WordPress file structure: wp-content folder stores all uploads, plugins and themes. While it is generally assumed that you can edit files within, this is no entirely true.
- wp-content folder usually contains:
- [folder] themes
- [folder] plugins
- [folder] uploads
- index.php
- [folder] languages
- [folder] upgrade
- Editing files inside themes folder is generally not recommended, because updating theme overwrites the changes. Creating child themes is the recommended approach.
- Plugins folder stores all of the downloaded and installed plugins. These files are not supposed to be edited directly.
- Code snippets found on the internet can be added to functions.php file of the child theme or by creating site-specific plugin.
- Easiest way of adding custom code is by using a code snippets plugin.
- All of the uploaded media are stored in uploads folder. They are organised in /year/month/ folders.
Plugins may also create folders inside uploads folder. WordPress backup should include uploads folder. - Languages folder doesn’t alway appear. It stores language files for non-english WordPress websites.
- Upgrade doesn’t alway appear. It is created by WordPress during upgrade to newer version.
Return to WP File structure.