register_sidebar() │ WP 2.2.0

Registers a widget panel (a place where widgets are placed in the admin panel to later display them on the front end).

The function registers a panel (place, container) for widgets and the output format for each widget:

• html header tag.
• html tag before and after the widget.

After registering the panel, a place will appear in the admin panel where widgets can be placed. By placing widgets in the panel, we will be able to output the panel with widgets in the template using the function dynamic_sidebar(), (see example 2).

'name' => sprintf(__('Sidebar %d'), $i ),
'id' => "sidebar-$i",

Returns

String. The identifier passed in the ID parameter.

Usage Template

add_action( 'widgets_init', 'register_my_widgets' );
function register_my_widgets(){

	register_sidebar( array(
		'name'          => sprintf(__('Sidebar %d'), $i ),
		'id'            => "sidebar-$i",
		'description'   => '',
		'class'         => '',
		'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">',
		'after_widget'  => "</li>\n",
		'before_title'  => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
		'after_title'   => "</h2>\n",
		'before_sidebar' => '', // WP 5.6
		'after_sidebar'  => '', // WP 5.6
	) );
}

Usage

register_sidebar( $args );

$args(string/array)

Arguments for registering the widget panel. Can be specified as a string or an array:
If as a string, then the arguments should be separated by the & sign:

'name=Sidebar&id=my_prefix_sidebar'

The same arguments in an array:

array(
	'name' => 'Sidebar',
	'id'   => 'my_prefix_sidebar',
)

Default: [] (pre-settings)

Arguments for the $args parameter

name(string)

The name of the widget panel. The name will be visible in the WordPress admin panel. By default "Sidebar 1" (localization from Sidebar $i, where $i is the ordinal number of the sidebar). The value must not be empty!

Although the name will only be visible in the admin panel, it is important to give the user an idea of where the panel will be displayed.

Default: sprintf( __('Sidebar %d'), $i )

id(string)

The identifier of the widget. A string that must not contain uppercase letters or spaces. The value must not be empty; if this parameter is left empty, you will receive a notice like E_USER_NOTICE in development mode (during debugging).
Default: "sidebar-$i"

description(string)

Text describing where the widget panel will be displayed. Shown in the widget management panel.
Default: ''

class(string)

CSS class that will be added to the main HTML tag of the widget panel.
Default: ''

before_widget(string)

HTML code that will be placed before each widget in the panel. For example: <li class="my-widget">. The constructs %1$s and %2$s will be replaced with the id and class used in the sidebar widget.
Default: '<li id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">'

after_widget(string)

HTML code that will be placed after each widget in the panel. For example: </li>.
Default: "</li>\n"

before_title(string)

HTML code before the widget title.
Default: '<h2 class="widgettitle">'

after_title(string)

HTML code after the widget title.
Default: "</h2>\n"

before_sidebar(string) (WP 5.6)

HTML before the sidebar. Receives the argument $id in %1$s and $class in %2$s. Outputted after the hook dynamic_sidebar_before.
Default: ''

after_sidebar(string) (WP 5.6)

HTML after the sidebar. Outputted before the hook dynamic_sidebar_after.
Default: ''

$show_in_rest(true/false) (WP 5.9)

Should this sidebar be publicly displayed in the REST API.
Default: false (show only to administrators).

Examples

add_action( 'widgets_init', 'register_my_widgets' );

function register_my_widgets(){

	register_sidebar( [
		'name' => 'The right sidebar of the site',
		'id' => 'right-sidebar',
		'description' => 'These widgets will be shown in the right column of the site',
		'before_title' => '<h2>',
		'after_title' => '</h2>'
	] );
}

<?php
if ( function_exists( 'dynamic_sidebar' ) ) {
	dynamic_sidebar( 'right-sidebar' );
}
?>

add_action( 'widgets_init', 'register_my_widgets' );

function register_my_widgets(){

	register_sidebar( array(
		'name' => 'Sidebar on home page',
		'id'   => 'homepage-sidebar',
		'description'   => 'Displayed as a sidebar only on the home page of the site.',
		'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="homepage-widget-block %2$s">',
		'after_widget'  => '</li>',
		'before_title'  => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
		'after_title'   => '</h2>',
	) );
}

<div class="custom">
	<?php
	if ( function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') )
		dynamic_sidebar('homepage-sidebar');
	?>
</div>

Add Your Own Example