WordPress 5.0 will bring the biggest change in WordPress in recent years – a new editor known as Gutenberg. What exactly is it? What advantages and disadvantages will it bring?
Table of Contents
What is Gutenberg?
Gutenberg is a new editor that replaces the TinyMce editor used so far. TinyMce Editor has been using WordPress for several years. Gutenberg will work differently. Instead of working on the basis of a text editor, it will use the so-called blocks. Individual blocks can be edited directly on the page. You will then create a web page from the blocks.
If you’re familiar with this way of creating a site, you’re right. Block editors such as Visual Composer or Divi Builder use multiple WordPress šablóny . Gutenberg will be available from WordPress version 5.0. If you want to try it sooner, it is currently available as a plugin .
Gutenberg is a new editor that replaces the TinyMce editor used so far.
For a better idea, this is what working with this editor will look like :
What will this editor bring us?
The developers promise to change the content creation experience. Its goal is to facilitate the creation of the site using a comprehensive set of tools. This editor will allow users to not only write articles, but practically create a page. Its contribution will be appreciated especially by beginners in web design.
What is a block?
The blocks that this editor works with are ways to create a page layout style. Within the block it is possible to work with text as in a text editor.
You can think of a block editor as a Visual Composer or Divi Builder that uses multiple WordPress šablóny .
Simplify page functionality
Gutenberg simplifies the process of working with shortcodes, widgets, menus, meta boxes, and many other components of formatting and creating site functionality. All these functions will be available as blocks. Many web page formatting functions will be possible without coding knowledge.
Edit blocks
In the editor, individual blocks can be easily edited and moved around the page to the selected location. There are multiple toolbar display areas within a block. This will allow the user to better focus on creating the site itself.
You may also be interested in whether you can add YouTube and Vimeo videos in the editor. Yes it will be. You will create your own block for each audio and video post.
How will Gutenberg affect existing sites?
The editor should not disrupt an existing WordPress site. All its components can be transferred without unnecessary changes. It supports the already existing functionality of the site. For the transfer of shortcodes and meta boxes, tools are gradually being created that will allow this. At least that’s the theory, we’ll see what the practice brings 🙂
Shortcodes and meta boxes
Shortcodes will continue to work without changes. If you continue to use them when creating your site, you will still be able to use them. Gutenberg offers a new way to create and preview them:
Most meta boxes will continue to work without changes. Some will need an update, others will be converted into blocks. The editor supports all other common types of posts.
Advantages of Gutenberg
Changing the creation and editing of the website will bring:
- The new way of creating the page as a whole through direct editing will allow a simplified approach to editing its individual components.
- It reduces the complexity of an existing interface by unifying multiple interfaces.
- It brings modernization and simplification of editing, writing and publishing the site and its components.
- Makes it easy to add website functionality.
- The intuitive design makes it easy to work with some of the existing features, such as linking posts and adding images.
- Blocks simplify the process of personalizing the site.
- A new view of the overall appearance of the page opens up new possibilities for JavaScript.
- It allows several people to work on individual sections at once.
- Thanks to a number of block editing tools, it allows you to create a complex web structure.
Editing blocks
Each block can be edited separately on the page. You can create multiple blocks at once. You can also switch between content and html.
Blocks can be easily moved around the page. This is probably the editor’s greatest benefit. The method of moving is much more accurate than the previous way of creating a page. A live preview is available at each step of the page to graphically edit the page.
More features of WordPress Gutenberg
In this editor it is also possible to set the categorization, tags, appearance of the post snippet and the like.
Working with the editor is very intuitive. Even a beginner will understand it. Just press enter to add a block. To add images, preview, etc., you need to scroll to the bottom of the page.
The Copy and Paste function, the formatting of the headings and the text itself are set up very well.
The blocks use HTML5 output.
Disadvantages and concerns of users
Despite all the benefits the new editor promises, WordPress users and the community have some reservations :
- Some steps require more clicks than the original editor.
- The menu itself contains three columns. This makes it difficult to find some features.
- Meta boxes are hidden under settings.
- Many older šablóny do not support the HTML5 format.
- Technology has changed during development. It is still quite unclear how nested shortcodes will work.
- It is not entirely clear how the meta boxes of plugins will work. Their adjustment to blocks will be very time consuming.
- Plugin users complain about insufficient developer documentation.
- It is also not yet clear when WordPress 5.0 will be available.
- WordPress 5.0 backward compatibility questions are unclear.
What else will WordPress 5.0 bring?
In addition to the mentioned editor, WordPress 5.0 will also bring other improvements:
Security
WordPress 5.0, like previous versions, emphasizes security and will bring updates in this area as well. For better security, WordPress recommends using an SSL certificate, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication .
Front-end editor
You may have already tried the Front-end plugin. WordPress 5.0 includes a front-end editor. Thanks to it, you will be able to change and edit posts directly on the site . It works on a similar principle as Visual Composer, but is easier to use. The front-end editor speeds up the work of editing the website.
Mobile optimization
WordPress is constantly improving responsiveness. He puts a lot of emphasis on optimization for mobile phones. WordPress 5.0 ensures that your site can be viewed from any device.
Crop page background
WordPress 5.0 also brings improvements to the change of page background. Simplifies the image cropping process. In the current version, you must delete it, crop it, re-upload it to the library, and then re-place it on the page. With the new way of exchanging the background image, it will be a bit easier.
A word at the end
From experience, I think the change to Gutenberg will not be as easy as the creators present. However, despite possible temporary inconveniences, progress and innovation need to be made. Therefore, I am glad that they decided to include a new editor in WordPress as soon as possible. It will be interesting to see how this change will affect currently popular WordPress builders, such as Visual Composer and Divi Builder .
Was this article helpful for you? Support me by sharing, please. 👍
