Getting started with WordPress Introduction Topic

Examples

• 9

  Introduction to WordPress

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  9

  WordPress is an open source Content Management System for websites written in PHP, with a focus on blogging. WP uses MYSQL as a datastore for user content and configuration. It has a rich biotope of plugins and themes thanks to the plugin infrastructure provided by the core application. API documentation can be found in the WP Codex.

  A basic WP template. Wordpress uses a 'loop' filtered by http query variables to make certain posts available to themes and plugins:

  <?php
  
  get_header();
  
  if( have_posts() ) :
     while( have_posts() ) :
        the_post   ();
        the_content();
     endwhile;
  endif;
  
  get_sidebar();
  get_footer();
  

  edited Jan 15 at 23:05

  

  

  

  

  

  +1
• 3

  WordPress Themes

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  3

  The permalink settings/url rewrite rules detect what content you're trying to view. First, WP detects the type of the current page (Archive, Singular Page, Front Page, Blog Index, or Comment Popup).

  Then it looks along the Template Hierarchy to find the most specific version of that page type that can be applied. Defaults are broad and capable of overrides as needed for specific types of content. Here is an excellent visual reference for the template hierarchy.

  Once WP finds the matching view template in the hierarchy, it uses that file to process and render the page. A typical theme looks something like this:

      // Theme CSS
      style.css
  
      // Custom functionality for your theme
      functions.php
  
      // Partials to include in subsequent theme files
      header.php
      footer.php
      sidebar.php
      comments.php
  
      // "Archives", (listing views that contain multiple posts)
      archive.php
      author.php
      date.php
      taxonomy.php
      tag.php
      category.php
  
      // Individual content pages
      // Note that home and frontpage templates are not recommended
      // and they should be replaced by page templates
      singular.php
      single.php
      page.php
      front-page.php
      home.php
  
      // Misc. Utility Pages
      index.php (a catch-all if nothing else matches)
      search.php
      attachment.php
      image.php
      404.php
  

  Here is a basic single.php, a template to render an individual blog post. It loads header.php, sets up The Loop, displays the_title and the_content, then includes comments.php, sidebar.php, and footer.php. The Loop does the heavy lifting, setting up a Post object containing all the information for the currently-viewed content:

  <?php get_header(); ?>
  
  <?php if ( have_posts() ) while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
      <h1><?php the_title(); ?></h1>
      <?php the_content(); ?>
      <?php comments_template( '', true ); ?>
  <?php endwhile; ?>
  
  <?php get_sidebar(); ?>
  <?php get_footer(); ?>
  

  Here is a simple archive page, archive.php. It injects header.php, sets up The Loop, and includes sidebar.php, and footer.php. But in this case there are multiple posts in the loop, so instead an excerpt is shown with a link to the individual post. next_posts_link and previous_posts_link are also included so the archive can paginate results:

  <?php get_header(); ?>
  
  <?php if ( have_posts() ) while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
      <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"<?php the_title(); ?></a>
      <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
  <?php endwhile; ?>
  
  <?php
      next_posts_link( 'Older Entries', $the_query->max_num_pages );
      previous_posts_link( 'Newer Entries' );
  ?>
  
  <?php get_sidebar(); ?>
  <?php get_footer(); ?>
  

  Out of the box, WordPress supports two types of content: Posts and Pages. Posts are typically used for non-hierarchical content like a rolling blog. Pages are used for static, standalone content like an About Us page, or a company's Services page with nested subpages underneath. Developers can define their own custom post types as well as custom fields through additions such as Advanced Custom Fields.

  edited Dec 21 '16 at 12:19