wp_nav_menu()

wp_nav_menu() is a core WordPress function used to display navigation menus in theme templates. It retrieves menus created in the WordPress Admin under Appearance → Menus and outputs them as HTML lists (<ul><li>). Developers can control which menu is displayed, its container, CSS classes, depth, and even attach custom walkers for advanced customization.

How it works

• Called in theme files (often header.php) to display a registered menu.
• Accepts an array of arguments such as:
  • theme_location → registered menu location.
  • menu_class → custom CSS class for the <ul>.
  • depth → how many levels of hierarchy to display.
  • walker → custom menu walker class.
• Integrates with the WordPress Menu system, so editors can manage links in the backend.

Why it matters

wp_nav_menu() bridges the admin-defined menu structure and the frontend template. It gives developers a flexible way to control navigation markup while allowing content editors to manage menus without touching code.

Examples

wp_nav_menu([
    'theme_location' => 'primary',
    'menu_class'     => 'nav navbar-nav',
    'container'      => false,
    'depth'          => 2,
]);