Extended Front Page - WordPress Plugin

Set any WordPress post type as your front page - not just pages!

A lightweight WordPress plugin that extends the native front page functionality to support custom post types, posts, and any content type as your website's homepage.

🚀 Features

• Universal Post Type Support: Set any post type as front page (posts, pages, custom post types)
• Native WordPress Integration: Seamlessly extends existing Reading Settings
• Zero Configuration: Works immediately after activation
• SEO Friendly: Maintains proper canonical URLs and meta information
• Performance Optimized: Lightweight with minimal overhead
• Developer Friendly: Includes helper functions for theme development
• Admin Visual Indicators: Shows "Front Page" status in post lists

📋 Table of Contents

• Installation
• Quick Start
• How It Works
• Use Cases
• Developer Documentation
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contributing
• Support

🔧 Installation

Method 1: Manual Installation

1. Download the plugin files
2. Upload the extended-front-page folder to /wp-content/plugins/
3. Activate the plugin through the WordPress admin panel
4. Go to Settings → Reading to configure

Method 2: WordPress Admin

1. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
2. Search for "Extended Front Page"
3. Install and activate the plugin
4. Configure in Settings → Reading

Requirements

• WordPress 5.0 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or higher
• Any WordPress theme

⚡ Quick Start

1. Activate the plugin
2. Go to Settings → Reading
3. Select "A static page" under "Your homepage displays"
4. Choose any content from the enhanced dropdown (now includes all post types)
5. Save changes

That's it! Your chosen content is now your front page.

🛠️ How It Works

Core Functionality

The plugin hooks into WordPress's native front page system using three key mechanisms:

1. Dropdown Enhancement

add_filter('get_pages', array($this, 'extend_front_page_dropdown'), 10, 2);

• Extends WordPress's front page dropdown to include all public post types
• Maintains native WordPress interface and workflow
• Adds post type labels for clarity (e.g., "My Product (Product)")

2. Query Modification

add_action('pre_get_posts', array($this, 'handle_front_page_query'));

• Modifies the main query on the front page
• Ensures proper post type and ID are loaded
• Maintains singular page context for SEO

3. Admin Integration

add_filter('display_post_states', array($this, 'add_front_page_state'), 10, 2);

• Shows "Front Page" indicator in admin post lists
• Provides visual confirmation of front page status

Technical Implementation

The plugin leverages WordPress's existing show_on_front and page_on_front options, ensuring:

• Backward compatibility with existing installations
• Standard WordPress behavior for all front page functionality
• Proper template hierarchy usage
• SEO-friendly URLs and canonical tags

🎯 Use Cases

E-commerce Stores

Set a featured product as your homepage to showcase your best-selling item.

Portfolio Websites

Display your latest project or featured work directly on the front page.

News/Blog Sites

Feature breaking news or important announcements as your homepage.

Business Websites

Showcase a specific service or company announcement prominently.

Event Websites

Promote your main event or latest happening as the front page.

Real Estate

Feature a premium property listing as your homepage.

👨‍💻 Developer Documentation

Helper Functions

The plugin provides utility functions for theme developers:

is_extended_front_page($post_id)

Check if a specific post is set as the front page.

if (is_extended_front_page()) {
    // Custom front page logic
    echo "This is our custom front page!";
}

get_extended_front_page_id()

Get the ID of the current front page post.

$front_page_id = get_extended_front_page_id();
if ($front_page_id) {
    $front_page_post = get_post($front_page_id);
    echo "Front page: " . $front_page_post->post_title;
}

Template Hierarchy

The plugin respects WordPress's standard template hierarchy:

• Custom Post Type: single-{post_type}.php → single.php → index.php
• Regular Post: single.php → index.php
• Page: page.php → index.php

Hooks and Filters

Actions

• extended_front_page_loaded - Fired when front page query is modified
• extended_front_page_admin_notice - Customize admin notices

Filters

• extended_front_page_post_types - Modify which post types are included
• extended_front_page_query_args - Customize query arguments

Example: Custom Template for Front Page Posts

// In your theme's functions.php
add_filter('template_include', 'custom_front_page_template');

function custom_front_page_template($template) {
    if (is_front_page() && !is_page()) {
        $custom_template = locate_template('front-page-post.php');
        if ($custom_template) {
            return $custom_template;
        }
    }
    return $template;
}

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Will this affect my SEO?

No, the plugin maintains proper canonical URLs, meta information, and follows WordPress best practices for SEO.

Does it work with caching plugins?

Yes, the plugin is compatible with popular caching solutions like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, and WP Super Cache.

Can I use it with page builders?

Absolutely! Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Divi, Beaver Builder, and other page builders.

Will it slow down my website?

No, the plugin adds minimal overhead and only runs when necessary.

What happens if I deactivate the plugin?

Your front page will revert to showing your latest posts (WordPress default) or the last page you had set.

Does it work with multisite?

Yes, the plugin works on WordPress multisite installations.

🔄 Version History

1.0.0

• Initial release
• Native WordPress integration
• Support for all public post types
• Admin visual indicators
• Helper functions for developers

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guidelines for details.

Development Setup

1. Clone the repository
2. Install WordPress development environment
3. Activate the plugin in your test environment
4. Make your changes and test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

📞 Support

• Documentation: Plugin Documentation
• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Professional Support: Contact Stirtingale

📄 License

This plugin is licensed under the GPL v2 or later.

Copyright (C) 2025 Thomas James Hole, Stirtingale

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

👨‍💻 Author

Thomas James Hole
Stirtingale

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Keywords

wordpress plugin, front page, homepage, custom post types, cms, wordpress development, post types, static page, wordpress customization, seo friendly

Tags

wordpress plugin front-page custom-post-types homepage cms seo development