Adding Taxonomies to the Media Library WordPress Core

Originally posted 22 September 2016.

Work is being done to add taxonomies to the media library WP core.

10th of May 2017 – An update that should have been done few months ago.
Here are various Google documents I have made for the Media Management feature project which has a repo at Github: https://github.com/felixarntz/attachment-taxonomies-feature . This is a part of the research phase back in September 2016. The media management project is now on hold because of other WordPress Core projects.

WordPress – Media management plugins.
A list of various media management plugins in regards to tags, filters, Media Categories, folder and other WordPress media related plugins.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OvB8rZmwqYdJpUiCWJqTuc-wyIugpokOtSHeWHPEIvM

WordPress – Comparing media feature tags, categories and folder plugins.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xgt8Cjv8rNcPwEwpECp3FgCOA5v1ehSkaA0uEFdQX6c

Media management software overview (Non WP)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y4Okna5nMZ40gqOgUjdOzJv5u9ZskofxnOvD5KZjNMw

A list of various software I have found. (Non WP)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z_0G17VvAbiJ1HF7FDGJ96cy-avn2Mun2MKtTUn5xfU

WordPress – Media Management feature plugin (wireframe suggestions)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wx1M_mCFJRvcMD9xhvIySpkGRFmocpqPEf3ShryzgYU

I will add a few screenshots from various media management plugins on how I envision categories and tags in the media library.

The question is why?

There is a great need to add some kind of ordering of media. One way is to add categories in the media library so the user can create some order by grouping images into categories and perhaps even tags. As I run this web site I today use Enhanced Media Library plugin for ordering the images that I use. Including categories in core will be very helpful.

The default Media library view as seen today:

Some examples on using Categories and tags in the media library.

Attachment Taxonomies

This plugin adds Media Categories and Media Tags as can be seen in the left sidebar under Media. As well as filtering for All Categories and All Tags.

Bulk select is also something that needs improvement. Here it would be good to include a simple way to attach multiple media items to a category or tag.

Here are examples on clicking an image having it open in its own screen called Attachment Media.

Media Taxonomies

Another example from 

WP Media Category Management

The above shows some examples on adding taxonomy such as category and tags to the media library.
I am thinking that this approach is something that would be suitable for WordPress Core.
I will likely add on to this article when more work is happening.