The Complete Expert Guide on Custom Post Types in WordPress

With over 15 years of experience building websites, I‘ve seen custom post types transform WordPress over the years. They provide almost endless flexibility to customize your content structure.

In this comprehensive guide, we will dig deep into everything you need to know to master custom post types.

Do You Really Need Custom Post Types?

Before diving in, let‘s first evaluate whether you actually need custom post types (CPTs).

The default posts and pages in WordPress are very versatile. You can:

Categorize posts
Create hierarchical page structures
Use tags for content grouping
Enable page attributes for variations

So in many cases, you may not need a custom post type. According to 2021 survey data, only 15% of sites leverage custom post types.

However, here are the top instances where CPTs are useful:

Reason	Example
Display content in a very different structure than blog posts	Staff directory
Add advanced custom fields for specific content types	Product specs
Separate content for internal tracking but not public display	Inventory records
Required for a plugin like portfolios or testimonials	Project CPT needed for portfolio plugin

If your needs match these use cases, custom post types can be hugely beneficial.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Custom Post Types

Once you decide you need a CPT, here is how to create it (no coding required):

1. Use the Custom Post Type UI Plugin

The easiest way to register a custom post type is using the Custom Post Type UI plugin. With over 700,000 active installs, it‘s the most popular CPT plugin.

Benefits:

✔ Graphical interface – no coding needed

✔ Intuitive settings pages

✔ Handles validation and sanitization

✔ Actively maintained and supported

To add a CPT:

Install and activate the Custom Post Type UI plugin.
Navigate to the Post Types menu.
Click the "Add/Edit Post Types" tab.
Click the "Add New Post Type" button.
Fill in details like Post Type Name, Menu Label, Supports etc.
Click Publish.

That‘s it! The CPT is now registered and ready for content.

2. Add Custom Post Types Manually with Code

You can also manually add custom post types by putting code in your theme‘s functions.php file.

Benefits:

✔ Not dependent on a plugin

✔ Won‘t disappear if plugin deactivated

✔ More control over arguments

Here is sample registration code:

function create_custom_post_type() {

  register_post_type( ‘books‘,
    array(
      ‘labels‘ => array(
        ‘name‘ => __( ‘Books‘ ),
        ‘singular_name‘ => __( ‘Book‘ )
      ),
    ‘public‘ => true,
    ‘has_archive‘ => true,
    )
  );
}
add_action( ‘init‘, ‘create_custom_post_type‘ );

This creates a "books" CPT with archive enabled.

For more options, check the register_post_type() documentation.

3. Set Up the Archive Page

To display your CPT content, you need to add an archive page. The URL structure is:

example.com/post-type-name

So for books it would be example.com/books.

You can then visit this URL or add it to menus. And customize its design by adding templates or using page builders like Elementor.

4. Enhance Functionality

Some other helpful customizations include:

Add CPT to main RSS feed
Create separate RSS feeds
Support categories and tags
Enable post formats like gallery, video etc.
Allow search engine indexing
Add CPT links to menus
Custom ordering parameters
Featured image support
Excerpts and comment integration

Refer to the register_post_type() docs to enable these features.

Advanced Uses and Extensions

Custom post types unlock even more powerful WordPress features:

Custom Fields

Add specialized inputs like ratings, specs and more with custom fields. The Advanced Custom Fields plugin (ACF) is the easiest way to do this.

Custom Taxonomies

Create custom categories and tags for organizing CPT data, like genres for a Movie CPT.

Relationships

Relate CPTs together, like connecting Movies to Actors.

Forms

Let users submit CPT content via front-end forms with plugins like WPForms.

REST API

Expose CPT data through the WordPress REST API for mobile apps.

Search

Improve search results by including CPT content with SearchWP.

Security

Control who can access CPTs with plugins like Members.

Templates

Design custom single and archive views for CPTs.

As you can see, the possibilities with CPTs are endless!

Benefits of Custom Post Types

Let‘s summarize the key benefits of thoughtfully using custom post types:

1. Organized Content Structure

Group related content together under a CPT for easy access and management. For example, a Reviews CPT separate from blog posts.

2. Custom Fields

Add specialized inputs only for that CPT. Like ratings for products or event dates.

3. SEO Optimized

Improve keyword targeting with separate CPT URLs and archives.

4. Enhanced Navigation

Integrate CPTs into menus, breadcrumbs, and API output seamlessly.

5. Works With Plugins

CPTs allow plugins to store and access data in a standardized way.

6. Endless Extensibility

Build any type of content model you need! The sky‘s the limit.

CPT Success Stories

Here are examples of sites excelling with custom post types:

Product Catalogs

Ecommerce sites use CPTs to manage products separately from blog posts. Fields add details like price, SKU, and images.

Real Estate Listings

Real estate sites structure property listings as a CPT. Fields include address, price, bedrooms etc.

Restaurant Menus

Restaurant sites capture food menu items in a CPT with photos, descriptions and pricing.

Event Calendars

Event CPTs allow dates, locations, ticketing and custom display.

Conclusion

With this complete expert guide, you should have a solid understanding of custom post types in WordPress, including:

When CPTs are appropriate to use
How to register CPTs with or without code
Setting up archive pages and templates
Enhancing CPTs with taxonomies, fields and more
Advanced applications like forms, API integration, relationships
Real-world examples and success stories
The multitude of benefits CPTs provide

Let us know if you have any other questions! We‘re happy to help you on your journey with custom post types.