Advanced Redirect Strategies

Overview

Implement sophisticated redirect logic based on multiple conditions, user attributes, and dynamic data. This tutorial covers conditional redirects, dynamic URLs, custom PHP code, and integration with third-party plugins.

Scenario 1: Multi-Condition Redirects

Redirect based on role AND subscription status.

Implementation

/**
 * Redirect VIP members with active subscriptions to exclusive dashboard

 * Redirect VIP members with expired subscriptions to renewal page

 * Others follow normal redirect rules

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'multi_condition_redirect', 10, 3);


function multi_condition_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Check if user has VIP role

    if (in_array('vip_member', $user->roles)) {

        // Check subscription status

        $subscription_status = get_user_meta($user_id, 'subscription_status', true);


        if ($subscription_status === 'active') {

            // Active VIP - exclusive dashboard

            return home_url('/vip-dashboard/');

        } elseif ($subscription_status === 'expired') {

            // Expired VIP - renewal page

            return home_url('/renew-subscription/?user_id=' . $user_id);

        }

    }


    // Return default redirect

    return $redirect_to;

}

Scenario 2: Time-Based Redirects

Redirect users based on time of day or day of week.

Example: Weekend Special Access

/**
 * VIP members get weekend-only content access

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'weekend_special_redirect', 10, 3);


function weekend_special_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Only for VIP members

    if (!in_array('vip_member', $user->roles)) {

        return $redirect_to;

    }


    // Get current day (0=Sunday, 6=Saturday)

    $current_day = date('w');


    // Weekend check

    if ($current_day == 0 || $current_day == 6) {

        return home_url('/weekend-specials/');

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}


/**

 * Business hours redirect for staff

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'business_hours_redirect', 10, 3);


function business_hours_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    if (!in_array('staff', $user->roles)) {

        return $redirect_to;

    }


    $current_hour = intval(date('G')); // 0-23


    // Business hours: 9 AM - 5 PM

    if ($current_hour >= 9 && $current_hour < 17) {

        return home_url('/staff-dashboard/');

    } else {

        // After hours - limited access portal

        return home_url('/after-hours-portal/');

    }

}

Scenario 3: User Meta-Based Redirects

Redirect based on custom user meta fields.

Onboarding Completion Check

/**
 * Redirect new users to onboarding if not completed

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'onboarding_redirect', 10, 3);


function onboarding_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Check if onboarding is complete

    $onboarding_complete = get_user_meta($user_id, 'onboarding_complete', true);


    if (!$onboarding_complete) {

        // Get current onboarding step

        $current_step = get_user_meta($user_id, 'onboarding_step', true);

        $current_step = $current_step ? intval($current_step) : 1;


        return home_url('/onboarding/step-' . $current_step . '/');

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}


/**

 * Department-based redirect from user profile

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'department_redirect', 10, 3);


function department_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    $department = get_user_meta($user_id, 'department', true);


    $department_pages = array(

        'sales' => '/sales-portal/',

        'marketing' => '/marketing-hub/',

        'support' => '/support-dashboard/',

        'hr' => '/hr-portal/',

        'it' => '/it-center/'

    );


    if (isset($department_pages[$department])) {

        return home_url($department_pages[$department]);

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}

Scenario 4: Last Visited Page Redirect

Return users to their last visited page after login.

Implementation with Cookie

/**
 * Track last visited page before login

 */

add_action('wp_footer', 'track_last_page');


function track_last_page() {

    if (!is_user_logged_in()) {

        // Store current URL in cookie (expires in 1 hour)

        $current_url = home_url(add_query_arg(array()));

        setcookie('last_page_before_login', $current_url, time() + 3600, '/');

    }

}


/**

 * Redirect to last visited page after login

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'last_page_redirect', 10, 3);


function last_page_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    if (isset($_COOKIE['last_page_before_login'])) {

        $last_page = $_COOKIE['last_page_before_login'];


        // Clear the cookie

        setcookie('last_page_before_login', '', time() - 3600, '/');


        // Validate URL is from our site

        $site_url = home_url();

        if (strpos($last_page, $site_url) === 0) {

            return $last_page;

        }

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}

Scenario 5: Query Parameter Redirects

Dynamic redirects based on URL parameters.

Affiliate and Campaign Tracking

/**
 * Redirect with campaign tracking

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'campaign_redirect', 10, 3);


function campaign_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Check for campaign parameter

    if (isset($_GET['campaign'])) {

        $campaign = sanitize_text_field($_GET['campaign']);


        // Log campaign attribution

        update_user_meta($user_id, 'last_campaign', $campaign);


        // Redirect to campaign landing page

        $campaign_pages = array(

            'summer-sale' => '/promotions/summer-sale/',

            'new-member' => '/welcome-new-members/',

            'referral' => '/referral-rewards/'

        );


        if (isset($campaign_pages[$campaign])) {

            return home_url($campaign_pages[$campaign]);

        }

    }


    // Check for affiliate ID

    if (isset($_GET['aff'])) {

        $affiliate_id = sanitize_text_field($_GET['aff']);

        update_user_meta($user_id, 'affiliate_source', $affiliate_id);


        return home_url('/affiliate-welcome/?aff=' . $affiliate_id);

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}

Scenario 6: WooCommerce Integration

Redirect based on purchase history and cart status.

Purchase-Based Redirects

/**
 * Redirect wholesale customers who have purchased specific products

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'woocommerce_purchase_redirect', 10, 3);


function woocommerce_purchase_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Check if WooCommerce is active

    if (!function_exists('wc_get_customer_orders')) {

        return $redirect_to;

    }


    // Get customer orders

    $customer_orders = wc_get_customer_orders($user_id, 1); // Last order


    if (!empty($customer_orders)) {

        $last_order = reset($customer_orders);


        // Check order total

        $order_total = $last_order->get_total();


        if ($order_total > 1000 && in_array('wholesale', $user->roles)) {

            // High-value wholesale customer

            return home_url('/wholesale-vip-portal/');

        }

    }


    // Check if customer has items in cart

    $cart_count = WC()->cart->get_cart_contents_count();


    if ($cart_count > 0) {

        // Return to cart

        return wc_get_cart_url();

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}

Scenario 7: Location-Based Redirects

Redirect based on user’s geographic location.

IP-Based Country Detection

/**
 * Redirect based on country (requires GeoIP database)

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'location_redirect', 10, 3);


function location_redirect($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Get user IP

    $user_ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];


    // Get country from IP (example using ipapi.co)

    $country_code = get_country_from_ip($user_ip);


    // Region-specific redirects

    $region_pages = array(

        'US' => '/us-portal/',

        'CA' => '/canada-portal/',

        'GB' => '/uk-portal/',

        'AU' => '/australia-portal/',

        'EU' => '/europe-portal/'

    );


    if (isset($region_pages[$country_code])) {

        return home_url($region_pages[$country_code]);

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}


function get_country_from_ip($ip) {

    // Cache country for 24 hours

    $cache_key = 'country_' . md5($ip);

    $cached = get_transient($cache_key);


    if ($cached !== false) {

        return $cached;

    }


    // Use free API (rate limits apply)

    $response = wp_remote_get('https://ipapi.co/' . $ip . '/country/');


    if (!is_wp_error($response)) {

        $country = wp_remote_retrieve_body($response);

        set_transient($cache_key, $country, DAY_IN_SECONDS);

        return $country;

    }


    return 'XX'; // Unknown

}

Preventing Redirect Loops

Loop Detection and Prevention

/**
 * Prevent redirect loops with counter

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'prevent_redirect_loop', 999, 3);


function prevent_redirect_loop($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    // Check redirect counter

    $redirect_count = get_transient('redirect_count_' . $user_id);


    if ($redirect_count && $redirect_count > 3) {

        // Too many redirects - break the loop

        error_log('Redirect loop detected for user ' . $user_id);

        delete_transient('redirect_count_' . $user_id);


        // Fallback to home

        return home_url('/');

    }


    // Increment counter (expires in 1 minute)

    set_transient('redirect_count_' . $user_id, ($redirect_count + 1), 60);


    return $redirect_to;

}

JavaScript Client-Side Redirects

When server-side redirects are insufficient.

Delayed Redirect with Message

<script>
// Show message then redirect after 3 seconds

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {

    var $message = $('.login-success-message');


    if ($message.length) {

        setTimeout(function() {

            var redirect_url = $message.data('redirect');

            window.location.href = redirect_url;

        }, 3000);

    }

});

</script>

Testing and Debugging

Debugging Redirects

/**
 * Log redirect decisions for debugging

 */

add_filter('attributes_login_redirect', 'debug_redirects', 999, 3);


function debug_redirects($redirect_to, $user_id, $user) {

    if (defined('WP_DEBUG') && WP_DEBUG) {

        error_log(sprintf(

            'User %d (%s) redirecting to: %s',

            $user_id,

            $user->user_login,

            $redirect_to

        ));

    }


    return $redirect_to;

}

Best Practices

• Priority Management: Use filter priority (10, 20, 999) to control execution order
• URL Validation: Always validate redirect URLs are from your domain
• Performance: Cache external API calls, minimize database queries
• Fallbacks: Always provide a default redirect path
• Logging: Log redirect decisions in WP_DEBUG mode
• Security: Sanitize all user input and URL parameters