REST API Reference - Post Views Counter

Post Views Counter exposes a REST API that enables view tracking and data retrieval for posts, terms, users, and custom objects. The REST API serves two primary purposes:

View Recording — Endpoints like view-post, view-term, view-user, and view-other receive view events from the frontend when using JavaScript Mode or REST API Mode for counting
Data Retrieval — Endpoints like get-post-views, post-views, site-views, and similar routes allow fetching view counts for display or integration with external systems

All routes share the canonical namespace post-views-counter. The base URL follows the WordPress REST API pattern:

https://example.com/wp-json/post-views-counter/

API Reference

Namespace

All endpoints use the namespace post-views-counter.

post-views-counter

This namespace is registered with WordPress REST API infrastructure and all routes are prefixed with /wp-json/post-views-counter/.

Endpoints Available in Lite

update-post-views

Records post views from the block editor interface.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/update-post-views/`
Methods	POST
Callback	`block_editor_update_callback`
Permission Callback	`check_rest_route_permissions`
Source File	`includes/class-admin.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
`id`	integer	The post ID to update
`sanitize_callback`	callable	Sanitization function for the request

This endpoint is used internally by the WordPress block editor to update view counts during editing sessions. It requires authentication with appropriate capabilities.

view-post

Records a view event for a specific post. Used by JavaScript Mode and REST API Mode counting.

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	integer	Yes	The post ID to record a view for

The route pattern allows both /view-post/123 and /view-post/ formats. When JavaScript Mode or REST API Mode is active, the plugin’s frontend JavaScript automatically sends POST requests to this endpoint.

get-post-views

Retrieves view counts for one or more posts.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/get-post-views/(?P<id>(\d+,?)+)`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`get_post_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`get_post_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-counter.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	One or more post IDs, comma-separated (e.g., `123` or `123,456,789`)

Response:

Returns a JSON object with post IDs as keys and view counts as values:

{
    "123": 1542,
    "456": 893,
    "789": 2341
}

Pro-Only Endpoints

site-views

Retrieves aggregate site-wide view statistics.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/site-views(?:/(?P<period>\d+))?`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`site_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`site_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-rest_api.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`period`	integer	No	Optional time period in days for filtering statistics
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`validate_callback`	callable	No	Validation function for the parameter

The period parameter is optional. When omitted, returns all-time statistics.

post-views

Retrieves view counts for one or more posts with extended data.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/post-views/(?P<id>(\d+,?)+)`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`post_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`post_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-rest_api.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	One or more post IDs, comma-separated
`period`	string	No	Time period for filtering
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`sanitize_callback`	callable	No	Sanitization function
`validate_callback`	callable	No	Validation function

term-views

Retrieves view counts for taxonomy terms (categories, tags, custom taxonomies).

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/term-views/(?P<id>(\d+,?)+)`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`term_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`term_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-rest_api.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	One or more term IDs, comma-separated
`period`	string	No	Time period for filtering
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`sanitize_callback`	callable	No	Sanitization function
`validate_callback`	callable	No	Validation function

user-views

Retrieves view counts associated with specific users.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/user-views/(?P<id>(\d+,?)+)`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`user_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`user_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-rest_api.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	One or more user IDs, comma-separated
`period`	string	No	Time period for filtering
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`sanitize_callback`	callable	No	Sanitization function
`validate_callback`	callable	No	Validation function

other-views

Retrieves view counts for custom object types configured in tracking settings.

Property	Value
Route	`/wp-json/post-views-counter/other-views/(?P<id>(\d+,?)+)`
Methods	GET, POST
Callback	`other_views_rest_api`
Permission Callback	`other_views_permissions_check`
Source File	`includes/class-rest_api.php`

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	string	Yes	One or more custom object IDs, comma-separated
`period`	string	No	Time period for filtering
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`sanitize_callback`	callable	No	Sanitization function
`validate_callback`	callable	No	Validation function

view-term

Records a view event for a specific taxonomy term.

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	integer	Yes	The term ID to record a view for

view-user

Records a view event for a specific user profile.

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	integer	Yes	The user ID to record a view for

view-other

Records a view event for custom object types.

Parameters:

Name	Type	Required	Description
`id`	integer	Yes	The custom object ID to record a view for
`subtype`	string	No	Subtype identifier for the custom object
`storage_type`	string	No	Storage mechanism type
`storage_data`	mixed	No	Additional storage data
`default`	mixed	No	Default value if not specified
`sanitize_callback`	callable	No	Sanitization function

Code Examples

Recording a Post View (JavaScript)

When using JavaScript Mode or REST API Mode, the plugin automatically handles view recording. For custom implementations:

fetch('/wp-json/post-views-counter/view-post/123', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        'X-WP-Nonce': wpApiSettings.nonce // If authenticated
    }
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));

Retrieving Post Views (cURL)

curl -X GET "https://example.com/wp-json/post-views-counter/get-post-views/123"

Retrieving Multiple Post Views (cURL)

curl -X GET "https://example.com/wp-json/post-views-counter/get-post-views/123,456,789"

Retrieving Site-Wide Statistics (cURL)

curl -X GET "https://example.com/wp-json/post-views-counter/site-views/30"

This retrieves site-wide view statistics for the past 30 days.

Retrieving Term Views (JavaScript)

fetch('/wp-json/post-views-counter/term-views/15,23', {
    method: 'GET'
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
    console.log('Category 15 views:', data['15']);
    console.log('Category 23 views:', data['23']);
});

Retrieving User Views (cURL)

curl -X GET "https://example.com/wp-json/post-views-counter/user-views/1,2,3"

Retrieving Other Views (JavaScript)

fetch('/wp-json/post-views-counter/other-views/100,200', {
    method: 'GET'
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => {
    console.log('Custom object 100 views:', data['100']);
    console.log('Custom object 200 views:', data['200']);
});