Core (Data Model) of WordPress Core
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The document discusses the data model of WordPress, emphasizing how it manages and abstracts content through various tables such as wp_posts, wp_postmeta, and wp_terms. It highlights the evolution of WordPress as a content management framework and the importance of understanding its data storage for maximizing its potential. Additionally, the document touches on the challenges and limitations of WordPress's data model in relation to content handling and classification.
Core (Data Model) of WordPress Core
- 1. The Core of WordPress Core Digging Into WordPress’s Core Data Model
- 2. @jakemgold • President of 10up - a growing WordPress-centric agency with 18 full time employees • Clients like Juicy Couture, Time Inc, Condé Nast, Consumer Reports, TechCrunch, Universal Sports, Trulia, & More • 10 of our 13 software engineers (including me!) contributed to WordPress 3.5, and we maintain some of the best rated, most downloaded plug-ins. • Personal background: 15 years in web development, with a concentration in information systems & architecture
- 3. Premise $args = array( _type', > 'my_custom_post 'post_type' = 'age', 'meta_key' => alue_num', 'ord erby' => 'meta_v SC', 'order' => 'A array( 'meta_query' => array( SELECT * FROM ... 'key' => 'age', ray(3, 4), ... blah blah blah 'value' => ar ' => 'IN', 'compare ) ) ); ery($args); $q uery = new WP_Qu As a content management framework, WordPress mostly conceals abstract database complexity from us. Cool.
- 4. Premise $args = array( _type', > 'my_custom_post 'post_type' = 'age', 'meta_key' => alue_num', 'ord erby' => 'meta_v SC', 'order' => 'A array( 'meta_query' => array( SELECT * FROM ... 'key' => 'age', ray(3, 4), ... blah blah blah 'value' => ar ' => 'IN', 'compare ) ) ); ery($args); $q uery = new WP_Qu As a result, few consider how WordPress stores all the things when you peel the software layer back. Less cool.
- 5. Premise type', SELECT * FROM ... , ... blah blah blah ?? As a result, few consider how WordPress stores all the things when you peel the software layer back. Less cool.
- 6. Premise type', SELECT * FROM ... ... blah blah blah ?? Studying how “the things” are stored (the data model) and its evolution empowers us to understand WordPress, its potential, and its limitations in deeper ways.
- 7. Premise type', SELECT * FROM ... ... blah blah blah ?? Studying how “the things” are stored (the data model) and its evolution empowers us to understand WordPress, its potential, and its limitations in deeper ways.
- 8. On Platforms & Abstraction
- 9. On Platforms & Abstraction Good platforms make it easy to build stuff it wasn’t explicitly designed for.
- 10. On Platforms & Abstraction Good platforms make it easy to build stuff it wasn’t explicitly designed for. Good content platforms make it easy to create content it wasn’t explicitly designed for.
- 11. On Abstraction
- 12. On Abstraction If we wanted to build an application to manage project tasks, its data model might look like this.
- 13. On Abstraction If we wanted to build an application to manage project tasks, its data model might look like this. If we were building a platform that could be used for project tasks, or any other kind of content, it would look very different.
- 14. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_status varchar(20) comment_status varchar(20) ping_status varchar(20) post_password varchar(20) post_name varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 15. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_status varchar(20) post_content comment_status varchar(20) generic field for content ping_status post_password varchar(20) varchar(20) post_name varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 16. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_status post_status comment_status varchar(20) varchar(20) generic field for identifier of ping_status varchar(20) state of content object post_password post_name varchar(20) varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 17. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_status varchar(20) post_parent comment_status varchar(20) object hierarchy ping_status post_password varchar(20) varchar(20) post_name varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 18. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_status varchar(20) menu_order comment_status varchar(20) relative order of content ping_status post_password varchar(20) varchar(20) post_name varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 19. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_excerpt text post_type (!!!) post_status comment_status varchar(20) varchar(20) generic identifier for type of ping_status varchar(20) content object post_password post_name varchar(20) varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 20. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: One fairly generic content object table: wp_posts Field Type ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) unsigned post_date datetime post_date_gmt datetime post_content longtext post_title text post_mime_type post_excerpt post_status text varchar(20) standards based identifier of comment_status varchar(20) the type of information ping_status post_password varchar(20) varchar(20) contained in content post_name varchar(200) to_ping text pinged text post_modified datetime post_modified_gmt datetime post_content_filtered longtext post_parent bigint(20) unsigned guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11) post_type varchar(20) post_mime_type varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 21. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract content object properties table: wp_postmeta Field Type meta_id bigint(20) post_id bigint(20) meta_key varchar(255) meta_value text Meta data is defined as “data about data.” It doesn’t get more abstract.
- 22. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract content object properties table: wp_postmeta Field Type meta_id bigint(20) post_id bigint(20) meta_key varchar(255) identifier of content object meta_value text this is all about Meta data is defined as “data about data.” It doesn’t get more abstract.
- 23. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract content object properties table: wp_postmeta Field Type meta_id bigint(20) post_id bigint(20) arbitrary identifier for the meta_key varchar(255) content property we want meta_value text to define Meta data is defined as “data about data.” It doesn’t get more abstract.
- 24. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract content object properties table: wp_postmeta Field Type meta_id bigint(20) post_id bigint(20) arbitrary value for our meta_key varchar(255) arbitrary property meta_value text Meta data is defined as “data about data.” It doesn’t get more abstract.
- 25. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification.
- 26. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type term_id bigint(20) unsigned name varchar(200) slug varchar(200) term_group bigint(10) wp_terms Arbitrary classifications for content objects.
- 27. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Field Type term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id bigint(20) unsigned name varchar(200) taxonomy varchar(32) slug varchar(200) description longtext term_group bigint(10) parent bigint(20) unsigned count bigint(20) wp_terms Arbitrary classifications for wp_term_taxonomy content objects. Describes the arbitrary classification (term) for each unique classification group (taxonomy).
- 28. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Field Type Field Type term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id bigint(20) unsigned object_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id bigint(20) unsigned name varchar(200) term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned taxonomy varchar(32) slug varchar(200) term_order int(11) description longtext term_group bigint(10) parent bigint(20) unsigned wp_term_relationships wp_terms Associates classifications with count bigint(20) Arbitrary classifications for content objects. wp_term_taxonomy content objects. Describes the arbitrary classification (term) for each unique classification group (taxonomy).
- 29. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Field Type term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id bigint(20) unsigned term_id taxonomy bigint(20) unsigned varchar(32) name slug varchar(200) varchar(200) Huh? description longtext term_group bigint(10) ... oops. parent bigint(20) unsigned count bigint(20) wp_terms Arbitrary classifications for wp_term_taxonomy content objects. Describes the arbitrary classification (term) for each unique classification group (taxonomy).
- 30. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Anything else here surprise you? object_id bigint(20) unsigned term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_order int(11) wp_term_relationships Associates classifications with content objects.
- 31. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Anything else here surprise you? object_id bigint(20) unsigned term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_order (??) term_order int(11) WordPress’s API does not support ordering terms. Its wp_term_relationships data model actually does. Associates classifications with content objects.
- 32. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: An abstract set of tables for content classification. Field Type Anything else here surprise you? object_id bigint(20) unsigned term_taxonomy_id bigint(20) unsigned term_order (??) term_order int(11) WordPress’s API does not support ordering terms. Its wp_term_relationships data model actually does. Associates classifications with content objects. Where’s term meta? The data model doesn’t yet (really) support arbitrary data about a classification / term.
- 33. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract global data table: wp_options Field Type option_id bigint(20) unsigned option_name varchar(64) option_value longtext autoload varchar(20)
- 34. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract global data table: wp_options Field Type option_id bigint(20) unsigned option_name varchar(64) arbitrary name of data option_value longtext autoload varchar(20)
- 35. WordPress’s data model essentially handles abstraction with: A completely abstract global data table: wp_options Field Type option_id bigint(20) unsigned option_name varchar(64) arbitrary value option_value longtext for said data autoload varchar(20)
- 36. Other tables and abstraction! wp_comments & wp_commentmeta Comments are a specific type of content object, separated for legacy and scalability reasons. wp_users & wp_usermeta Users a special object (not really content). Also have arbitrary properties / meta data. wp_links A specific content object (and leftover.)
- 38. How did we get here? Why do we call content objects “posts”? And why the heck is there a “links” table?
- 39. WordPress 1.5: Blogging Software
- 40. WordPress 1.5: Blogging Software Tables: wp_categories wp_comments wp_linkcategories wp_links wp_options wp_post2cat wp_postmeta wp_posts wp_users
- 41. WordPress 1.5*: Blogging Software Field Type Tables: ID post_author bigint(20) unsigned int(4) wp_categories post_date post_date_gmt datetime datetime wp_comments post_content post_title longtext text wp_linkcategories post_category post_excerpt int(4) text wp_links post_status enum('publish','draft','private','static','object') wp_options comment_status enum('open','closed','registered_only') ping_status enum('open','closed') wp_post2cat post_password post_name varchar(20) varchar(200) wp_postmeta to_ping pinged text text wp_posts post_modified post_modified_gmt datetime datetime wp_users post_content_filtered post_parent text int(11) guid varchar(255) menu_order int(11)
- 42. WordPress 1.5: Blogging Software Tables: Field Type wp_categories meta_id bigint(20) wp_comments post_id bigint(20) meta_key varchar(255) wp_linkcategories meta_value text wp_links wp_options wp_post2cat wp_postmeta wp_posts wp_users
- 43. WordPress 1.5: Blogging Software Tables: Field Type wp_categories meta_id bigint(20) wp_comments post_id bigint(20) meta_key varchar(255) wp_linkcategories meta_value text wp_links wp_options Arbitrary content (post) meta data! wp_post2cat Early sign of data model wp_postmeta abstraction... and possibility! wp_posts wp_users
- 44. WordPress 2.0: Foundation for Content Abstraction Field Type Tables: ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) post_date datetime wp_categories post_date_gmt post_content datetime longtext wp_comments post_title post_category text int(4) wp_linkcategories post_excerpt post_status text enum('publish','draft','private','static','object', 'attachment') wp_links comment_status ping_status enum('open','closed','registered_only') enum('open','closed') wp_options post_password post_name varchar(20) varchar(200) wp_post2cat to_ping pinged text text wp_postmeta post_modified post_modified_gmt datetime datetime wp_posts post_content_filtered post_parent text bigint(20) wp_usermeta guid menu_order varchar(255) int(11) wp_users post_type post_mime_type varchar(100) varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 45. WordPress 2.0: Foundation for Content Abstraction Field Type Tables: ID bigint(20) unsigned post_author bigint(20) post_date datetime wp_categories post_date_gmt post_content datetime longtext wp_comments post_title post_category text int(4) wp_linkcategories post_excerpt post_status text enum('publish','draft','private','static','object', 'attachment') wp_links comment_status ping_status enum('open','closed','registered_only') enum('open','closed') wp_options post_password post_name varchar(20) varchar(200) wp_post2cat to_ping pinged text text Origin: Pages & Media. wp_postmeta post_modified post_modified_gmt datetime datetime Post type API wouldn’t come till 3.0! wp_posts post_content_filtered post_parent text bigint(20) wp_usermeta guid menu_order varchar(255) int(11) wp_users post_type post_mime_type varchar(100) varchar(100) comment_count bigint(20)
- 46. WordPress 2.0: Foundation for Content Types Tables: wp_categories wp_comments wp_linkcategories wp_links wp_options wp_post2cat wp_postmeta wp_posts wp_usermeta wp_users
- 47. WordPress 2.0: Foundation for Content Types Tables: Field Type wp_categories umeta_id bigint(20) wp_comments user_id bigint(20) meta_key varchar(255) wp_linkcategories meta_value longtext wp_links wp_options User objects are now extensible wp_post2cat with arbitrary meta data. wp_postmeta More signs of extensibility! wp_posts wp_usermeta wp_users
- 48. WordPress 2.3: Classifications Get Abstract
- 49. WordPress 2.3: Classifications Get Abstract Tables: Removed Tables: wp_comments wp_categories wp_links wp_linkcategories wp_options wp_post2cat wp_postmeta wp_posts wp_terms wp_term_relationships wp_term_taxonomy wp_usermeta wp_users
- 50. WordPress 2.3: Classifications Get Abstract Tables: Removed Tables: wp_comments wp_categories wp_links wp_linkcategories wp_options wp_post2cat wp_postmeta wp_posts Impetus: Tags. wp_terms Taxonomy registration API wp_term_relationships wouldn’t come till 2.9! wp_term_taxonomy Category fields in post and wp_usermeta links tables don’t get removed until 2.8. wp_users
- 51. WordPress 2.5: Enum Values Fade Away post_status, comment_status, ping_status in wp_posts table change from enumerated list (enforced options in data model) to freeform field term_order curiously gets added to wp_term_relationships table
- 52. WordPress 2.9: Comment Objects Get Meta
- 53. WordPress 2.9: Comment Objects Get Meta Tables: wp_comments wp_commentmeta wp_links wp_options wp_postmeta wp_posts wp_terms wp_term_relationships wp_term_taxonomy wp_usermeta wp_users
- 54. WordPress 3.0: Groups of Objects WordPress Network Mode (Multisite) (which we’re not going to study for time’s sake) more detail: http://codex.wordpress.org/Database_Description/2.0
- 55. The Future of WordPress’s Data Model
- 56. The Future of WordPress’s Data Model
- 57. The Future of WordPress’s Data Model • Clean up of taxonomy tables, and addition of term meta data? • Legacy specific content object tables (links) fall away? (note 3.5) • Post table fields very specific to blog posts get moved over to post meta or taxonomies? • Improvements to relationships between content objects?
- 58. The Core of WordPress Core Thanks! Slides will be available at 10up.com. Feedback? Want more? @jakemgold on Twitter