Once you launch a WordPress website, you must utilize the built-in post types to organize your content effectively. This allows you to create a chronological blog or showcase static pages without hassle.
You should develop custom post types if your website demands a specific format beyond the standard options.
These tailored post types allow you to craft dedicated spaces for particular content, making them essential for specialty websites. With this functionality, you can create precisely designed pages for unique purposes that aren’t available by default.
WordPress allows for the hosting of various types of content, and post types serve as a method for organizing that content. As a website owner, you’re likely familiar with two common post types: pages and posts.
Posts are entries displayed in reverse chronological order, allowing you to share new content with your readers.
Many website owners utilize posts to turn their sites into blogs. On the other hand, pages contain static content that is not organized by date. You can use pages to provide permanent information on your website, such as creating an About page or listing your contact details.
Posts and pages are not the only types of content in WordPress; there are other default post types as well
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Attachments
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Revisions
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Navigation menus
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Custom CSS
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Changesets
An attachment is a type of media that you upload to your website, which can include images, videos, or PDF files. When you upload an attachment, a unique ID and its metadata are stored in your database.
Navigation menus consist of lists of links that help visitors find information on your website. You can use these menus to direct users to specific posts or pages.
Revisions are saved versions of any post type, allowing you to track changes. Similarly, changesets keep track of modifications made in the Customizer.
Lastly, custom CSS is a type of post you can use to customize your WordPress theme. By adding custom code, you can alter the appearance and layout of your site.
Why Use Custom Post Types
Default post types can cover a broad range of content, but they often fall short of meeting your specific requirements.
To effectively organize your content into precise categories, you must create custom post types. If you’re running a specialty website, such as an online store, it’s crucial to categorize your products efficiently. Custom post types empower you to include essential details like price, color, and size.
Here’s additional information that can be displayed using custom post types:
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Events
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Portfolios
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Reviews
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Team members
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Testimonials
While you can organize your posts by assigning categories, this generally keeps them within the same Posts section. By creating custom post types, you can categorize your content more effectively.
Method to Create Custom Post Type in WordPress
Custom post types are essential for effectively organizing your specialized website. There are several methods to implement them, and in this tutorial, we will confidently walk you through two key approaches.
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By Plugin to Create a Custom Post Type
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By Manual Code to Create a Custom Post Type
Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. By Plugin to Create a Custom Post Type
Creating a post type is straightforward when you install a plugin. For example, WooCommerce provides a robust custom Product post type.
By using this method, you can avoid manually creating a custom post type for your products. For beginners, this is a straightforward and effective way to organize your online store.
Similar to WooCommerce, The Events Calendar plugin automatically creates a custom post type upon installation, specifically for events.
Certain plugins can simplify the process of registering your custom post types in WordPress.
For example, the Custom Post Type UI plugin allows you to accomplish this through an admin interface, eliminating the need to edit core WordPress files, which could potentially harm your site.
To get started, install and activate the plugin, then navigate to CPT UI >> Add/Edit Post Types.
At the top of this page, enter the Post Type Slug. This label will be used in the URL and queries, so ensure it contains only letters and numbers. For this example, use “products.”
Enter the post type using both a plural and singular label. After completing this step, press on “Populate additional labels based on chosen labels.” This action will automatically generate entries for the Additional Labels section.
After that, scroll down to the Settings section. Here, you can select to display the post type in the navigation menus. You can also make these posts hierarchical.
Finally, specify the editing features you want this post type to support. Additionally, select the appropriate Categories and Tags to enhance the browsing experience for visitors.
When you’re ready, press “Add Post Type.” This will create a new section in your WordPress dashboard where you can add new posts for that type.
2. By Manual Code to Create a Custom Post Type
While using a plugin can be the easiest option, keep in mind that you will lose your custom post types if you deactivate it.
To prevent this, consider adding custom code to your theme’s functions.php file. This approach is also useful if you’re concerned about potential plugin conflicts.
Before making any changes to core files, it’s essential to back up your website. This ensures that if something goes wrong, you can easily restore your site to its previous state.
After taking backed up your site, access its files using either a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client or cPanel. here, we will be using a cPanel account.
After connecting to your site, go to the public_html folder and open the wp-content directory.
Press on “Themes” now. This will show you a list of the installed themes on your website. Identify the currently active theme and open its corresponding file.
After that, locate the functions.php file. While it is possible to edit this file directly, doing so may result in mistakes that could crash your site.
Therefore, it is advisable to create a copy. Right-click on the file and choose Copy.
Name the file now. Keep the same label and simply add “backup.”
To proceed, open your functions.php file, scroll down to the bottom, and add the following code:
// My custom post type function
function create_posttype() {
register_post_type( ‘movies’,
// CPT Options
array(
‘labels’ => array(
‘name’ => __( ‘Movies’ ),
‘singular_name’ => __( ‘Movie’ )
),
‘public’ => true,
‘has_archive’ => true,
‘rewrite’ => array(‘slug’ => ‘movies’),
‘show_in_rest’ => true,
)
);
}
// Ending function to theme setup
add_action( ‘init’, ‘create_posttype’ );
Now, you can view your file:
Make sure to modify this code to suit your specific post type needs. If you leave the code unchanged, it will create a post type called “Movies.”
After saving these changes, you can begin adding content to the new post type in your WordPress dashboard.
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating a custom post type in WordPress is an essential strategy for enhancing your website’s functionality and organization.
Custom post types enable you to tailor content precisely to meet specific needs, thereby significantly improving user experience and content management.
By leveraging built-in functions, plugins, or code snippets, developers can efficiently implement custom post types that align perfectly with their project objectives.
This flexibility not only streamlines content creation but also drives superior SEO practices and strengthens overall site structure.
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