Wordpress Template File Structure

Basic WordPress Template File Structure

This article explains how WordPress determines which template files to use on individual pages.

File Name	Description
`style.css`	style sheet file
`index.php`	home page file
`header.php`	header content file
`single.php`	single post page file
`archive.php`	archive/category file
`searchform.php`	search form file
`search.php`	search content file
`404.php`	error page file
`comments.php`	comments template file
`footer.php`	footer content file
`sidebar.php`	sidebar content file
`page.php`	single page file
`front-page.php`	latest posts or static page
`tag.php`	display tags in archive format
`category.php`	display categories in archive format

Header Functions

Function	Description
`<?php site_url(); ?>`	root url for website
`<?php wp_title(); ?>`	title of specific post/page
`<?php bloginfo('name'); ?>`	title of site
`<?php bloginfo('description'); ?>`	site description
`<?php get_stylesheet_directory(); ?>`	stylesheet folder location
`<?php bloginfo('stylesheet_url'); ?>`	style.css file location
`<?php bloginfo('pingback_url'); ?>`	pingback url
`<?php bloginfo('template_url'); ?>`	template folder path
`<?php bloginfo('version'); ?>`	wordpress blog version
`<?php bloginfo('atom_url'); ?>`	atom url
`<?php bloginfo('rss2_url'); ?>`	rss2 url
`<?php bloginfo('url'); ?>`	root url for website
`<?php bloginfo('html_type'); ?>`	html version
`<?php bloginfo('charset'); ?>`	charset parameter

Default Navigation Menu
`<?php wp_nav_menu(); ?>`
Specific Navigation Menu
`<?php wp_nav_menu( array('menu' => 'Project Nav' )); ?>`
Category Based Navigation
`<ul id="menu">`
`<li <?php if(is_home()) { ?> class="current-cat" <?php } ?>>`
`<a href="<?php bloginfo('home'); ?>">Home</a></li>`
`<?php wp_list_categories('title_li=&orderby=id');?>`
`</ul>`
Page Based Navigation
`<ul id="menu">`
`<li <?php if(is_home()) { ?> class="current-page-item" <?php } ?>>`
`<a href="<?php bloginfo('home'); ?>">Home</a></li>`
`<?php wp_list_pages('sort_column=menu_order&depth=1&title_li=');?>`
`</ul>`

Template Functions

Function	Description
`<?php the_content(); ?>`	content of posts/pages
`<?php if(have_posts()): ?>`	check if there are posts
`<?php while(have_posts()): the_post(); ?>`	shows posts
`<?php endwhile; ?>`	closes loop
`<?php endif; ?>`	closes if
`<?php get_header(); ?>`	header.php file contents
`<?php get_sidebar(); ?>`	sidebar.php file contents
`<?php get_footer(); ?>`	footer.php file contents
`<?php the_time('m-d-y'); ?>`	the date is ’08-18-07′
`<?php comments_popup_link(); ?>`	link to comments of post
`<?php the_title(); ?>`	title of post/page
`<?php the_permalink(); ?>`	url of post/page
`<?php the_category(); ?>`	category of post/page
`<?php the_author(); ?>`	author of post/page
`<?php the_ID(); ?>`	id of post/page
`<?php edit_post_link(); ?>`	edit link of post/page
`<?php wp_list_bookmarks(); ?>`	links from blogroll
`<?php comments_template(); ?>`	comment.php file contents
`<?php wp_list_pages(); ?>`	list all pages
`<?php wp_list_categories(); ?>`	list all categories
`<?php next_post_link('%link'); ?>`	url to next post
`<?php previous_post_list('%link'); ?>`	url to previous post
`<?php get_calendar(); ?>`	show post calendar
`<?php wp_get_archives(); ?>`	list of archive urls
`<?php posts_nav_link(); ?>`	next and previous post link
`<?php rewind_posts(); ?>`	rewinds post for a second loop

The Loop

Basic Loop
`<?php if(have_posts()) { ?>`
`<?php while(have_posts()) { ?>`
`<?php the_post(); ?>`
`<?php // custom post content code for title, excerpt and featured image ?>`
`<?php } // end while ?>`
`<?php } // end if ?>`

Extra Functions

Function	Description
`/%postname%/`	custom permalinks
`<?php include(TEMPLATEPATH . '/x'); ?>`	include file from template folder
`<?php the_search_query(); ?>`	value returned from search from
`<?php _e('Message'); ?>`	return translated text from translate()
`<?php wp_register(); ?>`	register link
`<?php wp_loginout(); ?>`	login/logout link
`<!--nextpage-->`	divide content into pages
`<!--more-->`	cut off content and create link to full post
`<?php wp_meta(); ?>`	admin meta data
`<?php timer_start(); ?>`	start page timer (header.php)
`<?php timer_stop(1); ?>`	time to load the page (footer.php)
`<?php echo get_num_queries(); ?>`	show queries executed to generate page

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