This post summarizes the weekly editor chat meeting (agenda here) held on 2020-09-09 14:00 UTC. in Slack. Moderated by @paaljoachim.
Gutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ 8.9 release
Gutenberg 8.9 that was released on 2nd September and has been updated to 8.9.3.
Monthly Priorities
September monthly priorities.
Comment from @youknowriad
Most projects are properly on track and doing good progress.
Focus on Widgets screen, Navigation screen and Global styles.
The first experimental version of the Global styles UI User interface landed in the plugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.
Task Coordination
@karmatosed
- Working on options and iterating the options panel.
@ntsekouras
- Add tags and filtering by author support in Query block Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. ( 25005, 25149).
- Experiments with Query block.
@andraganescu
- Triage The act of evaluating and sorting bug reports, in order to decide priority, severity, and other factors. and code review.
- Worked on the Navigation editor (making menu name editable).
@youknowriad
- Working on the theme.json JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML. API An API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways. to control the editor: 20588
- Worked on the slash inserter behavior and the block search algorihm.
- Plan to work on: Custom CSS Cascading Style Sheets. support for Group block.
@paaljoachim
@mapk
- Widget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. Editor – helping to keep it moving forward. Designs are ready for implementation.
- Query block – Exploring flows and settings.
@justinahinon
- Working on documenting block editor packages.
- A few PRs are on hold. Some are ready and will need a review before commit (25150, 25142, 24947). Others need refine/minor changes, plan to be done this week.
@aristath
- Focus on performance & sustainability for FSE Themes:
- Progressive rendering of blocks.
- Load only styles for blocks that are used: PR 25220
@nrqsnchz
- Working on designs and prototypes for allowing users to upload subtitles and other types of tracks to the Video block: 7673
@nosolosw
- Details to merge the global styles sidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme. at edit-site: 24250
- Helped with assorted reviews.
- Next week, focus on follow-ups and pressing issues I should work on next.
@get_dave
- Focused on triaging PRs marked as “Needs Testing” and providing fixes. Review on PR of transformation from the ‘audio’ shortcode A shortcode is a placeholder used within a WordPress post, page, or widget to insert a form or function generated by a plugin in a specific location on your site. to the Audio block: 25114 whereby valid attributes for a source such as `mp3` and `wav` were ignored. (Could use some input.)
- Check of PR which addresses an issue whereby the content of the HTML HyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. block isn’t parsed from its serialized form correctly: 25120 (Could use some input.)
Open Floor
Discussing Widgets
During open-floor @bph referred to the Widget screen: Adding a consistent wrapper issue. The answer: Theme developers can target the block in the block area with class names. Example: .my-widget-area .wp-block-latest-posts –
On another issue with the comment Legacy Widget block: Identify the widget in the toolbar and/or settings sidebar @bph explored what will change for widgets. “I am utterly confused on what the future widget handling entails in respect to widget registration, functions” and if there is a goal of feature parity.
“The APIs you raise are probably something to look at and see whether support is possible, but we shouldn’t be expecting 1-1 parity”
- The widgets themselves should work as close as possible with the new editor. The registration and other widget related functions should also be unchanged.
- There will be incompatibilities in hooking into the widget editor itself as the new screen uses a completely different architecture
- If there is anything that cannot be implemented then that will break backward compatibility. If it is possible to support things it should be attempted to be supported
- It’s a different paradigm since it will just wrap the whole list of blocks. Widgets don’t map to blocks.
- Core Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Widgets vs. Core blocks, if a core widget like recent posts has a block equivalent, the core widget doesn’t appear in the inserter for the Widget screen. “Authors have the option to hide widgets if block equivalents are provided”.
- A theme developer declares block areas
- All “clear evidence that we should be cautious with opt-in opt-out in Core”
Check out the widget screen discussion.
Discussing A11y Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) concerns.
@zebulan
Opened a PR to improve PanelBody’s add to give a summary when the section is collapsed. Intended to provide a solution to the a11y problems with prepublish checks and elsewhere. 25170 Needs a review. It complements: 24024
Noticed PRs involving UI changes/additions getting merged without getting any a11y feedback. Zeb had to ping The act of sending a very small amount of data to an end point. Ping is used in computer science to illicit a response from a target server to test it’s connection. Ping is also a term used by Slack users to @ someone or send them a direct message (DM). Users might say something along the lines of “Ping me when the meeting starts.” the a11y team to check after the PR’s have been merged.
Important to remember the checklist on the bottom in the PR template.
@mkaz
I’m not sure every UI request must require a11y feedback, shouldn’t we all be learning a11y techniques and proper usage. It should only be required for a new control. Using the base framework should be a11y compliance if it’s not something new.
@zebulan
The a11y team is working on a list of anti-patterns. Pointing people to something like that could help.
Perhaps modify the PR template checklist to include checkbox for “does my PR not use any accessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) anti-patterns?”
There is discussion in this issue: 20877 in relation to creating a standard dropdown or popover. Which would really support the a11y effort.
Check out the Open Floor discussion Zeb began.
#core-editor, #core-editor-summary, #gutenberg, #meeting-notes, #summary
