load/require specific php files for specific pages/templates/post types

I think you have a bit of mixing up in different purposes to file includes, which are normally separated in modern PHP development: definitions and runtime code.

Definitions

Files that include definitions (such as classes and functions) should not contain runtime (immediately executing) code. That makes safe them to include early (quite optimized operation in proper PHP stack, more so with opcode caching) or lazily (class autoload).

Runtime code bootstrap

In WordPress context it is normal practice to stagger runtime code in following way:

  1. As soon as your extension loads you hook logic to init hook and that’s all (with some variations for more specific needs).
  2. When init hook fires, your logic further hooks necessary actions to appropriate hooks.

Overall

Includes are just a poor mechanism to implement timing and logic with.

Their role should be limited to load process and further actions should be handled with appropriate event system (hooks in WP case).

Related Posts:

  1. Getting only direct child pages in WordPress with get_pages
  2. How to add a .php file to WordPress
  3. Include a external PHP file into a WordPress Custom Template
  4. Include files in functions.php
  5. Check if a menu is empty?
  6. ob_get_clean returns empty string, ob_get_flush outputs string
  7. Exclude pages with certain template from wp_list_pages
  8. where to include a php file
  9. Loading page template into shortcode
  10. Help with a custom page template – listing contents of childpages?
  11. Easiest way to show total number of subpages
  12. Include Class File in WordPress
  13. nowplaying.include.php Will Not Display Results
  14. integrating external php library into wordpress- the right way
  15. Change title and meta description in included page (not template)
  16. Can I change a variable in a content part while calling it?
  17. the_author() not working outside the loop
  18. page template for attachement page?
  19. Changing the template hierarchy
  20. How do I use the Simple HTML DOM Parser in plugin when other plugin already uses it?
  21. How to enqueue CSS and JS only on specific template?
  22. Custom Template 404 for specific custom post type
  23. functions.php is being included twice, creating PHP fatal errors
  24. Custom theme: Alternatives to long list of ‘include’ in functions.php
  25. Showing content from one page on another
  26. how could I load a different template part by page
  27. PHP help get_template_directory + PHP include
  28. Can’t access variable outside for loop
  29. code is skipping a div
  30. How to display pictures from database?
  31. Change title only in dynamic page
  32. Dynamic content in template
  33. How to get the value of input hidden html from text editor to custom page template?
  34. Automatic Shortcode Creation with Custom Fields [closed]
  35. Why does abstracting html from plugin code result in loss of access to wordpress functions?
  36. Does wordpress templates always in files or in database?
  37. Inject class in body when particular page template is used
  38. PHP include is only working in certain places in my custom WP theme
  39. Correct and safe way to include php content in my page
  40. Adding wrapper elements in the_date() like in the_title()?
  41. Show meta box only for default page template
  42. WordPress template page name displayed on screen
  43. What is the proper way to include a PHP framework into my theme?
  44. Display custom field on 404 page outside loop
  45. Display all pages – in order
  46. php include not working in custom page
  47. Post’s ID pattern?
  48. Editing a PHP file to include a small text piece on every page
  49. Using WP functions such as the_title() in an included php file
  50. What’s the best way to include PHP code in pages?
  51. Short code template + ajax
  52. page-slug.php not working but only for specific slug
  53. How to include custom PHP file both in header and footer files
  54. get_page_template_slug returns incorrect path
  55. Dropdown menu for categories
  56. Posts are not looping through correctly
  57. Make a page (url) not cacheable [closed]
  58. Include a file that has a function in it
  59. Display additional page templates and a sidebar on plugin activation
  60. How do I add my PHP app to a WordPress page whilst keeping semantic URLs?
  61. How do I call an external php non WordPress class into functions.php?
  62. Why wp_remote_get() fetches certain web pages while it doesn’t work for my localhost?
  63. Prevent header and footer from loading on specific pages with template or plugin
  64. Contain multiple page templates in one PHP custom template file in WordPress?
  65. require get_template_directory() . ‘path/to-my/file.php’ BREAKS customize > themes functionality
  66. WordPress add custom search
  67. How can I edit a php custom page template to work in other themes?
  68. Page template not working when logged out
  69. Before & After Content – After Content directly below Before Content when using require_once
  70. How to Change Site Elements based on referring URL
  71. How to add a full working piece of website already coded, to a large scale Website design project?
  72. loading a php file to a specific page id
  73. Use wordpress for /blog section only and all other pages static, but using same footer.php and header.php
  74. How do I fetch a data from an external database into my wordpress homepage
  75. remove_action() not working in page template – Genesis
  76. can’t grab PHP $_POST variable
  77. PHP get_category() function redeclared
  78. Pass form attributes to another php template in wordpress
  79. Code works on page-example.php by not category-example.php
  80. Create page in templates for pages or the pages manager?
  81. Create a custom theme-specific page, invisible in the admin-panel?
  82. Execute php in pages
  83. Use page.php for front page
  84. Why isn’t my link attribute getting my css?
  85. Include a php file that is above WP installation hierarchically?
  86. How can I include a file related to blog URL? Nothing seems to work
  87. Display pages from specific page template
  88. How can I put a custom field as the link of a button shortcode?
  89. WordPress blog set up
  90. Tables not showing divs and loop/php items
  91. Shortcode not passing variable to included file
  92. Display custom meta box in my template file
  93. How to include a php file in every post and page [duplicate]
  94. Shortcode to include PHP file, pass various parameters to include?
  95. wordpress.org disallowing my plugin becuase of loading core files in cron cpanel file
  96. Loop on a wordpress Page instead of content coming from the WP text editor
  97. redirect user from login page if is logged
  98. Should I use include(_once) or require(_once) for loading php-file with customizer settings?
  99. Custom Post Type doesn’t have template content when creating programmatically in PHP but does when created in WP Admin
  100. duplicating page templates

Leave a Comment