value' => 'blue', 'compare' => '='] ] -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Exact match uses compare '=' [OK]

Hint: Use compare '=' for exact meta key-value match [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using tax_query instead of meta_query
• Using 'LIKE' when exact match needed
• Passing value as array when not needed

3. What will the following query return?

query_posts([
  'tax_query' => [[
    'taxonomy' => 'category',
    'field' => 'slug',
    'terms' => ['news', 'updates'],
    'operator' => 'AND'
  ]],
  'meta_query' => [[
    'key' => 'featured',
    'value' => '1',
    'compare' => '='
  ]]
]);

medium

A. Syntax error due to incorrect tax_query format.

B. Posts in either 'news' OR 'updates' categories with meta 'featured' = '1'.

C. Posts with meta 'featured' = '1' ignoring categories.

D. Posts in both 'news' AND 'updates' categories with meta 'featured' = '1'.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze tax_query operator

   Operator 'AND' means posts must be in both 'news' and 'updates' categories simultaneously.

2. Step 2: Analyze meta_query condition

   Meta query filters posts where 'featured' meta key equals '1'.

3. Final Answer:

   Posts in both 'news' AND 'updates' categories with meta 'featured' = '1'. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   tax_query 'AND' + meta_query '=' = Posts in both 'news' AND 'updates' categories with meta 'featured' = '1'. [OK]

Hint: Operator 'AND' means all terms must match in tax_query [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'AND' with 'OR' operator
• Ignoring meta_query filter
• Assuming syntax error incorrectly

4. Identify the error in this tax query:

$args = [
  'tax_query' => [
    'taxonomy' => 'genre',
    'field' => 'slug',
    'terms' => 'fiction'
  ]
];
$query = new WP_Query($args);

medium

A. tax_query must be an array of arrays, but here it's a single array.

B. The 'terms' value must be an array, not a string.

C. The 'field' key is invalid in tax_query.

D. WP_Query does not accept tax_query parameter.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check tax_query structure

   tax_query expects an array of arrays, each inner array defines one taxonomy filter.

2. Step 2: Identify the provided structure

   Here tax_query is a single associative array, missing the outer array wrapping.

3. Final Answer:

   tax_query must be an array of arrays, but here it's a single array. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   tax_query = array of arrays [OK]

Hint: tax_query always needs an outer array wrapping inner arrays [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Passing single array instead of array of arrays
• Thinking 'terms' must always be array
• Ignoring tax_query structure rules

5. You want to query posts that are in the 'events' category AND have a custom field 'priority' set to 'high'. Which is the correct way to combine tax_query and meta_query to achieve this?

medium

A. Use 'relation' => 'AND' to combine tax_query and meta_query for AND behavior.

B. Nest tax_query and meta_query inside a 'relation' => 'OR' array within 'meta_query'.

C. Combine tax_query and meta_query inside a single array without 'relation'.

D. Use 'relation' => 'OR' at the top level combining tax_query and meta_query arrays.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand combining queries

   tax_query and meta_query are combined with AND logic by default when both are included in the query args.

2. Step 2: Correct structure

   Simply place both 'tax_query' and 'meta_query' as keys in the main query args array; no 'relation' is needed.

3. Final Answer:

   Combine tax_query and meta_query inside a single array without 'relation'. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   tax_query + meta_query default = AND [OK]

Hint: tax_query and meta_query default to AND logic [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding unnecessary 'relation' => 'AND'
• Nesting queries inside one another
• Using 'relation' => 'OR' for AND logic