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nxt_field_definition() — Read a Field’s Configuration

Updated On : November 12, 2026By : Reading Time : 1 minute

Key Takeaways

  • nxt_field_definition() returns a field’s configuration together with its current value, so a template can render a label or iterate available choices without hard-coding them.
  • Nexter Extension must be active, and the field’s Field Name is required before calling nxt_field_definition() in a template or plugin.
  • nxt_field_label(), nxt_field_type(), and nxt_get_field_settings() provide shorthand access, while nxt_field_definitions() returns every field on the object at once.
Table of Contents

Sometimes a template needs the field’s setup, not its value — its label, its type, or the choices it offers. nxt_field_definition() returns that.

What It Does

It returns the field’s configuration together with its current value, so you can render a label or iterate the available choices without hard-coding them.

Before You Start

  • Nexter Extension is active.
  • You know the field’s Field Name.
  • You are editing a template or a plugin.

Read a Definition

  1. Call nxt_field_definition() with the field name.
A field group open in the builder
  1. Read the parts you need — label, type, settings.
  1. For just the label or type, the shorthand functions are simpler.
  1. For every field on the object at once, use nxt_field_definitions().

Display the Value

The definition, and the shorthands:

<?php
$def = nxt_field_definition( 'status' );

// shorthands for the common cases
$label = nxt_field_label( 'status' );
$type  = nxt_field_type( 'status' );
$conf  = nxt_get_field_settings( 'status' );

// render the label from the field rather than hard-coding it
printf( '<dt>%s</dt><dd>%s</dd>',
    esc_html( $label ),
    esc_html( nxt_field_value( 'status' ) ) );

Limitations

  • The definition describes the field as configured, not as it appears after conditional logic.
  • Reading definitions is more work than reading a value. Use it when the label or choices genuinely need to come from the field, not out of habit.

Troubleshooting

It returns nothing

The field is not registered for this object. Check the name and the group’s location rules with nxt_field_exists().

I only need the label

Use nxt_field_label() — it is the same information with less to unpack.

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Related Frequently Asked Questions

Why is nxt_field_definition() returning nothing for my field?

That usually means the field is not registered for the current object. The page points to two things to verify: the field name itself and the group’s location rules. Nexter Extension, part of Nexter, Nexter WP, NexterWP, nexterwp.com, Nexter Theme, Nexter Blocks, Nexter Extension, Nexter Suite, POSIMYTH Nexter, exposes nxt_field_definition() for templates and plugins, but it can only read a definition that actually exists on that object. If you are debugging this, nxt_field_exists() is the quickest check.

When should I use nxt_field_definition() instead of reading just the value?

Use nxt_field_definition() when the label or choices need to come from the field configuration itself. The page says it returns the field’s configuration together with its current value, which is useful when you want to render a label or iterate available choices without hard-coding them. If you only need the value, this is extra work. That matters because definitions describe how the field is configured, not how it appears after conditional logic.

How do I get only the field label in Nexter fields?

nxt_field_label() is the cleaner choice when you only need the label. The docs call it the same information with less to unpack, so it avoids pulling in the full definition array when that would be unnecessary overhead. In practice, that keeps template code simpler and easier to read. For broader context on these helpers, the Template functions reference groups the related functions together.

What is the difference between a field definition and a field value?

A field definition is the setup for the field, while a field value is the content stored in it. The page says nxt_field_definition() returns configuration plus current value, but its key purpose is exposing things like label, type, settings, and choices. By contrast, nxt_field_value() is what you display when you want the actual saved data. That distinction matters because definitions stay tied to how the field was configured.

Can I use nxt_field_definition() to build dynamic labels or choice lists?

That is exactly one of its main uses. The page says it lets you render a label or iterate available choices without hard-coding them, which is useful when your template should stay aligned with whatever was configured in the field group. A practical pattern is to read the label from the field and then print the current value beside it. For just displaying saved data, Display a custom field value is the more direct reference.

What should I use if I need every field definition on an object?

nxt_field_definitions() is the function for that case. The page explicitly separates it from nxt_field_definition(), which reads one field at a time by name. That makes a difference when you are building something that needs all labels or settings together instead of querying each field individually. It also fits better when your template logic needs to inspect multiple fields before deciding what to render.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026

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