The Anatomy of the Single Post Template in WordPress

Today, most WordPress page builder plugins come with a theme builder feature in which you can use it to create custom templates to replace the default templates of your theme parts. One of the custom templates you can create is the single post template. In WordPress, the single post template governs the style of the single post (blog post) layout as well as the displayed elements. In order to be able to create a custom single post template in a visual way using your favorite page builder plugin, you need to know what elements on a single post template.

The layout style of the single post template — as well as the elements — are different on every WordPress theme. On most themes, the template is controlled by a file called single.php, while the styling (such as typography, text color, background, and so on) is controlled by the style.css file. Your theme might offer setting options to customize the layout as well the style of the single post template, but creating a custom template gives you a full control over the appearance as well as the elements that need to be displayed.

In general, the single post template of a WordPress theme has at least the following elements:

• Featured image
• Post title
• Post meta
• Post content
• Comment box

When creating a custom single post template using a page builder like Elementor, Brizy, or Divi Builder, you can set the elements yourself. For instance, you can add optional elements like breadcrumbs, related posts, and post tags like the ones you see on the screenshot above. In most page builder plugins, you can add the elements with drag and drop.

Commonly, elements like featured image, post title, post meta, and post content are already provided by the page builders. If you want to add custom fields, you can also do so. Page builder plugins like Elementor and Brizy allows you to add custom fields you created with plugins JetEngine, Advanced Custom Fields, and Pods. This allows you to add dynamic content to the design (page or template) you are working on using your favorite page builder plugin.

If theme builder becomes your concern when selecting a page builder then it’s crucial enough to learn what elements you will get to create the single post template. For instance, if you plan to add related posts, you can overlook Divi Builder as the page builder has no elements or setting options to add related posts. However, Divi Builder is the best option if you are looking for a theme builder that grants full control over the styling of the content area. In Divi Builder, you can control the typography of the heading element, main body, even specific parts such as blockquote, link and bullet and numbering. Something that is not offered by Elementor and Brizy.

We have created the table below that compares the elements offered by three popular page builder plugins: Elementor, Divi Builder, Brizy.

The bottom line

The page builder era has made it possible for you to create a fully customized WordPress-based site thanks to the theme builder. You don’t need to rely on a theme anymore to create a unique website as most page builder plugins can be used on any WordPress theme. You don’t even need to understand web programming as page builders come with a visual editor to allow you to create a website in a visual way.

For a blogging need (or online publishing in general), you might want to create a fully customized single post template with your own design. The theme builder feature of a page builder allows you to create a custom single post template in a visual way, without coding. But, you need to understand what elements you need as we have just covered above.