The delete_site_meta_by_key() WordPress PHP function deletes all the site metadata entries that match a given meta key.
Usage
Here’s an example of how you can use the function:
delete_site_meta_by_key('my_custom_meta_key');
In this example, all metadata entries that have a meta key of ‘my_custom_meta_key’ will be deleted.
Parameters
- $meta_key (string – required): The metadata key to search for when deleting.
More information
See WordPress Developer Resources: delete_site_meta_by_key()
Please note that this function is not yet deprecated, and it was introduced in WordPress 3.0.0.
Examples
Deleting a Specific Site Meta Key
This example deletes a specific meta key called ‘site_theme_color’ from all site metadata.
// The meta key you want to delete $meta_key = 'site_theme_color'; // Use the function to delete the meta key delete_site_meta_by_key($meta_key);
This code will remove the ‘site_theme_color’ meta key from all metadata across the site.
Removing Site Meta Keys for Unused Plugins
If a plugin was removed but left meta keys behind, you can delete those keys like this:
// The meta key left by the removed plugin $meta_key = 'removed_plugin_meta'; // Delete the meta key delete_site_meta_by_key($meta_key);
This will ensure your site database stays clean from unused metadata.
Cleaning up Test Meta Keys
If you’ve been testing something and created a bunch of test meta keys, you can clean them up like this:
// The test meta key you created $meta_key = 'my_test_meta_key'; // Delete the test meta key delete_site_meta_by_key($meta_key);
This is useful for keeping your site metadata clean after testing new features or plugins.
Removing Old Site Meta Keys
If your site has been running for a long time, you might have old meta keys that are no longer used:
// An old meta key that's no longer used $meta_key = 'old_unused_meta_key'; // Delete the old meta key delete_site_meta_by_key($meta_key);
This can help keep your site running smoothly by reducing the size of your site’s metadata.
Deleting Meta Keys for a Specific Feature
If a feature is no longer used and you want to delete its specific meta keys:
// The meta key for the unused feature $meta_key = 'unused_feature_meta_key'; // Delete the meta key for the unused feature delete_site_meta_by_key($meta_key);
This will remove all metadata related to the unused feature, keeping your site clean and optimized.