The 1950s New York Yankees are prime examples, as are the 1990s Chicago Bulls. But now, as this year’s Plugin Madness draws to a close, the winning plugin Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) joins the ranks of all-time championship dynasties, securing its third Plugin Madness trophy since the event’s inception in 2016.

This year’s victory also marks back-to-back championships for ACF, the world’s most widely used custom fields plugin, which edged out WooCommerce in a nail-biting, buzzer-beating finish.

Before the final round, ACF also outmaneuvered other formidable competitors, including Table Press, Wordfence, and previous Plugin Madness champion Smush, underscoring ACF’s enduring relevance and widespread popularity within the WordPress community.

What is Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)?

ACF is the most widely used custom fields plugin that transforms WordPress sites into fully-fledged content management systems, providing comprehensive tools to manipulate data more effectively.

Using the plugin, you gain total control over your WordPress edit screens and custom field data. The plugin allows you to add customized fields to any page, enhancing site functionality with elements like customer reviews or detailed product descriptions. It’s also user-friendly, and its intuitive interface ensures both novices and seasoned developers can maximize its capabilities.

With over 5 million active installations, ACF has long been a cornerstone of the WordPress plugin ecosystem. The team behind ACF consistently drives innovation with new features and improvements that empower developers to build highly functional websites effortlessly.  

Now, with its third Plugin Madness championship in tow, the plugin has further cemented itself as a pillar within the WordPress community, with more innovation and inspiration to come.     

Previous Plugin Madness Winners 

Now in its ninth year, Plugin Madness has seen a wide variety of notable winners. 

While ACF won its second championship last year, The Plus Addons for Elementor took the crown as a first-time competitor in 2022. In 2021, FluentCRM made headlines with a Cinderella story of its own. 

Elementor claimed victories in 2020 and 2019, while Smush had a similar back-to-back run in 2018 and 2017.

A big thank you goes out to everyone who nominated a plugin and participated in the weekly voting. 

Plugin Madness is an excellent platform for highlighting outstanding plugins and the teams and individuals behind them.

Congratulations once again to ACF on clinching this year’s Plugin Madness championship!

The post Advanced Custom Fields is Your 2024 Plugin Madness Champion!  appeared first on Torque.

While the last few weeks were all about nominating the best WordPress plugins, it’s now time to shift focus as the competition truly begins. Voting for Plugin Madness 2024 is now open, kicking off a seven-week gauntlet of head-to-head plugin matchups.

You can cast your votes below or visit the Plugin Madness page here.

Every Vote Counts 

With the field of 64 plugins set, the question remains, who will dominate the court, and who will stumble?

Your votes are crucial, week by week, to determine the answer, carrying forward your preferred contenders through each round. Make sure and mark your calendars for the following voting schedule.  

– Week 1 (64): March 4

– Week 2 (32): March 11

– Week 3 (16): March 18

– Week 4 (8): March 25

– Week 5 (4): April 1

– Week 6 (2): April 8

– Week 7 (Winner announced): April 15

Get ready for the thrill of last-second victories and ensure you’re part of the action every step of the way. Ready to get in the game? Vote using the bracket above and make sure you come back to Torquemag.io each week to cast your votes in the following rounds.

What is Plugin Madness?

Plugin Madness is a bracket-style competition in which 64 WordPress plugins compete against one another through weekly voting rounds. 

This year marks the ninth annual Plugin Madness, and your votes are key to the game.

While some brackets are split by regions, the Plugin Madness bracket is divided into four categories: Marketing, Optimization, Maintenance, and eCommerce.This ensures a diverse and exciting competition, showcasing the wide versatility of WordPress plugins.

Get in on the Madness

Make sure and come back each week to vote, helping your favorite plugins advance through each round. Will your top pick make a buzzer-beater or be benched before the finals? Only your votes will decide!

This year’s Plugin Madness is set to be bigger and better than ever. Whether you’re new to WordPress or a seasoned pro, your input is crucial in making this event a slam-dunk success. 

Make sure and cast your votes, and may the best plugin win!
For more information click here.

The post Voting is Now Open for Plugin Madness 2024! appeared first on Torque.

Plugin Madness is a bracket-style competition in which 64 WordPress plugins compete against one another through weekly voting rounds—and the 2024 competition has officially kicked off. Nominations for Plugin Madness 2024 are now open! 

Nominations for Plugin Madness 2024 are now closed. Check back on March 4 when voting begins!

This year marks the ninth annual Plugin Madness, and your nominations are key to tipping off the game.

Seeking the Best Plugins

Think of yourself as a scout, seeking out the most valuable players in the plugin arena. Plugin Madness is all about identifying plugins that not only solve problems but also enhance the WordPress experience. 

Whether it’s a plugin that’s been a game-changer for your website or one that’s just too good to ignore, we want to hear all about it. Simply fill out the form here to submit your plugin of choice. 

Remember, to qualify for the competition, plugins must be: 

• Listed in the WordPress Plugin Repository 
• Be updated within the last 12 months 
• Be compatible with WordPress 6.2+

Plugin Categories

Some brackets are split by regions; the Plugin Madness bracket will be categorized into four key areas: Marketing, Optimization, Maintenance, and eCommerce. 

This classification ensures a diverse and exciting competition, showcasing the wide versatility of WordPress plugins.

The Game Plan: Important Dates

Make sure and mark your calendars! Plugin Madness nominations run through February 26th. After that, the real fun begins with the voting phase starting on March 4. The competition heats up with each passing week as the bracket dwindles from 64 to 32 and, ultimately, this year’s Plugin Madness champion!

 Here’s the breakdown:

• Week 1 (64): March 4
• Week 2 (32): March 11
• Week 3 (16): March 18
• Week 4 (8): March 25
• Week 5 (4): April 1
• Week 6 (2): April 18
• Week 7 (Winner announced): April 15

Join the Madness: Be Part of the Action

Your role in the madness doesn’t end with nominations. Make sure and come back each week to vote, helping your favorite plugins advance through each round. 

Will your top pick make a buzzer-beater or be benched before the finals? Only your votes will decide!

Don’t Miss This Year’s Slam Dunk Event

This year’s Plugin Madness is set to be bigger and better than ever. Whether you’re new to WordPress or a seasoned pro, your input is crucial for making this event a slam-dunk success. 

Make sure to submit your nomination, don’t forget to vote, and may the best plugin win!

For more information on Plugin Madness, click here.

The post Nominations Now Open For Plugin Madness 2024! appeared first on Torque.

As the WordPress ecosystem continues to grow and change, it’s brimming with innovative tools that are transforming the web. 

If you’re looking for a great way to dive into this evolving world of WordPress, look no further than DE{CODE} 2024, WP Engine’s flagship virtual developer conference. 

Now returning for its fifth year, DE{CODE} 2024 is scheduled for March 19 in the U.S. and APAC and March 21 in EMEA. You can find more details and register for this year’s event, for free, here. 

As in years past, event sessions will provide actionable insights into the next generation of WordPress, elevating development workflows, embracing technologies like AI, and the latest product innovations from WP Engine. 

Last year, DE{CODE} set a new record with more than 10,000 viewers tuning in from more than 138 different countries. Join WP Engine this year to experience the largest WordPress developer event, including live networking, and more!

SIGN UP FOR DE{CODE] 2024 TODAY!

What DE{CODE} Delivers

DE{CODE} is all about helping developers unleash their potential and do more with WordPress, and it offers a plethora of learning opportunities.

Throughout the one-day virtual event, attendees will learn more about modern web development—from comprehensive tool overviews to practical insights on new website implementations.

DE{CODE} also focuses on revolutionary technologies that are redefining WordPress. For example, this year’s event offers a great opportunity to discover how to enhance SEO, streamline development workflows, and utilize WPGraphQL with Atlas, WP Engine’s headless WordPress platform.

Join Virtually–Access Anywhere, Anytime

If you’re unable to join live, don’t fret! All DE{CODE} 2024 sessions will be available after the event.

You can see a preview of what to expect by exploring last year’s sessions here. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow, connect, and learn.

Secure your spot at DE{CODE}2024 today!

The post Do More With WordPress: Registration Now Open for DE{CODE} 2024! appeared first on Torque.

When WordPress 5.0 was released in late 2018, it came with a brand-spankin’-new block editor known as Gutenberg. In contrast to the Classic Editor, which was far more reliant on manual code, the block editor offers a modular approach to page and post editing making each piece of content in the editor—from a paragraph to an image gallery to a headline— its own editing block. 

WordPress presents a larger barrier to entry for some, and the Gutenberg Editor was created to make building and updating site content easier. With WordPress 5.0, the block editor was absorbed into WordPress core, and WordPress development has been optimized for Gutenberg’s use ever since. 

Additionally, the team behind Gutenberg has continued to make massive strides both for user interface and design-facing capabilities. 

Staying informed on Gutenberg’s latest updates is advantageous for designers, developers, and anyone else who wants to keep their WordPress game sharp. The Gutenberg team is constantly refining the block editor with new version releases to improve the experience, so check back every few weeks for what’s new in Gutenberg!

• Gutenberg 17.0
• Gutenberg 16.0
• Gutenberg 15.0
• Gutenberg 14.0
• Gutenberg 13.0
• Gutenberg 12.0
• Gutenberg 11.0
• Gutenberg 10.0
• Gutenberg 9.0
• Gutenberg 8.0
• Gutenberg 7.0

Gutenberg 17.7 

This version update was released on February 14, 2024.

Released in preparation for the upcoming WordPress 6.5, Gutenberg 17.7 offers a host of enhancements and bug fixes. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.7 include:

• The expansion of shadow effects. Previously limited to the Button block, shadow effects are now available for Columns, Column, and Image blocks. This enhancement allows for more creative design options in layout building directly from the Editor. 
• Continuing the Dataviews project integration into WordPress 6.5, Gutenberg 17.7 introduces multi-item selection in grid view for bulk actions like reverting user templates or deleting patterns and templates. A primary filter API has also been added for easy switching between sync and unsync patterns in the UI. 
• Improvements to the Link Control UI, including the ability for users to insert new blocks in place of links within the Navigation block. This update, combined with other fixes, expands functionality and introduces third-party block insertion capabilities. 
• Significant changes to the Font Library, including security enhancements and code standardization, in preparation for its integration into WordPress Core. The Font Library Management UI in the Site Editor also received accessibility improvements. 

Other notable updates in Gutenberg 17.7 include a proposal to include Core blocks in a separate directory within the Gutenberg repository for easier maintenance by core contributors. – Improved Drag and Drop functionality, enabling easier movement of blocks into template parts and from the desktop. – Several performance improvements to streamline user experience.

For more detailed information and examples of the new features, check out the official release post for Gutenberg 17.7.

Gutenberg 17.6 

This version update was released on January 31, 2024.

Gutenberg 17.6 marks another significant step forward in enhancing WordPress’s functionality and efficiency. With 264 pull requests, this update primarily focuses on code quality and the long-anticipated extension of allowed blocks within a parent block.

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.6 include:

• New block JSON for allowed blocks. Gutenberg 17.6 introduces the ability to filter allowed blocks within an inner block area. This means developers can now specify which blocks can be nested within a parent block without making changes to the parent block’s edit file. 
• Ongoing Editor Unification efforts. Gutenberg 17.6 includes all page edit features in both editors, addressing a key user pain point of having to switch between editors for different functionalities.
• API Refactors, including the Interactivity API and the Fonts Library API, which have both received significant refactors, bringing them closer to their final forms for the upcoming WordPress 6.5 release.

Other notable updates in Gutenberg 17.6 include additional enhancements to the Interactivity API, which has been expanded with new directives aimed at streamlining global event management and enhancing content interactivity. These include directives for handling universal events, rendering lists more effectively, and executing custom logic. Concurrently, the Data Views experiment has undergone continuous improvements, further refining and elevating the user experience.

For more detailed information and examples of the new features, check out the official release post for Gutenberg 17.6.

Gutenberg 17.5 

This version update was released on January 17, 2024.

Gutenberg 17.5 represents a pivotal step in the Editor Unification project, which aims to merge the Post Editor and Site Editor into a singular, integrated editing experience. 17.5  brings WordPress users closer to this goal with a range of new features and enhancements.

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.5 include:

• Editor Unification. As noted, Gutenberg 17.5 represents a major advancement in the Editor Unification project. This release integrates many preferences from the Post Editor and Site Editor into one consolidated preferences panel, streamlining the user experience across both editing environments.
• A new setting for the Gallery Block, allowing users to display gallery images in a random order. This feature, which was previously available in the Gallery Shortcode, is now extended to the Gallery Block.

​Other notable highlights of Gutenberg 17.5 include the introduction of the useFirstImageFromPost attribute in the Post Featured Image.This is a significant enhancement, as it allows for more dynamic and automated post imagery, simplifying the visual storytelling process. Additionally, the Font Library has been updated with a progress-bar that’s visible while uploading font assets, a practical improvement that provides users with a clear indication of upload progress and  improves the overall efficiency and user experience of managing fonts. 

Check out the official release post to learn more about Gutenberg 17.5.

Gutenberg 17.4 

This version update was released on January 03, 2024.

Gutenberg 17.4 marks yet another innovative step in the continuous evolution of the Site Editor project, bringing significant enhancements and new features for an improved user experience.

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.4 include:

• A new milestone for Data Views, with the stabilization of the Template Data view, now available outside the experiments flag for streamlined template management.
• Enhancements to Style Revisions, which now include added pagination and integration with the Style Book, providing a clearer and more efficient way to navigate and understand style changes across both templates and individual blocks.
• New controls for adjusting the size and repetition of background images in the Group Block, offering options like “Cover,” “Contain,” and “Fixed” for diverse design needs.
• Right-click access to Block Setting, improving the List View with a right-click feature to open block settings, streamlining the editing process.

Additional highlights in Gutenberg 17.4 include the introduction of a sidebar panel in the Site Editor, mirroring that of the Post Editor. This unifies the UI and provides consistent controls for managing various attributes and settings. Additionally, the update extends `appearanceTools` support for classic themes, leading to improved management of default color palettes and enhanced duotone settings.

Check out the official release post for more about Gutenberg 17.4.

Gutenberg 17.3

This version update was released on December 20, 2023.

Gutenberg 17.3 introduces an array of enhancements, bug fixes, and performance improvements, marking continued progress in the development of Phase 3 features for the Site Editor project.   

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.3 include:

• A clearer overview of revisions made in the global styles, enhancing visibility and understanding of changes.
• The preferences modal has been reorganized, introducing new panels for Appearance and Accessibility settings, streamlining user experience.
• The addition of a Gravatar icon in the social icons block, acknowledging Gravatar’s widespread use across WordPress platforms for personal web presence.  

Additionally, Gutenberg 17.3 introduces the ability to adjust list-item block dimensions for personalized spacing, a unified post editor with multiple editing modes for improved workflow, and the initiation of module usage in the create-block template for advanced interactivity. 17.3 also addresses critical bug fixes, such as safe access to toString() on siteData‘s page_on_front as well as resolving issues with the form token field suggestion list.

See the official release post for more details about Gutenberg 17.3.

Gutenberg 17.2

This version update was released on December 6, 2023.

Gutenberg 17.2 marks another significant step in the evolution of the Site Editing experience, offering a suite of improvements designed to enhance usability and efficiency.

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.2 include:

• Improved drag and drop functionality allowing users to effortlessly move elements to the beginning and end of a document. This feature expands the draggable area without altering the visual or front-end experience, ensuring a smoother editing process.
• Sticky table headers and pagination, which ensure that table headers remain visible while scrolling through large datasets. This enhancement saves time and adds clarity by keeping essential information in view.
• When using Distraction-Free mode, the Block Toolbar now slides into view when users move their mouse to the top of the editor.

In addition to the above updates, Gutenberg 17.2 introduces a number of key enhancements including expanded core data support for more post types, HTML rendering in post titles for both visual and code views, and an upgraded Interactivity API that uses modules instead of scripts in the frontend.

See the official release post for more details about Gutenberg 17.2.

Gutenberg 17.1

This version update was released on November 22, 2023.

Gutenberg 17.1 brings several important changes and improvements:

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.1 include:

• Enhanced accessibility and writing flow, including the visible indication of linked images in the Image and Media & Text blocks, as well as a new keyboard shortcut for selecting all blocks in the list view.
• The introduction of block spacing control for the Quote block, allowing for better layout management.
• Improved Top Toolbar functionality, which now allows the escape key to return focus from the toolbar to the editor canvas, instead of deselecting blocks.

In addition to these key updates, Gutenberg 17.1 includes ongoing polishing of global styles revisions, a host of bug fixes, and continued development on Phase 3 features, making it a comprehensive upgrade for users seeking a smoother and more efficient editing experience.

See the official release post for more details about Gutenberg 17.1.

Gutenberg 17.0

This version update was released on November 9, 2023.

Gutenberg 17.0 was released alongside WordPress 6.4 “Shirley” and focuses primarily on maintenance, with improvements to performance and accessibility. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 17.0 include:

• A significant update in the improved contextual suggestions in the Command Palette for pattern editing, which makes renaming and duplicating patterns even easier. 
• An experimental implementation of the DropdownMenu component, which offers a preview of the next generation of WordPress components. 
• LinkControl now includes additional visual cues, such as Block and Home icons, to aid in easier navigation and selection. 

In addition to these updates, Gutenberg 17.0 continues to iterate on accessibility and performance. This includes the Autocomplete Voiceover now announcing suggestions and optimized controls for duotone, layout, and alignment, contributing to a more streamlined and accessible user experience.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 17.0 has in store.

Gutenberg 16.9

This version update was released on October 25, 2023.

Gutenberg 16.9 offers a range of enhancements, including the ability to rename almost all blocks in the editor, a feature extended from Group blocks in version 16.7.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.9 include:

• New pattern management enhancements allow users to rename, duplicate, or delete individual patterns and pattern categories directly from the user interface. 
• Two new media categories, Audio and Video, have been added for better organization of patterns by media type. 
• Other notable highlights include improved layout of the Dimensions design tool, fallback for the Template Part block to the current theme, support for CSS Level 4 viewport-relative units, and pagination totals in getEntityRecords() calls. 

Beyond these key highlights, Gutenberg 16.9 includes numerous bug fixes, performance improvements, and minor enhancements, further refining the WordPress editing experience.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.9 has in store.

Gutenberg 16.8

This version update was released on October 11, 2023.

Gutenberg 16.8 features several new enhancements, bug fixes, and important foundational work for Gutenberg’s upcoming Phase 3.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.8 include:

• The Cover block now intelligently sets an overlay color based on the background image.
• A new option to view and edit pages within their intended template context is now available, promoting a more unified editor experience.
• Font uploads have been streamlined with a dedicated “Uploads” tab, accompanied by improved error messages.

Additionally, footnotes can utilize core meta revisioning when accessible, and an experimental version of the pages list has been introduced in the site editor. Last, but not least, a new flow has been added to the template inspector for template replacement.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.8 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.7

This version update was released on September 27, 2023.

We are nearing the end of the month, and have a big new Gutenberg release. There’s a new Font Library, new ways to manage patterns, and more. Let’s take a look!

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.7 include:

• Probably the most exciting new feature is the Font Library. You can now install a font manually or using Google Fonts directly to your site and have it whenever you need it locally.
• Users can now import or export patterns using JSON from your site’s editor pattern screen.
• Name Group Blocks in the List View making it easier to differentiate your blocks.

This was a big release. Updates also include simplified lightbox functionality for images, new social icon for X, and much more.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.6 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.6

This version update was released on September 6, 2023.

There is a chill in the air, leaves are beginning to turn color, and Gutenberg 16.6 is here! This release tackles List View, a horizontal sidebar, and more.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.6 include:

• Plugins can now auto-insert blocks enhancing integration between blocks and plugins. This feature has been renamed to Block Hooks.
• Tool bars in child blocks now attach to parent blocks making it much easier to organize and navigate while building.
• A keyboard shortcut has been added to the List View for duplicating blocks.

On top of these updates, capture toolbars were added to the quote block, the Fonts Library was renamed Font Library, bux fixes, and so much more.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.6 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.5

This version update was released on August 23, 2023.

This release takes a special focus on the new Command Palette. Gutenberg 16.5 also comes with bug fixes and performance enhancements. Let’s get into it.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.5 include:

• The Command Palette, a search tool, was introduced in WordPress 6.3. This update includes block transformations such as duplicate, copy, remove, insert, and more.
• On top of that, the styling and language of the Command Palette has been improved.
• Extra support and styling has been added to the details block, post content block, and file block.

On top of these updates, the word post has been removed from block titles, theme developers can can configure their own min and max values, and more.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.5 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.4

This version update was released on August 9, 2023.

Alongside the release of WordPress 6.3, “Lionel,” the Gutenberg team also announced the latest version. Let’s get into the performance enhancements.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.4 include:

• An experimental feature Auto-Inserting Blocks feature is in Beta. This would allow you to have blocks automatically follow other blocks. Such as a like block following a comment block every time.
• A huge improvement that shipped with 6.3 is the Command Palette that allows you to Command + K and find anything on your site. 16.4 added new commands such as show/hide block breadcrumbs, preview in new tab, and enable/disable pre-publish checklist.
• New supports have been added to the brand new Footnotes Block such as updated link color, text colors, borders, and more.

This is a huge month for WordPress with ground breaking updates. On top of a number of performance enhancements, Gutenberg 16.4 also comes with bug fixes and more.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.4 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.3

This version update was released on July 26, 2023.

Gutenberg 16.3 greatly focuses on maintenance with a number of bug fixes and other performance enhancements.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.3 include:

• Focus mode has been implemented in the Editor, Site Editor, and now when editing patterns.
• Also on the Patterns Page, the header will now remain sticky which makes finding the pattern you want much easier.
• The improvements to patterns keep on coming with a new menu that allows you to rename, duplicate, and delete patterns all in one place.

Though this is mostly a maintenance update, patterns got a variety of enhancements making them easier to select and edit.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.3 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.2

This version update was released on July 14, 2023.

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up this July. Gutenberg 16.2 allows users to use footnotes, consolidate patterns, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.2 include:

• While footnotes were added in 16.1, they’ve been optimized in 16.2. Not only are they more reliable, you can now add the block manually in case you delete them. 
• Using the Typography setting in a text block, you can change the way the text is oriented. This is a step toward supporting vertically-written languages. 
• The Patterns section is more intuitive than ever before. Users can now see a Pattern’s sync status right in the sidebar. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Other highlights include the Command Tool being renamed The Command Palette, the “Browse All” button in the quick inserter has been restored, bug fixes, and much more. 

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.2 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.1

This version update was released on June 29, 2023.

72 contributors worked on this massive release. Let’s get into the highlights from Gutenberg 16.1. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.1 include:

• Access all your patterns directly from the new Pattern Library and sync them across your entire site. 
• We previously had a “Distraction Free” Editing experience but now you can design without distractions. Cut out all distractions and get your work done. 
• A very exciting update introduces automatic footnotes. You can find them in text blocks including paragraph, heading and lists, and can be added from the block context menu.

This is a massive update leading Gutenberg into the future and beyond. It also comes with bug fixes and other performance enhancements.

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.1 has to offer.

Gutenberg 16.0

This version update was released on June 14, 2023.

Gutenberg 16.0 provides a glimpse into upcoming features that will soon be integrated into core WordPress, coinciding with the release of WordPress 6.3 Beta 1. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.0 include:

• Users now have the ability to create new pages and access page details through the sidebar. This empowers website creators to efficiently build their sites within the Site Editor, eliminating the need to switch between editors. 
• Previously, theme authors had to resort to custom CSS for controlling block spacing within the Post Template block, which is part of the Query block. However, Gutenberg 16.0 introduces block spacing and layout controls directly within the Editor. This improvement enables easier management of the space between posts, empowering theme authors with more flexibility. 
• Initially introduced as an experiment in Gutenberg 15.6, the Details block has undergone revisions and stabilization based on community testing and feedback. In Gutenberg 16.0, this block employs <details> and <summary> HTML elements to conceal content until readers are ready to view it. Users can also configure the visibility of content as per their preferences.

Gutenberg 16.0 includes a wide array of additional enhancements and bug fixes. 

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 16.0 has to offer.

Gutenberg 15.9

This version update was released on May 31, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.9 includes several exciting features that improve the Site Editor user experience.

Highlights of Gutenberg 16.0 include:

• Gutenberg 15.9 introduces a new, yet-to-be-named Command Tool, which allows for enhanced navigation and content creation within the Site Editor. You can access the tool by opening the Site Editor and using the keyboard shortcut Cmd+k on Mac or Ctrl+k on Windows. Once opened, you’ll have access to a variety of different commands that enable swift actions and interactions. You can also customize the tool by adding your own commands. Detailed documentation is available here.
• Users can now resize the Site Editor, allowing you to preview how your site will appear on smaller screens (i.e. mobile devices). This feature helps optimize your site’s layout for various screen sizes. 
• When moving blocks, you will now experience a visual cue that clearly indicates the drop location, especially when working with empty groups. This enhancement streamlines the process of rearranging your site’s layout, making it more intuitive and efficient. 
• You can now access style variations and all navigation menus of your site. This enhancement simplifies the process of switching between different styles and menus, providing a convenient interface to make adjustments effortlessly. 

Gutenberg 15.9 also includes the introduction of an API that allows for prioritizing inserter items, better accessibility through arrow keys in certain input types, keyboard focus improvements for enhanced accessibility, and numerous bug fixes..

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 15.9 has to offer. 

Gutenberg 15.8

This version update was released on May 17, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.8 introduces a range of improvements that enhance the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) for content creators, site owners, and theme developers. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.8 include:

• The site editor now provides direct access to the ten most recently updated pages, allowing users to jump straight into editing them. This step is part of our exploration to reintroduce the ability to edit content directly from within the site editor. This enhancement aims to streamline the editing process and improve efficiency. 
• In the global styles interface, users can now navigate through revisions and explore how the site appeared at different points in time. The revisions timeline displays saved changes along with timestamps and author information. This feature empowers users to review and compare previous versions of their site, facilitating better decision-making and content management. 
• Previewing different themes has become more convenient with the introduction of the theme_preview parameter. Users can now preview how their site would look with different themes directly within the site editor. This capability simplifies the process of selecting the perfect theme, ensuring a seamless and visually appealing site design. 

Gutenberg 15.8 introduces additional bug fixes, improvements to responsiveness, and more. 

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 15.8 has to offer. 

Gutenberg 15.7

This version update was released on May 3, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.7 comes with a number of small yet impactful changes aimed at improving workflows, fixing bugs, and enhancing responsiveness. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.7 include:

• To streamline creator workflows, the Site Logo block now offers a direct method to replace the logo within the sidebar for the block. Although it may seem like a minor feature, simplifying the management of a site’s branding identity is crucial and warrants an easy and intuitive process.
• The inclusion of duotone filter controls in the block sidebar represents another step in streamlining workflows. Previously, these controls were hidden within the Block Toolbar, but now they are readily available alongside the style settings in the sidebar. 
• While fluid typography was introduced with WordPress 6.0, users and designers encountered challenges with large custom fonts, as the previous fluid calculation didn’t scale down sufficiently for smaller screens. In this release, a more refined handling of fluid typography has been implemented using a logarithmic scale factor to calculate a minimum font size for smaller screen.

Gutenberg 15.7 includes a ton of additional highlights, enhancements, bug fixes, and more. 

Check out the official release post to see what else Gutenberg 15.7 has to offer. 

Gutenberg 15.6

This version update was released on April 19, 2023.

There is a lot to look forward to with Gutenberg 15.6. On top of bug fixes and a variety of performance enhancements, there is a lot more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.6 include:

• The experimental new Details Block allows you to hide content in a published post, like the ending to a book or movie in a review. 
• Users can now add spacing presets to the Spacer block, keeping the width and height locked in.
• Easily access style variations in Browse Mode. Go into “Edit Style” and view all the variations. 

Gutenberg 15.6 is incredibly ground-breaking leading to better customization and more design styles. 

To see what else Gutenberg 15.6 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.5

This version update was released on April 5, 2023.

This release comes with a ton of user-facing updates and great news for theme editors. Let’s take a look at what’s inside Gutenberg 15.5. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.5 include:

• Users can now create new templates from theme-registered template patterns. This greatly improves customization. 
• Caption editing has been integrated into the Site Editor so you can change caption styles without using code. 
• A brand new experimental layout type has been added in 15.5. Though it only supports column width, it creates the foundation for more future configuration options. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Along with these updates, users can now display a post’s most recent date. There were also a number of bug fixes and performance enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 15.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.4

This version update was released on March 22, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.4 focuses on bug fixes and overdo improvements, all of which optimize the plugin.

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.4 include:

• It is now much easier to update the color or pattern in the Cover Block. 
• In order to better understand templates, the descriptions have been greatly improved, giving a more clear picture of what they do. 

Other enhancements include a new textColumns property, bug fixes, and other performance enhancements.

To see what else Gutenberg 15.4 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.3

This version update was released on March 13, 2023.

Another massive update has been released. Gutenberg 13.5 has a ton of exciting new features. Here are some of our favorites. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.3 include:

• The Site Editor got a huge facelift and is even more intuitive than ever. 
• Introducing the new Time to Read block. Add this to the top of your post to let visitors know how long the article will take them to read. 
• The Duotone design tool has also gotten a refresh. You can now set a global filter using the Site Editor, instead of doing it manually. 

This update makes Gutenberg faster, sleeker, and easier to use. 

To see what else Gutenberg 15.3 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.2

This version update was released on February 22, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.2 is a big one, offering a better editing experience, accessibility updates, and more. Let’s get into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.2 include:

• Users can now access their revisions from the template and template part inspectors. That way you can adjust things without losing any progress. 
• The Site Editor navigation has been greatly improved You can now get access to templates, template parts, navigation with new buttons. 
• Accessibility was a huge focus with updates that include proper hierarchy of headings, tab and arrow key navigation optimization, and more. 

This was a massive update with bug fixes and other performance enhancements.

To see what else Gutenberg 15.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.1

This version update was released on February 8, 2023.

In very exciting news, Gutenberg 15.1 introduces an integration with the Openverse. This and other performance enhancements. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.1 include:

• The Openverse can be accessed right from the Inserter. You can add it like you would any other image or video. 
• From the sidebar, you can now add custom CSS to any block. 
• Navigation has been added to the browse mode. That way you can manage your site navigation right in the Site Editor. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

This incredible update brings Gutenberg and WordPress into the future. Thanks to all the contributors who made it possible. 

To see what else Gutenberg 15.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 15.0

This version update was released on January 18, 2023.

Gutenberg 15.0 is a huge release. The update makes it easier to customize your site and speed up the design process. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 15.0 include:

• Users can now “Paste Styles” into multiple blocks making it easier to quickly spin up a uniform site. 
• Images are constrained to the containers you put them in. That way, the image cannot get bigger than the container you set. 
• New sticky block functionality allows you to adhere a block to the side so it follows a site visitor as they scroll. 

Other notable highlights include the ability to resize a sidebar, cut and paste keyboard shortcuts work with the site editor now, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 15.0 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.9

This version update was released on January 4, 2023.

Happy New Year, WordPressers! Let’s kick off 2023 with the gift of Gutenberg 14.9. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.9 include:

• A new button titled “Push Block Changes to Global Styles” allows you to make quick style changes at a global level.
• You can now set the font size, family, and more in the Page List block. 
• When inserting template parts into the Site Editor, you can  import widgets from a previously-registered dynamic sidebar, cutting design time in half. 

This is a big update with design fixes, performance enhancements, bug fixes, and new theme-json support. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.9 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.8

This version update was released on December 21, 2022.

It’s the last update of the year! Gutenberg 14.8 is chock-full of improvements. Happy New Year to all the contributors who worked on this release. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.8 include:

• Introducing Browse Mode, an easy way to quickly navigate through your template and template parts all in the sidebar. 
• The Styles Panel has been edited and is now called the Style Book. The new Style Book shows an overview of all block styles in one place.
• You can now add custom CSS to the sidebar. This way you can make changes quickly without being overwritten by the theme. 

Other notable highlights include pattern title tooltip, navigation block improvements, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.8 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.7

This version update was released on December 7, 2022.

We are nearing the end of the year but that hasn’t slowed down the Gutenberg developers! Gutenberg 14.7 is better than ever. Let’s take a look.

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.7 include:

• The block inspector now separates appearance and settings controls by tabs in this experimental sidebar view. 
• Add videos and images directly from the inserter. Add a block, toggle over to Media and then choose your image or video. Just like that. 
• Template and Reusable Blocks will now be outlined in a different color making them easier to identify. 

All these updates make it easier to design and create content quickly. The update comes with these and an array of bug fixes and other performance enhancements.

To see what else Gutenberg 14.7 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.6

This version update was released on November 23, 2022.

This is a gargantuan update with a lot of features to get through. There are a number of design and block updates. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.6 include:

• Upon picking the Group Block, you are given the option to pick a layout. This way you don’t have to format after putting in content.
• You can now drag items in the Navigation Menu. Want to move your About Me page above Contact Me? Do that quickly right from the sidebar. 
• Looking for a rebrand? Try out the “Randomize colors” feature to get a random color palette just for your site. 

This just scratches the surface of what Gutenberg 14.6 brings. You can also define a minimum height, adjust your fluid typography minimum and maximum, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.6 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.5

This version update was released on November 9, 2022.

Gutenberg 14.5 adds a ton of design functionality making it easy to customize every part of your site. Let’s dive in. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.5 include:

• Quickly toggle between List View and Document Info all in one place. The Details popover and List View have been combined making it easy to see your entire post at a glance. 
• It has always been difficult to customize margins and padding in WordPress. Gutenberg 14.5 added improved visualizers that allow you to change margins with a slider. 
• Just like with the Image block in 14.4, a button was added to the Audio and Video blocks that allow you to quickly add a caption. 

These updates along with big fixes and more performance enhancements allow you to take more control of your website with Gutenberg 14.5. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.4

This version update was released on October 26, 2022.

Writers rejoice as Gutenberg 14.4 adds distraction-free writing! This and much more are in store. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.4 include:

• Distraction-free mode hides sidebars and toolbars so all you see is the blank page. This will help you focus only on the words. 
• You can now add or delete a caption from the toolbar above the image. 
• The lock ability was added to the Navigation Block allowing you to restrict editors or limit movement. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Gutenberg 14.4 is chock-full of improvements including fluid typography, bug fixes, performance enhancements and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.4 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.3

This version update was released on October 12, 2022.

Gutenberg 14.3 continues the march toward Full Site Editing with design and UX enhancements. Let’s get into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.3 include:

• In huge news, you can now drag and drop an image into a paragraph block to turn it into an image block. This is a massive time saver.
• The Styles interface is now consistent with the Block Settings interface. 
• New keyboard combinations make it easier to navigate big blocks of text. Use alt + up arrow or alt + down arrow to move your cursor through blocks of text. 

The writing flow has been greatly improved in Gutenberg 14.3. You can drag and drop and navigate your way through your post to make editing and designing a dream.

To see what else Gutenberg 14.3 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.2

This version update was released on September 28, 2022.

The latest version of Gutenberg improves the writing flow, letter spacing in headings, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.2 include:

• Big improvements have been made to the writing flow such as making selecting multiple blocks visually consistent and hiding the block inserter to clear up clutter. 
• In the Global Styles interface, you can modify letter spacing in headlines. 
• You can now edit the background color and text color of the Calendar Block. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Along with the updates stated above, Gutenberg 14.2 also includes autocompletion for links, new Banners and Footers patterns, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.1

This version update was released on September 15, 2022.

Gutenberg 14.1 focuses on design tools, UX improvements, block updates, and much more. Thanks to all the developers who made this release possible. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.1 include:

• You can now lock parts of your blocks so design mistakes don’t happen. Resizing, block alignment, and duotone filters can all be locked. 
• A new “Menu” section was added to the sidebar where you now control your block navigation. 
• A bunch of blocks got typography and spacing support. Below is the list of updated blocks:

Source: make.wordpress.org

On top of these updates, there was also box-shadow support, block template parts for template themes, and the ability to filter global styles. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 14.0

This version update was released on August 31, 2022.

Summer may be coming to an end but Gutenberg is just heating up! Get ready for lots of block supports, UI enhancements, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 14.0 include:

• The List Block is now so much easier to use. You can now sort and indent list items with ease.
• Using Styles UI, you can adjust axial block spacing, allowing you to customize the vertical and horizontal spacing. 
• Just like what was done with links, you can now adjust the hover, active, and focus states for buttons. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Gutenberg 14.0 continues to bring greater customization to WordPress and builds on Full Site Editing. 

To see what else Gutenberg 14.0 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.9

This version update was released on August 17, 2022.

Gutenberg 13.9 brings a lot of updates to UI, engine work, and more. Let’s dig into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.9 include:

• More overlay colors were added to the Navigation. 
• A very handy “View Site” link option has been added to the site editor. Also the Clear Customizations copy has been updated for templates. 
• As far as design, the color button style has been updated.

This release comes with a variety of bug fixes, performance enhancements, and much more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.9 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.8

This version update was released on August 3, 2022.

The latest version of Gutenberg comes with accessibility updates, block updates, UX enhancements, and much more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.8 include:

• Fluid typography got more support in 13.8. This allows text to scale and adapt to any screen size. 
• New template parts have been added including “Header,” “Footer,” and “Subscribe to Newsletter” sections. You can also now search for the template part you’re looking for.
• Gutenberg 13.8 includes big accessibility updates such as  keyboard-friendly clickable elements in the “Add template” modal and improved and consistent labels in the Editor. 

Other updates include the consolidation of the Post Comments and Comments block, new settings for full-width content in the theme, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.8 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.7

This version update was released on July 20, 2022.

This was a massive release with 127 pull requests. Lots of features were added. Let’s get into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.7 include:

• Lock settings were updated in 13.7. For Group, Cover, and Column blocks, you can choose to lock with just the toggle of a button. 
• You can now create templates for specific categories and pages. For example you can have one template for a product page, one for a calendar, and one for a blog. 
• The Information Panel now excludes a “Time to Read” readout beside word count and character count. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Other enhancements include improved document settings, a new featured image placeholder, a unified modal design, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.7 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.6

This version update was released on July 6, 2022.

Performance was the focus of Gutenberg 13.6. There were enhancements for accessibility and development with Gutenberg. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.6 include:

• This update works with an API introduced in WordPress 6.0 that allows you to provide patterns for any post category. This is going to cut design time in half, especially with clients. 
• Directly from the editor, you can now create more template types. You don’t need to know post type identifiers or post slugs. 
• The theme.json engine that was updated in 13.4 has been expanded to allow you to create a cohesive theme across all your blocks. You can fully control all block styles. 

This was a jam-packed update with added keyboard shortcuts, bug fixes, performance enhancements and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.6 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.5

This version update was released on June 22, 2022.

Gutenberg 13.5 improves the featured image UX, expanded design tools, and some accessibility updates. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.5 include:

• When using the Cover Block to add a Featured Image, a placeholder now displays so you can get a better idea how much space the image will take up. Also when you hit “Replace” on an image block, there’s a drop down option to add the Featured Image. 
• A huge update to the Post Navigation Link allows you to customize your link color. 
• Context was added to the Edit/New buttons increasing accessibility. 

Along with these updates, there were 15 bug fixes and 12 performance enhancements. All of which add customization. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.4

This version update was released on June 8, 2022.

WordPress 6.0 “Arturo” is out and Gutenberg 13.4 just builds on that momentum! Let’s look at what changed. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.4 include:

• The sidebar got a rework with Gutenberg 13.4. The Publish popover has a new look that’s easier to understand. The color-picking interface now uses the ToolPanel.
• The Gallery Block now supports axial spacing, so you can add space on either side of an image or on the top and bottom. 
• A huge update is that Themes can now add buttons using theme.json. 

{

"styles": {

 "elements": {

 "button": {

  "color": {

  "background": "black"

  }

 }

 }

}

}

On top of these exciting changes, there were also a variety of bug fixes and other performance enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.4 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.3

This version update was released on May 25, 2022.

Gutenberg 13.3 has a long-awaited update, a Table of Contents block. This and a variety of other enhancements makes this a very exciting update. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.3 include:

• You can now display custom taxonomy terms in the Post Terms Block. This allows the user to add things like product categories to a post. 
• The Query Loop Block now supports a “parent” filter so you can see any of the children content defined for that parent. 
• The new Table of Contents Block works like a charm by automatically finding all the headers and automatically adding them with anchor links. This is such a time saver. 

This update puts the focus on the editor and makes things easier. Along with bug fixes and other performance enhancements, Gutenberg 13.3 is a big one. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.3 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.2

This version update was released on May 11, 2022.

The Comment Block got a tune up as well as a brand new API in Gutenberg 13.2. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.2 include:

• The placeholders for the post excerpt, post comments, and post comment form have been greatly improved and look more realistic. 
• Padding and margins now have much greater customization. As you adjust them, they highlight in blue so you can see exactly what you’re changing. 
• A new API was created that allows you to save your editor preferences so your experience looks exactly the same on any browser or any device. This is incredibly exciting because you can edit no matter where you are. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Gutenberg 13.2 is a huge step forward in Full Site Editing. The Separator Block supports top and bottom margins, bugs to the Comment Block have been fixed, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.1

This version update was released on April 27, 2022.

Gutenberg 13.1 comes with updates to important blocks as well as numerous performance enhancements. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.1 include:

• The Columns Block got a huge facelift with this update. You can now customize the width and color of borders within columns. 
• The Comments Block also got an update including a better view of nested comments. 
• Most notably, a variety of accessibility updates were made including closing the welcome dialogue in the post editor, installing blocks from the directory, and more. 

A lot of work was done in Gutenberg 13.1, so thank you to all the new contributors who helped make it happen. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 13.0

This version update was released on April 14, 2022.

This is a loaded update because it has all the features that will be released with WordPress 6.0. Blocks are more responsive, the Editor has been improved. Let’s get into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 13.0 include:

• In a huge relief to editors and writers everywhere, you can now select text from different blocks. No longer do you need to delete and edit one block at a time.
• The Cover Block has been updated and you can now view your featured image and headline in one place before publishing. 
• Patterns are here! Staring at a blank page can be very intimidating, but now you can plug in a pattern and start designing immediately.

Source: make.wordpress.org

Like we said at the top, this release has a lot to cover. Along with these highlights there was also the ability to build responsive groups, rows, and stacks. Increased customization for borders and columns. Bug fixes, performance enhancements, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 13.0 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 12.9

This version update was released on March 30, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.9 introduces several features that provide greater flexibility and ease of use for both theme developers and website administrators. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.9 include:

• The new block locking UI introduced in Gutenberg 12.9 allows you to disable specific actions for locked blocks. When a block is locked, users are prevented from moving or removing it. This is particularly useful for site-level blocks like Post Content, which many themes may want to restrict.
• You can now adjust the whitespace, allowing for zero spacing or large art-gallery-style gaps. This feature enables the creation of beautiful and unique layouts using blocks.
• Previously, the Site Editor had limited options for creating new templates. Now, you can create templates for various page types on your site, including Category, Author, Taxonomy Date, Tag, and Attachment pages.
• When exporting a theme from the Site Editor, all theme files are now included, simplifying the process of exporting themes between sites along with all edits. This update is a significant step towards creating new themes directly from the Site Editor. Additionally, including patterns with your theme is now effortless and doesn’t require any PHP coding. You can simply include patterns in a patterns folder, similar to how templates and parts are organized.
• In the List View, you can now use the Shift + Home and End keys for multi-block selection, facilitating the selection of blocks from a specific point to the beginning or end of a post. 
• Gutenberg 12.9 includes several additional enhancements, such as displaying the name of custom colors in the color palette selection, providing more precise font size control for tag clouds, enabling easy previewing of drafts right after saving, and offering the option to choose suggested or custom date formats.

With these updates, Gutenberg 12.9 empowers users with enhanced control, improved defaults, and more intuitive options for creating engaging content with blocks and block themes.

To see what else Gutenberg 12.9 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 12.8

This version update was released on March 16, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.8 comes with new APIs, iterative UX enhancements, and numerous bug fixes to enhance the stability of the editor.

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.8 include:

• The new Webfonts API represents a significant step towards loading fonts in a performance-friendly, privacy-conscious, and future-proof manner. The API also paves the way for additional tools and optimizations that will ensure WordPress delivers the best possible experience and privacy to users. 
• Inline links can now be inserted using a direct keyboard shortcut. If you thought the slash inserter was fast, you’ll be impressed with the new [[ keyboard trigger, which allows you to add an inline link without navigating through the inserter. 
• When using the export tool in the Site Editor, the generated zip file now includes the theme.json file, which contains the Styles settings, along with the index.php and styles.css files..
• Gutenberg 12.8 further refines placeholder and loading states. The Navigation block now provides a clear loading state during initial setup and subsequent loading of existing blocks. 

As WordPress continues to evolve, Gutenberg 12.8 also comes with valuable enhancements and bug fixes to enhance the editing experience.

To see what else Gutenberg 12.8 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 12.7

This version update was released on March 2, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.7 introduces new features that make working with patterns even more convenient and user-friendly. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.7 include:

• The block quick inserter now prioritizes patterns over blocks in specific conditions. When editing a template in the site editor or post editor, and the inserter is at the root level between other blocks (not as the first or last block), patterns will be given priority.
• The creation flow for template parts like Header, Footer, and Sidebar now also includes patterns, providing a smoother experience for adding complex designs.
• Themes now have the ability to highlight specific patterns to their users. By adding a pattern field to the theme.json file, themes can recommend patterns to enhance the user experience. When accessing patterns from the Pattern Directory, their slugs can be found in the URL when browsing individually. 
• Gutenberg 12.7 includes a few other noteworthy improvements. Columns blocks now have the option to add border styles, while Group blocks can have margins applied. These additions offer greater design flexibility. Additionally, to address backward compatibility issues reported in WordPress 5.9, the automatic anchor generation for headings introduced in Gutenberg 11.8 is now an opt-in feature. Developers can enable this feature by adding the provided code snippet to their settings:

add_filter( 'block_editor_settings_all', static function( $settings ) {

$settings['__experimentalGenerateAnchors'] = true;

return $settings;

});

This update also improves the ListView functionality, introduces frontend HTML changes, and includes various iterative enhancements for a more refined block editor experience.

To see what else Gutenberg 12.7 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 12.6

This version update was released on February 16, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.6 introduces a long list of updates, including numerous design enhancements to the block editor as well as accessibility improvements.  

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.6 include:

• Following the pattern set by Gutenberg 11.9 and Gutenberg 12.2, which incorporated the ToolsPanel component for typography tools and border controls, this update brings the ToolsPanel to the color sidebar. Users can now expand and collapse Text, Background, and Link colors in different contexts, improving the color editing experience and aligning the controls with other design tools. 
• Two new blocks have been introduced in 12.6. The Post Author Biography block is part of an ongoing effort to separate the existing Post Author block into its individual components. The Read More block provides a simple way to link to a specific page or post within the Query block. 
• Certain styles like color and font size are now retained when transforming between blocks. Furthermore, new block transforms have been added, such as converting Tag Cloud to Categories, Calendar to Archives, Paragraph to Code, and Group to Row variation. 
• The editor now includes an error boundary specifically for plugins, enhancing its resilience against plugin-related issues. Beginning with Gutenberg 12.6, plugin errors are displayed at the top of the editor, providing users with information on which plugins are causing the problem. 
• Building on the accessibility improvements made in Gutenberg 12.4, the List View is now more accessible for keyboard navigation and screen readers. Other accessibility improvements include VoiceOver now reading placeholder descriptions and search results in the block manager being announced.

This update also includes numerous enhancements and bug fixes for the Block Library, Components, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.6 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 12.5

This version update was released on February 2, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.5 comes with some excellent improvements meant to expand on existing functionality and help streamline workflows.

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.5 include:

• Users now have even more flexibility with the introduction of style variations, which allow for quick and effortless switching between different appearances within the same theme. 
• The Query Loop feature has been enhanced to include custom taxonomies and filtering and more. In the filters panel, the Query Loop block now displays custom taxonomies based on the selected post type, providing comprehensive filtering options. Additionally, filtering by multiple authors is now supported in the Query Loop block.
• When inserting a new Button Block, the new button will automatically inherit the styling from adjacent buttons, simplifying the design workflow. 
• The Code Editor view is now accessible in the Site Editor. This allows users to access the underlying code, providing a peek behind the curtain for anyone who needs it.

This update also includes a variety of enhancements and bug fixes for the Block Library, Site Editor, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 12.4

This version update was released on January 19, 2022.

Gutenberg 12.4 has a big focus on accessibility as well as the usual performance and bug fixes. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.4 include:

• It is now much easier to navigate through the List View and Block Inserter Sidebar. This will make it much easier for screen readers to work through the page. 
• The post publish panel now reminds the writer to add tags and categories before you push it live.
• The site editor now has a list of keyboard shortcuts you can pull up and add into your daily use. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

This exciting release featured a bunch of new contributors, so thanks to them! There were also bug fixes, performance enhancements, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.4 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 12.3

This version update was released on January 5, 2022.

Happy New Year, WordPressers! We are kicking the year off with an exciting Gutenberg update.

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.3 include: 

• The update comes with two new blocks, an Author Block, and a Comment Pagination Block. Both of these make creating your layout easy. 
• Using the Site Logo Block, you can now set your site icon. This is what you see in your browser tabs, bookmark tabs, and on mobile. 
• We’ve talked about block spacers, but now you can get even more customization with custom units including VH, viewpoint height, EM, relative to parent font size, and more. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

2022 kicked off with a big one with group block customizations, the ability to restrict the navigation block, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.3 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 12.2

This version update was released on December 22, 2021.

This is the last big release of the year and sets Gutenberg up nicely for WordPress 5.9. Let’s dive into the biggest updates in this version. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.2 include:

• The user experience got even better with Gutenberg 12.2. The page no longer needs to reload between the Site Editor and Template List, saving time. 
• All blocks can now use the drop-down color picker. This clears up clutter in the toolbar. 
• In the same vein, Border Controls have been moved to the ToolsPanel and can be used with every block as well. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Along with other performance enhancements and bug fixes, Gutenberg 12.2 comes with improvements to post comments, new font sizes in the FontSizePicker component, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 12.1

This version update was released on December 8, 2021.

Another big update on the heels of WordPress 5.9, Gutenberg 12.1 is jam-packed. Let’s get into it. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.1 include:

• The Template List View has returned. This allows you to easily toggle between all your pages. 
• Global Styles got a big update. The typography panel now allows you to toggle between text and link elements. You can view duotone styles in the color palette and preset your own gradients.
• The Navigation Block has been reworked. Menu names are added automatically right off the bat. The dropdown menu now only displays what you choose it to. 

This was a big update with a variety of ux updates, changes to block themes, bug fixes, and even more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 12.0

This version update was released on November 24, 2021.

Gutenberg 12.0 is continuing to get ready for WordPress 5.9 with a variety of enhancements, bug fixes, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 12.0 include:

• A Site Editor Welcome Guide has been added to help new users get the most out of Gutenberg. 
• Block Styles Previews have been added to the sidebar so you can see what the styles look like before choosing one. 
• The featured image block now does a more accurate job of displaying the height and width of the image once it’s uploaded. 

This is a big release with better typography controls, JSON schema updates, bug fixes, and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 12.0 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 11.9

This version update was released on November 11, 2021.

With Gutenberg 11.9, we get new blocks, improvements to old ones, and bug enhancements. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.9 include:

• In big news, the Site Editor has been renamed “Editor” and will now live under the “Appearance” tab. 
• A new Comments Block was released, which makes it incredibly easy to customize your comments section.
• For better performance and accessibility, the block list view only renders a fixed number of items at a time instead of the entire post. 

Gutenberg 11.9 is an impressive update that comes with new blocks, name changes, bug fixes and more. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.9 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 11.8

This version update was released on October 28, 2021.

The editing experience is the focus of Gutenberg 11.8, the second to last update before WordPress 5.9. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.8 include:

• You can now preview patterns right from the inserter before adding them to your post. 
• More blocks are getting spacing tools including the Heading Block and Site Navigation Block. 
• The Navigation Block now has the ability to leave a hamburger menu always on. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Even more customizations were made available with Gutenberg 11.8 along with bug fixes and other enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.8 has to offer, check out the official release post.

Gutenberg 11.7

This version update was released on October 14, 2021.

For years, columns have been difficult in WordPress, but in Gutenberg 11.7, they just got easier. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.7 include:

• Adjust margins between columns with ease simply by toggling the block spacing. 
• The Navigation Block got a big rework. Add links by simply clicking the “+” button. It also now supports custom font-size and line-height. 
• Switching back and forth between the template editor and the site editor is now easier than ever with the addition of a button. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

All these things along with the bug fixes and other enhancements are bringing WordPress closer and closer to Full Site Editing. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.7 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 11.6

This version update was released on October 1, 2021.

When your client asks you if you can make the logo bigger, Gutenberg 11.6 makes it easy. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.6 include:

• You no longer have to edit your site logo before uploading it. Just go to the Site Logo toolbar and crop, rotate, and size to your heart’s content. 
• Before Gutenberg 11.6, you could lock an entire template, but now you can lock specific blocks.
• The Query Pagination block has been improved and now supports the flex layout to enable automatic best fit. 

The updates in Gutenberg 11.6 will save you a ton of time and energy. Of course it also comes with bug fixes and other enhancements.

To see what else Gutenberg 11.6 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 11.5

This version update was released on September 16, 2021.

The block gap support introduced in 11.4 is expanded in 11.5, as well as other performance updates and design tools. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.5 include:

• You can now choose the distance between items in a block. In 11.5, it was added to Columns, Title, and Navigation blocks. 
• Flex Layouts, which were introduced in 11.2, are now supported in the Group and Social Links blocks.This will ensure the content in the blocks finds the best fit within the post.
• In huge news, Global Styles are now available to themes by default. That means block, theme, and patterns can access styles in Core. 

Gutenberg 11.5 brought a lot of exciting design enhancements and bug fixes. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.5 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 11.4

This version update was released on September 1, 2021.

Block design is the star of the Gutenberg 11.4 update with a refactored Gallery Block, duotone filters for featured images, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.4 include:

• The Gallery Block has been greatly updated. It is now a wrapper for the Image block, which means individual gallery images now contain all the functionality of the Image Block. 
• Duotone filters for featured images have been extended and can be made consistent across all post and page templates, query blocks, and more. 
• Support has been added for gap spacing control to a variety of blocks including Columns, Images, and more. 

The updates in Gutenberg 11.4 are adding the groundwork for more precise layout options. And as always comes with bug fixes and other enhancements.

To see what else Gutenberg 11.4 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 11.3

This version update was released on August 18, 2021.

Featured post images get an update in Gutenberg 11.3, as well as new controls for Block Dimensions and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.3 include:

• The Spacing Panel has been renamed to the Dimensions Panel and now has greater capabilities. You have more control over spacing and other style options than ever before. 
• The block inserter got a significant performance boost, making finding and inserting blocks way faster and easier.
• The Featured Image block got a huge facelift with new width, height, and scale options. 

Gutenberg 11.3 makes it even easier to create and customize a post. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.3 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 11.2

This version update was released on August 4, 2021.

Gutenberg 11.2 comes with updated color options, an experimental layout option, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.2 include:

• The Search Block now comes with more colors and border options, allowing for better customization.
• A new experimental layout is being tested on the group block with this update, giving parent blocks the ability to define the layout of other blocks. 
• If you’re writing a series, an “Add New Post” button has been added to the post-Publish dialogue screen so you can keep on writing. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Gutenberg 11.2 has exciting advancements for designers and writers alike, as well other enhancements and bug fixes. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 11.1

This version update was released on July 20, 2021.

To the relief of many designers, Gutenberg 11.1 support has been added to edit block borders. You can now also drag and drop in the list view, and much more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.1 include:

• The biggest thing to come out of 11.1 is begging support to edit block borders. You can change the width, style, radius, color, and more. Until now, this had to be done with custom code. 
• Click on the List View and you can reorder all of the blocks in your post without copying and pasting. This is a huge time saver. 

These are huge advancements toward Full Site Editing. The update also comes with other enhancements and bug fixes. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 11.0

This version update was released on July 9, 2021.

Gutenberg 11.0 coincides with efforts still underway on the WordPress 5.8 release. As such, this version is heavily focused on updates and bug fixes. Nonetheless, the release also introduces the following notable highlights.

Highlights of Gutenberg 11.0 include:

• A new “clickthrough” behavior has been added, requiring active selection of the block before interacting with its child blocks. This introduces a new editing overlay and interaction for reusable blocks. When the block is not selected, hovering over it displays a blue overlay. Clicking anywhere inside the block selects the block itself, preventing the selection of children before the parent. This change addresses user feedback about the lack of friction when editing these reusable elements, leading to a frustrating experience.
• Support for CSS Shorthand Properties in theme.json and Block Attributes Theme JSON is increasingly being used to define reusable CSS rules across themes. As the usage of this feature grows, it becomes important to support common methods of setting style properties. In this release, full support for CSS shorthand properties (e.g., margin: 0) and longhand properties (e.g., margin-left: 0) has been introduced.

The Gutenberg team has also addressed a list of bugs and implemented numerous enhancements, ensuring a smoother and more refined user experience for all. 

To see what else Gutenberg 11.0 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.9

This version update was released on June 23, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.9 comes with several new features and improvements that have been introduced to enhance the editing experience.

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.9 include:

• The Link Control feature now includes rich URL previews, providing users with visual and contextual information about the linked content. This helps with better understanding and managing links within the editor. 
• List View now allows users to expand and collapse nested blocks, providing a more organized and streamlined view of complex block structures. This makes it easier to navigate and edit content within nested blocks. 
• The Query Loop block has been renamed as the Post Template block. This change clarifies its purpose, which is to create custom templates for displaying posts dynamically. 
• The Widgets Editor has received various enhancements and bug fixes, improving its functionality and addressing any reported issues. These improvements ensure a smoother and more reliable experience when working with widgets. 

Additionally, Gutenberg 10.9 brings valuable enhancements and bug fixes to the editor, making it more user-friendly and robust.

To see what else Gutenberg 10.9 has to offer, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 10.8

This version update was released on June 9, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.8 comes with several new features and improvements that have been introduced to enhance the editing experience.

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.8 include:

• Significant attention has been given to improving performance through iterative enhancements. One notable improvement is the ability to pass __experimentalLayout to a memoized object, preventing unnecessary re-renders when layout data remains unchanged. This optimization greatly benefits blocks like BlockList, reducing the frequency of re-rendering and enhancing overall editor performance. 
• The heading block now supports font-weight customization, allowing for greater typographic control. Additionally, the List block now offers support for custom fonts, enabling users to create visually appealing lists with their preferred font choices. These design tools can be easily configured in the theme.json file, providing flexibility for customization. 
• The title area in the Template Editor now corresponds to the current post title, providing clear context during editing. The template details popover has also been improved, offering more detailed information and an enhanced layout. These enhancements provide users with a clearer and more descriptive interface, making it easier to understand and work with the post and template being edited. 

Overall, Gutenberg 10.8 focuses on performance optimizations, introduces additional design tools, and enhances the Template Editor to provide a smoother and more efficient editing experience.

To see what else Gutenberg 10.8 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.7

This version update was released on May 26, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.7 is the last Gutenberg release to be included in the coming WordPress 5.8 release. As such, much of the focus for this release has been on bringing forward features that will be included in WordPress version 5.8

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.7 include:

• In previous versions of Gutenberg, the List View in the Post Editor was displayed as a popover that closed when focus was shifted elsewhere on the page. However, starting from Gutenberg 10.7, the List View now remains persistent in the Post Editor, just like it was in the Site Editor. This means that a sidebar displaying the full post block tree is available. 
• Gutenberg 10.7 also introduces the initial version of responsive menus in the Navigation block. By enabling the “Enable responsive menu” block option, the Navigation block now collapses into a “Hamburger menu” when viewed on smaller screens. This implementation prioritizes accessibility by ensuring full keyboard navigability of the menu. 
• Continuing its focus on design tools, Gutenberg 10.7 introduces new features and support for existing ones in blocks. For example, the Site Title and Site Tagline blocks now support custom margin blocks with configurable sides. The Query block receives special attention in this release, offering new design options including layout and color choices. 
• The behavior and placement of the “Top toolbar” mode have been refined. Wider screens will no longer display the editor bar and block toolbar together, resulting in an improved user experience. When enabled, the top toolbar remains fixed on top of the canvas, positioned below the editor top bar, regardless of the browser width. Implementers will also benefit from a simplified implementation with all toolbar APIs unified under a single <BlockTools /> component. 
• Patterns can now be inserted directly from the WordPress.org Pattern Directory, similar to how blocks are inserted.

Additionally, Gutenberg 10.7 brings valuable enhancements and bug fixes to the editor, making it even more user-friendly and robust.

To see what else Gutenberg 10.7 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.6

This version update was released on May 14, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.6 takes another big step toward Full Site Editing with duotone filter supports, Block Pattern placeholders, and more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.6 include:

• Duotone filters for blocks have been added experimentally giving designers a quick way to make image and cover blocks more uniform.
• If you are someone that hates staring at a blinking cursor, use the new /query block to see an example of what your site could look like. 
• The Table Block got a big makeover with added colors and borders, making it easier than ever to add beautiful tables. 

It is now easier than ever to customize every part of your site with Gutenberg 10.6.  

To see what else Gutenberg 10.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.5

This version update was released on April 29, 2021.

There’s a lot to celebrate with Gutenberg 10.5 from new block patterns to embedded PDFs and much more. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.5 include:

• This update came with some exciting block patterns, such as bundled block patterns and more opinionated Query Blocks. 
• You can now switch between post and template editing. This update also added the ability to create custom theme templates in the classic themes. 
• Give people more information by embedding PDFs with the File block. 

This update has made huge strides forward toward Full Site Editing as well as bug fixes and other enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 10.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.4

This version update was released on April 14, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.4 introduces block widgets to the customizer and lots of other cool stuff.   

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.4 include:

• This update introduces the first iteration of block widgets in the customizer, making it much easier to find the block you’re looking for. 
• The Site Editor List View got a facelift with updated icons, new colors, and more. 
• More description has been added to the publisher widget. You can now see where you’re publishing to, whether it’s on mobile, a full screen option, and more.
• One of the most exciting improvements is you can now revert to theme defaults without leaving the Site Editor. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

Gutenberg 10.4 is a big update with a lot of other enhancements and bug fixes. 

To see what else Gutenberg 10.4 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.3

This version update was released on April 2, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.3 comes with an editor performance boost, improvements to the navigation block, inserter and more.  

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.3 include:

• In order to simplify the way themes define and style alignments, the team has introduced the concept of layout and layout configuration, something that is automatically rendered with the theme.json file
• You can now drag and drop a new background image in the Cover Block
• The Navigation Block got a facelift with a better-flow to build nested menus, in-between inserter, and a list-view in the editor.

This only scratches the surface of the changes made in 10.3. To see what else it has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.2

This version update was released on March 17, 2021.

We are getting even closer to Full Site Editing with the updates in Gutenberg 10.2. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.2 include:

• When choosing a Query block there’s now a setup step that allows picking a block pattern for it to use. This is done using a new API that allows you to fetch various patterns.
• The new Spacer Block allows you to slide for the width of your spaces. This works particularly well in horizontally-stacked blocks. 
• When you transform media and text blocks to columns, you will automatically be given two columns with the media and the text side-by-side. 
• The “Start writing or type / to choose a block” prompt will only be shown in the top block, and not in all of them in your post.

As always, the update comes with various bug fixes and enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 10.2 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.1

This version update was released on March 2, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.1 continues Full Site Editing enhancements as well as updates to widgets and navigation screens and Global Styles. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.1 include:

• Reusable blocks saw a big upgrade with this update. The Reusable block’s title is  displayed next to the block type in the navigation list in the toolbar. You can now also modify the saved title of reusable block in the sidebar inspector. 
• The Image block’s toolbar now displays as, “meta, block level, inline” in the block toolbar. This update will be made to other blocks.
• You can now add more spacing around your social links and buttons, making them easier to see. 

Source: make.wordpress.org

There are also a variety of bug fixes and enhancements. 

To see what else Gutenberg 10.1 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 10.0

This version update was released on February 17, 2021.

Gutenberg 10.0 is the 100th release of Gutenberg. While that in and of itself is an impressive feat (The Gutenberg project launched just over two years ago), there’s nothing particularly extraordinary about this release. It offers improvements for existing features, fixes bugs, adds new features, and experiments with new ideas.

Highlights of Gutenberg 10.0 include:

• You can now use a dynamic Pages block that updates with new pages and can be added inside a Navigation block or used on its own.
• You can also make the parent block selector visible and offset within the block toolbar.

Source: make.wordpress.org

The release also features a number of new bug fixes and multiple enhancements.  

To see what else Gutenberg 10.0 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.9

This version update was released on February 5, 2021.

Gutenberg 9.9 marks the 99th release of the Gutenberg plugin! This version, which will be included in the WordPress 5.7 release, continues to push forward on exciting features like Full Site Editing, Global Styles, the Navigation block, and the Widgets screen. 

Highlights of Gutenberg 9.9 include:

• You can now customize the background color and icon color for all the icons within a Social Icons block. This update allows you to create a cohesive, visually appealing design matching your unique style. 
• The Options modal has transformed and re-emerged as Preferences. With its brand-new look, Preferences offers a sleek, updated interface that enhances usability and navigation. Explore the improved interface and effortlessly fine-tune your settings to personalize your editing experience. 
• By enabling the “Display button labels” setting, you can now use text labels in the block toolbar instead of relying solely on icons. This feature allows for more precise and intuitive navigation, ensuring you can quickly identify and utilize the tools you need to create your content.

The Gutenberg team has also addressed various bugs and implemented enhancements, ensuring a smoother and more refined user experience for all. 

To see what else Gutenberg 9.9 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.8

This version update was released on January 20, 2021. 

As WordPress continues making steady progress with Full Site Editing, this release pushes ahead with ongoing enhancements, including updates to Global Styles, numerous bug fixes, and other improvements.

Highlights of Gutenberg 9.8 include: 

• The Spacer block has been updated with a semi-transparent background, replacing the opaque light grey background. This enhancement aims to improve visibility by distinguishing the spacer from lighter-colored layers that might be behind it. 
• Continuing the enhancements introduced in block variations with version 9.7, the block switcher now showcases the specific variation’s icon instead of the generic icon associated with the block. This change provides a more intuitive and visually appealing experience for users. 
• The Site Editor now utilizes an iframe to render its content. This implementation offers several advantages, such as preventing unwanted interference from admin CSS and enabling the use of a theme stylesheet without any adjustments. The team plans to adopt the same approach for the Post Editor once its stability has been established. 
• Full Site Editing no longer generates auto-drafts for template and template part post objects. Previously, these auto-drafts were necessary for block templates and template parts directly derived from files in a Full Site Editing theme without any user modifications. However, managing and synchronizing these auto-drafts proved to be complex. 

This release also features new bug fixes and multiple enhancements.  

To see what else Gutenberg 9.8 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.7

This version update was released on January 6, 2021. 

It’s the first release of the new year, bringing some great improvements and fixes to the publishing experience!

Highlights of Gutenberg 9.7 include: 

• The ability to drag and drop block patterns from the inserter into the post canvas. (This builds upon the ability to drag and drop blocks into the post, which was released in version 9.6)
• Updates to reusable blocks, specifically how they’re shown and edited. This will likely inspire some UI updates in weeks to come!
• When you insert a block variation, the editor will match it to the block being used and show the icon and description of the variation, so you can keep track of exactly what variant you’re working with.

This release also features three new APIs, a number of bug fixes, and several experiments to kick the year off right.

To see what else Gutenberg 9.7 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.6

This version update was released on December 23, 2020. 

Gutenberg 9.6 primarily continues progress on Full Site Editing and Global styles.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.6 release include: 

• The ability to drag and drop blocks from the inserter into the post canvas, giving you a little extra visual control when publishing posts.
• The option to vertically align buttons, instead of just horizontally.
• 25 bug fixes, ranging from fixing blocks to crashes to minor UI improvements!

To see what else Gutenberg 9.6 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.5

This version update was released on December 2, 2020. 

Gutenberg 9.5 brings updates on Full Site Editing and Global styles, which have been in development for several weeks now.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.5 release include: 

• Full height alignment. This can be used in several blocks, but one of the best to view it is the Cover block.
• Font size support in Code blocks. (No more squinting at small text!)
• Improved block pattern previews in the Block Inserter.
• Restoring the gray background in the Post Editor.

There are over 20 more bug fixes that come with this release, so it’s packed full of updates for your sites.

To see what else Gutenberg 9.5 has to offer, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.4

This version update was released on November 18, 2020. 

Gutenberg 9.4 focused on updates to existing blocks and APIs, while work on Full Site Editing and Global styles continues.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.4 release include: 

• The ability to change the width of buttons based on percentage, instead of just the dynamic width. (For example, if you have two buttons side by side, you can set one to have a larger width than the other, to establish a little hierarchy.)
• The option to change the size of social icons via the Social Icon block.
• The option to change the font size of text in a list block.

An example of setting button widths based on percentages. Gif from the release post on wordpress.org.

You’ll also find a bunch of bug fixes with this release, including the option to add headers by typing /h1, /h2, etc. and small polishes to various UI elements like improving the high-contrast mode for Windows 10.

To learn more about Gutenberg 9.4, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.3

This version update was released on November 4, 2020. 

With WordPress 5.6 getting closer and closer, this release focused on some stability improvements as well as full-site editing flows. (If you activate a block-based theme, this will be automatically enabled.)

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.3 release include: 

• Support for all units in font-size presets.
• Making sure all alignment options are always rendered in the same order. (So less clicking the wrong one!)
• Dark mode UI enhancements for those of you (like me!) who prefer a darker screen.
• New Patreon, Tiktok, and Telegram icons for social links.

This release also included over 20 bug fixes, bringing lots of little quality of life improvements to the block editor experience.

For more information on Gutenberg 9.3, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.2

This version update was released on October 21, 2020. 

This release is the final version that made it into the WordPress 5.6 beta, with features and enhancements to continue improving the block editor.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.2 release include: 

• Support for video subtitles! You’ll find a new drop-down in the video block.
• The ability to select multiple blocks and transform them into a Columns block. (You can see an example converting three images into a three-column layout in the official release post.)
• The option to add background patterns (repeating images) in Cover blocks.

As for enhancements, there were a lot of improvements made to the widget screen and new APIs added/updated to further expand functionality.

To learn more about Gutenberg 9.2, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.1

This version update was released on September 30, 2020. 

This release includes almost 200 commits from 77 contributors. Wow! The primary focus is on features related to WordPress 5.6, such as the Widgets Screen and Block API.

Highlights of Gutenberg 9.1 include: 

• Progress on the Global styles project, with the possibility to use the theme.json config file to control block editor features and presets (like color palettes, font sizes, etc.)
• Block patterns are now organized per category for better navigation.
• There’s now an “Open in new tab” option for the “Social Links” block.
• There’s a new “Image Size” control in the Media & Text block.

You’ll also find a bunch of enhancements, like reducing the minimum height for the Spacer block to 1px and allowing HTML editing and rich text content in Code blocks.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 9.0

This version update was released on September 16, 2020. 

The Gutenberg 9.0 release included several highly anticipated updates to the navigation screen. You’ll notice a newly designed user interface and improved functionality here! The query block was another strong focus for this update as it got jacked with several new commands.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 9.0 version release include: 

• The navigation block got a facelift in terms of a new interface and features. It can now support drag and drop functions inside the list view!
• New robust features added to the query block. Updates to this block include the ability to search all, filtering by author, order options, and added support for tags (woohoo!).
• Saying goodbye to Facebook and Instagram embedding options since Facebook will be dropping their own embedding support in the future.
• Several experimental features including heaps of new support for the block editor theme control!

Gutenberg 9.0 included several updates to the navigation block with a new interface and drag and drop features inside the list view. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.9 

This version update was released on September 2, 2020. 

The Gutenberg team has two main focuses to refine and update which are full site editing capabilities and the widgets screen additions. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.9 version release include: 

• Block-based widgets have moved out of experiments as a full-fledged feature, enabled by default now. Lots of testing and feedback is still needed to get this feature right but it’s a great step in the right direction for the future of Gutenberg!
• The option to add a character count to the info panel. 
• 30(!) bug fixes were added to refine and improve the overall editing experience. 

Gutenberg 8.9 included removing the block-based widget feature from an experimental one to an automatically enabled one. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.8 

This version update was released on August 19, 2020. 

Cheers to WordPress 5.5 and the release of Gutenberg 8.8 to go along with that!  

The Gutenberg team has made major progress in their move towards full-site editing capabilities with several UI enhancements and experimental features with this release. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.8 version release include: 

• A redesigned widget screen that’ll rely on new dedicated endpoints. This is a part of a bigger goal to add more block enabled sections to the WordPress experience! 
• The ability to add undocumented global style blocks and properties.
• 12 Enhancements. 
• 24 Bug fixes.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.7 

This version update was released on August 5, 2020. 

With the release of WordPress 5.5 right around the corner, the Gutenberg team has released a quieter update this go-around with the bulk of this release containing minor enhancements and bug fixes.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.7 version release include: 

• 30+ Bug fixes.
• 20+ Enhancements and updates. 

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.6 

This version update was released on July 22, 2020. 

The Gutenberg expansion plan continues forward with the release of version 8.6. This time around, don’t expect a ton of new shiny features but do expect the Gutenberg team to continue refining the overall editing experience through interface redesigns and enhancements.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.6 version release include: 

• More reign of control over the cover block positioning of videos. You can now pick a focal point within a video and position it as you please!
• New block pattern updates for the following elements: Large header and paragraph, Large header, Text two columns, Three buttons, Two buttons, Quote.
• A few enhancements and a lot of bug fixes.

Gutenberg 8.6 introduced a new feature for more control over the cover block of video positioning. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.5 

This version update was released on July 8, 2020. 

This plugin release will be entirely included in the WordPress 5.5 core on its target date of August 11. This wasn’t a major release but Gutenberg 8.5 was still packed with a few notable feature improvements, bug fixes, and enhancements (all the goooood stuff). 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.5 version release include: 

• Improvements to the drag-and-drop block feature, so you can now drag and drop multi-block selections. 
• Accessibility improvements to disable arrow navigation across blocks to avoid confusion when you’re writing long-form content. 
• The option to upload media to the media library when pasting into the block editor from an external source so external media will no longer be in limbo and can be safely kept in your media library.
• A new feature to add anchor/id support to all static blocks.
• A new feature to have the ability to keep the caret inside blocks in edit mode.

Gutenberg 8.5 has simplified the process of uploading external media into the media library. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.4 

This version update was released on June 24, 2020. 

This plugin release came out with an extra helping of editing features and bug fixes (always positive news)! Several experimental blocks evolved into permanent blocks to be downloaded for every install so there are a lot of user-facing updates in this release. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.4 version release include: 

• A new image editing feature that allows you to zoom, rotate, or change the aspect ratio for an image directly in the editor. Previously, you might’ve used third-party software like Adobe Photoshop to accomplish this so three cheers for quick image edits done in the editor!  
• A feature that allows new multi-block controls. You can now select multiple blocks and customize them all at once with this new editor! The only limitation is that the blocks have to be the same type in order to fulfill multi-selection action. 
• The long-awaited block directory feature. This allows you to discover, install, and insert third-party blocks into your post from the editor. 
• Lots of bug fixes to improve editor performance. 

Gutenberg 8.4 introduced a new image editing feature. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post.  

Gutenberg 8.3 

This version update was released on June 11, 2020. 

The latest Gutenberg editor was released with a few new notable features. This version includes several user-facing features and performance enhancements.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.3 version release include: 

• A new intuitive padding option so you have more control over the spacing within the blocks. 
• Saying goodbye to previous default-set link colors, and hello to new link color control options.
• A new block category system that has been renamed and updated. The new categories are: text, media, design, widgets, and embeds. 
• A new parent block selector to child blocks to improve your chances of selecting the correct block when in nested contexts. 

Gutenberg 8.3 introduced a new padding feature in the editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 8.2 

This version update was released on May 27, 2020. 

Say hello to the latest Gutenberg editing experience! This release has heaps of improved editing functions. There are lots of updates so let’s dig into it! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.2 version release include: 

• New block pattern categories. The categories are: text, hero, columns, buttons, gallery, features, and testimonials.
• In the Cover Block, a new content alignment feature. The functionality is now easier to do with nine(!) alignment options. 
• The ability to copy/cut an entire block (if no text is selected) with keyboard shortcuts. You can use Ctrl + C to copy a block or Ctrl + X to cut a block. 
• Several enhancements to improve the writing and editing experience. Commands such as copy, cut, and paste are smoother thanks to the enhancements. 

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 8.1 

This version update was released on May 13, 2020. 

Another day, another Gutenberg release! The latest update doesn’t include a lot of bells-and-whistles feature updates, but does include plenty of important user interface improvements. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.1 version release include: 

• A new block pattern feature so it’s easier for you to insert desired patterns and a new pattern (the testimonials). 
• New Transform functions so it’s easier for you to shift blocks into different forms:
  • Embed blocks into paragraph blocks.
  • Code to HTML block and the opposite. 
• A small, yet incredibly useful, copy block action. You can now copy one or multiple blocks with a simple click. 

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 8.0 

This version update was released on April 29, 2020. 

*You have now reached the next level*

Let’s welcome Gutenberg 8.0 to the WordPress world today! This plugin is chalked full of performance refinements and the addition of a few nifty features. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 8.0 version release include: 

• A new tab-panel has been added to the block to allow you to browse and insert block patterns. This function has been redesigned so now it’s heaps easier to browse through patterns in the space it allows!
• A collapsible dropdown list of formatting options. The previous interface was very limited in screen space so this should improve the editing experience of formatting moving forward. 
• A new and improved code editor (which looks exactly how it should now). The Gutenberg team redesigned the code editor to use a monospace font for the title with a newly resized editor viewpoint. 
• New formatting options! You can now add subscript and superscript formatting options.  
• Lots of good ‘ole enhancements and bug fixes. 

Gutenberg 8.0 introduced a new patterns inserter feature. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.9 

This version update was released on April 15, 2020. 

After a slight delay, the Gutenberg team has released the newest editor version–7.9. With the longer-than-usual wait, we were awarded with more new features and user interface enhancements for compensation! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.9 version release include: 

• Tons of additions to the block design tools. You now have more functionality over the height unit control for the cover block, line-height control for the paragraph and heading blocks, and background gradient support for group, columns, and media and text blocks. This is a great step towards redefining the editing experience in WordPress with Gutenberg! 
• Three new block patterns. Say hello to the following new patterns: Hero Two Columns, Numbered Features, and It’s Time. 
• The usual lot of bug fixes and performance enhancements.

Gutenberg 7.8 introduced expanded design capabilities in the block editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.8

This version update was released on March 25, 2020. 

This smaller plugin release focused mainly on block user interface redesign and official API modifications. While this release isn’t all that big, the user interface continues to improve (and that in itself is huge)! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.8 version release include: 

• A polished user interface so you’ll notice that several elements in the block editor have been redesigned for ease. 
• Lots of bug fixes and user enhancements to go along with the user interface redesign. 

Gutenberg 7.8 introduced an updated user interface. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.7

This version update was released on March 11, 2020. 

Big things were promised with version 7.7 and the Gutenberg team delivered. This plugin release featured a newly designed user interface and new block editing functions. 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.7 version release include: 

• A newly designed user interface. While this won’t be the final design of the Gutenberg editor, this new version comes with a simpler block toolbar, better user interface color contrast, and consistent focus styles. The main goal was to elevate the previous editor so it felt more professional and clean!  
• The introduction of new block patterns that will be offered as predefined block layouts, ready to insert and customize as needed! There are currently four patterns with more to be released in the later versions. 

Gutenberg 7.7 introduced new UI elements in the block editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.6

This version update was released on February 26, 2020. 

The Gutenberg 7.6 editor introduced several notable experimental features for expanded block controls. Hopefully these functions will move their way into the permanent boat over the course of the next releases! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.6 version release include: 

• A new transition from single-tip to now rotating-tips in the block inserter. Instead of one, a list of several suggested actions will appear when you press [/] to quickly insert new blocks. 
• New experimental full-site editing blocks for elements such as the post featured image, post tags, comments count, and comments form.
• A lot of bug fixes and enhancements that make up a majority of this release. 

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.5

This version update was released on February 12, 2020. 

This plugin release will be fully included in WordPress 5.4. The latest Gutenberg editor comes with a heavy emphasis on improving the social functions!

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.5 version release include: 

• The previously experimental social links block is now a stable block in the editor. 
• A new feature so you can add color to rich text and inline color to text.
• A new feature to display featured images in the latest post block. 
• A good chunk of bug fixes and performance enhancements. 

Gutenberg 7.5 introduced a new block variations function in the editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.4

This version update was released on February 5, 2020. 

The latest release is a colorful new edition to the next Gutenberg editor. The Gutenberg team added a lot of exciting functions to liven up your design capabilities! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.4 version release include: 

• A new feature where you can now add background color support to the columns block. 
• A new feature where you can now add text color support for the group block. In previous versions, you couldn’t apply a text color to every sub-element of the block so now you can design with a bit more ease and customization. 
• Navigation block enhancements to improve your editing experience. 
• Several bug fixes and enhancements to make everything run a bit smoother. 

Gutenberg 7.4 introduced new color features and enhancements in the editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.3

This version update was released on January 22, 2020. 

The second release of 2020 consisted mainly of performance and interface improvements, and a good helping of bug fixes and enhancements. On a very exciting note—the navigation block received some noticeable interface changes! 

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.3 version release include: 

• A fresh navigation block perked up with colorful feature enhancements. With these new options, you can now set the text color for all navigation and set the background color for the entire navigation block. 
• Load time for page loads and commands have improved 30-50% faster according to the team. A great win for the editing experience!
• New block collections API that can be used to group blocks in the block inserter. 
• Bug fixes and enhancements. 

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.2

This version update was released on January 22, 2020. 

The first Gutenberg release of 2020 includes some of the most asked features from you and the WordPress community! The Gutenberg team set the bar high with this release—perhaps it’s setting the tone for the rest of the year for Gutenberg’s course.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.2 version release include:  

• A new button block to align more than one button in a row. This was previously a huge headache for designers in the editor but the Gutenberg team heard your concerns to remediate this function!
• A new tabbing navigation has been introduced for edit mode to improve accessibility. This will be one of many interface updates to improve the editing experience. 
• A new gallery block so you now have more control over the proportion and ratio of the media in the block.
• The ability to add a link for the image in the media and text block. 
• Bug fixes and enhancements. 

Gutenberg 7.2 introduced a new button block function in the editor. Photo credit: WordPress.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.1

This version update was released on December 11, 2019. 

Gutenberg 7.1 is a huge update with many a big focus on UI fixes, bug fixes, and more. Let’s dive in.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.1 version release include:  

• The useColors hook has new functionalities like color contrast checking and default color detection making it easier to pick colors easily.
• A new UI mechanism to toggle between edit and select modes was added as well as table captions.
• Lastly, the ability to select multiple blocks has been improved.

Thank you to all the developers who worked on this release, merging 161 pull requests to make it happen!

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

Gutenberg 7.0

This version update was released on November 27, 2019. 

The latest release of Gutenberg focuses heavily on the Navigation Block, bug fixes, and more.

Highlights of the Gutenberg 7.0 version release include:  

• The Navigation Block is now considered a stable feature after a variety of bug fixes in Gutenberg 7.0.
• Some new APIs were introduced which allows the internationalization of strings containing safe HTML, a new Card component.

We are heading into the new year with huge updates to Gutenberg with 7.0.

For more information about this release, check out the official release post. 

For information on updates older than 2020, go to the Make.WordPress blog. 

The post What’s New in Gutenberg: The Latest Version (February 2024) appeared first on Torque.

Streamed worldwide, the event offered a comprehensive view of WordPress’s 2023 milestones and accomplishments, as well as the exciting prospects awaiting WordPress users in 2024.

Some of the biggest takeaways from this year’s presentation included significant progress with regard to collaborative editing features in upcoming versions of WordPress, performance enhancements for faster site-building experiences, and the announcement of Portland, Oregon as the host city for WordCamp US for the next two years. 

Check out this year’s State of the Word in its entirety below, or read on for our detailed recap! 

Celebrating Two Decades of WordPress 

2023 marked a significant milestone for WordPress, as the CMS celebrated its 20th anniversary on May 27. 

Reflecting on this journey, Mullenweg highlighted the transformation of WordPress from its humble beginnings as a blogging tool to a comprehensive framework that now powers more than a third of all websites worldwide.

_{WordPress Co-Founder Matt Mullenweg delivers his 2023 State of the Word keynote address from Madrid, Spain.}

The global WordPress community actively participated in this milestone year, and as WordPress users were celebrating around the world, community participation surged. 2023 saw 70 WordCamps (more than double the previous year’s number) held in 33 countries, with the next major WordCamp, WordCamp Asia, scheduled for March 7–9 in Taipei, Taiwan.   

Adding to the celebratory spirit, the WordPress community also welcomed 1,339 new contributors in 2023. This integration of new minds and ideas was not only a fitting way to mark the 20th anniversary, it also sets a promising path for WordPress’s future advancements and collaborations.

New Developments and Features

In addition to those exciting updates, Mullenweg also detailed several noteworthy new features and advancements to existing projects within the WordPress ecosystem. 

Staying in line with the topic of events, Mullenweg noted the presence of a new “Nearby Events” widget now visible in the WordPress Admin dashboard, which, using geolocation, aims to foster wider community engagement by displaying upcoming WordPress events in a user’s vicinity.

Mullenweg also announced the re-launch of the WordPress Showcase, which highlights high-performing WordPress sites and serves as a testament to WordPress’s scalability and security.

“I find this as the most effective antidote when you meet someone who asks, can WordPress scale? Is it secure? Can it grow?” Mullenweg said.  

“Well, it turns out it can scale enough to handle Swifties, as we saw the other day, where time.com named Taylor Swift the Person of the Year and at their peak they were serving over 100,000 requests per second.”

Additional new features and developments Mullenweg highlighted included a new /remembers page on wordpress.org, dedicated to the memory of WordPress community members who have passed away. 

He also provided an update on the Openverse project, which aims to index all the open licensed content in the world, and which recently won the Open Education Award for Excellence in Open Infrastructure. 

The WordPress Playground

Another area where Mullenweg offered new updates and developments was around the WordPress Playground project, which was officially launched during last year’s State of the Word.

Touted as a “WordPress experience running entirely in your browser,” WordPress Playground enables users to experiment with their site—including plugins, designs, updates, and more—without needing a web host, database, or web server. 

Accessible through the WP Admin with no additional sign-up or setup, it’s ideal for both WordPress newcomers exploring the CMS and experienced users testing new plugins risk-free.

Recent updates to WordPress Playground have introduced features for direct code interaction in tutorials (upcoming Editor Block), information retention in-browser (via web workers), added PHP extensions (libxml, mbstring, iconv, gd), and network access for API interactions and plugin browsing. 

Users can now run various WordPress versions, including nightly builds, test specific GitHub Gutenberg Pull Requests (WordPress Pull Request Previewer), sync locally for plugin development, and utilize Blueprints Builder functionality.

Twenty Twenty-Four 

Mullenweg also spoke about the most recent default WordPress theme, Twenty Twenty-Four and a few of the (many) accolades this theme has already won from WordPress users.

_{Mullenweg presents feedback regarding the new Twenty Twenty-Four WordPress theme at State of the Word 2024} 

Demonstrating the advancements of Gutenberg’s Phase 2, Twenty Twenty Four incorporates over 35 built-in patterns, showcasing WordPress’s versatility.

“It really can meet the needs of anyone—whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or prolific writer,” Mullenweg said of the new theme. 

“It’s the first [WordPress theme] to take advantage of the full powers of Gutenberg and show what can be done, so I hope this inspires many, many other things being built.” 

You can find a detailed review of the Twenty Twenty-Four theme here. 

Gutenberg’s Progress

Speaking of Gutenberg, Mullenweg also revisited the Gutenberg roadmap, first launched alongside WordPress 5.0 in 2018, emphasizing its four-phase development:

Phase 1: Editing

Phase 2: Customization

Phase 3: Collaboration (current)

Phase 4: Multilingual capabilities (upcoming)

Gutenberg Lead Architect, Matías Ventura, then took center stage to further discuss Gutenberg’s progress and future plans. Delving into the third phase of Gutenberg, Ventura emphasized Gutenberg’s dual functionality as a writing and design tool, noting advancements in the following areas:

Enhancements in Collaboration and Workflow

Given the name of Gutenberg Phase 3 is “Collaboration,” one of the most exciting developments Ventura discussed was the introduction of collaborative editing functionality. This feature is set to revolutionize how users interact with Gutenberg, allowing for real-time collaboration directly within the editor. 

Ventura showcased a prototype of this feature and invited the WordPress community to participate in its testing through the Gutenberg plugin, welcoming feedback via GitHub. He candidly noted the initial bugs in this early version but emphasized the importance of community feedback for refining the tool.  

“It’s going to be buggy,” he said, “but we want to get as much feedback as possible, so we can figure out all of these approaches.” 

Site Editor and Patterns

Ventura also noted several improvements to the Site Editor and Site Editor Patterns with a focus on streamlining workflows and utilizing patterns more effectively. 

• Interactions within the Site Editor have been made more intuitive. For example, linking blocks to custom fields has been streamlined, simplifying the process of tailoring site elements to specific needs. 

• A new “Zoom Out” mode has been introduced, offering users a comprehensive view of their site’s structure. This mode not only offers a bird’s-eye view of patterns but also contextualizes them within the larger site structure, aiding in more informed design decisions. 

• The concept of “pattern swapping” has been introduced, allowing for seamless exchanges between different but semantically related patterns. 

• Theme JSON files can now be applied to specific patterns, granting developers and designers more control while maintaining flexibility for pattern customization. The ability to swap patterns and apply theme JSON files to specific patterns empowers developers and designers to set precise guidelines for clients while still allowing them some creative leeway. 

• The merging of global design control with localized content customization has been achieved through enhanced pattern functionalities. This development represents a significant leap in content management, bridging the gap between overarching site design and individual content elements. 

Another innovative feature is the concept of partially-synched patterns. This allows editors to modify content within a pattern, while designers and developers can update the design elements of these patterns without affecting the content changes already made. 

This feature is a game-changer in balancing control between content creators and designers, ensuring cohesive site aesthetics while maintaining content dynamism.  

In sum, these developments mark a significant milestone in the evolution of Gutenberg, demonstrating WordPress’s commitment to continual improvement and innovation in website creation and management.

Performance Upgrades

Ventura also emphasized his team’s commitment to enhancing performance of the editor itself and for end-users. The goal, he said, was to ensure a fast and responsive experience for both content creators and website visitors.

In that vein, significant improvements have been made in the editor’s performance and the front-end user experience, aiming to optimize speed and accessibility. Ventura highlighted the development of a dashboard that monitors basic operations such as typing speed, ensuring these features remain fast even as new ones are added.

_{Gutenberg Lead Architect Matías Ventura presents a slide showing the editor’s back-end speed getting 2x faster with WordPress version 6.4 and potentially 3x faster with 6.5.} 

The results are evident: testing shows that the editor’s back-end speed has doubled with WordPress version 6.4 and is projected to triple with version 6.5. These advancements in performance demonstrate the Gutenberg team’s dedication to delivering a faster, more efficient user experience across WordPress websites.

Data Liberation

Mullenweg returned to the stage to announce an exciting new initiative focused on “Data Liberation,” centered around giving users complete ownership and control over their data and facilitating easier transitions from various platforms to WordPress.

The core of this initiative is a series of guides, also referred to as “moderation frameworks,” designed to help everyday users seamlessly migrate their data to WordPress. These guides cover a range of platforms, offering practical steps for data transfer. 

Mullenweg highlighted the development of user-friendly features such as one-click migrations, simplified exports, and export formats. He also addressed the long-standing challenge of preserving rich-text formatting during copy-paste operations, ensuring a smoother transition process.

This new direction not only showcases WordPress’s dedication to user empowerment but also reflects a strategic shift towards more agile and responsive project management. With Data Liberation, WordPress is set to offer its users an unprecedented level of control and ease in managing their digital content.

AI Integration

Highlighting 2023 as a pivotal year for AI in WordPress, Mullenweg encouraged the exploration of AI tools, such as CoPilot, and showcased the integration of AI with WordPress Playground for creating complex websites using natural language processing.

Using ChatGPT to create a site with Playground Blueprints, Mullenweg provided a practical example: “Create a Woo site for a shoe shop, with SEO tools and some contact form solution. Title it ‘Hola, Madrid’.” 

Impressively, Playground used the prompts to quickly create a WordPress site with WooCommerce and other relevant plugins, demonstrating the power of AI in streamlining website development.

Mullenweg also advised attendees to “Learn AI deeply,” noting that with its ongoing advancements, WordPress isn’t just keeping pace with the AI revolution but actively shaping how AI can be leveraged for more intuitive, efficient website creation and customization.

Indeed, 2023 already stands out as the year in which AI became an integral part of the WordPress experience, opening new possibilities for users and developers alike.

WordCamp US Heads to Portland!

Towards the end of the presentation, Mullenweg dropped the final reveal of this year’s State of the Word with the announcement that Portland, Oregon, will host WordCamp US for the next two years. 

The much-anticipated event is set to take place at the Oregon Convention Center from September 17-20, 2024, and the news was warmly received by attendees. 

The choice of location reflects the event’s continued commitment to bringing together the diverse and dynamic WordPress community in unique and inspiring settings. Portland, known for its creative and tech-savvy culture, promises to be an ideal backdrop for the exchange of ideas, learning, and collaboration that WordCamp US is celebrated for.

Looking Ahead: A New Era for WordPress 

As WordPress embarks on its third decade, the revelations from the State of the Word 2023 not only validated past achievements but also paved the way for an exciting future ahead. This year’s presentation, which featured its familiar blend of reflection and foresight, underscored WordPress’s unwavering commitment to innovation, community engagement, and user-centric development.

Advancements in collaborative editing, performance upgrades, and the embrace of AI represent more than just technical progress; they signal a shift towards a more intuitive, efficient, and inclusive web experience. The announcement of Portland as the next host for WordCamp US adds to this momentum, promising new opportunities for learning, networking, and community building.

But what stands out most from this year’s State of the Word is the clear vision for a WordPress ecosystem that is not only more connected and efficient but also more accessible and empowering for its users. 

Whether you’re a long-time WordPress enthusiast or a newcomer to this vibrant community, the horizon is bright with possibilities. In the years to come, we can expect WordPress to continue setting new standards and nurturing a digital landscape where creativity and collaboration thrive.

The post Envisioning the Future of WordPress: State of the Word 2023 appeared first on Torque.

Named for iconic jazz singer and pianist Shirley Horn, WordPress 6.4 has an impressive suite of enhancements and new features that further streamline the editor experience while offering greater creative flexibility. 

In the following sections, we’ll unpack some of the most transformative additions found in the 6.4 release, from new editor enhancements to the “Twenty Twenty-Four” theme and everything in between. Let’s get started!

Note: In addition to testing 6.4 using a staging or development environment (like Local), it’s also recommended to use PHP 8.1 or 8.2 with the upcoming 6.4 release. Refer to WordPress 6.4’s PHP compatibility post for more details.

An Improved Editor Experience 

Since the introduction of the Gutenberg or “block” editor with WordPress 5.0, the core editing experience in WordPress has continued to evolve at an exciting pace.

With the release of WordPress 6.4, the editor not only receives a facelift but also enhances the writing experience by introducing new keyboard shortcuts, improved list merging, and key fixes for a smoother workflow. Check out the following video from wordpress.org to see these updates in action:

Further enhancements to the editing experience include the introduction of custom categories for organizing block patterns and adding advanced filtering in the Patterns inserter, making pattern selection more intuitive.

Additionally, patterns now integrate seamlessly with Classic themes, and the consolidation of “Synced patterns” into a single tab promotes a unified user experience. Exporting and importing patterns as JSON has also been enhanced, paving the way for future development strides.

WordPress 6.4 takes the editing experience up a notch with:

• List View Upgrades: List View now allows deselection with the Escape key, offers a new shortcut for duplicating blocks (CMD/Control + Shift + D), and shows image previews in Image and Gallery blocks, with more previews to come.
• Unified Toolbar: Navigation, List, and Quote blocks now have a cohesive toolbar experience. Toolbars stay with parent blocks, avoiding content obstruction and providing a cleaner editing interface.
• An Upgraded Command Palette: Enhanced design and additional commands make for a smoother user experience.

WordPress 6.4 introduces an upgraded Command Palette, as seen above (source: wordpress.org)

Enhancements to the Command Palette, which was introduced in WordPress 6.3, are meant to further streamline your workflow with a sleeker design and new block-specific commands, enabling you to find features and execute tasks more efficiently. 

Twenty Twenty-Four: A Canvas for Creativity

As is customary with all major WordPress releases, version 6.4 is accompanied by “Twenty Twenty-Four,” WordPress’s latest default theme.  

Designed with small businesses and creatives in mind, this theme is a treasure trove of more than 35 templates and patterns, all ready to accommodate any site vision. The theme caters to various users, from writers to entrepreneurs, providing a versatile and intuitive editing experience. You can see the demo here:

Twenty Twenty-Four is genuinely a canvas for creativity and brings content to life against a backdrop of modern design, featuring the refined Cardo font for headlines and a crisp sans-serif for body text. It comes with a light and dark mode, alongside two sans-serif style variations, offering aesthetic flexibility right out of the box.

The theme is more than just visually compelling—it’s a seamless blend with WordPress’s latest editing tools, simplifying the website creation process. The design by Beatriz Fialho allows for easy customization, giving you the power to make quick yet impactful changes to color and typography.

Find out more about Twenty Twenty-Four, including the concept behind it, here.

Block Hooks Revolutionize Plugin Development

Block Hooks, formerly known as Auto-inserting blocks, are a game-changer for plugin developers who work with the Gutenberg editor. 

This new system allows developers to enhance block themes through a hooks system akin to that of classic themes. The feature enables the automatic insertion of blocks relative to others, facilitating dynamic layouts. While it’s considered a developer tool, the Block Hooks feature is geared to adhere to your preferences and gives you complete control to add, dismiss, and customize auto-inserted blocks as needed.

Block hooks maintain the balance between visibility and user control, though it’s crucial to note their exclusive compatibility with unaltered templates and officially recognized patterns.

There are two ways to implement Block Hooks: through the block’s block.json file for straightforward, unconditional hooking or the more flexible hooked_block_types filter for conditional insertion based on the block’s context within templates and patterns.

Although current constraints prevent setting attributes for hooked blocks, Block Hooks represent a leap forward in block theme interactivity. Future updates promise to refine this feature, expanding developer capabilities in WordPress themes. Follow the progress of Block Hooks for upcoming enhancements and additional functionalities.

In Summary

WordPress 6.4 is the third release of 2023, and it does not disappoint.

From significant features and design tools to UI improvements and under-the-hood refinements, this version serves up a feast of capabilities. The introduction of the new “Twenty Twenty-Four” theme adds to the allure, providing a lightweight yet versatile foundation for website customization.

WordPress continues to evolve, and with each iteration, it becomes more intuitive, powerful, and aligned with the needs of its vast community. Whether you are a developer, designer, or content creator, WordPress 6.4 offers the tools and flexibility to bring your digital vision to life with ease and style.

The post WordPress 6.4 “Shirley” Leans Into Smooth, Seamless Content Creation appeared first on Torque.