Simple & lightweight: Registers a simple post authors taxonomy for the regular Posts post type. The taxonomy is not hierarchical, so it's similar to tags but for authors instead. Shortcodes for a list of authors and an Author Box are included. – It's a perfect drop-in solution. Also works fine as a code snippet.

• Contributors: David Decker, contributors
• Tags: authors, taxonomy, multiple authors, post, post-type, site builder
• Requires at least: 6.7
• Requires PHP: 7.4
• Stable tag: master
• Donate link: https://paypal.me/deckerweb
• License: GPL v2 or later

Support Project | Installation | Updates | Description | Features | Usage | Shortcode Parameters | Page Builders Block Editor | Widgets | Templates | Filters | FAQ | Changelog | Plugin Scope / Disclaimer

If you find this project helpful, consider showing your support by buying me a coffee! Your contribution helps me keep developing and improving this plugin.

Enjoying the plugin? Feel free to treat me to a cup of coffee ☕🙂 through the following options:

• 
• Buy me a coffee
• PayPal donation
• Join my newsletter for DECKERWEB WordPress Plugins

1. Download ZIP: post-author-taxonomy.zip
2. Upload via WordPress Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
3. Once activated, you can use the shortcode – see Usage below  

1. Below, download the appropriate snippet version
2. activate or deactivate in your snippets plugin

Download .json version for: Code Snippets (free & Pro), Advanced Scripts (Premium), Scripts Organizer (Premium)
--> just use their elegant script import features
--> in Scripts Organizer use the "Code Snippets Import"

For all other snippet manager plugins just use our plugin's main .php file post-author-taxonomy.php and use its content as snippet (bevor saving your snippet: please check for your plugin if the opening php tag needs to be removed or not!).

--> Please decide for one of both alternatives!

Note: The snippet version cannot display translations currently. All taxonomy labels will appear in English. We plan on implementing a solution for translated labels also for snippets.

• WordPress: 6.7.2 / 6.8 Beta
• PHP: 8.0 – 8.3
• Requires at least: WP 6.7 / PHP 7.4

1. Alternative 1: Just download a new ZIP file (see above), upload and override existing version. Done.

2. Alternative 2: Use the (free) Git Updater plugin and get updates automatically.

3. Alternative 3: Upcoming! – In future I will built-in our own deckerweb updater. This is currently being worked on for my plugins. Stay tuned!

Just manually: Download the latest Snippet version (see above) and import it in your favorite snippets manager plugin. – You can delete the old snippet; then just activate the new one. Done.

Very useful to add and display a list of authors to a blog post. If you don't want to use the built-in author, then this plugin/snippet is for you. By default WordPress can only handle one author per post (or post type). Handling multiple authors via a taxonomy is the simplest and most lightweight way to do that. You can then work with that data in your content, templates and your favorite builder.

Backstory: I needed something like that for a client project to display a simple list of post authors. The client didn't wanted to add each author as WordPress user therefore the plugin "Co Authors Plus" was not a possible option. Also, the taxonomy solution is simpler, more user friendly and more flexible.

• By default an Authors Taxonomy added for regular WordPress Posts (post type: post)
• Shortcode for adding a list of authors, for example in a single post (template) – comma separated list of authors
• Shortcode for adding an author box, for example in a single post (or template) – one author per box
• Can be used with Classic Editor and the Block Editor (Gutenberg)
• Can be used perfectly fine with most Page Builders (Bricks, Breakdance, Oxygen, Elementor etc.) – just use the taxonomy data in your favorite builder's dynamic data feature, you won't need the Shortcodes I guess :-)
• Developer friendly: customize or extend via filters, styles and styling-friendly CSS classes
• Fully internationalized and translateable! -- German translations already packaged!
• Developed with security in mind: proper WordPress coding standards and security functions - escape all the things! :)

(content upcoming)

Since it is a normal taxonomy you can do tax queries in loops and all the other stuff you can do with tags and categories also. For example builders like Bricks, Oxygen (Classic and Version 6+), Breakdance, Elementor Pro, plus the new Etch work with this stuff by default. Just be happy 😉.

And yes, you can also use our Shortcodes in these builders if you want, just in a Shortcode Element/Widget or in the Richt Text Editor (Elementor, Bricks etc.)

In Bricks you can also use the built-in Dynamic Tags with our taxonomy!

• {post_terms_pat-author} – list of authors, comma separated, each author linked
• {post_terms_pat-author:plain} – Remove the links around the authors (terms) via :plain filter

The following dynamic data tags render data related to taxonomy terms (authors in our case), so building a Authors taxonomy archive template would open up the usage of these Dynamic Tags in Bricks:

• {term_id} – Renders the term ID
• {term_name} – Renders the term name
• {term_slug} – Renders the term slug
• {term_count} – Renders the term count
• {term_taxonomy_slug} – Renders the term’s taxonomy slug.
• {term_url} – Renders the term archive link
• {term_description}

Use the default, built-in blocks for displaying Taxonomies. In the block inserter just type in authors or just tax and you can choose the Authors block or the Terms List block. These also have styling options by default. Some block plugins/ themes might extend the styling options but you can already do the most important stuff with what WordPress offers by default.

Place the Shortcode into the default Shortcode block or a regular paragraph block (yes, that one works just fine, too!).

NO LONGER recommended! Widgets are outdated, I do not recommend them (and didn't use them myself for lots of years already!).

Shortcode could be used with Text widget – if you have Shortcodes for Widgets activated. Possible via this filter:

add_filter( 'widget_text', 'do_shortcode' );

If using extended/ advanced text widget plugins, the Shortcode usage then is already enabled automatically... :-)

The use of loops/ queries via modern page builders (Etch, Bricks, Breakdance) or via Block Editor powered Block Themes is recommended. However, you can still use the "old way" via Classic Themes and php/html-based templates.

Then use WordPress' global do_shortcode() function as a template function, like so:

<?php do_shortcode( '[pat-authors]' ); ?>

<?php do_shortcode( '[pat-author-box]' ); ?>

--> parameters apply like for regular Shortcode usage (see above)!

• pat/taxonomy/params --> filter all Taxonomy parameters
• pat/shortcode/authors-list-defaults --> filter authors list Shortcode defaults
• pat/shortcode/authors-list --> filter authors list Shortcode output
• pat/shortcode/author-box-defaults --> filter author box Shortcode defaults
• pat/shortcode/author-box --> filter author box Shortcode output

Of course you can do that. But not every small single site needs such a solution. Sometimes you need a simple & lightweight drop-in solution where you can just do your work without any configuration whatsoever.

Because once I needed it myself for a site I helped maintain. I put it on GitHub to make it available for Git Updater to deliver updates. Later on I liked the solution myself and decided to keep it for the long run.

Because the restrictions there for plugin authors are becoming more and more. It would be possible, yes, but I don't want that anymore. The same for limited support forums for plugin authors on .org. I have decided to leave this whole thing behind me.

• Updated plugin after 8 years, yeah! – Brought back to its basic beauty. (How it should be!)
• New: Transformed code into class-based approach (more future-proof)
• New: Shortcode pat-author-box for displaying a simple author box (content = term description)
• New: Installable and updateable via Git Updater plugin
• New: Alternate install – Use this "plugin" as Code Snippet version – now officially promoted here in Readme and with downloadable .json file
• Improved: Shortcode pat-authors enhanced
• Improved: Tweaked translation loading (needed, for proper usage/display, as this plugin comes not from .org repository)
• Plugin: Add meta links on WP Plugins page
• Updated .pot file, plus packaged German translations, now including new l10n.php files!

• Unreleased private version

• Initial public release on GitHub

Icon used in promo graphics: © Remix Icon

Readme & Plugin Copyright: © 2017-2025, David Decker – DECKERWEB.de