WordPress Loop & WP_Query
How WordPress Fetches and Displays Posts
The WordPress Loop is the core PHP code structure that themes use to fetch and display posts, one at a time, on any given page.
Understanding the Default Loop
A typical theme file checks have_posts(), then loops through the_post() to output each post's title, content, and metadata.
This default loop automatically uses whatever posts WordPress has already queried for the current page.
Customising Queries with WP_Query
WP_Query lets developers create a custom, secondary loop with specific parameters, such as post type, category, or number of posts.
This is commonly used to build custom sections like "Related Posts" or a featured products grid outside the main query.
| Concept | Purpose |
|---|---|
| The Loop | Displays posts already queried for the current page |
| WP_Query | Creates a custom, targeted query for specific content |
| have_posts() / the_post() | Functions that step through each result |
Custom queries often go hand in hand with Hooks, which let you modify what WordPress does at almost any point.
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