The default WordPress permalink settings control the URL format for all posts, pages, categories, and tags
These settings apply globally, which means the same structure is used for all posts, one for all categories, and one for all tag archives.
For small or simple websites, this is usually enough, but it does not handle custom post types and taxonomies well. Their permalinks cannot be fully customized using only the built-in options.
If you need more flexibility, custom permalink plugins allow you to set individual URLs or create structures that WordPress does not support natively.
Setting Up Permalinks via Admin Dashboard
Common Settings
In WordPress, you can select your permalink structure in the admin under "Settings > Permalinks". While this page gives you several options under "Common Settings", these apply exclusively to the default "Post" type (blog posts).
The "Common Settings" section (where you choose the permalink mode) applies exclusively to the default "Post" type (blog posts). Custom post types, such as Products, Portfolio, or Events, use their own permalink formats and are not affected by those settings.
By default, WordPress uses "Plain" permalinks. These URLs rely on query strings and numeric IDs that do not provide much context to your visitors or search engines.
Most WordPress users prefer "Post Name" because it keeps URLs descriptive and straightforward, making links easier for visitors to read and for search engines to understand.
Plain
This structure uses a query-based URL that includes the post ID. This format is hard to read for visitors and not suitable for SEO.
Example: https://example.com/?p=123
Day and name
This structure includes the full date and the post title. It can be useful for news or time-based content