wp_authenticate_username_password( WP_User|WP_Error|null $user, string $username, string $password )

Authenticate a user, confirming the username and password are valid.


Parameters

$user

(Required) WP_User or WP_Error object from a previous callback. Default null.

$username

(Required) Username for authentication.

$password

(Required) Password for authentication.


Return

(WP_User|WP_Error) WP_User on success, WP_Error on failure.


Source

File: wp-includes/user.php

function wp_authenticate_username_password($user, $username, $password) {
	if ( $user instanceof WP_User ) {
		return $user;
	}

	if ( empty($username) || empty($password) ) {
		if ( is_wp_error( $user ) )
			return $user;

		$error = new WP_Error();

		if ( empty($username) )
			$error->add('empty_username', __('<strong>ERROR</strong>: The username field is empty.'));

		if ( empty($password) )
			$error->add('empty_password', __('<strong>ERROR</strong>: The password field is empty.'));

		return $error;
	}

	$user = get_user_by('login', $username);

	if ( !$user ) {
		return new WP_Error( 'invalid_username',
			__( '<strong>ERROR</strong>: Invalid username.' ) .
			' <a href="' . wp_lostpassword_url() . '">' .
			__( 'Lost your password?' ) .
			'</a>'
		);
	}

	/**
	 * Filters whether the given user can be authenticated with the provided $password.
	 *
	 * @since WP-2.5.0
	 *
	 * @param WP_User|WP_Error $user     WP_User or WP_Error object if a previous
	 *                                   callback failed authentication.
	 * @param string           $password Password to check against the user.
	 */
	$user = apply_filters( 'wp_authenticate_user', $user, $password );
	if ( is_wp_error($user) )
		return $user;

	if ( ! wp_check_password( $password, $user->user_pass, $user->ID ) ) {
		return new WP_Error( 'incorrect_password',
			sprintf(
				/* translators: %s: user name */
				__( '<strong>ERROR</strong>: The password you entered for the username %s is incorrect.' ),
				'<strong>' . $username . '</strong>'
			) .
			' <a href="' . wp_lostpassword_url() . '">' .
			__( 'Lost your password?' ) .
			'</a>'
		);
	}

	return $user;
}


Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
WP-2.8.0 Introduced.