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the_author_meta( string $field = '', int|false $user_id = false )

Outputs the field from the user’s DB object. Defaults to current post’s author.

Description

See also

Parameters

$field

(string) (Optional) Selects the field of the users record. See get_the_author_meta() for the list of possible fields.

Default value: ''

$user_id

(int|false) (Optional) User ID.

Default value: false

More Information

This template tag displays a desired meta data field for a user. Only one field is returned at a time, you need to specify which you want.

If this tag is used within The Loop, the user ID value need not be specified, and the displayed data is that of the current post author. A user ID can be specified if this tag is used outside The Loop.

If the meta field does not exist, nothing is printed.

NOTE: Use get_the_author_meta() if you need to return (and do something with) the field, rather than just display it.

For parameter $userID, if the user ID fields is used, then this function display the specific field for this user ID.

Source

File: wp-includes/author-template.php 

function the_author_meta( $field = '', $user_id = false ) {
	$author_meta = get_the_author_meta( $field, $user_id );

	/**
	 * The value of the requested user metadata.
	 *
	 * The filter name is dynamic and depends on the $field parameter of the function.
	 *
	 * @since 2.8.0
	 *
	 * @param string    $author_meta The value of the metadata.
	 * @param int|false $user_id     The user ID.
	 */
	echo apply_filters( "the_author_{$field}", $author_meta, $user_id );
}

Uses

Uses Description
wp-includes/plugin.php: apply_filters()

Calls the callback functions that have been added to a filter hook.
wp-includes/author-template.php: get_the_author_meta()

Retrieves the requested data of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/author-template.php: the_author_{$field}

The value of the requested user metadata.

Used By

Used By Description
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_icq()

Display the ICQ number of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_yim()

Display the Yahoo! IM name of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_msn()

Display the MSN address of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_aim()

Display the AIM address of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_url()

Display the URL to the home page of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_ID()

Display the ID of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_description()

Display the description of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_login()

Display the login name of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_firstname()

Display the first name of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_lastname()

Display the last name of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_nickname()

Display the nickname of the author of the current post.
wp-includes/deprecated.php: the_author_email()

Display the email of the author of the current post.

Changelog

Version Description
2.8.0 Introduced.

© 2003–2019 WordPress Foundation
Licensed under the GNU GPLv2+ License.
https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/the_author_meta