In PrestaShop, Hooks and Positions are used to control where modules appear and execute on your store.
What is a Hook?
A Hook is a predefined location in PrestaShop where modules can insert content or run code.
Examples:
- Header
- Footer
- Left column
- Product page
- Checkout page
A module “hooks” into these positions.
Common hooks:
| Hook Name | Purpose |
|---|---|
displayHeader |
Add CSS/JS in page header |
displayFooter |
Show content in footer |
displayHome |
Homepage content |
displayLeftColumn |
Left sidebar |
displayRightColumn |
Right sidebar |
displayProductExtraContent |
Extra product tabs/content |
displayNav1 |
Top navigation area |
actionProductSave |
Trigger when product is saved |
What is Position?
A Position controls:
- Which hook the module uses
- The order of modules inside that hook
Example:
Inside displayHome hook:
- Slider module
- Featured products
- Banner module
You can move modules up/down.
Manage Module Positions
Go to:
Back Office → Design → Positions
There you can:
- Transplant module to another hook
- Change order
- Unhook modules
- Add exceptions
Example Module Hook Code
Basic module registration:
public function install()
{
return parent::install()
&& $this->registerHook('displayHome')
&& $this->registerHook('displayHeader');
}
Hook function:
public function hookDisplayHome($params)
{
return $this->display(__FILE__, 'views/templates/hook/home.tpl');
}
Display vs Action Hooks
Display Hooks
Used to show HTML content.
Example:
hookDisplayFooter()
Action Hooks
Used to execute logic.
Example:
hookActionCartSave()
No HTML output required.
Important Hook Locations
Front Office Hooks
| Hook | Location |
|---|---|
displayTop |
Top section |
displayNavFullWidth |
Navigation |
displayHome |
Homepage |
displayFooterBefore |
Above footer |
displayFooter |
Footer |
Product Page Hooks
| Hook | Usage |
|---|---|
displayProductButtons |
Extra buttons |
displayProductAdditionalInfo |
Product info |
displayProductExtraContent |
Tabs |
How to Find Available Hooks
Methods:
1. Enable Hook Display
In config:
define('_PS_DEBUG_PROFILING_', true);
2. Use Hook List
Go to:
Design → Positions
or database table:
ps_hook
Transplanting Module
Example:
Move WhatsApp module from footer to left column:
- Go to Positions
- Find module
- Click “Transplant a module”
- Select:
- Module
- Hook
- Exceptions
Hook Naming Convention
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Display | displayHome |
| Action | actionCartSave |
| Filter | filterProductContent |
Modern Symfony Hooks (PrestaShop 8/9)
Newer versions support Symfony events and Twig hooks alongside classic hooks.
Example:
{% hook 'displayAdminProductsMainStepLeftColumnMiddle' %}
Best Practices
- Use correct hook for performance
- Avoid heavy queries in hooks
- Cache hook output when possible
- Use exceptions on unnecessary pages
- Register only needed hooks
Official developer documentation: