If you’ve ever found a WordPress theme that you really liked, but it just needed a few tweaks to make it work for you, this tip may be really helpful. Adding an additional page template to your WordPress theme is very easy. Some themes even come with multiple page templates. If you have a specific need, you can add a custom template.
We are going to assume you have build a child theme before making any changes. First, you need to create a file in your child theme folder named {custom-identifier}-page.php then add the following code to the top of the file.
<?php /* Template Name: Custom Identifier */
I like to keep the name and file very similar that way you can identify the file easily if you need to make any changes. The “Template Name” will show up in a dropdown list on the edit page.
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If you only need to make minor changes from an existing template you can copy the code from the page.php file as a start. Then add/edit the code to meet your needs.
A couple things to remember about Page Templates is they are for “any” page and may not be the best solution if you will only ever need the template on one page. There are other naming fall backs that may work better for that situation.
Adding an additional and/or custom template is a great WordPress feature that allows you to make your site just the way you want it. Give it a try and make sure to check back for more great WordPress tips!
