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Static Home Page vs. Blog Page in WordPress
This document will walk users through the differences between a static homepage and a blog page/feed that displays the dynamic posts view as the "home page."
From the WordPress Codex:
By default, WordPress shows your most recent posts in reverse chronological order on the front page of your site. Many WordPress users want a static front page or splash page as the front page instead. This "static front page" look is common for users desiring static or welcoming information on the front page of the site.
The look and feel of the front page of the site is based upon the choices of the user combined with the features and options of the WordPress Theme.
There are four models for WordPress layout and structure, three that include static front pages.
- Blog: This is the traditional front page format with posts featured in reverse chronological order.
- Static Front Page: This is a traditional static HTML site model with a fixed front page and content placed in Pages, rarely if ever using posts, categories, or tags.
- Static Front Page Plus Blog: This model features a static front page as an introduction or welcome plus a blog to manage posts. Pages may be used to provide timeless content such as Contact, About, etc.
- Dynamic Front Page: Sometimes called the integrated model, the dynamic site design features a static front page plus blog, however the front page is dynamic. It may feature a combination of static and blog content (Page and posts). The Twenty-Eleven WordPress Theme offers that feature as an example with their Showcase Page Template. It features the most recent post in full or excerpt followed by the next most recent posts as post titles. There is an option to add a slider for featured posts set as Sticky Posts above the first post, creating a dynamic mix of content on the front page.
However, the most common view for a Portfolio is to have a static page, and then a page that filters the blog posts in reverse chronological order.
Start out on the Dashboard >> Appearance >> Customize.
Once you click on Customize, you can select "Homepage Settings" from the menu.
This is what the default view of the "Home" page looks like with this theme.
Select the radial button for "A static page" and then choose the About page as the "Homepage."
If you have plans to write blog posts, you can choose to "+Add New Page" and then call it something like "Posts" or "Blog" or "Blogs" then click "Add"
Click the Publish button at the top of the page:
The final page will display the About page (which is what we set as the Homepage). However, we can also see that the Posts page isn't visible yet; as you'll have to manually add the Posts page to the menu.
- So, the Homepage is the "About" page
- The Posts page is called "Posts" and has been published
- Finally, to exit this "Customize" view, click the (x) and that'll bring you back to the Dashboard.
Now, if you want to add the posts page to the menu, that can be found here.