Does meta_query need numeric values to be cast to integers?

The key and value in the postmeta table are technically always strings. even if you were to cast your string to an int it would be cast to a string by the query. Try:

$args = array (
    'post_type'         => 'post',
    'meta_query'        => array (
        array (
            'key'       => 'related_page',
            'value'     => 1,
        )
    ),
);

$posts = new WP_Query( $args );
var_dump($posts->request);

You will notice CAST(wp_postmeta.meta_value AS CHAR) = '1') in that request.

You have to use the type argument to get the query to treat the value as a number. Even with 'type' => 'NUMERIC' you will notice that the value is still treated as a string but cast by the query– CAST(wp_postmeta.meta_value AS SIGNED) = '1').

And none of this really effects the data returned. Try:

update_post_meta(1,'hal9000',1);
var_dump(get_post_meta(1,'hal9000'));

Put in an integer, get back a string.

PHP is very forgiving about “type” so in many cases it doesn’t matter whether you have a string or a int. The big case where it does matter, that I can think of, is sorting. Or, maybe, the case that shows up most on this site. You will need to cast to a integer– use type if you need the query to sort– or sorting will be alphabetical and not numeric which do not always align.

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