get_the_author_meta( string $field = '', int $user_id = false )

Retrieves the requested data of the author of the current post.


Description

Valid values for the $field parameter include:

  • admin_color
  • aim
  • comment_shortcuts
  • description
  • display_name
  • first_name
  • ID
  • jabber
  • last_name
  • nickname
  • plugins_last_view
  • plugins_per_page
  • rich_editing
  • syntax_highlighting
  • user_activation_key
  • user_description
  • user_email
  • user_firstname
  • user_lastname
  • user_level
  • user_login
  • user_nicename
  • user_pass
  • user_registered
  • user_status
  • user_url
  • yim

Parameters

$field

(string) (Optional) The user field to retrieve.

Default value: ''

$user_id

(int) (Optional) User ID.

Default value: false


Return

(string) The author's field from the current author's DB object, otherwise an empty string.


Source

File: wp-includes/author-template.php

function get_the_author_meta( $field = '', $user_id = false ) {
	$original_user_id = $user_id;

	if ( ! $user_id ) {
		global $authordata;
		$user_id = isset( $authordata->ID ) ? $authordata->ID : 0;
	} else {
		$authordata = get_userdata( $user_id );
	}

	if ( in_array( $field, array( 'login', 'pass', 'nicename', 'email', 'url', 'registered', 'activation_key', 'status' ) ) )
		$field = 'user_' . $field;

	$value = isset( $authordata->$field ) ? $authordata->$field : '';

	/**
	 * Filters the value of the requested user metadata.
	 *
	 * The filter name is dynamic and depends on the $field parameter of the function.
	 *
	 * @since WP-2.8.0
	 * @since WP-4.3.0 The `$original_user_id` parameter was added.
	 *
	 * @param string   $value            The value of the metadata.
	 * @param int      $user_id          The user ID for the value.
	 * @param int|bool $original_user_id The original user ID, as passed to the function.
	 */
	return apply_filters( "get_the_author_{$field}", $value, $user_id, $original_user_id );
}


Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
WP-2.8.0 Introduced.