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WordPress 5.8 has come with huge improvements and enhancements to the Gutenberg, Core Editor, Template Editor, WebP images support, No WordPress on Internet Explorer 11, and more. So it’s important for you to check out WordPress 5.8 improvements if you are using Gutenberg or Core editor with your WordPress website.
WordPress is upgrading significantly faster; Gutenberg editor has also evolved a lot to make sure WordPress can become the best platform if anyone wants to start a new site. As a result, a lot of people have trusted Gutenberg over any third-party page builders. Matt Mullenweg, CEO of WordPress, has directly directed this release. So, every WordPress Development Company and WordPress Developer should consider these new features of WordPress 5.8.
Let’s go through the features that have been introduced in this new update.
New Template Editor
WordPress 5.8 came with a new template editor. It’s a step to develop a complete website editing tool utilizing the block editor, so anytime in the future, if you want, you can anticipate it improving when new updates are released. You may build and store templates for your WordPress site and subsequently utilize them for any post or page. So it’s never a waste to store some unique templates.
Editing the full site is a function that makes it easier than ever using the Gutenberg editor to design pages and articles. In addition, it provides you with greater control over the use of design blocks. If you want, you can always use WordPress themes to design, and you can utilize Gutenberg blocks to customize how it all appears and performs. Including the box, the foot, and the sidebar.
You may add everything from the blocks for the site logo to an author meta block to a post date block and other page items.
You may add blocks for Site editing by switching to this new template editor. There are several important blocks, including:
- Site Logo
- Site Tagline
- Site Title
- Query Loop
- Post Title
- Post Content
- Post Date
- Post Excerpt
- Post Featured Image
- Post Categories
- Post Tags
- Login and logout
- Page List
You can easily disable this new template editor, but if you want to enable it you can add it by adding a line of code in the functions.php file.
add_theme_support( ‘block-templates’ );
When you have the template editor enabled, you can modify the page or post and try to create a new template like this.
Gutenberg Blocks As Widgets
Ever thought of using a Gutenberg block in a widget? Well, you can do that with WordPress 5.8!
The availability of Gutenberg blocks for widgets is another aspect of Full Site Editing. That implies you may use a customizer widget for any Gutenberg block. This provides more freedom and control over the development of a header or footer with controls.
By utilizing the Customizer or by visiting the Appearance → Widgets page, users may get the new widget experience.
Blocks like widgets open up to the power of blocks in the sidebar or widget area. With this new functionality, you may adjust the color, type, separation, and other elements of any widget.
Because of this Widget, you will be able to bring the flexibility of the block editor to your WordPress sidebar widget. In addition, you will be able to make multiple changes as per your requirement.
- Change the color of the link
- Change text color
- Background color
- Spacing
- Typography
You may add any block to your subject widget area in your theme using the Customizer Appearance → Customize
New editor Gutenberg was introduced in the latest big release, and everybody wasn’t comfortable with it and began using the classic editor plugin separately. In the same way, you can use the classic Widget block if you want to if you can’t understand all these new updates and stick to the old ways. Just use Classic Widget block, install a new plugin, activate that plugin, and disable the new widget block feature.
WebP Image Formatting
WebP is a new image file format created by Google if you are new to WebP. It offers several benefits over PNG, JPG, and other forms of files that are widely used.
Did you ever try to upload WebP images on WordPress in any previous version and got this error?
WebP image format to optimize site/ page images as it provides superior lossy compression for images. It can reduce 32% image size compared to PNG and JPEG without losing its quality. In recent years, the use of WebP has expanded, and websites are increasingly using WebP pictures on their sites. With this new WordPress 5.8 update, the users will be able to upload any WebP image they want to without using plugins. Thus, it helps to speed up your WordPress website performance.
Do you want to attempt and use WebP pictures immediately? Convert any PNG or JPEG you have.
Pattern Directory
WordPress 5.8 further intends to bring a new Pattern Directory for Block patterns used by themes and plugins to design blocks.
The Pattern directory is a one-stop shop for WordPress patterns, similar to the directories Plugin and Theme. Core seems to have the following objectives in WordPress 5.8 for the initial launch:
- Anybody can explore patterns in the Pattern directory, based on patterns, or by browsing
- Just copy the Block code of your site if you want to see the live preview of a pattern
- If you are a wordpress.org user, you will be able to create and share any block patterns you want to easily; also, you can see others submitted block patterns
- The submitted block patterns are validated/automated in a basic way
- The block editor will look up and find core directory patterns
Gutenberg Block Editor Expanded
Where does the user spend most of their time while he wants to create content? At the block editor screen, the answer was straightforward. All of you have done this; therefore, it has so many improvements, bug fixes, and new features to improve the editing experience in WordPress’s new update.
Gutenberg blocks and the block editor include several new features. Let’s go through some of the major ones.
Nested Block Selector
A permanent toolbar button is now provided in the block editor, which chooses a parent block easily.
Simply click this button, and the parent item will be switched. This is really handy while browsing blocks when you are editing content quickly. Blocks such as columns and groups let users group blocks simply. However, selecting the parent block within a nested block often becomes tricky.
This new WordPress 5.8 will let you do that easily without any problem.
New Block called Query Loop
WordPress 5.8 adds the “Query Loop” unique new block. This block allows you to “loop” or display continuous post listings based on various query parameters and graphic settings.
Lists of articles or pages can be shown depending on categories, authors, keywords, and other criteria.
Improved List View
The enhanced list view panel is available in WordPress 5.8. The entire block list will be displayed for your post or page.
This will make it easier for users in complicated layouts to switch to a particular block in this highly complex layout. For example, you may go through the list panel when you have numerous paragraphs in a single column.
Block Pattern Suggestion in Add Block Panel
When you design a page, the pattern suggestions will be displayed to you if you are looking for any block in the panel. This helps you build strong and intriguing designs. Integration with the pattern directory at WordPress.org/Patterns will also take place soon.
Duotone Effect applies to Images and Media Blocks
This is a very intriguing feature in the WordPress 5.8 update. From now on, you will be able to use images, cover images, and galleries.
The version works with certain presets as well as offers users the possibility to make their own presets by selecting the colors. Duotone doesn’t operate as Instagram filters do. While Instagram filters modify colors (color levels/curves and sometimes a photo editor vignette) new duotone filter replaces the colors of your photos completely.
Other Changes
Here is a list of few other changes you will find in WordPress 5.8:
- More color options to choose text, background, and link colors
- Option to adjust padding among columns
- Gradient background option for table blocks
- WordPress will end its tie-up with the internet explorer by the end of this year, and any changes required for that have already been taken care of by WordPress
- The recovery method for WordPress will be shown to you only after the e-mail can be sent
Update for Developers
Theme.json
Introducing the new Global Styles and Global Settings APIs: It can control the editor settings, customization tools are available, and style blocks using a theme.json file in the active theme. This configuration file enables or disables features and sets default styles for both a website and blocks. If you create themes, you may experience a handy new feature in this early edition. See this note for further information on what is presently available and how it works.
This is something that will play a key role for the theme authors to set up both current and new editing controls.
And what are your favorite WordPress 5.8 changes?
The changes to the block editor and its user interface were notably impressive, both little and huge. We enjoy better browsability, the refurbished block toolbar, enhanced interface clarity, and several block improvements. These minor adjustments that are happening little by little improve the editing experience, and we use better and more robust software without nearly realizing it.
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