In WordPress, an attachment refers to a special post type that holds information about a file uploaded through the media upload system. Attachments include metadata such as description, name, size, and other properties related to the file. Key aspects of attachments include:

Functionality:

  • Attachments are automatically created when media files are uploaded
  • They store metadata like image size, thumbnails generated, and EXIF data for images/

Display:

  • Attachments can be displayed using specific template files based on their MIME type (e.g., image.php, video.php)/
  • Custom attachment pages can be created using attachment.php or other specific templates/

Integration:

  • Developers can associate media items with posts using plugins like Attachments, which allow fine-grained control over how attachments are integrated into themes/
  • Attachments can be retrieved and displayed within templates using custom markup defined by developers/

These features make attachments a versatile tool for managing media content within WordPress themes and plugins.