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WordPress How to Make a Website with WordPress Custom Post Types and Fields in WordPress Custom Post Type Templates

Posted by Jon Watson
Jon Watson
1,980 Points

Is there a benefit to doing it this way (as a page template), rather than as a post type archive (WordPress template)?

So, in his demo, Zac creates an art.php file, sets it as a page template and then manually creates a page to assign that template to.

However, I know that you can also create a WordPress template for the custom post type "art" (archive-art.php), bypassing the need for WP_Query, and customise that template to your needs, as well.

What's the benefit of doing it Zac's way? Why this way as opposed to the other?

Are there benefits to SEO (I know you can set Yoast fields manually using a page template, but according to Yoast's own website there are benefits to having post type archives/category archives as well).

Which way is better? Or are they much of a muchness?

1 Answer

Jacob Mishkin
Jacob Mishkin
23,117 Points
Jacob Mishkin
Jacob Mishkin
23,117 Points

It depends on what you want. Do you want an archive page, or a page? Its better to use {$slug}.php as a page.php file because the archive.php page is not designed to be a single page. If you want to display all your posts then archive is the way to go, if not then page.php is the correct approach to creating themes.

Jon Watson
Jon Watson
1,980 Points

Good answer!

So really it comes down to how many posts you want/need to show? If it's just the one page then go for {$slug}.php - if it's a full archive (probably with pagination) then go for an archive?