/ permalink (is_singular is exempt);
* - stays post_status = publish (we never touch status);
* - gets NO noindex added by us (Yoast still governs robots meta);
* - stays in the XML sitemap (Yoast builds it via direct SQL, not WP_Query;
* and we guard the WP-core sitemap too) so Google keeps crawling/ranking it.
*
* Feeds are intentionally left UNAFFECTED (owner decision, 2026-07-13): only the
* on-screen listings are trimmed, consistent with "keep search-reachable".
*
* The threshold N (years) is set in Settings → Reading. 0 disables the feature.
* Default 3 years.
*
* Mechanism: a pre_get_posts filter that adds a lower-bound date_query to any
* front-end listing query over the 'post' type. No status writes, no cron, no
* data migration — flip N and the visible archive changes on the next request.
*/
if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
exit;
}
const BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_OPTION = 'bw_blog_archive_years';
const BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_DEFAULT = 3;
/**
* The effective threshold in whole years. 0 (or less) = feature off.
*
* Resolution order: BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_YEARS constant (wp-config / theme) wins,
* else the Settings → Reading option, else the default. Passed through a filter
* so other code can override per-request if ever needed.
*
* @return int Years; < 1 means disabled.
*/
function bw_blog_archive_years() {
if ( defined( 'BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_YEARS' ) ) {
$years = (int) BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_YEARS;
} else {
$years = (int) get_option( BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_OPTION, BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_DEFAULT );
}
/** Filter the "hide older than N years" threshold. Return < 1 to disable. */
return (int) apply_filters( 'bw_blog_archive_years', $years );
}
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Settings → Reading: "Hide blog posts older than __ years"
* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
/**
* Register the option on the Reading settings screen and sanitise it.
*/
function bw_blog_archive_register_setting() {
register_setting(
'reading',
BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_OPTION,
array(
'type' => 'integer',
'sanitize_callback' => 'bw_blog_archive_sanitize',
'default' => BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_DEFAULT,
'show_in_rest' => false,
)
);
add_settings_field(
BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_OPTION,
__( 'Auto-hide old blog posts', 'kadence-child' ),
'bw_blog_archive_render_field',
'reading',
'default'
);
}
add_action( 'admin_init', 'bw_blog_archive_register_setting' );
/**
* Clamp to a sane non-negative whole number. 0 = disabled.
*
* @param mixed $value Raw submitted value.
* @return int
*/
function bw_blog_archive_sanitize( $value ) {
$value = (int) $value;
if ( $value < 0 ) {
$value = 0;
}
if ( $value > 100 ) {
$value = 100; // guardrail against a stray huge number
}
return $value;
}
/**
* Render the number field + help text on Settings → Reading.
*/
function bw_blog_archive_render_field() {
$years = (int) get_option( BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_OPTION, BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_DEFAULT );
$is_const = defined( 'BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_YEARS' );
?>
';
echo '' . esc_html__( 'They stay published', 'kadence-child' ) . '';
esc_html_e(
' — each post still opens at its own link and remains indexable by Google (it stays in the XML sitemap). Set to ',
'kadence-child'
);
echo '0';
esc_html_e( ' to show all posts (feature off).', 'kadence-child' );
?>
'
. esc_html__( 'This is currently fixed in code by the BW_BLOG_ARCHIVE_YEARS constant, so the field above is read-only.', 'kadence-child' )
. '';
}
}
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The listing filter
* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
/**
* Trim on-site listing queries to posts newer than the threshold.
*
* Exemptions (each old post must stay reachable/manageable):
* - wp-admin screens (editors manage the full set);
* - block-editor REST previews for users who can edit (WYSIWYG while building);
* - singular views (the post's own permalink must load);
* - feeds (owner decision: leave feeds complete);
* - the WP-core XML sitemap (keep old posts crawlable);
* - queries that explicitly name specific posts (curated "show these" blocks);
* - queries not over the 'post' type;
* - any query opting out via ->set( 'bw_include_archived', true ).
*
* @param WP_Query $q The query about to run.
*/
function bw_blog_archive_filter( $q ) {
if ( ! ( $q instanceof WP_Query ) ) {
return;
}
$years = bw_blog_archive_years();
if ( $years < 1 ) {
return; // disabled
}
// Never touch the admin, nor a block-editor preview for someone who can edit.
if ( is_admin() ) {
return;
}
if ( defined( 'REST_REQUEST' ) && REST_REQUEST && current_user_can( 'edit_posts' ) ) {
return;
}
// The post's own page, and feeds, stay complete.
if ( $q->is_singular() || $q->is_feed() ) {
return;
}
// Keep the WP-core sitemap complete (Yoast's own sitemap already bypasses us).
if ( ! empty( $GLOBALS['bw_in_core_sitemap'] ) ) {
return;
}
// Per-query escape hatch.
if ( $q->get( 'bw_include_archived' ) ) {
return;
}
// Only trim queries that target blog posts, and only "listing" ones —
// not a lookup of one specific/curated post.
if ( ! bw_blog_archive_targets_posts( $q ) ) {
return;
}
if ( bw_blog_archive_is_explicit_selection( $q ) ) {
return;
}
// Add a lower bound: post_date must be within the last N years.
$date_query = (array) $q->get( 'date_query' );
$date_query[] = array(
'after' => $years . ' years ago',
'inclusive' => true,
'column' => 'post_date',
);
$q->set( 'date_query', $date_query );
}
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'bw_blog_archive_filter' );
/**
* True if the query lists the 'post' type.
*
* Handles: explicit post_type='post' / arrays containing 'post' / 'any';
* the main query in a post-listing context (archive/search/home/date);
* and secondary queries with no post_type set (WP_Query defaults to 'post').
*
* @param WP_Query $q
* @return bool
*/
function bw_blog_archive_targets_posts( $q ) {
$pt = $q->get( 'post_type' );
if ( empty( $pt ) ) {
if ( $q->is_main_query() ) {
// Only the post-listing main-query contexts (a page/front-page is singular
// and already returned above; a taxonomy/CPT archive isn't "post").
return $q->is_home()
|| $q->is_search()
|| $q->is_category()
|| $q->is_tag()
|| $q->is_author()
|| $q->is_date();
}
// Secondary query with no post_type → WP_Query treats it as 'post'.
return true;
}
if ( 'any' === $pt ) {
return true;
}
return in_array( 'post', (array) $pt, true );
}
/**
* True if the query hand-picks specific posts (by id, slug, or an explicit
* post__in list) — a curated "feature these posts" block that a date filter
* must not second-guess.
*
* @param WP_Query $q
* @return bool
*/
function bw_blog_archive_is_explicit_selection( $q ) {
if ( $q->get( 'p' ) || $q->get( 'name' ) || $q->get( 'page_id' ) || $q->get( 'pagename' ) ) {
return true;
}
$in = $q->get( 'post__in' );
return ! empty( $in );
}
/* -------------------------------------------------------------------------
* WP-core XML sitemap guard (defense-in-depth; Yoast owns the live sitemap)
* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
/**
* Flag core-sitemap post queries so the listing filter leaves them complete,
* keeping every old post crawlable even if the WP-core sitemap is ever used.
*
* @param array $args Query args for the sitemap provider's WP_Query.
* @return array Unchanged.
*/
function bw_blog_archive_mark_core_sitemap( $args ) {
$GLOBALS['bw_in_core_sitemap'] = true;
return $args;
}
add_filter( 'wp_sitemaps_posts_query_args', 'bw_blog_archive_mark_core_sitemap' );