WooCommerce Developer Reference
WordPress and WooCommerce use several related terms for running code, changing values, and choosing page layouts. This quick reference explains how they differ.
Know the terminology
| Concept | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Actions | Run a registered callback at a defined point in WordPress or WooCommerce. | woocommerce_thankyou |
| Filters | Pass a value to a callback, which must return the value with or without changes. | woocommerce_product_tabs |
| Hooks | The collective term for actions and filters. | Both examples above |
| Conditional tags | Functions that answer a true-or-false question about the current request. | is_product() |
| Template tags | WordPress functions that retrieve or display content in templates. | the_title() |
| Template hierarchy | The fallback rules WordPress uses to choose a template file. | single.php → singular.php → index.php |
These concepts work together: a conditional tag can be checked inside an action or filter callback, while the template hierarchy decides which theme file handles a page. See the official WordPress explanations of hooks and conditional tags for more detail.
Browse references
- WooCommerce Hooks & Filters — Browse the current action and filter references.
- WooCommerce Conditional Tags — Six page-context functions with timing advice and common mistakes.
- Template Tags & Functions — Coming soon.
- Template Hierarchy — Coming soon.
- WooCommerce Template Files — Coming soon.
- Shortcodes & Blocks — Coming soon.
- IDs & Endpoints — Coming soon.
- Classic vs. Block Compatibility — Coming soon.
For theme-specific layouts and store styling, see HoverCraft's WooCommerce documentation. Planned reference categories will become links when their content is ready.