Introduction
Integrating WordPress and Laravel can offer the best of both worlds, combining the robust content management capabilities of WordPress with the powerful backend development features of Laravel. However, when attempting to let WordPress and Laravel work together, developers may encounter an error related to the __() function, as both platforms have a function with the same name. In this article, we will explore the issue and present two possible solutions to resolve the conflict and ensure smooth integration.
Remember, both solutions are a bit hacky and might impact Laravel’s functionality, so it’s essential to use it with caution and only if absolutely necessary. Both frameworks are unfortunately not made to work together.
The __() Function Conflict
The __() function is a common function used for translation purposes in both WordPress and Laravel. The conflict arises because both platforms use this function to facilitate language translation, but they implement it differently. As a result, when trying to use both platforms together, PHP will throw a “Cannot redeclare __()” fatal error, as it cannot handle the same function being declared twice.
Backend fatal error: PHP Fatal error: Cannot redeclare __() (previously declared in vendor/laravel/framework/src/Illuminate/Foundation/helpers.php) in /wp-includes/l10n.php
Solution 1: Renaming the __() Function
One way to resolve the conflict is to rename either the WordPress or Laravel __() function. This can be achieved by renaming the Laravel __() function to something else that doesn’t clash with the WordPress version. Here’s how you can do it. We haven’t tested this ourselves.
By renaming the Laravel __() function to ___, you prevent any conflict with the WordPress version, allowing both platforms to work in harmony.
Solution 2: Loading WP l10n File Selectively
Another approach to resolving the conflict is to selectively load the WordPress l10n.php file only when needed. This method is a bit hacky and may impact Laravel’s translation functionality, so use it with caution.
- Determine the specific routes or URLs in your Laravel application where you need WordPress translation functionality.
- Insert the following code before the
autoload.php
inclusion:
/** * Load WP l10n if matches route path */
$wpL10n = __DIR__ . '/../../wp_public_html/wp-includes/l10n.php';
if (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'], '.test') === false && strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], 'your/specific/route-path') !== false && file_exists($wpL10n)) { require $wpL10n;
}require __DIR__.'/../vendor/autoload.php';
Note: Replace 'your/specific/route-path'
with the actual path where you want to enable WordPress translation.
Alternatively, if you want to load the WordPress l10n.php file for all pages, use the following code:
/** * Load WP l10n if landings */
require __DIR__ . '/../../wp_public_html/wp-includes/l10n.php';
require __DIR__.'/../vendor/autoload.php';
Conclusion
Integrating WordPress and Laravel offers a powerful combination for building dynamic websites with rich content management capabilities. However, conflicts between functions like __() can create errors and hinder the seamless collaboration between the two platforms. By either renaming the Laravel __() function or selectively loading the WordPress l10n.php file, developers can overcome this translation error and make WordPress and Laravel work together efficiently.
Remember, both solutions are a bit hacky and might impact Laravel’s functionality, so it’s essential to use it with caution and only if absolutely necessary. Both frameworks are unfortunately not made to work together.
Trying this is (as always) at your own risk.
Happy WordPress-Laravel integration!