Infinite scroll is a popular frontend enhancement that improves user experience, especially for sites with many entries or shorter content segments. By allowing users to browse more information without a full page refresh, it creates a seamless, engaging flow that keeps visitors on your site longer.
In the past, implementing infinite scroll in WordPress often required complex plugins or libraries like Infinite Ajax Scroll. Today, with the help of the HTMX library, you can achieve this effect directly in your theme with minimal effort and—best of all—without writing any custom JavaScript. Let’s walk through the implementation details.
Step 1: Modify the Post Loop Template
First, we need to adjust the post loop in your archive or index template. Notice the hx- attributes; these are the core HTMX directives that handle the AJAX logic.
<div id="posts-container">
<?php if (have_posts()) : ?>
<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<?php get_template_part('template-parts/content', get_post_format()); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
<?php endif; ?>
</div>
<?php if ($wp_query->max_num_pages > 1) : ?>
<button hx-get="<?php echo admin_url('admin-ajax.php'); ?>?action=load_more_posts&page=2"
hx-target="#posts-container"
hx-trigger="click, intersect once"
hx-swap="beforeend"
hx-indicator="#loading">
Load More
</button>
<div id="loading" class="htmx-indicator">Loading...</div>
<?php endif; ?>Step 2: Implement the Backend AJAX Handler
Next, we need to create the AJAX endpoint in your functions.php or plugin file. HTMX will send a request to this address, which will return the next set of posts along with a new “Load More” button for the subsequent page.
add_action('wp_ajax_load_more_posts', 'load_more_posts');
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_load_more_posts', 'load_more_posts');
function load_more_posts() {
$page = isset($_GET['page']) ? intval($_GET['page']) : 2;
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'post',
'post_status' => 'publish',
'posts_per_page' => get_option('posts_per_page'),
'paged' => $page,
);
$query = new WP_Query($args);
if ($query->have_posts()) :
while ($query->have_posts()) : $query->the_post();
get_template_part('template-parts/content', get_post_format());
endwhile;
endif;
wp_reset_postdata();
if ($page < $query->max_num_pages) {
echo '<button hx-get="' . admin_url('admin-ajax.php') . '?action=load_more_posts&page=' . ($page + 1) . '"
hx-target="#posts-container"
hx-trigger="click, intersect once"
hx-swap="beforeend"
hx-indicator="#loading">
Load More
</button>';
}
die();
}Let’s break down how the HTMX attributes work in this context:
- hx-get: Specifies the URL for the AJAX request.
- hx-target: Defines where the new content should be inserted (in this case, our post container).
- hx-trigger: Sets the events that trigger the request. We use
click(for manual loading) andintersect once(which triggers automatically when the button enters the viewport). - hx-swap: Determines how the new content is inserted.
beforeendappends it to the end of the target element. - hx-indicator: Specifies an element to show while the request is in progress (our loading spinner).
This implementation provides a dual-mode experience: it loads more articles automatically as the user scrolls to the bottom, but also provides a “Load More” button as a fallback. As new articles are appended, HTMX automatically generates the button for the next page until all pages are exhausted.
The beauty of this approach is that, aside from including the HTMX library itself, you don’t need to write any JavaScript. If you are also using a utility-first CSS framework like Tailwind CSS, you can complete the entire feature using only PHP and HTML. This reduces the mental overhead of switching between languages and significantly speeds up development efficiency. If you’re starting a new WordPress project, I highly recommend giving HTMX a try.
