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the_date() function displays the date of a post or set of posts. It retrieves and displays the date a post was published. Though it only displays the date once pers day, so if there are multiple posts published on the same day, it will only display the date for the first post and not the rest.
Some of the_date() format parameters include:
To give an idea what this looks like:
the_date( string $format = ”, string $before = ”, string $after = ”, bool $display = true ): string|void
The string|void at the end means that the function can either return a string (if you're retrieving the date) or return void (if you're displaying the date directly).
The WordPress Code Reference is an up-to-date and reliable way to reference functions, classes, hooks and more when developing your WordPress site. It is auto-generated, making it a better option than using the WordPress Codex. the_date() is one of many functions you're able to use and find documentation on in the WordPress Code Reference. When utilizing the Code Reference, there's a search bar at the top of the page that helps you find the topic you're looking for as the information in the Code Reference is vast.