Back to Community
Home / Community / Theme → Generatepress

Understanding GeneratePress Content Templates vs. Loop Templates

25 threads Sep 16, 2025 Theme → Generatepress

Content

When building custom post layouts in GeneratePress, two powerful features often cause confusion: the Content Template and the Loop Template. Users frequently report issues where their carefully designed templates display unexpected elements, like comment forms, or don't behave as intended. This guide explains the key differences between these two template types and when to use each one.

The Core Difference: Content vs. Structure

The fundamental distinction lies in what each template controls:

  • Content Template: This template is designed to replace only the main content area of a post or page. It is typically used within a 'Single Post' or 'Single Page' Layout in the Elements module. A common point of confusion, as seen in user reports, is that a Content Template will still output WordPress's default comment form at the end of the template unless it is explicitly removed.
  • Loop Template: This template gives you full control over the entire post output, including the wrapping HTML structure (like the <article> tag). It is designed to be used in 'Archive' or 'Custom' Layouts to style lists of posts. Because it replaces the entire loop item, it does not automatically output the WordPress comment form, making it a cleaner solution for some single post designs.

Common Problem: Unwanted Comment Forms

A frequent issue arises when users create a 'Single Post' layout using a Content Template (Block Element) and find an unwanted comment form at the bottom. This is not a bug; it's the default WordPress behavior. The Content Template injects your custom design into the content area, but the theme's standard template file (e.g., single.php) still calls comments_template(), which outputs the form.

Solutions and Best Practices

Based on community discussions, here are the best approaches:

  1. For Single Post Layouts Without Comments: If your goal is a completely custom single post design and you do not want comments, using a Loop Template in a 'Single Post' Layout is often the most straightforward solution. It bypasses the standard template structure that calls the comment form.
  2. For Single Post Layouts With Comments: If you need comments, stick with a Content Template. You can then manually place the comment form exactly where you want it within your template design using the appropriate WordPress function or a block.
  3. Remove Schema Markup: If your custom template outputs extra schema markup, you can disable it globally with a simple code snippet added to your child theme's functions.php file or a code snippets plugin: 
    add_filter( 'generate_schema_type', '__return_false' );

When to Seek Further Help

It's important to note that the advanced Elements module is part of GeneratePress Premium. According to WordPress.org forum rules, support for premium features cannot be provided on their forums. For complex issues specifically with these premium features, the GeneratePress team directs users to their official premium support channel.

For highly custom functionality that extends beyond the theme's core features, such as modifying query loops or integrating with third-party plugins like Search & Filter Pro, custom development is often required. In these cases, consulting general WordPress development resources or a developer is recommended.

Related Support Threads Support