kmz-get-posts.php

<?php

/**
 * Plugin Name: KMZ Custom Loop with get_posts() function
 * Description: Demonstrate how to customize the WordPress Loop using get_posts()
 * Plugin URL: https://wpninja.pp.ua
 * Author: Vladimir Kamuz
 * Version: 1.0
 */

/**
 * Custom Loop shortcode: [get_posts_example posts_per_page="2" orderby="rand"]
 */
function custom_loop_shortcode_get_posts($atts){

    // get global post variable
    global $post;

    // define shortcode variable
    extract(shortcode_atts(array(
        'posts_per_page' => 5,
        'orderby' => 'date'
    ), $atts));

    // define get_posts parameters
    $args = array(
        'posts_per_page' => $posts_per_page,
        'orderby' => $orderby
    );

    // get the posts
    $posts = get_posts($args);

    // begin output variable
    $output = '<h3>Custom Loop Example: get_posts()</h3>';
    $output .= '<ul>';

    // loop thru posts
    foreach($posts as $post){

        // prepare post data
        setup_postdata($post);

        // continue output
        $output .= '<li><a href="' . get_permalink() . '">' . get_the_title() . '</a></li>';

    }

    // reset post data
    wp_reset_postdata();

    // complete output variable
    $output .= '</ul>';

    // return output
    return $output;
}

// register shortcode function
add_shortcode('get_posts_example', 'custom_loop_shortcode_get_posts');