---
title: "lzb/handlebars/object"
description: "PHP action `lzb/handlebars/object` of the Lazy Blocks WordPress plugin."
url: "https://www.lazyblocks.com/docs/php-actions/lzb-handlebars-object/"
lastUpdated: 2026-09-09
source: "php-actions/lzb-handlebars-object.mdx"
---
# lzb/handlebars/object

Registers a Handlebars helper of your own, which is the only way to call a PHP function from a block's Handlebars template.

It fires at the end of `LazyBlocks_Handlebars::prepare()`, on the WordPress `init` action, after the built-in helpers are in place. Registering a helper under a name that already exists replaces it, so this is also where `truncate`, `compare`, `math`, `date_i18n`, `do_shortcode` and `wp_get_attachment_image` can be swapped for versions of your own.

## Attributes

| Name          | Type       | Description                                               |
| ------------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `$handlebars` | **Object** | `Handlebars\Handlebars` engine used to render every block |

## Usage

```php title="PHP"
function my_lzb_handlebars_object( $handlebars ) {
  // {{price 1499 'EUR'}} renders as "€14.99".
  $handlebars->registerHelper(
    'price',
    function ( $cents, $currency = 'USD' ) {
      $symbols = array( 'USD' => '$', 'EUR' => '€', 'GBP' => '£' );
      $symbol  = isset( $symbols[ $currency ] ) ? $symbols[ $currency ] : '';

      return new \Handlebars\SafeString(
        $symbol . number_format_i18n( (int) $cents / 100, 2 )
      );
    }
  );
}

add_action( 'lzb/handlebars/object', 'my_lzb_handlebars_object' );
```

Wrap markup in `\Handlebars\SafeString`, as above. A helper's return value is escaped unless it is a `SafeString`, so a helper returning `<strong>` prints the tags as text. Return a plain string for anything that should be escaped, which is everything the user typed.

Arguments arrive as strings from the template, so cast before doing arithmetic. A helper called with fewer arguments than it declares can receive the Handlebars options array in place of the missing one rather than nothing at all, which is why the built-in helpers inspect their optional arguments before using them.

The helpers Lazy Blocks ships with are listed in [Handlebars](https://www.lazyblocks.com/docs/blocks-code/handlebars/).

## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.lazyblocks.com/llms.txt
> Fetch every page in a single file at: https://www.lazyblocks.com/llms-full.txt