Add view count in WordPress posts in post meta.

Add view count in wordpress posts in post meta.

Put this code in functions.php file

function customSetPostViews() {
    // Check if we're on a single post page
    if (!is_single()) {
        return; // Exit if not a single post
    }

    // Get the current post ID
    $postID = get_the_ID();

    // Check if the current user is an admin
    if (current_user_can('administrator')) {
        return; // Skip counting for admin
    }

    $countKey = 'post_views_count';
    $cookieKey = 'post_viewed_' . $postID;

    // Check if the user has already viewed the post today
    if (isset($_COOKIE[$cookieKey])) {
        return; // User has already viewed the post today
    }

    // Get the current view count
    $count = get_post_meta($postID, $countKey, true);
    if ($count == '') {
        $count = 0;
    }

    // Increment the view count
    $count++;
    update_post_meta($postID, $countKey, $count);

    // Set a cookie to track the user's view
    setcookie($cookieKey, '1', time() + (12 * 60 * 60), '/'); // Expires in 12 hours
}

// Hook the function to the 'wp' action to count views when a post is loaded
add_action('wp', 'customSetPostViews');

Optional code for show view count in post table.

// Add the view count column to the posts list table
function add_view_count_column($columns) {
    $columns['view_count'] = 'View Count';
    return $columns;
}
add_filter('manage_posts_columns', 'add_view_count_column');

// Display the view count in the custom column
function display_view_count_column($column_name, $post_id) {
    if ($column_name === 'view_count') {
        $count = get_post_meta($post_id, 'post_views_count', true);
        echo esc_html($count ? $count : 0);
    }
}
add_action('manage_posts_custom_column', 'display_view_count_column', 10, 2);
// Hide the view count column by default
function hide_view_count_column_by_default($hidden, $screen) {
    if ($screen->id === 'edit-post') {
        $hidden[] = 'view_count';
    }
    return $hidden;
}
add_filter('default_hidden_columns', 'hide_view_count_column_by_default', 10, 2);

Now show post by post view

Put this code in shortcode or where you want show

$args = array(
    'post_type'      => 'post', // Change to your post type if needed
    'meta_key'      => 'post_views_count', // Meta key for view count
    'orderby'       => 'meta_value_num', // Order by numeric meta value
    'order'         => 'DESC', // Most viewed first
    'posts_per_page' => 10, // Number of posts to display
);

$query = new WP_Query($args);

if ($query->have_posts()) {
    while ($query->have_posts()) {
        $query->the_post();
        // Display post title, excerpt, etc.
        the_title();
        the_excerpt();
    }
    wp_reset_postdata(); // Reset post data
} else {
    echo 'No posts found.';
}