New Gutenberg Editor is Bringing Big Changes to WordPress

WordPress is launching an entirely new publishing experience with the introduction of the Gutenberg editor. The main purpose of this new editor is to make building rich web content easier for everyone, even those who can’t code or have limited technical ability.

The Gutenberg editor will feature “blocks” that make designing as simple as dragging and dropping elements to create web pages. These blocks are a unified way to design content, replacing the need for shortcodes, embeds, widgets, post formats, custom post types, theme options, meta-boxes, and other formatting elements.

The Gutenberg editor, when available in its full form, will make designing web pages in WordPress simpler for everyone.

When is the Gutenberg Editor Available on WordPress?

The proposed launch of the Gutenberg editor has three planned stages. The first stage features Gutenberg’s inclusion in the WordPress 5.0 update in a limited form. This version of the editor will allow for basic implementation of the block features for posts. This version will be in place for around a year while WordPress collects feedback from users about the design experience. After that, stages two and three are expected to roll out in 2019 for page template design and eventually full site customization.

A beta plugin version of the Gutenberg editor is currently available, although it only allows editing of posts and can be switched back and forth with the classic editor. For the most part, the current beta version of the Gutenberg editor allows you to try basic block functions like adding text, images or other media. There’s also an advanced “slash autocomplete” feature that allows you to add new blocks without having to use your mouse – you simply type the type of block you want, starting with a forward slash, and WordPress will insert this block.

While the beta version is far from the full functionality of the final Gutenberg editor, it does offer some insight into the ease of use and simplicity that can be expected once the editor is fully launched.

What Will the Future Gutenberg Editor Look Like?

wordpress changes gutenberg editor

As the full version of the Gutenberg editor slowly becomes a reality, it’s first important to note there may be backwards compatibility issues for certain WordPress plugins. Larger plugins with a wide user base will likely be ready far in advance for the changes Gutenberg will bring, but smaller plugins may not have the resources to adequately prepare. It’s important to check if your plugins are compatible with Gutenberg before the classic WordPress editor is removed for good.

While the current iteration of the Gutenberg editor is focused mainly on editing posts, it will eventually become the basis for editing and customization in WordPress.

A few features are already being developed, such as global blocks that can be saved and reused multiple times throughout a site, that position Gutenberg as the primary WordPress editor. Eventually, the Gutenberg editor blocks may appear exactly the way they do on the live site, allowing for significantly simplified editing on the front-end.

WordPress is introducing a radical change to its publishing experience with the implementation of the Gutenberg editor. They’re bringing web design capabilities to the masses, streamlining the design process and eliminating the need for deep technical abilities.