wp_reset_postdata() or wp_reset_query() after a custom loop?

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The difference between the two is that

  • wp_reset_query() – ensure that the main query has been reset to the original main query
  • wp_reset_postdata() – ensures that the global $post has been restored to the current post in the main query.

Indeed, looking at the source you’ll see that the wp_reset_query() calls wp_reset_postdata(). The only difference between the two then is this line:

$GLOBALS['wp_query'] = $GLOBALS['wp_the_query'];

(in wp_reset_query()). So wp_reset_query() is only necessary should those two globals differ, and that only happens if query_posts() has been used somewhere.

When should I use them?

Simply put:

  • wp_reset_postdata() – immediately after every custom WP_Query()
  • wp_reset_query() – immediately after every loop using query_posts()

Should I use wp_reset_query

Well, yes, but it’s only needed after using query_posts(). As you’ve pointed out you should never use query_posts(). So if you aren’t ever using query_posts() then it’s not necessary to call wp_reset_query() (instead of wp_reset_postdata().

In short, it’s not that you shouldn’t use wp_reset_query() instead of wp_reset_postdata(), it’s that you shouldn’t ever need to!

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