Processing the Ajax Request

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 87 views

Introduction

When developing custom plugins for WooCommerce, integrating Ajax functionality into the checkout form can be a challenging task. In this article, we will explore how to run an Ajax request from a checkout form in WooCommerce via a custom plugin. We will cover the necessary steps, including enqueuing scripts, handling form submission, and processing the Ajax request.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the code, make sure you have the following:

A custom plugin installed and activated on your WordPress site.
WooCommerce installed and configured on your site.
A basic understanding of PHP, JavaScript, and WordPress development.

Enqueuing Scripts

To start, we need to enqueuing the necessary scripts for our custom plugin. In the code snippet you provided, you have already enqueued the gift_card_redeem script using the wp_register_script function. However, we need to make sure that the script is enqueued on the checkout page.

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_script_enqueuer' );

function my_script_enqueuer() {
    wp_register_script( 'gift_card_redeem', WP_PLUGIN_URL . '/plugin-.../gift-card-redeem.js', array( 'jquery' ), '1.0', true );
    wp_enqueue_script( 'gift_card_redeem' );
}

In the above code, we have added the wp_enqueue_scripts action hook to enqueuing the script on the checkout page. We have also specified the dependencies for the script, which in this case is jQuery.

Handling Form Submission

Next, we need to handle the form submission on the checkout page. We can do this by adding a JavaScript function that will be triggered when the form is submitted.

// gift-card-redeem.js

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
    $('#checkout_form').submit(function(event) {
        event.preventDefault();
        var form_data = $(this).serialize();
        $.ajax({
            type: 'POST',
            url: ajax_object.ajax_url,
            data: form_data,
            success: function(response) {
                console.log(response);
            },
            error: function(xhr, status, error) {
                console.log(xhr.responseText);
            }
        });
    });
});

In the above code, we have added a JavaScript function that will be triggered when the form is submitted. We have used the preventDefault method to prevent the default form submission behavior. We have then serialized the form data using the serialize method and sent it to the server using an Ajax request.

Processing the Ajax Request

On the server-side, we need to process the Ajax request and return a response to the client. We can do this by adding a function that will handle the Ajax request.

add_action( 'wp_ajax_nopriv_gift_card_redeem', 'gift_card_redeem_handler' );
add_action( 'wp_ajax_gift_card_redeem', 'gift_card_redeem_handler' );

function gift_card_redeem_handler() {
    // Process the form data
    $form_data = $_POST;
    // Return a response to the client
    wp_send_json_success( 'Gift card redeemed successfully' );
}

In the above code, we have added two action hooks to handle the Ajax request. We have used the wp_ajax_nopriv_gift_card_redeem and wp_ajax_gift_card_redeem hooks to handle the request. We have then processed the form data and returned a response to the client using the wp_send_json_success function.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored how to run an Ajax request from a checkout form in WooCommerce via a custom plugin. We have covered the necessary steps, including enqueuing scripts, handling form submission, and processing the Ajax request. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to integrate Ajax functionality into your custom plugin and enhance the user experience on your WooCommerce site.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while implementing the code outlined in this article, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure that the script is enqueued on the checkout page.
Check the JavaScript console for any errors.
Verify that the Ajax request is being sent to the correct URL.
Check the server-side logs for any errors.

Example Use Case

Here is an example use case for the code outlined in this article:

A user is checking out on your WooCommerce site and wants to redeem a gift card.
The user enters the gift card details in the checkout form and submits the form.
The Ajax request is sent to the server and processed.
The server returns a response to the client, indicating that the gift card has been redeemed successfully.
The user is then redirected to the payment gateway to complete the checkout process.

Q: What is the purpose of enqueuing scripts in WooCommerce?

A: Enqueuing scripts in WooCommerce allows you to load JavaScript files on specific pages, such as the checkout page. This is necessary for running Ajax requests and other JavaScript functionality.

Q: How do I enqueuing scripts in WooCommerce?

A: To enqueuing scripts in WooCommerce, you can use the wp_enqueue_scripts action hook. This hook allows you to load scripts on specific pages, such as the checkout page.

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_script_enqueuer' );

function my_script_enqueuer() {
    wp_register_script( 'gift_card_redeem', WP_PLUGIN_URL . '/plugin-.../gift-card-redeem.js', array( 'jquery' ), '1.0', true );
    wp_enqueue_script( 'gift_card_redeem' );
}

Q: What is the difference between `wp_enqueue_scripts` and `wp_register_script`?

A: wp_enqueue_scripts is used to load scripts on specific pages, while wp_register_script is used to register scripts for later use.

Q: How do I handle form submission on the checkout page?

A: To handle form submission on the checkout page, you can use the submit event on the form element. You can then prevent the default form submission behavior and send an Ajax request to the server.

// gift-card-redeem.js

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
    $('#checkout_form').submit(function(event) {
        event.preventDefault();
        var form_data = $(this).serialize();
        $.ajax({
            type: 'POST',
            url: ajax_object.ajax_url,
            data: form_data,
            success: function(response) {
                console.log(response);
            },
            error: function(xhr, status, error) {
                console.log(xhr.responseText);
            }
        });
    });
});

Q: How do I process the Ajax request on the server-side?

A: To process the Ajax request on the server-side, you can use the wp_ajax_nopriv_gift_card_redeem and wp_ajax_gift_card_redeem action hooks. These hooks allow you to handle the Ajax request and return a response to the client.

add_action( 'wp_ajax_nopriv_gift_card_redeem', 'gift_card_redeem_handler' );
add_action( 'wp_ajax_gift_card_redeem', 'gift_card_redeem_handler' );

function gift_card_redeem_handler() {
    // Process the form data
    $form_data = $_POST;
    // Return a response to the client
    wp_send_json_success( 'Gift card redeemed successfully' );
}

Q: What is the purpose of the `wp_send_json_success` function?

A: The wp_send_json_success function is used to return a successful response to the client. This function takes a string argument, which is the response message.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with the Ajax request?

A: To troubleshoot issues with the Ajax request, you can check the JavaScript console for any errors. You can also verify that the Ajax request is being sent to the correct URL and that the server-side logs are not showing any errors.

Q: What is the example use case for the code outlined in this article?

A: The example use case for the code outlined in this article is a user checking out on a WooCommerce site and wanting to redeem a gift card. The user enters the gift card details in the checkout form and submits the form. The Ajax request is sent to the server and processed. The server returns a response to the client, indicating that the gift card has been redeemed successfully. The user is then redirected to the payment gateway to complete the checkout process.