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I'm going to be using a jQuery slider on my homepage only (not a WP plugin, but a third party). What I'd like to do is include jQuery, the plugin's jQuery script using a .js file, then include the script needed to fire the plugin right before the closing body tag. I'm a bit confused about how that works.

I know WordPress comes with jQuery built in, so does that mean I don't need to include it again?

Looking for best practices on this. I understand there are conflict issues that need to be prevented, etc.

Thanks

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You typically should use the jQuery version that's built in. There are instances where you might want to use wp_dequeue_script('jquery') and then add a different version of jQuery.

Here's the best way to add a script dependent on jQuery:

function theme_register_scripts(){
   wp_enqueue_script('jquery');
   wp_enqueue_script('myscript-name', get_bloginfo('stylesheet_directory') . '/js/myscript.js', array('jquery'));
}
add_action('wp_print_scripts', 'theme_register_scripts');

The third argument of wp_enqueue_script is the script dependency which we identify as jQuery. This guarantees that jQuery will be printed before your custom script is printed.

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  • So that handles including jQuery (using the built in WP version) and my jQuery plugin file. However, is there a specific best practice for firing the plugin? By the way, my firing script contains the jQuery "$". Is that an issue? Usually I would just include or add the firing script in my page template. Is there any reason not to do this?
    – jw60660
    Sep 25, 2011 at 20:03
  • The reasoning for queuing up a script is for dependencies across the entire installations. This also helps you disable other scripts programatically without having to touch plugin or WP source code. For using $, read my Good, Bad and Ugly usage of jQuery in WP. coderrr.com/jquery-in-wordpress-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly
    – Brian Fegter
    Sep 25, 2011 at 21:46
  • Thanks very much; very useful. I learned a lot about implementing jQuery in WordPress. I read your blog post. More good advice. As an additional caution, after a few hours of scratching my head (and missing a good movie w the kids!), I learned the hard way that declaring the jQuery function directly must include the capital "Q" in jQuery to work.
    – jw60660
    Sep 25, 2011 at 21:53
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To add to that Brain said, you can use the enqueue_script function to add your js files to the footer if your theme uses wp_footer. Also when adding an action it is very useful when using javascript to use an order parameter so you can order them the way you wan't.

Something like:

wp_enqueue_script('myscript-name', 
                   get_bloginfo('stylesheet_directory') . '/js/myscript.js',
                   array('jquery'), 
                   'false',  //change version #
                   'true'); //in_footer?

//here we add a priority parameter to load one before the other if needed.
add_action('wp_print_scripts', 'theme_register_scripts_other', 10);
add_action('wp_print_scripts', 'theme_register_scripts', 20);

You can also add it to the footer using wp_footer instead of wp_print_scripts

http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_enqueue_script

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