WP_Query vs get_posts

The difference between get_posts & WP_Query

You can view get_posts() as a slimmed down WP_Query. In fact looking at the source:

//... prepares query array $r
$get_posts = new WP_Query;
return $get_posts->query($r);

get_posts() use WP_Query, but only returns an array of posts – nothing more. Furthermore it sets:

$r['no_found_rows'] = true;

Normally (by default with WP_Query object) – WordPress queries how many posts there are in total – even if you are only after the first 10. It does this so it can perform pagination. So get_posts() is actually (slightly) quicker (it also ignores sticky posts).

Which to use…

If you only need an array of posts, and don’t need the query object -use get_posts(). Otherwise, if you do need the access to the query object methods, or pagination, or sticky posts at the top, you should use WP_Query.

Related Posts:

  1. Ordering Posts by parent category, name ascending
  2. When should you use WP_Query vs query_posts() vs get_posts()?
  3. Query Custom Meta Value with Increment
  4. Get posts by meta data OR title
  5. Include current post into loop
  6. get_posts output always same post
  7. Should I reset $wp_query?
  8. Magazine style frontpage with multiple categories/loops and no duplicate posts
  9. When should you use WP_Query vs query_posts() vs get_posts()?
  10. When to use WP_query(), query_posts() and pre_get_posts
  11. How to query for most viewed posts and show top 5
  12. WP_Query: query posts by ids from array?
  13. Order posts by ID in the given order
  14. pre_get_posts with get_posts
  15. How-to exclude terms from the main query the most performant way?
  16. Get the number of posts from the current page results
  17. Identify which loop you are hooking into; primary or secondary?
  18. Meta Query with date and time on the same Day before given time
  19. Retrieving 3 latest post from each of 5 different custom post types
  20. Transient pagination not working properly
  21. get_posts() seemingly ignoring post_type
  22. Can not switch the queried post in pre_get_posts hook
  23. How to query ‘posts_per_page’ to display a different blog posts index template?
  24. meta_query on a date range using an array of values
  25. Pass the same object to multiple widgets in a template with one query
  26. How to Loop within a Loop (Display Children and then Grandchildren)
  27. How do you query wordpress posts using a math formula between multiple meta field values?
  28. Page navigation doesn’t show when query category
  29. 2 loops on page – one with orderby rand second orderby date
  30. Undefined WP_Query::has_posts()?
  31. Create ONE callback for all page templates, post filter queries + paginated pages, triggering pagination via AJAX
  32. Get posts for last working week in WP_Query
  33. Creating a custom search for a specific post type
  34. How to query a custom post type with a taxonomy filter but display post type archive page?
  35. Five posts from a category in footer
  36. Change query_posts to WP_Query in page but does not work
  37. WP_Query condition affects posts_per_page count
  38. Query last updated posts (posts updated in the last 24 hours)
  39. Weird orderby => post__in issue
  40. Slow page loads due to WordPress Core Query
  41. Order by empty custom field
  42. Check if loop has any categories?
  43. Some doubts about how the main query and the custom query works in this custom theme?
  44. Conflict with get_posts and the_content
  45. Query Page Content From Theme Options?
  46. Reset WordPress Post Query to default
  47. Is_single() conditional tag returns null in query
  48. How do I rewrite this loop as a new WP_Query style-loop?
  49. Best choice for multiple loop in page?
  50. How to provide meta_key array to wp_query?
  51. Filter post query to only show direct children of category
  52. Use WP_Query or query_posts() or get_posts() for optimizing a site?
  53. How to create custom query by keyword in post title?
  54. How to make posts unqueryable/unpublish posts where ACF relationship field is an unpublished post? [closed]
  55. complex get_posts() query to select child pages
  56. How to give classname to post if post has no content?
  57. How to filter query loop block with a search string from the query parameters
  58. Function using get_posts() with tax_query not working when called from functions.php
  59. Why doesn’t my WP Meta Query return any results?
  60. Paginate pages with dynamic query
  61. Performance concerns: index.php vs taxonomy-$taxonomy.php
  62. Determine if ID is page or post and query the ID
  63. How to query for a page, get data, then query for child pages of that page
  64. Custom template for password protected page
  65. Prioritising and Ordering Posts By Category Name Using A Custom Loop
  66. Filter products on category AND tag
  67. Facing problem with tax_query results
  68. Populate select list with meta values from all posts of a Custom Post Type
  69. Duplice post with standard WP loop – fixed by using query_posts() instead
  70. pre_user_query vs pre_get_posts
  71. How do I stop the same post showing multiple times in a archive?
  72. Get posts that match defined arrays of tags
  73. How to get meta key list efficiently?
  74. I need query_posts() to order results first by a meta value and then by post ID
  75. WP_Query & Duplicate entries
  76. WordPress For Loop Prints Unwanted Extra Paragraph Element
  77. How to show post title in content editor in backend?
  78. My entry results are not consistently alphabetized
  79. Merge two queries and remove duplicate
  80. How to order posts, that have already been filtered by custom taxonomy, by their category names?
  81. query_posts() doesn’t seem to be called in my page
  82. Some doubts about how the main query and the custom query works in this custom theme?
  83. WP_Query secondary query failing
  84. Both WP_Query and get_posts returning 1 post
  85. Optimising specific Query with ACF meta objects
  86. Loop through multiple custom fields with increasing number
  87. Why I obtain this WP_Query strange behavior trying to select posts having a specific tag?
  88. How to organize a WP_Query’s list of posts by category and display category title?
  89. meta_query dates from an array
  90. Retrieve posts in custom post type and specific taxonomies
  91. Converting an existing query_posts to WP_Query
  92. WordPress Query showing multiple titles
  93. Query Posts by date range with fixed beginning and end
  94. custom query to get posts
  95. Multiple loop for “featured” items returns wrong posts
  96. How do I correctly query posts from a post ID?
  97. tax_query not working properly with get_posts
  98. Woocommerce set loop_shop_columns to be 3 in the main shop page loop only and 4 otherwise
  99. A Depth Like Parameter For “get_posts”
  100. Show number of posts AND number on current page (cannot make it work)

Leave a Comment