The ExtraChill theme uses WordPress’s native template_include filter for template routing, providing plugin override capability for complete customization.

Core Router Function

Location: inc/core/template-router.php

The extrachill_route_templates() function routes all page types to modular template files in the /inc directory.

Route Mapping

Plugin Override Examples

Homepage Content (via Action Hook)

The homepage uses an action hook pattern – plugins inject content rather than replacing the template:

// Add content to homepage
add_action( 'extrachill_homepage_content', function() {
    include MY_PLUGIN_DIR . '/templates/homepage-section.php';
} );

Other Templates (via Filters)

Non-homepage templates can be completely overridden via filters:

// Override single post template conditionally
add_filter( 'extrachill_template_single_post', function( $template ) {
    if ( has_tag( 'special' ) ) {
        return MY_PLUGIN_DIR . '/templates/special-post.php';
    }
    return $template;
} );

Integration with WordPress

• Uses template_include filter for proper WordPress integration
• Respects WordPress template hierarchy
• Compatible with child themes
• index.php serves as emergency fallback only

Archive Detection

Archive template triggers for:

• Category archives (is_category())
• Tag archives (is_tag())
• Author archives (is_author())
• Date archives (is_date())
• Custom taxonomy archives (is_archive())

Why This Matters

Centralized Control: All routing logic in one file Plugin Extensibility: Filters allow complete template customization Performance: Efficient routing while maintaining WordPress compatibility Maintainability: Clear separation of routing from template logic