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What The File

By Barry Kooij

Developer Tools & Customization / Code Snippets & Custom Code

What The File Review - In-Depth Analysis

What The File helps you identify the template parts used on the current page. It adds a toolbar option to view the file names.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.88/10

User Rating

4.9/5 (based on 882+ reviews)

Active Installations

40,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

What The File adds an option to your toolbar showing what file and template parts are used to display the page you are currently viewing.

You can click the file name to directly edit it through the theme editor, though it is not recommended for bigger changes.

This plugin supports BuddyPress and Roots Theme based themes, making it versatile for various WordPress setups.

Comparing to Alternatives

What The File is a straightforward plugin focused on identifying template files used on WordPress pages, making it a handy tool for theme developers. Compared to other debugging plugins, it offers a niche but essential functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and easy to use interface.
Quickly identifies which template files are loaded on a page.
Highly useful for child theme development and debugging.
Lightweight without unnecessary features.

Weaknesses

Limited to showing template files only, lacks broader debugging tools.
May not detect exact files with some newer themes or complex plugin setups.
No advanced features like conflict detection or performance monitoring.

User Sentiment Analysis

Users appreciate What The File for its simplicity and effectiveness in theme development, though some limitations are noted.

Positive highlights

'Really helpful for theme development when unfamiliar with the codebase.' – WebAssembler
'Great for finding out which templates are being loaded on a page.' – ferplie
'Very useful tool, used for years.' – iceshade
'Does everything I need it to!' – matthiascon
'Very useful in development phase to see where WordPress hooks execute.' – gabrieljrubio

Common complaints

Does not always show the exact file with some new themes or plugins.
Limited functionality beyond template identification.

Weaknesses

Lacks updates to handle newer theme structures perfectly.
No additional debugging or troubleshooting features.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Theme developers and WordPress users who need a quick and easy way to identify which template files are being used on their site, especially when working with child themes.

Not ideal for

Users looking for comprehensive debugging tools or those needing detailed performance and conflict analysis should consider more robust alternatives.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides full access to its core functionality of identifying template files used on pages, which is sufficient for most theme development needs.

Final Verdict

What The File is a focused and efficient plugin that excels at helping developers quickly identify template files in WordPress themes, making it a valuable tool for theme customization and debugging.

While it lacks broader debugging features and may have limitations with some modern themes, its simplicity and reliability make it a recommended choice for developers needing this specific functionality.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free What The File plugin.

template parts

file editing

WordPress development

Screenshots

FAQ

In the toolbar you will find the “What The File” option. Hovering this option will display the currently used template file, clicking the template file name will allow you to edit the template file with the WordPress file editor. Please note that some BuddyPress files can’t be edited in the WordPress editor.