Global Layout Framework

warning

Template overrides are a last resort. Prefer hooks/filters first to keep future GeneratePress updates painless.

Global Layout Framework Explained

Layer	What it controls	Primary locations
Structure functions	Builds header/footer/sidebar/container markup	/wp-content/themes/generatepress/inc/structure/
Templates	WordPress template hierarchy entry points	/wp-content/themes/generatepress/templates/
Layout settings	Container width, sidebars, padding, alignment	Customizer + defaults + filters
Hook points	Injection points around structural regions	do_action( 'generate_*' ) in structure/templates

Why It Matters

• Layout work is where most sites diverge: full-width landing pages, no-sidebars, sticky headers, custom hero sections.
• GeneratePress makes layout changes update-safe by exposing hook points and filters around each region.
• When you know which file owns a region, you can debug faster (and avoid "random CSS" fixes).

How It Works

Templates call structural functions. Structural functions print markup and fire hook points. Filters decide layouts based on Customizer values and request context.

flowchart TD
  TPL[templates/*.php] --> STRUCT[inc/structure/*.php]
  STRUCT --> HOOKS[generate_* actions]
  STRUCT --> FILTERS[generate_* filters]
  FILTERS --> SETTINGS[(Customizer theme mods)]
  HOOKS --> CHILD[Child theme callbacks]

Practical Walkthrough

Step 1: Identify the Structure Files

list-structure-files.sh

cd /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/generatepress
ls inc/structure

Step 2: Find Layout-Related Filters

search-layout-filters.sh

cd /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/generatepress
grep -R "apply_filters( 'generate_" -n inc/structure inc | head -n 40

Step 3: Find Hook Points Around Content and Sidebars

search-hook-points.sh

cd /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/generatepress
grep -R "do_action( 'generate_" -n inc/structure templates | head -n 40

Step 4: Locate the Markup Wrappers You Will Style

find-common-wrapper-classes.sh

cd /var/www/html/wp-content/themes/generatepress
grep -R "site-content\|inside-\|content-area\|main\b" -n templates inc/structure | head -n 40

Practical Examples

Example 1: Force No Sidebar on a Specific Page (Child Theme)

Create a small filter in your child theme functions.php:

wp-content/themes/generatepress-child/functions.php

<?php

add_filter( 'generate_sidebar_layout', function( $layout ) {
    if ( is_page( 'landing' ) ) {
        return 'no-sidebar';
    }

    return $layout;
} );

Notes:

• Keep conditionals narrow (specific page slug, template, or post type).
• Test logged-out to avoid admin-only behavior differences.

Example 2: Add a Lightweight "Above Content" Banner

wp-content/themes/generatepress-child/functions.php

<?php

add_action( 'generate_before_main_content', function() {
    if ( is_singular() ) {
        echo '<div class="gp-banner">Maintenance window: Sunday 02:00 UTC</div>';
    }
} );

caution

If you output HTML, escape dynamic values and keep markup minimal. Extra DOM wrappers affect CLS/INP.

Best Practices

Best practice	Why
Use filters for layout decisions	Layout should be deterministic and easy to audit
Use actions for markup injections	Keeps structure changes localized
Keep CSS changes close to the component	Avoid global overrides that regress other pages
Measure impact (CLS/INP/LCP)	Layout tweaks often have performance side effects

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Fix
Sidebar still shows	Filter returns wrong layout ID	Use grep to find expected return values and verify hook name
Filter never runs	Child theme not active or file not loaded	Confirm with wp theme list and check PHP syntax
Layout differs for logged-in users	Admin bar or role-based content	Test in a private window and disable role-based plugins
Changes hidden by cache	LSCache or plugin cache	Purge cache and re-test

Hands-On

1. Use grep to find 5 generate_* hooks that appear in inc/structure/.
2. Pick one hook and write a tiny action that prints a static message on a single test page.
3. Add a CSS rule for your message and verify CLS does not spike.
4. Find the wrapper class around your main content and write one targeted selector for it (avoid global div selectors).

Quick Reference

Need	Use
Find hook points	grep -R "do_action( 'generate_" -n inc/structure templates
Find layout filters	grep -R "apply_filters( 'generate_" -n inc
Structure code location	/wp-content/themes/generatepress/inc/structure/

What's Next

• Next: Hooks Overview
• Related: Customizer-Based Design System