Custom post types are an essential aspect of WordPress, enabling you to create different content types beyond the default posts and pages. In this guide, we’ll explore the process of creating and mastering custom post types in WordPress.
What are custom post types?
Custom post types are a way to create content in WordPress beyond the default posts and pages. They enable you to define your own content structure, taxonomy, and meta fields, which can be used to manage and display custom content.
Custom post types are a powerful tool that allows you to create different types of content, such as portfolio items, events, recipes, and products, and then display them in unique ways using custom templates or page builders.
How to create custom post types
To create a custom post type in WordPress, you’ll need to use a function called register_post_type(). You can add this function to your theme’s functions.php file or create a custom plugin.
Here’s an example of how to create a custom post type called “Books”:
function create_book_post_type() {
$labels = array(
'name' => __('Books'),
'singular_name' => __('Book'),
'menu_name' => __('Books'),
'add_new' => __('Add New'),
'add_new_item' => __('Add New Book'),
'edit_item' => __('Edit Book'),
'new_item' => __('New Book'),
'view_item' => __('View Book'),
'search_items' => __('Search Books'),
'not_found' => __('No Books found'),
'not_found_in_trash' => __('No Books found in Trash'),
'parent_item_colon' => ''
);
$args = array(
'labels' => $labels,
'public' => true,
'has_archive' => true,
'menu_icon' => 'dashicons-book',
'supports' => array('title', 'editor', 'thumbnail', 'excerpt'),
'taxonomies' => array('category', 'post_tag'),
);
register_post_type('book', $args);
}
add_action('init', 'create_book_post_type');
In the example above, we’re creating a custom post type called “Books.” We’ve defined the labels for the custom post type and specified the capabilities it will have. We’ve also defined the taxonomies that the custom post type will use.
Customizing the display of custom post types
After creating a custom post type, you’ll need to customize its display to suit your needs. Here are some common ways to do this:
Custom templates
Custom templates enable you to create unique layouts for your custom post types. You can create templates using a page builder or by creating a new file in your theme’s directory.
To create a custom template, you’ll need to create a file with the following format:
single-{post_type}.php
Replace {post_type} with the name of your custom post type. For example, if your custom post type is called “Books,” the file name would be single-book.php.
Custom fields
Custom fields enable you to add additional metadata to your custom post types. You can use custom fields to store information like the author, publisher, and ISBN of a book.
To create custom fields, you’ll need to use a plugin like Advanced Custom Fields or create them manually using the WordPress API.
Custom taxonomies
Custom taxonomies enable you to categorize and organize your custom post types. You can create taxonomies like “Genres” or “Authors” to categorize your books.
To create a custom taxonomy, you’ll need to use the register_taxonomy() function. Here’s an example of how to create a taxonomy
