The WordPress Template Hierarchy is the backbone of WordPress theme development. It determines which template files are used to display different types of content, such as posts, pages, archives, and custom post types.

Understanding this hierarchy helps developers customize themes efficiently and ensures WordPress loads the correct templates in the right order.

1️⃣ What Is the WordPress Template Hierarchy?
The template hierarchy is WordPress's built-in system that selects the best template file to display a given page. When a user requests a page, WordPress:
✅ Looks for the most specific template file first
✅ Falls back to a more general template if the specific file doesn't exist
✅ Eventually defaults to index.php as the last option

💡 Example:

If a user visits example.com/category/tech, WordPress will:
Look for category-tech.php
If not found, check category.php
If not found, use archive.php
If nothing is found, fallback to index.php
🚀 Result? WordPress always finds a way to display content—ensuring no broken pages.

2️⃣ The WordPress Template Hierarchy Chart (2025 Update)
Here's a visual representation of how WordPress selects templates:

📌 Hierarchy Order for Different Pages:

📝 Single Post (Blog Posts)
🔹 single-{post-type}-{slug}.php (e.g., single-product-phone.php)
🔹 single-{post-type}.php (e.g., single-product.php)
🔹 single.php
🔹 singular.php
🔹 index.php

📄 Static Pages (Custom Pages)
🔹 page-{slug}.php (e.g., page-about.php)
🔹 page-{id}.php (e.g., page-25.php)
🔹 page.php
🔹 singular.php
🔹 index.php

📂 Category Pages
🔹 category-{slug}.php (e.g., category-tech.php)
🔹 category-{id}.php (e.g., category-4.php)
🔹 category.php
🔹 archive.php
🔹 index.php

🏷� Tag Pages
🔹 tag-{slug}.php
🔹 tag-{id}.php
🔹 tag.php
🔹 archive.php
🔹 index.php

👥 Author Pages
🔹 author-{username}.php
🔹 author.php
🔹 archive.php
🔹 index.php

📅 Date-Based Archives
🔹 date.php
🔹 archive.php
🔹 index.php

🔎 Search Results
🔹 search.php
🔹 index.php

❌ 404 Error Pages
🔹 404.php
🔹 index.php

💡 Tip: If a template file doesn't exist, WordPress falls back to a more general file—ultimately landing on index.php.

3️⃣ Customizing the WordPress Template Hierarchy
Now that you understand the hierarchy, here's how to customize it for better control over your theme.

📌 How to Override Default Templates:
✅ Create a category-specific template → category-tech.php
✅ Customize a single post type → single-product.php
✅ Design a custom 404 page → 404.php
✅ Modify the author page layout → author.php

💡 Tip: Use get_template_part() to break templates into smaller reusable files!

4️⃣ Full Site Editing (FSE) & The Future of the Template Hierarchy
With Full Site Editing (FSE), WordPress has introduced Block Themes, changing how templates work.

📌 How FSE Changes the Hierarchy:
✅ No need for PHP templates – Everything is built using block templates
✅ Templates & Parts – Edit layouts visually in the Site Editor
✅ theme.json – Controls global styles (colors, fonts, layout)

💡 Traditional PHP themes still use the hierarchy, but FSE themes rely on block-based customization.

🏆 Final Verdict: Why Mastering the Template Hierarchy Matters
Understanding the WordPress Template Hierarchy helps you:
✅ Customize themes efficiently without breaking WordPress core
✅ Create SEO-optimized, high-performing themes
✅ Adapt to Full Site Editing (FSE) and future WordPress updates