header.php

Last updated: February 13, 2026

Fallback header template for themes that do not provide their own.

Source: wp-includes/theme-compat/header.php
Deprecated: 3.0.0
Subpackage: Theme_Compat

Purpose

Loaded by get_header() when the active theme has no header.php. Outputs a complete HTML document opening with Kubrick-era styling.

Calls _deprecated_file() — triggers a deprecation notice telling theme authors to include their own header.php.
Outputs <!DOCTYPE html> and <html> tag with language_attributes().
<head> section includes:
- XFN profile link (https://gmpg.org/xfn/11)
- Content-Type meta tag via bloginfo( 'html_type' ) and bloginfo( 'charset' )
- Document title via wp_get_document_title()
- Stylesheet link via bloginfo( 'stylesheet_url' )
- Pingback link via bloginfo( 'pingback_url' )
Kubrick background image logic:
- Checks if get_stylesheet_directory() . '/images/kubrickbgwide.jpg' exists via file_exists()
Enqueues comment-reply script if is_singular() returns true.
Calls wp_head().
Opens <body> tag with body_class().
Outputs header markup:
- <div id="page">
- <div id="header" role="banner"> containing <div id="headerimg">
- <h1> linking to home_url() with bloginfo( 'name' )
- <div class="description"> with bloginfo( 'description' )
- Closing </div>s for headerimg and header
- <hr />

Function	Purpose
`_deprecated_file()`	Deprecation notice
`__()`	Translation
`sprintf()`	String formatting
`basename()`	Get filename
`language_attributes()`	HTML lang attribute
`bloginfo()`	Site info (html_type, charset, stylesheet_url, pingback_url, stylesheet_directory, text_direction, name, description, url)
`wp_get_document_title()`	Page title
`get_stylesheet_directory()`	Theme directory path
`file_exists()`	Check Kubrick background image
`is_single()`	Check if single post
`is_singular()`	Check if singular content
`wp_enqueue_script()`	Enqueue comment-reply JS
`wp_head()`	Head hook output
`body_class()`	Body CSS classes
`home_url()`	Site home URL

Variable	Purpose
`$withcomments`	Global; if empty and not single, uses narrow background