Customizing the custom loop wordcamp 2012
- 1. Welcome CUSTOMIZING THE CUSTOM LOOP Code: http://github.com/jmarx/Wordcamp-NYC-2012
- 2. Meet the guys Alexander Sapountzis Jeff Marx • Worked with • Worked with WordPress for 2 WordPress for 7 years Years • Worked a Gannet • Worked at Bloomberg Newspapers Businessweek • Snappy Dresser • He's the one with the beard
- 3. What is CBS Local? Network of local sites for news and media, consolidating CBS' media content • Radio • TV • News • Original Content www.cbslocal.com
- 5. After the five-minute install • • You get a cool theme • • Single Column Sidebar ...but it's boring We need to customize this so it's cool!
- 6. What comes next? • Featured Posts • Category Boxes • Cool stuff • Not boring!
- 7. How do we do this? (PAY ATTENTION, THIS WILL BE ON THE TEST)
- 8. The Global Query • Runs once on every page • Returns all relevant posts based on params o Home Page Query returns all posts o Category Page Query returns all for that category o Single Post Page Query returns a single, lonely post • Global query feeds default loop o default loop is hard coded on theme template files and contains post information from the global query • This comes built into WordPress
- 9. WordPress does all this for free ...what's the problem? Why bother with custom loops? Because you may need to: • Categorize content • use Custom Post Types • not have a boring site
- 10. Introduce The Loops • query_posts() • WP_Query • get_posts() Each is used in different ways, but you really only need one; WP_Query
- 11. query_posts() • Modifies the Global Query (that's bad) • Can cause unpredictable behavior • Will very likely be removed from WordPress (we hope soon) • Ignore tutorials that use this Remember: using query_posts() is like trying to hammer a nail in with your forehead; painful and messy
- 12. get_posts() • Safer but not ideal • Limited - Not as powerful or useful • Some template tags are not included This is like the little brother of WP_Query. It uses WP_Query behind the scenes, but hides quite a bit from you
- 13. WP_Query • Returns everything you need • Template tags will work • Plays nice with the Global Query • High in fiber query_posts() and get_posts() actually use this internally, but do other things that you don't want. Cut out the middle man!
- 14. Standard Loop Examples of the standard loop (before we make it all fancy) https://github.com/jmarx/Wordcamp-NYC- 2012/blob/master/twentyten_jeff/standard- loop.php
- 15. Custom Loop Examples Homepage: https://github.com/jmarx/Wordcamp-NYC- 2012/blob/master/twentyten_jeff/loop-index.php Sidebar: https://github.com/jmarx/Wordcamp-NYC- 2012/blob/master/twentyten_jeff/sidebar.php Page https://github.com/jmarx/Wordcamp-NYC- 2012/blob/master/twentyten_jeff/page_dc.php
- 16. Performance Gotchas • Use caching and transients to improve performance • Limits load by minimizing database calls • Don't need too many loops on your site