1

I have two versions of the simplest function that hooked to the wp_head action.

One is working, andother one is not.

Can someone explain?

// Works !
function custom_description() {
     ?>
         <meta name="description" content="cococo" />
     <?php  
}

// Does not work
/*
function custom_description() {   
    return  '<meta name="description" content="cococo" />';
}
*/

add_action( 'wp_head', 'custom_description' );

2 Answers 2

1

I found answer i do not need to return value, i must echo it. So my function should look like:

function custom_description(){   
    echo  '<meta name="description" content="cococo" />';
 }

This works !

1

You can easily recognize where you're supposed to return a value, and where you're supposed to do an action (like echo or some other action).

Although, internally they are very similar, but:

  1. Any hook that's called a filter hook, and used with add_filter function, expects a return.

  2. On the other hand, any hook that's called an action hook, and used with add_action function, doesn't expect a return and instead expects an action (like echo or something else).


Now, in your code, since wp_head is an action hook:

add_action( 'wp_head', 'custom_description' );

you're supposed to do an action like echo, instead of return.


You'll get more info. from the following documents:

  1. https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/hooks/#actions-vs-filters

  2. https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/hooks/actions/

  3. https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/hooks/filters/

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