What are the differences between “Latest Posts” and “Static Page”?

Conditional Tags

  • The is_front_page() Conditional Tag returns true if you’re on the Front Page (index.php as fallback or front-page.php).
  • The is_home() Conditional Tag returns true if you’re on the Front Page, when you got no static page set as front page, or when you got a static front page and display the Posts Page (home.php or index.php as fallback).
  • If you got no static front page set under “Settings > Reading”, then both is_front_page() and is_home() will return true for home.php, front-page.php and index.php.

Options

  • If you got a static front page, then get_option( 'show_on_front' ); has the value page.
  • To retrieve the ID for the Front page, you can call get_page( get_option('page_on_front') ).
  • To retrieve the link to the Front page, you can call get_permalink( get_option('page_on_front') ).
  • To retrieve the ID for the Posts page, you can call get_page( get_option('page_for_posts') ).
  • To retrieve the link to the Posts page, you can call get_permalink( get_option('page_for_posts') ).
  • If you have a child theme, then home.php will not act as fallback for front-page.php.
  • To retrieve custom values from the Front page, you can call get_post_custom('page_on_front') ).
  • To retrieve custom values from the Posts page, you can call get_post_custom('page_for_posts') ).

… the list of AAARGH!!s goes on and on.

especially when user tries to set custom template as “Static Page” – pagination stops working unless I use page and custom fields stop working unless I create new WP Query.

From a comment of the OP to another answer

As you can see in this diagram, it’s not that easy to get around what to use where. The problem is that there’re functions that intercept the main $wp_query object, others that copy over the contents of the $wp_the_query object, etc. And than there’re those that only work with the main $wp_query object. I know this is no full answer to your pagination question, but this also has never been the question. 🙂

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