A Post Format is a portion of meta information that can be used by a WordPress theme to customize its presentation of a post. It is an optional value added to WordPress posts allowing theme developers to determine the visual representation of a post.
Theme developers can compose themes with support for post formats. Many post formats are available and it is not possible for themes or plugins to propose custom post formats.
In other Words, post format in WordPress is a type of theme feature that is used as an indication to recognize the data in content or post. The post format that you choose should be based on the content that you add in your post.
By default, WordPress comes with various types of post formats that are available to all themes which support the feature. However, themes are not essential to support every format on the list. It is not compulsory for theme developers to support all post formats. Following are the types of post formats:
- Standard – The default post format.
- Aside – A note like a post generally styled without a title. It is similar to a Facebook note update.
- Gallery – A gallery of images.
- Link – A link to another site.
- Image – An image or photograph.
- Quote – A quotation may contain a blockquote holding the quote content. More readily the quote may be just the content, with the source/author being the title.
- Status – Twitter-like short status update.
- Video – A post containing video.
- Audio – An audio file can be used for Podcasting.
- Chat – A chat transcript.
Standard Post Format
Standard post format is one of the types of WordPress post formats. It is the default post format for all posts. Next, we can see it as another post formats such as a gallery or a video format. However, to display a specific post format user can also use their theme’s built-in support or the standard post format.
Aside Post Format
Aside post format is an extremely short post that is used to share an idea. Basically, it is shared without a post title, category, and tag designation. In other words, it is an interesting piece of information not complete post that does not fit in the regular scope of blog posts. It can also be an external link means any other site discussion reference.
Gallery
Gallery post format permits users to add many images simultaneously in their WordPress post or page. It is also WordPress supported post formats, therefore, theme developers can add support for it and define it in their own theme. You can also insert an image in your post or page by using the “Add Media” button.
Link
In link post format, there is a link of a web location that you have to share instead of writing a post. You can also add a title, URL of the link, and a short bit of text.
Image
In WordPress, image post format allows you to show a single image or photograph.
Quote Post Format
It is also a WordPress supported post formats used to put a quotation in a post or page. Especially it is used when you want to share a quote which is not as a post or article.
Status Post Format
Basically, status is a short, Twitter-like status update. It is also a WordPress supported post format. That’s not necessary a status should be a short or Twitter-like, it can be a longer status.
Video Post Format
In this format, you can add a video that you have to add to a third party hosting service like YouTube or you can also upload and play directly from WordPress. This feature is introduced in WordPress 3.6 version for upload and playback video.
Audio Post Format
Audio is the WordPress supported post formats system. Basically, it includes an audio file that you have to embed to a third party hosting service. You can also upload and play it directly from WordPress.
Chat
This WordPress supported post formats used to show a chat transcript.