How To Use WP_Query to Create Pagination in WordPress

In this tutorial you will learn how to create a custom loop with WordPress pagination. To integrate this custom loop, I am using WP_Query class to set a new query, and then display WordPress posts with pagination. The default WordPress pagination is simple to implement.

Custom Query

This tutorial shows WP_Query, and I would suggest you to read up relevant codex pages to understand how this WP_Query works.
An example of the query being run is as follows:

<?php
/**
* Template Name: Custom Page
*/
get_header(); ?>

<?php
$paged = ( get_query_var( 'paged' ) ) ? get_query_var( 'paged' ) : 1;
$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => 4,
'paged' => $paged
);
$custom_query = new WP_Query( $args );
?>
<!----start-------->
<div class="wrap">
<div id="primary" class="content-area">
<main id="main" class="site-main" role="main">

<?php
while($custom_query->have_posts()) :
$custom_query->the_post();
?>
<div>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" ><?php the_title(); ?></a></h3>
<div>
<ul>
<div><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail('thumbnail'); ?></a></div>
</ul>
<ul>
<p><?php echo the_content(); ?></p>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
</li>
</ul>
</div> <!-- end blog posts -->
<?php endwhile; ?>
<?php if (function_exists("pagination")) {
pagination($custom_query->max_num_pages);
} ?>
</main><!-- #main -->
</div><!-- #primary -->
</div><!-- .wrap -->
<!----end-------->
<?php get_footer();

Code to Render Pagination

Add the following code in a custom page by creating a template file and name it as CustomPage.php in the theme folder.

<?php if (function_exists("pagination")) {
pagination($custom_query->max_num_pages);
} ?>

Next create a page in admin area and select the template as shown below:

Pagination Function

Add following code in functons.php for the custom pagination to function.

function pagination($pages = '', $range = 4)
{
$showitems = ($range * 2)+1;

global $paged;
if(empty($paged)) $paged = 1;

if($pages == '')
{
global $wp_query;
$pages = $wp_query->max_num_pages;
if(!$pages)
{
$pages = 1;
}
}

if(1 != $pages)
{
echo "<div class=\"pagination\"><span>Page ".$paged." of ".$pages."</span>";
if($paged > 2 && $paged > $range+1 && $showitems < $pages) echo "<a href='".get_pagenum_link(1)."'>&laquo; First</a>";
if($paged > 1 && $showitems < $pages) echo "<a href='".get_pagenum_link($paged - 1)."'>&lsaquo; Previous</a>";

for ($i=1; $i <= $pages; $i++)
{
if (1 != $pages &&( !($i >= $paged+$range+1 || $i <= $paged-$range-1) || $pages <= $showitems ))
{
echo ($paged == $i)? "<span class=\"current\">".$i."</span>":"<a href='".get_pagenum_link($i)."' class=\"inactive\">".$i."</a>";
}
}

if ($paged < $pages && $showitems < $pages) echo "<a href=\"".get_pagenum_link($paged + 1)."\">Next &rsaquo;</a>";
if ($paged < $pages-1 && $paged+$range-1 < $pages && $showitems < $pages) echo "<a href='".get_pagenum_link($pages)."'>Last &raquo;</a>";
echo "</div>\n";
}
}

Styling for the Pagination

Add the following code in style.css:

/* Pagination */
.pagination {
clear:both;
position:relative;
font-size:11px; /* Pagination text size */
line-height:13px;
float:right; /* Pagination float direction */
}
.pagination span, .pagination a {
display:block;
float:left;
margin: 2px 2px 2px 0;
padding:6px 9px 5px 9px;
text-decoration:none;
width:auto;
color:#fff; /* Pagination text color */
background: #555; /* Pagination non-active background color */
-webkit-transition: background .15s ease-in-out;
-moz-transition: background .15s ease-in-out;
-ms-transition: background .15s ease-in-out;
-o-transition: background .15s ease-in-out;
transition: background .15s ease-in-out;
}
.pagination a:hover{
color:#fff;
background: #6AAC70; /* Pagination background on hover */
}
.pagination .current{
padding:6px 9px 5px 9px;
background: #6AAC70; /* Current page background */
color:#fff;
}