WordPress Create custom REST endpoint

In this article, we will see how to create a custom REST endpoint in WordPress. WordPress is not only used for blogging and simple site platform. Now it’s used for large-scale enterprise projects and even a headless CMS. So if you are using WordPress as a headless CMS, you must know how to work with the REST APIs.

WordPress gives various functions to work on REST API. Let’s take a look at how you can easily create your custom endpoint.

We will use a rest_api_init action hook, and register_rest_route() inbuild function to create our custom endpoint.

Steps to Create a custom REST endpoint: You need to add this code to the theme’s functions.php file.

Step 1: Create a function that registers the REST route with the register_rest_route() function.

PHP

<?php
function create_custon_endpoint(){
    register_rest_route(
        'wp/v2',
        '/custom-ep',
        array(
            'methods' => 'GET',
            'callback' => 'get_response',
        )
    );
}
?>

This function’s first parameter is namespace ‘wp/v2’, the second parameter is endpoint name ‘/custom-ep’ and the third parameter is an array where you can add methods like GET, POST, DELETE, etc., and a callback function. You can customize these values according to your need.

For more details, you can check the document.

Step 2: Create callback function get_response().

PHP

<?php
function get_response() {
    // Your code...
    return 'This is your data!';
}
?>

In this function, you can do whatever you want to add to your endpoint.

Step 3: Add action hook rest_api_init which will run our function create_custon_endpoint on initialization of REST API on WordPress.

PHP

<?php
add_action( 'rest_api_init', 'create_custon_endpoint');
?>

Complete Code: Below given the whole steps in one frame.

PHP

/* Create Custom Endpoint */
add_action( 'rest_api_init', 'create_custon_endpoint' );

function create_custon_endpoint(){
    register_rest_route(
        'wp/v2',
        '/custom-ep',
        array(
            'methods' => 'GET',
            'callback' => 'get_response',
        )
    );
}

function get_response() {
    // your code
    return 'This is your data!';
}

Output:

endpoint’s response