Template Helper Variables Reference

FanCoolo automatically provides helpful context variables to all block render templates and symbol templates. These variables help you create dynamic, context-aware components without writing repetitive code.

Quick Reference Table

Variable	Type	Description	Example Values
`$isEditor`	`bool`	Editor vs frontend context	`true`, `false`
`$OS`	`string`	Operating system family	`Darwin`, `Windows`, `Linux`, `BSD`
`$postType`	`string`	Current post type	`post`, `page`, `product`, `event`
`$isSingular`	`bool`	Single post/page context	`true`, `false`
`$isAdmin`	`bool`	WordPress admin area	`true`, `false`
`$currentUserId`	`int`	Current user ID (0 = guest)	`0`, `1`, `42`
`$attributes`	`array`	Block attributes	`['title' => 'Hello']`
`$content`	`string`	Block inner content	HTML string
`$block`	`WP_Block`	WordPress block instance	Block object
`$post_id`	`int`	Current post ID	`123`

1. Editor vs Frontend: `$isEditor`

Detect if the block is rendering in the Gutenberg editor or on the actual frontend.

When to Use

Show preview messages in editor
Load different assets for editor vs frontend
Disable interactive features in editor preview
Show placeholder content in editor

Examples

<?php if ( $isEditor ) : ?>
    <div class="editor-preview-notice">
        Preview Mode - This is how your block will look
    </div>
<?php else : ?>
    <div class="live-content">
        <?php echo $content; ?>
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

2. Operating System: `$OS`

Detect the server’s operating system. Useful for OS-specific file paths, commands, or features.

Possible Values

Darwin – macOS
Windows – Windows
Linux – Linux
BSD – BSD variants
Solaris – Solaris
Unknown – Fallback

When to Use

Show OS-specific keyboard shortcuts
Display OS-specific installation instructions
Handle OS-specific file paths
Customize download links per OS

Examples

<!-- OS-specific keyboard shortcuts -->
<div class="shortcuts-help">
    <h3>Keyboard Shortcuts</h3>
    <ul>
        <li>
            <strong>Save:</strong>
            <?php if ( $OS === 'Darwin' ) : ?>
                ⌘ + S
            <?php else : ?>
                Ctrl + S
            <?php endif; ?>
        </li>
        <li>
            <strong>Copy:</strong>
            <?php if ( $OS === 'Darwin' ) : ?>
                ⌘ + C
            <?php else : ?>
                Ctrl + C
            <?php endif; ?>
        </li>
    </ul>
</div>

<!-- OS-specific download button -->
<div class="download-section">
    <h2>Download Our App</h2>
    <?php if ( $OS === 'Darwin' ) : ?>
        <a href="/downloads/app-macos.dmg" class="btn">
            Download for macOS
        </a>
    <?php elseif ( $OS === 'Windows' ) : ?>
        <a href="/downloads/app-windows.exe" class="btn">
            Download for Windows
        </a>
    <?php elseif ( $OS === 'Linux' ) : ?>
        <a href="/downloads/app-linux.deb" class="btn">
            Download for Linux
        </a>
    <?php else : ?>
        <a href="/downloads" class="btn">
            View All Downloads
        </a>
    <?php endif; ?>
</div>

<!-- Server info display for admins -->
<?php if ( current_user_can('manage_options') ) : ?>
    <div class="server-info">
        <p>Running on: <strong><?php echo esc_html( $OS ); ?></strong></p>
        <p>PHP Version: <?php echo esc_html( PHP_VERSION ); ?></p>
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

3. Post Type: `$postType`

Get the current post type (post, page, product, custom post types, etc.).

Common Values

post – Blog posts
page – Pages
attachment – Media files
product – WooCommerce products
event – Custom event post type
team_member – Custom team member post type
Any custom post type slug

When to Use

Render different layouts per post type
Show post-type-specific metadata
Conditionally display custom fields
Apply different styling classes
Show different CTAs per content type

Examples

<!-- Different layouts per post type -->
<div class="content-block content-block--<?php echo esc_attr( $postType ); ?>">
    <?php if ( $postType === 'product' ) : ?>
        <div class="product-layout">
            <h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
            <p class="price">$<?php echo get_post_meta( $post_id, '_price', true ); ?></p>
            <button class="add-to-cart">Add to Cart</button>
        </div>

    <?php elseif ( $postType === 'event' ) : ?>
        <div class="event-layout">
            <h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
            <div class="event-meta">
                <span class="date">
                    <?php echo get_post_meta( $post_id, 'event_date', true ); ?>
                </span>
                <span class="location">
                    <?php echo get_post_meta( $post_id, 'event_location', true ); ?>
                </span>
            </div>
            <button class="register-btn">Register Now</button>
        </div>

    <?php else : ?>
        <div class="default-layout">
            <h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
            <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
        </div>
    <?php endif; ?>
</div>

<!-- Conditional CTA based on post type -->
<?php if ( in_array( $postType, ['product', 'service'], true ) ) : ?>
    <a href="/contact" class="cta-button">Get a Quote</a>
<?php elseif ( $postType === 'post' ) : ?>
    <a href="/subscribe" class="cta-button">Subscribe to Blog</a>
<?php elseif ( $postType === 'event' ) : ?>
    <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>#register" class="cta-button">Register</a>
<?php endif; ?>

<!-- Show custom taxonomy terms for specific post types -->
<?php if ( $postType === 'portfolio' ) : ?>
    <div class="portfolio-categories">
        <?php
        $terms = get_the_terms( $post_id, 'portfolio_category' );
        if ( $terms && !is_wp_error( $terms ) ) {
            foreach ( $terms as $term ) {
                echo '<span class="category-tag">' . esc_html( $term->name ) . '</span>';
            }
        }
        ?>
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

<!-- Exclude specific post types from certain features -->
<?php if ( !in_array( $postType, ['attachment', 'revision', 'nav_menu_item'], true ) ) : ?>
    <div class="social-share">
        <ShareButtons />
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

4. Singular Context: `$isSingular`

Check if you’re viewing a single post/page (vs archive, search, home).

When to Use

Show full content on single posts, excerpts on archives
Display different metadata on singles vs archives
Show author bio only on single posts
Enable comments only on singular views
Load heavy scripts only on single post pages

Examples

<?php if ( $isSingular ) : ?>
    <!-- Full single post view -->
    <article class="full-post">
        <h1><?php the_title(); ?></h1>
        <div class="post-meta">
            <span class="author"><?php the_author(); ?></span>
            <span class="date"><?php the_date(); ?></span>
            <span class="reading-time">5 min read</span>
        </div>
        <div class="post-content">
            <?php the_content(); ?>
        </div>
        <div class="author-bio">
            <?php echo get_the_author_meta('description'); ?>
        </div>
    </article>
<?php else : ?>
    <!-- Archive excerpt view -->
    <article class="post-excerpt">
        <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
        <div class="excerpt">
            <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
        </div>
        <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" class="read-more">Read More</a>
    </article>
<?php endif; ?>

<!-- Related posts only on single posts -->
<?php if ( $isSingular && $postType === 'post' ) : ?>
    <div class="related-posts">
        <h3>You Might Also Like</h3>
        <RelatedPosts />
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

5. Admin Area: `$isAdmin`

Check if the current page is in the WordPress admin dashboard.

Note: This is different from $isEditor:

$isAdmin = true: Any admin dashboard page (Posts, Settings, etc.)
$isEditor = true: Gutenberg editor making REST API requests

When to Use

Show admin-only debugging info
Display different content in admin vs frontend
Disable frontend-only features in admin

Examples

<?php if ( $isAdmin && current_user_can('manage_options') ) : ?>
    <div class="admin-debug-info">
        <h4>Debug Info (Admin Only)</h4>
        <ul>
            <li>Post ID: <?php echo $post_id; ?></li>
            <li>Post Type: <?php echo esc_html( $postType ); ?></li>
            <li>OS: <?php echo esc_html( $OS ); ?></li>
            <li>Is Editor: <?php echo $isEditor ? 'Yes' : 'No'; ?></li>
        </ul>
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

<!-- Only load frontend analytics on actual frontend -->
<?php if ( !$isAdmin && !$isEditor ) : ?>
    <script>
        // Load Google Analytics, tracking pixels, etc.
        gtag('config', 'UA-XXXXXX');
    </script>
<?php endif; ?>

6. Current User: `$currentUserId`

Get the currently logged-in user’s ID. Returns 0 if user is not logged in (guest).

When to Use

Show personalized content for logged-in users
Display member-only sections
Show login prompt for guests
Customize CTAs based on login status
Check user-specific permissions

Examples

<?php if ( $currentUserId > 0 ) : ?>
    <!-- Logged in user content -->
    <div class="user-welcome">
        <p>Welcome back, <?php echo esc_html( get_userdata( $currentUserId )->display_name ); ?>!</p>
        <a href="<?php echo admin_url('profile.php'); ?>">View Profile</a>
        <a href="<?php echo wp_logout_url( get_permalink() ); ?>">Logout</a>
    </div>
<?php else : ?>
    <!-- Guest user content -->
    <div class="login-prompt">
        <p>Please log in to access member features</p>
        <a href="<?php echo wp_login_url( get_permalink() ); ?>" class="btn">Login</a>
        <a href="<?php echo wp_registration_url(); ?>" class="btn">Register</a>
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

<!-- Show different CTA based on login status -->
<div class="premium-content-block">
    <h3>Premium Content</h3>
    <?php if ( $currentUserId > 0 ) : ?>
        <?php if ( user_can( $currentUserId, 'read_premium_content' ) ) : ?>
            <div class="premium-content">
                <?php echo $content; ?>
            </div>
        <?php else : ?>
            <div class="upgrade-prompt">
                <p>Upgrade to access this content</p>
                <a href="/pricing" class="btn">View Plans</a>
            </div>
        <?php endif; ?>
    <?php else : ?>
        <div class="login-wall">
            <p>Login to access premium content</p>
            <a href="<?php echo wp_login_url( get_permalink() ); ?>" class="btn">Login</a>
        </div>
    <?php endif; ?>
</div>

<!-- Personalized recommendations -->
<?php if ( $currentUserId > 0 ) : ?>
    <div class="recommendations">
        <h3>Recommended for You</h3>
        <PersonalizedPosts userId="<?php echo $currentUserId; ?>" />
    </div>
<?php else : ?>
    <div class="popular-posts">
        <h3>Popular Posts</h3>
        <PopularPosts />
    </div>
<?php endif; ?>

Context-Aware Component

<?php
// Determine component variant based on multiple contexts
$variant = 'default';

if ( $isEditor ) {
    $variant = 'editor-preview';
} elseif ( $postType === 'product' && $isSingular ) {
    $variant = 'product-single';
} elseif ( $postType === 'post' && !$isSingular ) {
    $variant = 'blog-archive';
} elseif ( $currentUserId > 0 ) {
    $variant = 'authenticated';
}

$classes = [
    'content-component',
    'content-component--' . $variant,
    'content-component--' . $postType,
];
?>

<div class="<?php echo esc_attr( implode(' ', $classes) ); ?>">
    <?php echo $content; ?>
</div>

Performance Tips

1. Avoid Redundant Checks

Don’t re-check conditions that are already provided:

<!-- ❌ Bad: Re-checking what's already available -->
<?php if ( defined('REST_REQUEST') && REST_REQUEST ) : ?>

<!-- ✅ Good: Use the provided helper -->
<?php if ( $isEditor ) : ?>

2. Cache User Lookups

If you need user data multiple times, cache it:

<?php
if ( $currentUserId > 0 ) {
    $user = get_userdata( $currentUserId ); // Cache this
    $displayName = $user->display_name;
    $userEmail = $user->user_email;
    $avatarUrl = get_avatar_url( $currentUserId );
}
?>

3. Combine Conditions

Group related checks to avoid duplicate rendering:

<?php
$showCTA = (
    $isSingular &&
    $postType === 'post' &&
    $currentUserId === 0 &&
    !$isEditor
);

if ( $showCTA ) : ?>
    <SubscribeCTA />
<?php endif; ?>

Troubleshooting

Variable is `undefined`

If you see “Undefined variable” errors, ensure you’re:

Using the variables inside a block’s render.php or symbol template
Not trying to use them in JavaScript (these are PHP-only)
Using the correct variable name (case-sensitive)

Variable has unexpected value

<!-- Debug helper variables -->
<?php if ( current_user_can('manage_options') ) : ?>
    <?php
        echo "isEditor: " . var_export($isEditor, true) . "\n";
        echo "OS: " . $OS . "\n";
        echo "postType: " . $postType . "\n";
        echo "isSingular: " . var_export($isSingular, true) . "\n";
        echo "isAdmin: " . var_export($isAdmin, true) . "\n";
        echo "currentUserId: " . $currentUserId . "\n";
    ?>
<?php endif; ?>

OS Detection Returns Unexpected Value

$OS uses PHP_OS_FAMILY which returns the OS family, not specific versions:

Darwin is macOS (all versions)
Windows is Windows (all versions)
Linux includes Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.

Quick Reference Table

1. Editor vs Frontend: $isEditor

When to Use

Examples

2. Operating System: $OS

Possible Values

When to Use

Examples

3. Post Type: $postType

Common Values

When to Use

Examples

4. Singular Context: $isSingular

When to Use

Examples

5. Admin Area: $isAdmin

When to Use

Examples

6. Current User: $currentUserId

When to Use

Examples

Context-Aware Component

Performance Tips

1. Avoid Redundant Checks

2. Cache User Lookups

3. Combine Conditions

Troubleshooting

Variable is undefined

Variable has unexpected value

OS Detection Returns Unexpected Value

1. Editor vs Frontend: `$isEditor`

2. Operating System: `$OS`

3. Post Type: `$postType`

4. Singular Context: `$isSingular`

5. Admin Area: `$isAdmin`

6. Current User: `$currentUserId`

Variable is `undefined`