wp-excerpt

This does not control the word count, however it can control the excerpt length.

Control The Excerpt Length using Filters

Your reference to the excerpt, and your use of the phrase “limits the word count” are a bit confusing. Which one you want to actually control is not quite clear, so I’m assuming it’s probably the excerpt length.

Well, I want every post on main page to have limited word count with “click to read more” link to the whole post page. Does that count as the excerpt length? (I’m still learning about wordpress…)

do i really need to add <?php the_excerpt() ?> to the loop.php? I read the link you provided but i’m still trying to understand it….

If your theme currently displays full posts (rather than an excerpt with a read more link) on your posts page, you may simply be able to change what’s in the existing loop to show the excerpt instead. It might be something as easy as just changing the_content() to the_excerpt(). Some themes also have options and settings that might even allow you to choose how you want to display your posts. It depends on the theme.

really, some themes have options and settings that allows me to choose how I wanted to display my posts? I am making my own theme. I just copy some files from the twentyten theme. And I would like to know how to put such code in my theme…

Also thanks for the info on changing the the_content() to the_excerpt().

Instead of copying from TwentyTen, I would suggest making a TwentyTen CHILD theme.