---
title: Custom Template Placeholders Reference
description: Reference for the placeholders in a custom WooCommerce related categories template, with examples.
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/related-categories-template-placeholders/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: References
---

# Custom Template Placeholders Reference

When you set **Template type** to **Custom** in [Related Categories for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/), you write your own markup for each related category and drop in placeholders that the plugin replaces per category. This reference lists every available placeholder.

The Custom template lives at **WPFactory > Related Categories** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > Related Categories**), under **Template Options** on the **Single** or **Archives** sub-tab. Set **Template type** to **Custom**, then enter your markup in **Template type: Custom**. The same placeholders are available in the widget's Template field.

### Placeholders

| Placeholder | Replaced with |
| --- | --- |
| `%category_name%` | The category name. |
| `%category_description%` | The category description. |
| `%category_count%` | The number of products in the category. |
| `%category_link%` | The URL to the category archive. |
| `%category_image_link%` | The URL of the category thumbnail (or the placeholder image if none is set). |
| `%category_image_id%` | The attachment ID of the category thumbnail. |
| `%category_id%` | The category term ID. |
| `%category_slug%` | The category slug. |
| `%column_nr%` | The column number of the current item, based on the Columns setting. |
| `%is_active%` | Archives only: outputs `active` for the current category, otherwise empty. |

`%is_active%` is available on the **Archives** sub-tab (the loop context) only. All other placeholders work in both the Single and Archives Custom templates.

### Examples

A simple linked list item:

```
<li><a href="%category_link%" title="%category_name%">%category_name%</a></li>
```

A card with the image, name and product count, using the column number as a class:

```
<div class="cat-card column-%column_nr%">
  <a href="%category_link%">
    <img src="%category_image_link%" alt="%category_name%">
    <span class="name">%category_name%</span>
    <span class="count">%category_count%</span>
  </a>
</div>
```

On archives, mark the current category with the active flag:

```
<a class="%is_active%" href="%category_link%">%category_name%</a>
```

Use **Template type: Custom: Glue** to set a separator placed between items, for example a pipe. To place a separator between items inline, set the Glue value rather than adding it inside the template.

### Need a hand?

Our team answers every ticket on the [Related Categories support forum](https://wpfactory.com/support/item/related-categories-for-woocommerce/).

Related articles

- [Category Images, Placeholders and Image Size](https://wpfactory.com/docs/related-categories-image-options/)
- [Related Categories: Developer Hooks and Filters Reference](https://wpfactory.com/docs/related-categories-hooks-filters/)
- [Position, Template and Image Options on Single Product Pages](https://wpfactory.com/docs/positioning-display-choices/)