Explain handles in Magento?

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Handles control the structure of the page to be displayed. It decides which block will be placed where in the page. Handle is called for every page and every page request can have several unique handles.

In Magento, handles play a crucial role in determining which layout XML instructions are applied to a specific page or section of the store. Here’s a breakdown of handles in Magento:

  1. Definition: A handle is a unique identifier used in layout XML files to target specific pages, blocks, or containers within the store’s layout structure.
  2. Usage: Handles are utilized to define layout updates for various pages or sections of the store. These updates can include adding or removing blocks, changing block attributes, updating container structures, and applying CSS or JavaScript.
  3. Structure: Handles follow a hierarchical structure based on the page hierarchy and the types of requests being made. For example, there are handles for specific pages like the homepage (‘cms_index_index’), product pages (‘catalog_product_view’), category pages (‘catalog_category_view’), and more.
  4. Handle Naming Convention: Handles typically follow a naming convention that reflects the module, controller, and action responsible for generating the page. For instance, the handle for the product view page in the catalog module is ‘catalog_product_view’.
  5. Handle Execution: When a page is requested, Magento collects all handles relevant to that page based on the request parameters. It then processes the layout XML instructions associated with those handles to generate the final page layout.
  6. Customization: Developers can create custom handles to apply specific layout updates to unique pages or sections of the store. This allows for greater flexibility and customization in the layout and presentation of the store’s frontend.

In summary, handles in Magento serve as identifiers used in layout XML files to target specific pages or sections of the store and apply layout updates accordingly, providing developers with a powerful mechanism for customizing the frontend appearance and behavior of their Magento stores.