How to Create a Custom Taxonomy in WordPress Without a Plugin

In WordPress, a Custom Taxonomy is a way to organize content by grouping similar items together. WordPress has built-in taxonomies like Categories and Tags, but custom taxonomies allow you to create your own, more specific types. Here’s how you can create custom taxonomies with and without a plugin:

1) Creating Custom Taxonomy Without a Plugin

To create a custom taxonomy manually, you’ll need to add code to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin. Here’s a basic example of how to create a custom taxonomy:

1. Open your functions.php file.
2. Add the following code to create a custom taxonomy:

function create_custom_taxonomy() {
    register_taxonomy(
        'topics',  // Taxonomy key, must be unique
        'posts',   // Object type: post, page, or your custom post type
        array(
            'labels' => array(
                'name' => 'Topics',
                'add_new_item' => 'Add New Topic',
                'new_item_name' => "New Topic"
            ),
            'show_ui' => true,
            'show_tagcloud' => false,
            'hierarchical' => true  // True for categories-like, false for tags-like
        )
    );
}
add_action('init', 'create_custom_taxonomy');

This code sets up a hierarchical taxonomy (like categories) named “Topics” for posts. You can adjust the object type and parameters to fit your needs.

2)Creating Custom Taxonomy With a Plugin

Using a plugin is the easiest way to create and manage custom taxonomies without coding. A popular plugin for this purpose is Custom Post Type UI. Here’s how to use it:

1. Install the Plugin:
   • Go to your WordPress admin panel.
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for Custom Post Type UI.
   • Click Install Now and then activate the plugin.
2. Create a Custom Taxonomy:
   • In the WordPress admin, go to CPT UI > Add/Edit Taxonomies.
   • Fill in the required fields, such as Taxonomy Slug, Plural Label, and Singular Label.
   • Associate the taxonomy with one or more post types.
   • Configure additional settings as needed, such as whether it’s hierarchical.
   • Click on Add Taxonomy to save your new taxonomy.