Standard WordPress loop

standard-loop-get-latest-posts.php

<?php

$id = false;
// get current post id if a single (post or page)
if(is_single()){
	global $post; 

	$id = $post->ID;	
}
// setup basic loop arguments
$args = array(
	'post_type' 		=> 'post',
	'post_status' 		=> 'publish',
	'posts_per_page'	=> '5'
);
// add the id as an exclude to the args if there is one
if($id){
	$args['post__not_in'] = array($id);
}
// create the loop query
$loop = new WP_Query($args);

// check if has a good result
if ($loop->have_posts()) : 
	// begin the unordered list
	?><ul><?php
	while ($loop->have_posts()) : $loop->the_post() ;
		// do the things that are shown in the loop
   		?><li>
    			<a href='<?php the_permalink(); ?>'><?php the_title(); ?></a>
    	  </li><?php		    
    endwhile;
    // end the 
    ?></ul><?php
    wp_reset_postdata();
else : 
	// give a response if there is no result
    echo "there were no results.... that\'s strange!  check your code.";    
endif;