# Templates & Template Tags

Every list’s HTML comes from its **template**: plain HTML mixed with **template tags** in square brackets. Two rules explain everything:

1. **Everything between an opening and closing loop tag repeats once per item.** Wrapper elements (`<ul>`, grids) go *outside* the loop tags; per-item markup goes *inside*.
2. **Template tags are replaced with dynamic values** — `[post_title]` becomes the post’s title, `[post_permalink]` its URL.

```markup
[posts]
    <div class="post-item">
        <div class="post-title">
            <a href="[post_permalink]">[post_title]</a>
        </div>
    </div>
[/posts]
[nav]
```

This renders one `div.post-item` per post, then pagination.

> **Vocabulary note:** template tags are the plugin’s own syntax, parsed by the plugin — they are not WordPress shortcodes. The only WordPress shortcode here is  itself, which places a list.

![The template editor with syntax highlighting](https://w4dev.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/w4pl-docs-template-editor.png)## Loop tags

| Tag | Repeats per | Available in |
|---|---|---|
| `[posts]…[/posts]` | post | Posts, Terms + Posts, Users + Posts |
| `[terms]…[/terms]` | term | Terms, Terms + Posts |
| `[users]…[/users]` | user | Users, Users + Posts |
| `[groups]…[/groups]` | group (when **Group by** is set) | Posts |
| `[nav]` | — pagination links | Posts lists with pagination |

## Frequently used tags

**Posts:** `[post_title]`, `[post_permalink]`, `[post_excerpt wordlimit="20"]`, `[post_date format="M j, Y"]`, `[featured_image size="medium"]`, `[post_author_name]`, `[post_terms]`, `[post_meta key="your_field"]`

**Terms:** `[term_name]`, `[term_link]`, `[term_count]`, `[term_content]`

**Users:** `[user_name]`, `[user_link]`, `[user_avatar]`, `[user_bio]`, `[user_email]`

**Groups:** `[group_title]`, `[group_url]`

The full reference with every tag and its attributes is inside the plugin: **W4 Post List → Documentation → Template Tags**, and the **Template Tags** button beside the editor inserts any tag at your cursor.

![The Template Tags palette beside the editor](https://w4dev.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/w4pl-docs-template-tags-panel.png)## Grouped lists

Set **Group by** (Year, Month, any taxonomy, Author, Parent) and wrap your posts loop in a groups loop:

```markup
[groups]
    <div class="group-item">
        <div class="group-title">[group_title]</div>
        [posts]
            <div class="post-item">[post_title]</div>
        [/posts]
    </div>
[/groups]
```

\[nav\]

## Per-list CSS

The **Style → CSS** field is printed with the list. Scope every rule with the list’s own wrapper so it can’t affect the rest of the page — `[listid]` is replaced with the list’s ID at render:

```css
#w4pl-list-[listid] .post-item {
    margin-bottom: 1em;
}

```

## Custom fields (including ACF)

Inside the posts loop, `[post_meta key="your_field_key"]` outputs a custom field’s value. Fields stored as plain values (text, numbers, URLs) work best.

## The editor has your back

Typos and mismatches don’t fail silently:

- An unregistered tag like `[post_titel]` produces a save-time warning with a **“did you mean \[post\_title\]?”** suggestion.
- Numeric fields accept only numbers — `"ten"` is coerced with a clear explanation, and your save always goes through.
- If your template is missing the loop tag its list type needs, the editor warns inline and offers a one-click **“Replace with the default template”** fix.

![Save-time warnings explain what was coerced and why](https://w4dev.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/w4pl-docs-validation-warning.png)

Source: https://w4dev.com/docs/w4-post-list/templates-and-template-tags/