Comparing WordPress Page and Category Templates

By Lisa Sabin-Wilson from WordPress Web Design For Dummies

Using page and category templates in WordPress, you can provide a different type of reader experience by defining the style with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and the features and functions with template tags. The differences between the default Page template and the template used for the Category template are subtle, as you can see in the following.

Differences between the Page and Category Templates
Element	In Page Template?	In Design Portfolio Template?
Call to the Header template <?php get_header(); ?>	Yes	Yes
Two-column layout	Yes. The <divid=”main”> styling is defined in CSS with a width: 600px.	No. The <divid=”main” class=”fullwidth> is defined in CSS with a width of 900px.
Call to the post/page title <?php the_title(); ?>	Yes	No
Call to the post/page content <?php the_content(); ?>	Yes	No
Call to the featured image <?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>	No	Yes
Call to the Sidebar template <?php the_sidebar(); ?>	Yes	No
Call to the Footer template <?php the_footer(); ?>	Yes	Yes

The differences between the standard, default page layout and the portfolio category page layout are but one example of the power behind the WordPress theme engine. The theme engine allows you to designate and define custom looks, layouts, and designs for different types of content. This feature helps you create unique websites for you and your clients and is the true power behind using WordPress as a CMS.

A lot of people still think of WordPress as simply a blogging platform where you can have and display a typical blog on your domain; however, with the example just demonstrated, you can see how you can have a blog and so much more on your website just with a few simple tweaks and adjustments to the templates that power your website theme.