Script Loader Tags

Helper functionality for enqueueing scripts in WordPress themes with the following <script> tag attributes, because WordPress doesn’t support that for wp_register_script() or wp_enqueue_script():

• async
• defer
• nomodule
• type="module"

WordPress doesn’t provide a default way to enqueue scripts with the above attributes. This package

• Adds a script_loader_tag filter to make it possible for you to set async and defer attributes through the name of the script that should be enqueued.
• Adds a update_script_tag() function so you can control how scripts are loaded, when you don’t have control over the name of the handle the script is using.

Installation

You can install the package with Composer:

composer require mindkomm/theme-lib-script-loader-tags

Usage

Use name suffixes

Append any of the following suffixes to the name of your script to automatically set the attribute:

• |async for an async attribute
• |defer for a defer attribute
• |nomodule for a nomodule attribute
• |module for type="module" attribute

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function() {
    // Load Picturefill asynchronously.
    wp_enqueue_script(
        'js-picturefill|async',
        get_theme_file_uri( 'build/js/picturefill.js' )
    );
} );

This will produce the following output:

<script type="text/javascript" async src="build/js/picturefill.js"></script>

It’s also possible to chain more than one suffix.

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function() {
    wp_enqueue_script(
        'js-app|module|async',
        get_theme_file_uri( 'build/js/app.js' )
    );
} );

Use a function

You can use the update_script_tag() function to set a filter that adds the attributes.

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function() {
    // Load Picturefill asynchronously.
    wp_enqueue_script(
        'js-picturefill',
        get_theme_file_uri( 'build/js/picturefill.js' )
    );

    update_script_tag( 'js-picturefill', 'async' );
} );

It‘s also possible to add more than one handle and/or attribute if you pass an array:

// Multiple attributes.
update_script_tag( 'js-app', [ 'async', 'module' ] );

// Multiple handles.
update_script_tag( [ 'js-frontpage', 'js-app' ], 'async' );

This function is useful

• if you want to change the method of an existing script that you didn’t enqueue yourself.
• if you use wp_register_script(), where you shouldn’t add suffixes to the script handle.

Support

This is a library that we use at MIND to develop WordPress themes. You’re free to use it, but currently, we don’t provide any support.