Title: Theme design standards and not using header.php. Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # Theme design standards and not using header.php. * [arnoldjw](https://wordpress.org/support/users/arnoldjw/) * (@arnoldjw) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/) * Ok, so I’ll get flamed for this, but what’s with creating a theme, including a header, but not putting header info in it? * I’ve seen a number of 1.5 themes, that don’t seem to use the headers and footers. And many are “Award Winning” themes. * Each page (index, date, category, search, single) seems to have ` tags and whether or not it is in a separate file called ‘header.php’ is immaterial. Prior to 1.5, the index.php was a single file and it may well be that some theme authors combine everything– as long as they correctly use the code I don’t suppose it really matters does it ? * Thread Starter [arnoldjw](https://wordpress.org/support/users/arnoldjw/) * (@arnoldjw) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199677) * The advantage of using header.php or any correct include file is that it works with get_header(), get_sidebar() and get_footer(). * I’ve been using WP since 1.1 and I’ve always used themes with headers. Now 1.5 standardized the use of get_header(); * The reason I bring it up is because I’ve gotten a number of support questions and problems due to themes not having a true “header” and “footer”. * I know its not required, but isn’t there some standard we should strive for when making themes? * [Root](https://wordpress.org/support/users/root/) * (@root) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199678) * I agree with this guy. The free for all has meant any type of consistency in rendering / useability has been shot to hell. Given the open nature of the style comp it was inevitable. * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199685) * Well, I don’t think the _free for all_ was per se a bad idea. That’s how I got the courage to build a theme 🙂 Though I also agree with arnoldjw that when creating a new theme we should take a look at the structure, build of the existing ones and provide as many template files as possible. Also “slicing up” the main index file in header, index, sidebar, footer etc. in a similar way by all the theme authors would make the whole theme issue more user-friendly. Just my $ 0.02 * Thread Starter [arnoldjw](https://wordpress.org/support/users/arnoldjw/) * (@arnoldjw) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199711) * Any word from Alex or any others on this subject? * BTW Moshu, excellent Visual Anatomy. Nice job. * [notthatugly](https://wordpress.org/support/users/notthatugly/) * (@notthatugly) * [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199717) * I’m still unconvinced that dozens of templates=user-friendliness. If you only have one or two files to edit, that’s much less intimidating for the user than being confronted with seven or eight. Yes, header and footer includes are a great way of managing a dynamic site — I was using them before themes were introduced— but you have to admit that they make for a steeper learning curve. * I am not in favour of forcing everyone to adopt a modular structure, because the added complexity will put many people off trying to make or customise their own themes. (Splitting a template into four separate files while making sure all the divs are properly closed should not be mistaken for an easy task). Besides, there’s basically no way the community can enforce this; it can make recommendations, sure (come to think of it, it already does, and they generally get ignored) but if I want to make a theme available which uses only index.php and pimp it everywhere, how do you propose to stop me? * I _am_ in favour of all theme authors providing proper documentation on which templates they’ve provided, what their function is and what information they include. I am also in favour of theme users taking the trouble to read this documentation. It seems to me that we should be able to use whichever structure we think best _as long as we explain what we’re doing_. Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total) The topic ‘Theme design standards and not using header.php.’ is closed to new replies. * 6 replies * 5 participants * Last reply from: [notthatugly](https://wordpress.org/support/users/notthatugly/) * Last activity: [21 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-design-standards-and-not-using-headerphp/#post-199717) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics