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wp_create_category( int|string $cat_name, int $parent )

Add a new category to the database if it does not already exist.

Parameters

$cat_name

(int|string) (Required)

$parent

(int) (Required)

Return

(int|WP_Error)

More Information

Parameters:

  • $cat_name: Name for the new category.
  • $parent: Category ID of the parent category.

Returns:

  • 0 on failure, category id on success.

wp_create_category() is a thin wrapper around wp_insert_category().

Because this is a wrapper, it is not suitable for entering a complex custom taxonomy element.

If the category already exists, it is not duplicated. The ID of the original existing category is returned without error.

Source

File: wp-admin/includes/taxonomy.php 

function wp_create_category( $cat_name, $parent = 0 ) {
	$id = category_exists( $cat_name, $parent );
	if ( $id ) {
		return $id;
	}

	return wp_insert_category(
		array(
			'cat_name'        => $cat_name,
			'category_parent' => $parent,
		)
	);
}

Uses

Uses Description
wp-admin/includes/taxonomy.php: category_exists()

Check whether a category exists.
wp-admin/includes/taxonomy.php: wp_insert_category()

Updates an existing Category or creates a new Category.

Used By

Used By Description
wp-admin/includes/taxonomy.php: wp_create_categories()

Create categories for the given post.

Changelog

Version Description
2.0.0 Introduced.

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