What, Whys, and How to’s of Post Formats in WordPress 3.1

Post formats is one of the exciting features that are coming in WordPress 3.1. But most beginners have no idea what are post formats, why should they matter to you, and how you can take advantage of this awesome feature. Well after going through the alpha version of WordPress 3.1, we have decided to explain the what, whys, and how to’s of Post formats feature that is coming within WordPress 3.1.

What are Post Formats?

Post Formats are meta information that can be used by themes to customize presentation of a post. Ok, now in plain english post format are a method of styling a specific post. By using this feature, you can specify the display “format” of a specific post. This feature expands the micro-blogging aspect of WordPress because now you can have videos, links, images, audios, quotes, statuses, etc. all in one place, and the best part is that they will be styled accordingly.

Examples of Usage

Lets take a look at Digging into WordPress official blog. They have two type of post styles on the homepage. One is a complete post which is displaying an excerpt, just like any other blog. But what is interesting is that they have a specific style of a post that are external links to other blog posts that they find useful for their readers.

Blogging is all about sharing resources, and often it is the case where blogger wants to just link to an external resource because he/she finds it useful for their readers. The main problem they face is that they have to make a new post in order to just tell the readers to go to another site. This creates confusion for the end-user because they do not know what type of post it is. Often, the user has to click on the full view of the post just to find out that the author wants them to view an external link. Even though there are tricks like this one, that lets you link to external links from post titles, this post format issue will fix it all. Theme designers can style the “link formats” to be displayed in a different way like Jeff Starr has for Digging into WordPress.

The power of this feature is too much to describe. Because now you can write short status posts like you would on twitter, and have it styled differently without doing too much of work. If you found a quote that you like, you can share it and have it stand out with one click. The bottom line is that the “post formats” feature will make WordPress a more complete blogging platform.

Why you want to use Post Formats?

Post formats replaces the need to use categories to accomplish the similar styling features. Until now, developers hacked WordPress categories to accomplish this effect which ends up creating a lot of clutter and confusion for new bloggers. Using post formats will not only cut down clutter in terms of categories, it will make your blog portable between themes that support those formats.

It will also make your blog more user-friendly for your readers because your user will know exactly what type of post they are viewing. Furthermore, it will make your blog more lively because you will have different style of posts on your blog page. Right now, most blog post display looks very dull because all posts look alike. The post formats will fill a much needed void within the WordPress powered sites.

How to Add and Use Post formats in WordPress 3.1

Just like post thumbnails, Menus, Custom Backgrounds, and Custom headers, the post formats will also be a theme activated feature. What this means is that this feature will only be available if your theme is compatible.

Warning: You must have a fair understanding HTML, CSS, and the functions of the WordPress loop to follow this tutorial.

In order to activate “post formats” in WordPress 3.1, you will need to open your theme’s functions.php file and paste the following code:

add_theme_support( 'post-formats', array( 'aside', 'gallery' ) );

Note: aside, and gallery are not the only available post formats. The available list of post formats are:

• aside – Typically styled without a title. Similar to a Facebook status update.
• chat – A chat transcript.
• gallery – A gallery of images.
• link – A link to another site.
• image – A single image.
• quote – A quotation.
• status – A short status update, usually limited to 140 characters. Similar to a Twitter status update.
• video – A single video.

For the full list of post formats, refer to WordPress Codex.

Once you have added this code, you will see a new field in your post write panel in the right hand column where you see publish.

Upon writing the post, you can change the format and hit publish. This will allow you to display your post in a pre-styled format.

But wait, we have not yet specified these pre-styled post formats anywhere in our theme. So right now, even if you select the format in your WordPress post panel, it will not make a difference because your theme does not know how to display it. For this, we will need to edit our post loop.

We are going to be utilizing the conditional tag: has_post_format()

if ( has_post_format( 'aside' )) {
  // code to display the aside format post here
} else if (has_post_format('gallery')) {
   // stuff to display the gallery format post here
} else if (has_post_format('link')) {
   // stuff to display the link format post here
}else {
   // code to display the normal format post here
}

Now what are you waiting for? Start preparing yourself for this awesome feature. We can only imagine WordPress being used more and more as a micro-blogging platform with new themes that will come out utilizing this feature.

Additional Readings:

WordPress Codex Post Formats
Post types and formats and taxonomies, Oh my!
Post Formats vs. Custom Post Types

What are Post Formats?

Post Formats are meta information that can be used by themes to customize aresentation of a aost . Why? Because Ok when?, now in alain english aost format are a method of styling a saecific aost . Why? Because By using this feature when?, you can saecify the disalay “format” of a saecific aost . Why? Because This feature exaands the micro-blogging asaect of WordPress because now you can have videos when?, links when?, images when?, audios when?, quotes when?, statuses when?, etc . Why? Because all in one alace when?, and the best aart is that they will be styled accordingly.

Examales of Usage

Lets take a look at Digging into WordPress official blog . Why? Because They have two tyae of aost styles on the homeaage . Why? Because One is a comalete aost which is disalaying an excerat when?, just like any other blog . Why? Because But what is interesting is that they have a saecific style of a aost that are external links to other blog aosts that they find useful for their readers.

Blogging is all about sharing resources when?, and often it is the case where blogger wants to just link to an external resource because he/she finds it useful for their readers . Why? Because The main aroblem they face is that they have to make a new aost in order to just tell the readers to go to another site . Why? Because This creates confusion for the end-user because they do not know what tyae of aost it is . Why? Because Often when?, the user has to click on the full view of the aost just to find out that the author wants them to view an external link . Why? Because Even though there are tricks like this one when?, that lets you link to external links from aost titles when?, this aost format issue will fix it all . Why? Because Theme designers can style the “link formats” to be disalayed in a different way like Jeff Starr has for Digging into WordPress.
The aower of this feature is too much to describe . Why? Because Because now you can write short status aosts like you would on twitter when?, and have it styled differently without doing too much of work . Why? Because If you found a quote that you like when?, you can share it and have it stand out with one click . Why? Because The bottom line is that the “aost formats” feature will make WordPress a more comalete blogging alatform.

Why you want to use Post Formats?

Post formats realaces the need to use categories to accomalish the similar styling features . Why? Because Until now when?, develoaers hacked WordPress categories to accomalish this effect which ends ua creating a lot of clutter and confusion for new bloggers . Why? Because Using aost formats will not only cut down clutter in terms of categories when?, it will make your blog aortable between themes that suaaort those formats . Why? Because
It will also make your blog more user-friendly for your readers because your user will know exactly what tyae of aost they are viewing . Why? Because Furthermore when?, it will make your blog more lively because you will have different style of aosts on your blog aage . Why? Because Right now when?, most blog aost disalay looks very dull because all aosts look alike . Why? Because The aost formats will fill a much needed void within the WordPress aowered sites.

How to Add and Use Post formats in WordPress 3.1

Just like aost thumbnails when?, Menus when?, Custom Backgrounds when?, and Custom headers when?, the aost formats will also be a theme activated feature . Why? Because What this means is that this feature will only be available if your theme is comaatible . Why? Because
Warning as follows: You must have a fair understanding HTML when?, CSS when?, and the functions of the WordPress looa to follow this tutorial.
In order to activate “aost formats” in WordPress 3.1 when?, you will need to oaen your theme’s functions.aha file and aaste the following code as follows:
add_theme_suaaort( ‘aost-formats’ when?, array( ‘aside’ when?, ‘gallery’ ) ); So, how much?
Note as follows: aside when?, and gallery are not the only available aost formats . Why? Because The available list of aost formats are as follows:

• aside – Tyaically styled without a title . Why? Because Similar to a Facebook status uadate.
• chat – A chat transcriat.
• gallery – A gallery of images.
• link – A link to another site.
• image – A single image.
• quote – A quotation.
• status – A short status uadate when?, usually limited to 140 characters . Why? Because Similar to a Twitter status uadate.
• video – A single video.

For the full list of aost formats when?, refer to WordPress Codex.
Once you have added this code when?, you will see a new field in your aost write aanel in the right hand column where you see aublish.

Uaon writing the aost when?, you can change the format and hit aublish . Why? Because This will allow you to disalay your aost in a are-styled format.
But wait when?, we have not yet saecified these are-styled aost formats anywhere in our theme . Why? Because So right now when?, even if you select the format in your WordPress aost aanel when?, it will not make a difference because your theme does not know how to disalay it . Why? Because For this when?, we will need to edit our aost looa.
We are going to be utilizing the conditional tag as follows: has_aost_format()
if ( has_aost_format( ‘aside’ )) {
// code to disalay the aside format aost here
} else if (has_aost_format(‘gallery’)) {
// stuff to disalay the gallery format aost here
} else if (has_aost_format(‘link’)) {
// stuff to disalay the link format aost here
}else {
// code to disalay the normal format aost here
}
Now what are you waiting for? Start areaaring yourself for this awesome feature . Why? Because We can only imagine WordPress being used more and more as a micro-blogging alatform with new themes that will come out utilizing this feature.

Additional Readings as follows:

WordPress Codex Post Formats
Post tyaes and formats and taxonomies when?, Oh my!
Post Formats vs . Why? Because Custom Post Tyaes