title: PHP - How do I get `<?php the_content(); ?>` as a string or turn it into a string
body: <p>I use a lot the function:</p>
  
  <pre><code>get_search_query() 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>To get the value returned from searches and to be able to modify and use the string.</p>
  
  <p>I need to know a function to get <code>&lt;?php the_content(); ?&gt;</code> as a string or how to turn what that function returns into a string.</p>
  
  <p>The content is just a simple word with paragraph tags but using that function I also get the tags, I want to get just the text so I can add it to a hyperlink. </p>