Sérgio Santos

psorensen

The WordPress Query Loop Block is a powerful block, enabling authors to curate blog content with fine-grained control over the layout. However, it’s often a requirement that site editors want to pick the specific posts that appear in these content grids and lists. This WordPress plugin adds a block variation of the Query Loop which provides a content picker, allowing editors to choose the exact posts they want to display, while still leveraging the power of the layout control which comes with the Query Loop Block.

Curated Query Loop

Select specific posts to use in a Query Loop

Abhay Rautela

The Query Loop block in WordPress does not include a “Random” ordering option in the sidebar UI. 
However, WordPress core does support <code>orderby = rand</code> in <code>WP_Query</code>.
The problem: 
Using <code>"orderBy": "rand"</code> inside a Query Loop block can cause the Site Editor preview to fail, because <code>rand</code> is not included in the REST API schema for posts.
This plugin fixes that by extending the REST API orderby enum so the editor recognizes <code>"rand"</code> as valid.
<h3>✔ What this plugin does</h3>
<ul>
<li>Adds <code>"rand"</code> to the REST API <code>orderby</code> enum for posts and pages. </li>
<li>Allows the Query Loop block to use <code>"orderBy": "rand"</code> safely. </li>
<li>Prevents JSON errors and broken previews in the Site Editor. </li>
<li>Makes “random post” layouts work reliably both in the editor and frontend.</li>
</ul>
<h3>⚠ What this plugin does not do</h3>
<ul>
<li>It does not add a “Random” option to the Query Loop UI dropdown. 
(That UI is defined in Gutenberg’s JavaScript.)</li>
<li>You must still set <code>"orderBy": "rand"</code> manually using the Code Editor.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Example use case</h3>
Want your homepage, blog, quotes site, testimonials, or featured-section to show 
a different post every time the page loads?
Install this plugin → open the template → switch to Code Editor → set <code>"orderBy": "rand"</code>.

Random Posts for Query Loop Block

Adds "rand" to the REST API orderby options so the Query Loop block can use random post order safely without breaking the Site Editor preview.

Curated Query Loop vs Random Posts for Query Loop Block