Dynamic WP Block with Save

November 3, 2024 · AI Conversations

User

we have dynamic wp block but still want to use save.js to display at front end

Assistant

To use a dynamic WordPress block while still leveraging `save.js` for rendering the front end, you'll need to set up your block with both a PHP render function and a JavaScript save function. This is a bit unconventional since dynamic blocks typically rely on server-side rendering, but it can be done by following these steps:

### Step 1: Register Your Block with PHP

When registering your block, ensure that you set it as a dynamic block and define a render callback that points to a PHP function. Here's an example:

function register_my_dynamic_block() {
    register_block_type('namespace/my-dynamic-block', array(
        'render_callback' => 'render_my_dynamic_block',
        'editor_script'   => 'my-block-editor-script',
        'script'          => 'my-block-save-script',
    ));
}
add_action('init', 'register_my_dynamic_block');

function render_my_dynamic_block($attributes) {
    // You can output dynamic content here if needed.
    return '<div class="my-dynamic-block">Dynamic content goes here.</div>';
}

### Step 2: Create Your `save.js`

In your `save.js`, define how the block should be rendered on the front end. You can include static or dynamic markup here as needed. Here’s a simple example:

const { createElement } = wp.element;

const SaveComponent = () => {
    return createElement('div', { className: 'my-dynamic-block' }, 'Static content from save.js');
};

export default SaveComponent;

### Step 3: Update Your Block Registration

Make sure to include your `save.js` file in the block registration process. If you are using a build tool like Webpack, ensure that `save.js` is transpiled and bundled appropriately:

function register_my_dynamic_block() {
    // Enqueue block scripts and styles
    wp_enqueue_script(
        'my-block-save-script',
        get_template_directory_uri() . '/path/to/save.js',
        array('wp-blocks', 'wp-element', 'wp-editor'), // Dependencies
        null,
        true
    );

    // Register the block
    register_block_type('namespace/my-dynamic-block', array(
        'render_callback' => 'render_my_dynamic_block',
        'editor_script'   => 'my-block-editor-script',
    ));
}

### Step 4: Use the Block in the Editor

When you add the block in the editor, it will render according to the `save.js` output, but keep in mind that if you want any dynamic data (from a database, API, etc.), you'll need to manage that in your render callback.

### Note

Using both a dynamic render and a `save.js` may lead to some inconsistency in how the block is displayed if the dynamic content differs from the static content in `save.js`. Ensure that both the server-side and client-side representations of the block are in sync to avoid any issues.

With this setup, you'll be able to display content on the front end using `save.js`, while still utilizing PHP for any dynamic functionalities you need.

Dynamic WP Block with Save

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