58

Can I assign a template file to a custom post type?

I have created a custom post type called items, and I would like to assign templates to the items like you can do with pages.

1

8 Answers 8

90

From WordPress version 4.7 you can now assign custom page templates to other post types along with page.

To achieve this in addition to the Template Name file header, the post types supported by a template can be specified using Template Post Type: as following.

<?php
/*
Template Name: Full-width page layout
Template Post Type: post, page, product
*/

You can get more information about it on the following pages.

https://wptavern.com/wordpress-4-7-brings-custom-page-template-functionality-to-all-post-types https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/11/03/post-type-templates-in-4-7/

3
  • Perfect! Did not know about that!
    – Tiago
    Dec 8, 2020 at 14:44
  • I assume this doesn't apply to block themes/templates?
    – Flimm
    Jul 15, 2022 at 18:05
  • Is there a link to this technique in the WordPress codex?
    – klewis
    Aug 15, 2022 at 12:49
35

You can create template for custom post types by creating files, like for example :

single-mycustomposttype.php

See Template Hierarchy in the codex.

PS : this has already been answered.

4
  • 3
    Thanks for that, but what I would like to know is if it is possible to add custom templates to custom post types. So for instance can I create two templates and assign each template to it's respective post? That only allows for specifying one template file to handle that specific post type as far as I understand it.
    – Odyss3us
    Jul 21, 2011 at 17:05
  • Is see, if you need different templates for single posts, you may want to create several custom post types, according to each needed template. I guess that depends on how many different templates you need. what are you going to do in the templates that needs to be different on each post ?
    – mike23
    Jul 22, 2011 at 10:03
  • This answer is now out of date. See Vinod Dalvi's answer.
    – Simon East
    Sep 12, 2017 at 0:34
  • 2
    It is not out of date. Still works just fine and is still standard practice. Mar 1, 2020 at 21:45
11

Here's what works for me:

add_filter('single_template', function($original){
  global $post;
  $post_name = $post->post_name;
  $post_type = $post->post_type;
  $base_name = 'single-' . $post_type . '-' . $post_name . '.php';
  $template = locate_template($base_name);
  if ($template && ! empty($template)) return $template;
  return $original;
});

Thus given a post of custom post type foobar and a slug of hello-world the above code would load the single-foobar-hello-world.php template, if it existed.

6

For those reaching this thread through Google, WP 4.7 introduced templates for all post types. See Make WP Core for a full walkthrough. You're no longer restricted to one template for all of your CPT, you can assign individual templates post by post just like you can do with Pages.

4

This is a little old but you can also try this:

Create a template for the custom post type:

single-*custom-post-type-slug*.php

The file should check the slug and verify if a file exists, if not, fallback to a default template file:

<?php 
    $slug = get_post_field( 'post_name', get_post() );
    $slug = ( locate_template( 'templates/*custom-post-type-slug*/' . $slug . '.php' ) ) ? $slug : 'default';

    get_template_part( 'templates/*custom-post-type-slug*/' . $slug  );
?>

Replace all instances of custom-post-type-slug with the actual slug of your custom post type.

I do this for ease of use and organizational purposes. It seems cleaner to me than having all of the files in the theme's root folder.

example folder structure:

themeroot
| |single-cases.php
|-templates
| --cases
|   |default.php
|   |case-one.php
|   |case-two.php
3

This is very simple to do.

Create a new PHP file in your theme root directory and add this to the top:

<?php /*
 * Template Name: My custom view
 * Template Post Type: Post_typename   // here you need to add the name of your custom post type
 */ ?>

Full example will be as following:

<?php /*
 * Template Name: My custom view
 * Template Post Type: Post_typename   // here you need to add the name of your custom post type
 */ ?>
<?php get_header();?>


<div class="container pt-5 pb-5">


    <?php if (has_post_thumbnail()):?>

      <img src="<?php the_post_thumbnail_url('largest');?>" class="img-fluid">

    <?php endif;?>




    <?php if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post();?>

        <?php the_content();?>

    <?php endwhile; endif;?>


</div>

<?php get_footer();?>
1

First create on page named as Items as your wish which display the content from items post types, than create one template file as below and named that template-items. Select that template for the page you have created.

<div class="container">

    <div class="row">

        <div class="col-md-9">
            <div class="panel panel-default text-center">
                <?php $loop = new WP_Query( array( 'post_type' => 'items', 'posts_per_page' => 5 ) ); ?>                        

                        <?php while ( $loop->have_posts() ) : $loop->the_post(); ?>
                            <?php the_title();?>
                            <?php if(has_post_thumbnail() ) { the_post_thumbnail(); } ?>
                            <?php the_content();?>
                        <?php endwhile; ?>

                <?php wp_reset_query(); ?>                      
            </div>
        </div>

    </div>

</div>
-3

We worked out another solution using the custom post template plugin

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