The WordPress coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. development team builds WordPress! Follow this site for general updates, status reports, and the occasional code debate. There’s lots of ways to contribute:
Found a bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority.?Create a ticket in our bug tracker.
We use Slack for real-time communication. Contributors live all over the world, so there are discussions happening at all hours of the day.
Our core development meetings are every Wednesday at 05:00 UTC and 20:00 UTC in the #core channel on Slack. Anyone can join and participate or listen in!
While the work on Full Site Editing and Global styles is continuing, GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 9.4.0 introduced some nice additions to existing blocks and APIs. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Button widths
Instead of relying on dynamic widths, you can set percentage widths for button blocks.
BlockBlockBlock 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. Variations Transformations
Blocks can provide block variations. In Gutenberg, a variation switcher can be added to the block inspector for these blocks.
Social Icons size support
Users can change the size of the icons in the Social Icons block.
Code & Preformatted Blocks: Delete on backspace if empty. (26605)
File Block: Move the URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org button to the Block toolbar. (26602)
Allow adding a headerHeaderThe header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. by typing /h1, /h2 etc. (26597)
Polish ShortcodeShortcodeA 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. block styling. (26456)
Update Legacy WidgetWidgetA 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. toolbar button font to match UI when displayed in Widget Screen. (26841)
Fix block context injection hook after CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. change in block rendering. (26998) (27011)
FormTokenField input position when typing. (26741)
Fix applying colors to outlined buttons. (26707) (24626)
Render big font sizes properly in the font size picker. (26705)
Use currentColor in quote blocks to better support dark themes. (26684)
Fix “Browse All” in Quick Inserter for container blocks. (26443)
Fix responsive embeds in the widget screen. (26263)
Fix undefined index notice in Social Link Block. (25663)
Buttons block: Fix default alignment icon in toolbar to reflect the actual default alignment of buttons. (26910)
Block Support: Fix font size style when applying block support. (26762)
Do not invalidate the entity record cache during optimistic update in saveEntityRecord. (26627)
Provide a minimum of code wrapping for the code block. (26623)
Experiments
Full Site Editing Framework: Rework templates and template parts synchronization. (26650) (26383)
Full Site Editing Blocks:
Post ExcerptExcerptAn excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugin’s metabox. block: Allow editing of generated excerpts. (26637)
Post Excerpt block: Add missing closing div tagtagA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.). (26806)
Add wide and full alignment options to the post/site title blocks. (26601)
Template Part block: Render preview as div. (26873)
Post Taxonomies: Fix PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 Fatal erroor for unregistered taxonomyTaxonomyA taxonomy is a way to group things together. In WordPress, some common taxonomies are category, link, tag, or post format. https://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Default_Taxonomies. (#26851). (26854)
PostAuthor: Safeguard to wait for authors to load. (26776)
Query block: Update the order of settings and filters in the sidebarSidebarA 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.. (26647)
Only show auto-draft template parts corresponding to current theme. (26948)
Polish the template navigation menuNavigation MenuA theme feature introduced with Version 3.0. WordPress includes an easy to use mechanism for giving various control options to get users to click from one place to another on a site.. (26933), (26930).
Hide the line height panel if disabled in theme.jsonJSONJSON, 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. file. (26778)
Memoize getEntityRecords to prevent infinite re-renders. (26447)
Resolve per-entity resolvers after receiving a list of records. (26575)
Documentation
Update theme.json documentation with new properties added. (26891)
Interface: Add deprecation logic for leftSidebar prop. (26826)
Document the block supports style properties. (26771) (26931) (26859)
Update testing documentation with info about ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. Testing Library. (23015)
Minor code refactoring in template part previews. (26949)
Drop zone: Rewrite with hooksHooksIn WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same. and simplify. (26893)
PostTitle: Rewrite with hooks (+ avoid globals). (26820)
Format library: Use hooks for all components. (26779)
Sandbox: Use hooks and avoid withGlobalEvents. (26742)
Draggable: Use hooks and prepare for iframeiframeiFrame is an acronym for an inline frame. An iFrame is used inside a webpage to load another HTML document and render it. This HTML document may also contain JavaScript and/or CSS which is loaded at the time when iframe tag is parsed by the user’s browser.. (26897)
PostLockedModal: Use hooks and avoid withGlobalEvents. (26743)
WpEmbedPreview: Use hooks and avoid withGlobalEvents. (26740)
FocusableIframe: Use hooks and avoid withGlobalEvents. (26737)
Navigation Component: Update styles to reference grid spacing helper. (26523)
Use useAnimate for all Animate component usage. (26201)
Gallery block: Use APIAPIAn 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. v2. (26145)
Update gutenberg_is_fse_theme function to make it filterable. (27021)
Windows: Use wp-env instead of file location. (26671)
Site Editor: Rename left sidebar → secondary sidebar. (26517)
Add State locks for concurrency control to wordpress/core-data. (26389) (26661)
Avoid PHP warnings when Gutenberg pluginPluginA 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 folder isn’t writable. (17671)
Performance Benchmark
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 9.4
6.2s
26.6ms
Gutenberg 9.3
6.3s
23.7ms
WordPress 5.5
6.7s
22.1ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
This is the first GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ release that is not going to be included entirely in WordPress 5.6. The important bugfixes were backported to WordPress 5.6 betaBetaA pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. 2 and 3.
In addition to the stability work for WordPress 5.6, the contributors also focused on improvements to the Full-site editing flows. The FSE experiment will be automatically enabled if you activate a blockBlockBlock 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.-based theme.
The site editor and its navigation panel saw a lot of improvements as well.
Site Editor Screen
9.3 🇲🇾
Enhancements
Support for all units in Font Size presets. (26475)
Sort post formats alphabetically by translated name. (26305)
Ensure Alignment options are always rendered in the same order. (26269)
Buttons block: Overhaul alignment and justification controls. (23168)
a11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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): Retain focus position when tabbing back to the block toolbar. (25760)
Dark mode UIUIUser interface enhancements. (26483) (26510)
Social Links: Add Patreon, Telegram, and Tiktok icons. (26118)
Bug Fixes
Fix Visual regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5. on the color palette editor. (26614)
wordpress/scripts: Fix error in ignore-emit-webpack-pluginPluginA 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. (26591)
i18ni18nInternationalization, or the act of writing and preparing code to be fully translatable into other languages. Also see localization. Often written with a lowercase i so it is not confused with a lowercase L or the numeral 1. Often an acquired skill.: Fix incorrectly pluralized strings. (26565)
Limit the editor interface to max-width 100%. (26552)
Ensure editor footer remains at the bottom of the screen when navigating regions. (26533)
URLInput: Use debounce() instead of throttle(). (26529)
Heading Block: Fix double alignment controls in toolbar. (26492)
Reusable Blocks: Make the number retrieved from the APIAPIAn 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. unlimited. (26486)
Fix editor error when an empty reusable block exists. (26484)
Fix spellings in the Getting Started guide. (26310)
Fix embed blocks rendering in widgetWidgetA 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. areas. (26307)
Support custom viewportWidth in block previews (example). (26346)
Change updateSelection property to false for InnerBlocks. (26312)
Experiments
Full Site Editing :
Disable customizerCustomizerTool built into WordPress core that hooks into most modern themes. You can use it to preview and modify many of your site’s appearance settings. and widgets screens. (26594)
Strip post ids from template part blocks on export. (26268)
Allow themes to live in a subdirectory. (26391)
Introduce the layout prop to InnerBlocks. (26380)
Site Editor
Add Dropdown to Create Generic Templates. (26284)
Prevent inserter overscroll. (26432) (26583)
Fix dirty template and template parts on template creation. (26560)
Fix composite role warnings triggered by template part previews. (26406)
Reduce the Amount of Data Passed Through the Components Tree. (26463)
Add the option to convert a template part to regular blocks. (26488)
Fix Invisible Template Previews in the SidebarSidebarA 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.. (26424)
Add convert to template part flow. (20445)
Fix custom template part theme metaMetaMeta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress.. (26587)
Query block:
Add initial variations. (26378)
Add sticky support. (26279)
Global Styles:
Use block settings on the block panels. (26218)
Fix: Font size picker regression on edit site global styles. (26603)
Process settings only once. (26330)
Navigation Component:
Add Support for RTL Languages. (26334)
Styling revisionsRevisionsThe WordPress revisions system stores a record of each saved draft or published update. The revision system allows you to see what changes were made in each revision by dragging a slider (or using the Next/Previous buttons). The display indicates what has changed in each revision.. (26338)
Fix focus behavior when opening the panel. (26296)
Fix the height of the Navigation panel and make it scrollable. (26187)
Search Control in Menu Titles. (25315)
Use a DropdownMenu for menu selection on the navigation screen. (25390)
Documentation
Update glossary to include more block-based terminology. (26478)
Update triagetriageThe act of evaluating and sorting bug reports, in order to decide priority, severity, and other factors. documentation for clarity around closing issues and labels. (26480)
Update WordPress versions document to include 5.6. (26365)
Chore: Ensure WordPress packages share the same hoisted dependencies. (26453)
Use CSSCSSCascading Style Sheets.-in-JSJSJavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. in wordpress/components:
Components: Copy SCSS file from reactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/.-dates to components package. (26534)
webpack: Replace legacy namedChunks/namedModules options with chunkIds/moduleIds. (26502)
Rewrite sideEffects flags to use only positive patterns. (26452)
Load the Twenty Twenty-one theme by default in Gutenberg’s local environement. (26414)
Build: Assign the library exports to window.wp rather than this.wp. (26272)
Fix composer test failures due to invalidinvalidA resolution on the bug tracker (and generally common in software development, sometimes also notabug) that indicates the ticket is not a bug, is a support request, or is generally invalid. lock. (26472)
jest-puppeteer-axe: Migrate to @axe-coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress./puppeteer. (25659)
wordpress/scripts: Configure all the tools to skip vendor folder. (26450)
Performance Benchmark
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 9.3
6.6s
27.16ms
Gutenberg 9.2
6.2s
26.62ms
WordPress 5.5
6.4s
27.53ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
9.2 was the final release to make it into 5.6 BetaBetaA pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process.! Featured goodies in this release are:
Support for video subtitles 🎉
Subtitles dropdown on video blockBlockBlock 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.. Props to @jorgefilipecosta for the screenshot.
Ability to transform multiple selected blocks into a Columns block:
Transforming three images into a three-column columns block.
And background patterns in Cover blocks!
Adding background patterns to a Cover block. props to @retrofox for the gif.
Add dropdown button to view templates in sidebarSidebarA 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.. (26132)
Gallery block: Use image caption as fallback for alt text. (26082)
Table block: Use hooksHooksIn WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same. + APIAPIAn 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. v2. (26065)
Refactor document actions to handle template part titles. (26043)
Remove non-coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. blocks from default editor content. (25844)
Add very basic template information dropdown. (25757)
Add option to make Post Featured ImageFeatured imageA featured image is the main image used on your blog archive page and is pulled when the post or page is shared on social media. The image can be used to display in widget areas on your site or in a summary list of posts. a link. (25714)
Widgets Screen:
Add legacy widgetWidgetA 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. inspector card component. (26142)
Test for storing raw htmlHTMLHyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. in widgets. (24886)
Fix: Keep the ‘Insert from URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org’ entered value on ImagePlaceholder. (26262)
Widgets screen: Add a filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. function to registerCoreBlock. (26259)
Use ToolbarButtons instead of Buttons in the Legacy Widget block’s toolbar. (26258)
Widgets screen: Add "Browse all" option to the inserter. (26256)
Fix: Post schedule label showing wrong time if site and user timezones did not match. (26212)
Fix Site Title block’s heading levels appearance. (26202)
Writing flow: Fix in-between inserter for aligned blocks. (26197)
Fix Cover width regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5.. (26143)
Fix tabbing in widgets not triggering auto-scrolling. (26139)
Cover block: Improve overlay opacity handling. (26133)
Fix PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 warning in widget utils REST controller. (25797)
Docs: Fix typo in GitGitGit is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with lightning fast performance. Most modern plugin and theme development is being done with this version control system. https://git-scm.com/. Workflow. (25779)
Widgets screen: Fix widget-area accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (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). (25732)
Widgets screen: Fix insertion point in widget areas. (25727)
Document Settings: Fix document title hover and select animations. (25719)
Define text color for warning message component. (25713)
Navigation block: Use unbounded query when requesting top level pages. (25689)
Document Actions: Fix document title misalignment with an open nav sidebar. (25630)
Fix ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. error in wordpress/block-editor documentation usage example caused by applying args to setState call. (25492)
Cover Block: Show spinner while uploading. (25401)
Button block: Reduce chance of style conflicts. (24919)
Fix skipped shortcodeShortcodeA 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. transforms in raw handling. (22840)
Media links: Fix linking for images inserted from URL. (22195)
Refactor reusable block edit component using hooks (and fix interactions with multiple instances of the same reusable block). (21427)
Performance
Paragraph: Avoid selector to improve performance. (26150)
Remove transition on block selection indicator. (25974)
Widgets screen: Preload request to /sidebars. (25726)
Documentation
Bring the block-based theme tutorial up to date. (25830)
Getting started: MAMP: Add tip to fix WP-CLIWP-CLIWP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/https://make.wordpress.org/cli/. (26057)
Update colors readme with additional definitions. (25954)
Document isMultiBlock param for block transforms. (25952)
Minor iterations to grouping for preferences panel. (26198)
Allow transform to Columns from a single block. (26185)
Use batch processing in edit-widgets package. (26164)
Minor updates to wordpress/edit-widgets for easier Core integration. (26136)
TextareaControl: Use CSS-in-JSJSJavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors.. (26131)
Add template lock attribute to column and group. (26128)
Reusable blocks support for widgets editor. (26097)
Skip broken template-part end-to-end test until it can be fixed. (25918)
Heading block: Add wide and full width options. (25917)
Social Links: Avoid conflictconflictA conflict occurs when a patch changes code that was modified after the patch was created. These patches are considered stale, and will require a refresh of the changes before it can be applied, or the conflicts will need to be resolved. with themes ul text-indent. (25916)
Site editor: Store navigation panel’s active menu state in the store. (25906)
Remove duplicate key from tsconfig.base.jsonJSONJSON, 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.. (25664)
Try adding a ‘spotlight mode’ type effect when template part or child is selected. (25656)
Gallery: Add labels to img, figure and figcaption elements for accessibility. (25560)
Navigation component: Add back button click handler. (25556)
Hide the quick side inserter when the user is typing. (25548)
REST APIREST APIThe REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/.: Introduce batch controller. (25096)
Add a description to the Site Title block. (23462)
Add storybook story for the FocusableIframe component. (22324)
Performance benchmark
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 9.2
5.1s
31.29ms
Gutenberg 9.1
5.3s
31.03ms
Kudos to all the contributors that helped with the release! 👏
GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 9.1 is out with almost 200 commits and 77 contributors! The main focuses for this release are iterations on the main projects for WordPress 5.6: the Widgets Screen and BlockBlockBlock 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.APIAPIAn 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..
Important progress has been made on the Global styles project with the possibility to use the theme.jsonJSONJSON, 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. config file to control the block editor features and presets (color palette, font sizes, enabling/disabling features).
Also, the release includes some nice little improvements to the UIUIUser interface and several blocks. Among these changes, the block patterns are now organized per categoryCategoryThe 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. in the block inserter to help navigate the list of available patterns.
9.1 🇲🇹
Features
Add “open in new tab” feature to Social Links Block. (25468)
Add Image Size control to the Media & Text block. (24795)
Improve the Audio block shortcodeShortcodeA 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. transform to account for all sources. (25114)
Code block: Allow HTMLHTMLHyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. editing & rich text content. (24689)
Remove appender from unselected Buttons and Social Icons block. (25518)
Register legacy widgets as block variations. (24905)
Use the default block list appender for the widgetWidgetA 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. areas. (25635)
Copy: Reword block settings menu item labels. (22955)
Add a tooltip to the Drag & Drop handle. (25606) (25614)
A11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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):
Add aria-haspopup property to the BlockNavigation component. (25605)
Add aria-haspopup property to the TableOfContents component. (25603)
Fix RangeControl direct entry in input field. (25609)
A11y:
Fix the color contrast in the code editor. (25593)
Fix Publish sidebarSidebarA 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. Cancel button not usable through screen readers. (25441)
Fix keyboard navigation on the Image block toolbar. (25127)
More block: Use an actual placeholder for input text. (23836)
Fix Block Directory author average rating formating. (24732)
wordpress/api-fetch:
Fix preloading middleware referencing stale data. (25550)
Check nonce headerHeaderThe header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. value before skipping adding it. (25458)
Use esc_html instead of esc_attr in the Archives block. (25476)
Fix Canceling Drag and Drop using ESC key. (25317)
Move custom-fields note to the ‘Register MetaMetaMeta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. Field’ documentation. (25584)
Update JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/. troubleshooting guide. (24105)
Use controls from the Data Controls package instead of local ones. (25235)
RichText: Simplify withFormatTypes as hook. (23145)
Video block: Use hooksHooksIn WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same.. (25513)
Remove wp_area custom post typeCustom Post TypeWordPress can hold and display many different types of content. A single item of such a content is generally called a post, although post is also a specific post type. Custom Post Types gives your site the ability to have templated posts, to simplify the concept.. (25497)
Post Featured ImageFeatured imageA featured image is the main image used on your blog archive page and is pulled when the post or page is shared on social media. The image can be used to display in widget areas on your site or in a summary list of posts.: Remove redundant condition. (25490)
Move legacy-widget block over to edit-widgets package. (25371) (25404)
Change wording and names to not include “whitelist”. (25396)
Don’t discard all promises results when one of them rejects. (25302)
Block Directory: Switch to blocks.registerBlockTypefilterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output.. (25264)
Remove the Block-based widgets editor from the customizerCustomizerTool built into WordPress core that hooks into most modern themes. You can use it to preview and modify many of your site’s appearance settings.. (25626)
Cover block: Remove default position (center/center) className from rendering. (25346)
Fix the default label position in SelectControl. (25427)
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 9.1
6.9s
29.04ms
Gutenberg 9.0
6.5s
29.19ms
WordPress 5.5
6.5s
28.01ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 9.0 is out! The main focuses for this release are improvements to the Navigation Screen and to the Query blockBlockBlock 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..
The Navigation screen has a new and improved look, and now supports drag and drop inside the list view:
Lots of cool features have been added to the Query block, including search, filtering by author and support for tags. Here are some pics of the updated interface:
Let ID-less gallery shortcodes fall to ShortcodeShortcodeA 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. block. (25144)
Mirror WordPress pluginPluginA 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 install text for blocks. (25084)
Add a "reinstall" button when a block type is not found. (22631)
Bug Fixes
Template part: fix rename before customize bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority.. (25206)
Template part: fix auto-drafting to support sub-directories. (25063)
Embed Block: Fix crash in isFromWordPress helper if preview.htmlHTMLHyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. is false. (25140)
Cover block: fix width regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5.. (25103)
Widgets screen: convert the toolbar to ARIA toolbar. (25111)
Widgets screen: add labels for settings and close button. (25101)
Navigation screen: fix creating Navigation from pages or menu with HTML in title. (24673)
Element: add and upgrade @types/{reactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/.,react-dom} dependencies. (25086)
Add safeguard to AuthorSelect component until authors are fetched. (25214)
Fix PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 error when users don’t have access to the Appearance menu. (25073)
Fix PHP Notice: Check that the query arg exists before using it. (25006)
Fix gradient swatches stacking badly with scrollbar. (25002)
Fix unlinked padding controls JSJSJavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. error. (25000)
Check if block attributes exist before splitting. (25229)
Revert "InnerBlocks: Introduce prop to specify render callback for each block.". (25196)
CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Data: Bring back support for nested _fields values. (25083)
Prevent TypeError for projects without a local Prettier configuration. (25068)
Image Block: Properly show errors on drag n drop. (25004)
Control the block editor via theme.jsonJSONJSON, 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.:
Replace accessibilityLabel by label on RadioGroup. (25128)
Global styles:
add sidebarSidebarA 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 screen. (24250)
Fix typo in block base themes tutorial URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org (25024)
Update Storybook URL from text to a real link. (24974)
Update triagetriageThe act of evaluating and sorting bug reports, in order to decide priority, severity, and other factors. doc to include pull request mentions. (23105)
Code Quality
Repo: Add .gitattributes to specify text=auto. (25224)
Block Directory: Use Array.filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. to implement new/unused block selectors. (25211)
Data: Remove flowRight call from metadata reducer. (25180)
Data: Add a comment about why we normalize resolvers to objects with fulfill method. (25102)
Api-fetch: Remove redundant next parameter from middleware calls. (25001)
Api-fetch: Simplify the code that executes the handlers. (24999)
Block Supports: Ensure consistent output in different PHP versions. (25240)
Add regression end-to-end test for the classic block initialization issue. (25169)
Use WordPress Menu APIAPIAn 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.. (25132)
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 9.0
6.96 s
28.99 ms
Gutenberg 8.9
6.97 s
28.98 ms
WordPress 5.5
6.97 s
27.54 ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
The big focuses throughout this release cycle were full site editing (FSE) and the widgets screen. On the FSE front, multiple FSE blocks were implemented and are now available for testing in the FSE experience (“Site Editor”). With regards to the widgets screen, more details are shared below. Aside from these two focuses, GutenbergGutenbergThe 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 contains some small new features, multiple bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. fixes, and some performance improvements.
Widgets moved out of experiments
One of the objectives of WordPress 5.6 is to allow using blocks in widgetWidgetA 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. areas. This is a complex task, and for now there is no decision on whether the new screen should be available for all users or a subset of users. Your feedback may help weigh the options.
In Gutenberg 8.9, the blockBlockBlock 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.-based widgets screen is enabled by default and replaces the default WordPress widgets screen. Themes and plugins are able to opt out of this screen by calling remove_theme_support( 'widgets-block-editor' ) or by using the gutenberg_use_widgets_block_editorfilter respectively.
Your testing, feedback, and insights are very useful to inform the direction of the next iterations. If you come across any bugs, please submit a new issue in the Github repository.
8.9.0 🇧🇯
Features
Enable the block-based widgets screen. (24843), (24087)
Convert all px values in front-facing styles to relative (em) units. (24523)
Bug Fixes
Fix infinite loopLoopThe Loop is PHP code used by WordPress to display posts. Using The Loop, WordPress processes each post to be displayed on the current page, and formats it according to how it matches specified criteria within The Loop tags. Any HTML or PHP code in the Loop will be processed on each post. https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop. in the Disabled component. (24935)
Fix wp-env start for non-english WordPress coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. sources. (24884)
InvalidinvalidA resolution on the bug tracker (and generally common in software development, sometimes also notabug) that indicates the ticket is not a bug, is a support request, or is generally invalid.HTMLHTMLHyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. structure on the widgets screen. (24866)
Fix sidebarSidebarA 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. flickering caused by the block preview border. (24739)
Don’t use an offset when dragging using a draggable chip. (24707)
Fix Image alignment controls styles in the Latest posts block. (24655)
Improve the focus state of the tags control remove button. (24632)
Fix Crash after undoing with the top toolbar on. (24629)
Avoid double borders on the metaMetaMeta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. boxes panels. (24627)
Missing selected block highlighting in the list view. (24609)
Fix the Pullquote block text color after unsetting the main color. (24600)
Fix style specificity for Button blocks with outline style and background colors. (24599)
Remove references to $default-font from front-facing styles. (24567)
Center-align the block variations buttons. (24547)
Fix categoryCategoryThe 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. select in QueryControls component. (24516)
Image Block: Prevent Alt and caption written during image upload from being discarded. (24471)
Correct the Unicode character used to represent the macOS Control key. (24452)
Fix undefined $block_type->supports PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 error. (24411)
Fix adminadmin(and super admin)-theme colors in the editor canvas. (24408)
Limit the number of fetched tags to avoid infinite queries. (23841)
Fix error when inserting a tagtagA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.) with an apostrophe. (21693)
Fix the alignment of the trashTrashTrash in WordPress is like the Recycle Bin on your PC or Trash in your Macintosh computer. Users with the proper permission level (administrators and editors) have the ability to delete a post, page, and/or comments. When you delete the item, it is moved to the trash folder where it will remain for 30 days. post button. (24889)
Make legacy widgets support for non-class-based widgets. (24861) (24792)
Remove WP_Widget_Block from the legacy dropdown list. (24787)
Add heading level toolbar to the Site title block. (24758)
Site Editing: UI
Alert when trying to leave the Site Editor with unsaved changes. (24659) (24719)
Update Template Part Block Placeholder Button Styles. (24633)
Template Part block – add border states in the editor. (24498)
Global Styles and theme.jsonJSONJSON, 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. APIs:
Allow enabling/disabling custom colors from theme.json config. (24761) (24932)
Simplify gutenberg_widgets_init when $hook === ‘widgets.php’. (24793)
Refactor block drop event handlers into a single hook to support drag and drop in List View. (24649)
Move DOM utility functions from wordpress/blocks to wordpress/dom. (24618)
Fix ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. warning on text color formatter. (24686)
Update the minimum version and the tested up to flag of the Gutenberg pluginPluginA 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. (24693)
Build: Make the watch rate slower to avoid using a lot of CPU while developing. (23998)
Allow local Prettier configuration to take precedence in the recommended ESLint configuration. (24590)
Performance Benchmark
Gradual changes in the editor have made its rendering pipeline more asynchronous. As a result, the usual metrics (loading time, typing time) that we collect in the performance benchmarks may have not always represented the performance gains and losses experienced by some users.
We are improving the way times are measured to account for the more async nature of the editor rendering. We will update this post with performance results once we are confident that they accurately measure the performance of the editor.
The synchronicity changes in question only affect Gutenberg 8.8 and 8.9. The numbers shared for previous releases are still an accurate way of measuring the editor’s performance.
With the release of WordPress 5.5 (🎉) comes a new release of GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/! Gutenberg 8.8. Contributors have continued to squash bugs, refine experiences, and make progress on several big projects.
Full site editing has progressed with updates to Global Styles, the Post BlockBlockBlock 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. suite, and Template management. The back-compatibility of the new Widget Screen was improved. The Widgets screen is a project that’s part of a wider effort to add more block enabled sections to the WordPress experience.
This release also saw important accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (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) and mobile improvements to user-interfaces like the Toolbar, navigation menus, and Popovers.
All this and more in the wonderfully jam packed change log below:
8.8.0 🇳🇬
Enhancements
Copy: Use “block patterns” strings consistently. (24457)
Remove hardcoded color from the Recent Comments block. (24410)
Remove hardcoded styles from the Separator block. (24366)
Block toolbar: Split switcher from mover and simplify styles. (23971)
Use the block label APIAPIAn 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. for BlockTitle component. (23847)
i18ni18nInternationalization, or the act of writing and preparing code to be fully translatable into other languages. Also see localization. Often written with a lowercase i so it is not confused with a lowercase L or the numeral 1. Often an acquired skill.: Translate all strings inside the Large HeaderHeaderThe header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. Button block pattern. (24499)
Block Movers: Use a bigger mobile touch target. (23761)
Block Movers: Use a bigger visible focus rectangle. (23760)
Fix canInsertBlockType selector returning true for blocks that don’t allow inner blocks. (24514)
Fix the huge font size on the editor when using the default font sizes presets. (24492)
Fix Cover block: Impossible to reset the minimum height value. (24490)
Fix Post preview button only appearing on small screens. (24487)
Fix deduplication of style rules for server-side block support flags. (24486)
Fix the quick inserter results limit for block variations. (24481)
Fix tiny editor preview when using Mobile or Tablet options with metaboxes enabled. (24478)
Fix custom gradient picker unable to change predefined gradients with hex colors. (24470)
Fixing duplicated wp-block classes in block-list. (24466)
A11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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):
Post Tags block: Fix bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. where no tags are rendered. (24082)
Post Tags block: Support color, font-size and line-height customization. (24069)
Full Site Editing:
Load php files only if experiment is enabled. (24182)
Global Styles:
Consider any user changes to global styles as publishable. (24293)
Add support for more style properties in the global context. (24298)
Widgets screen:
Refactor the widgets screen to rely on dedicated endpoints. (24290)
Make the list of widgets excluded from the legacy widgetWidgetA 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. block extensibleExtensibleThis is the ability to add additional functionality to the code. Plugins extend the WordPress core software. via a filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output.. (24271)
Documentation
Add undocumented global styles blocks & properties. (24421)
Remove “experimental” from title of editor filters. (24382)
Add instructions for disabling the Block Directory. (24357)
Indicate custom-fields support is required for registering metaMetaMeta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress.. (24325)
Refactor embed block to single block with block variations. (24090)
Upgrade ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. version to 16.13.1. (21289)
Remove unnecessary selector from the PostTitle block. (24418)
Remove unnecessary ad-hoc class application for dynamic blocks. (24223)
Build Tooling
Run wp-env start before PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 unit tests in package scripts. (23797)
Upgrade eslint-pluginPluginA 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-jsdoc to latest version. (24586)
Add full parameters for emulateNetworkConditions. (24144)
Add an end-to-end regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5. test for the “Browse All” inserter button. (24396)
Performance Benchmark
Update: Gradual changes in the editor have made its rendering pipeline more asynchronous. As a result, the usual metrics (loading time, typing time) that we collect in the performance benchmarks may have not always represented the performance gains and losses experienced by some users.
We are improving the way times are measured to account for the more async nature of the editor rendering. We will update this post with performance results once we are confident that they accurately measure the performance of the editor.
The synchronicity changes in question only affect Gutenberg 8.8 and 8.9. The numbers shared for previous releases are still an accurate way of measuring the editor’s performance.
A big thanks to all the wonderful contributors that helped with this release! 👏
WordPress 5.5 is around the corner and GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ contributors have been busy fixing a number of important issues to make sure the editor on 5.5 is as stable as possible. Gutenberg 8.7 changelog reflects that with a number of fixes including important a11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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) ones.
At the same time, contributors are increasing the development pace on the next big projects. Global styles are being worked heavily on with the hope of shipping it by WordPress 5.6.
This release also saw a lot of improvements to the Post blockBlockBlock 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. suite that constitutes one of the important bricks for the Full Site Editing project.
8.7.0 🇹🇼
Enhancements
Make “Attempt Block Recovery” the default option of block invalidation. (24263)
Use Post Type label for Document tab in Settings HeaderHeaderThe header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes.. (17311)
wordpress/create-block: Enable loading translations for created blocks. (24125)
Bug Fixes
Fix htmlHTMLHyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. mode for non light blocks. (24335)
Fix List RichText backward compatibility for multiline root tagtagA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.). (24324)
Fix PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 notices when a block hasn’t declared ‘supports’. (24131)
Block Breadcrumb: Fix arrow direction in RTL. (24074)
i18Ni18nInternationalization, or the act of writing and preparing code to be fully translatable into other languages. Also see localization. Often written with a lowercase i so it is not confused with a lowercase L or the numeral 1. Often an acquired skill.:
Fix missing plural forms for block related strings. (24071)
Merge similar translationtranslationThe process (or result) of changing text, words, and display formatting to support another language. Also see localization, internationalization. strings in the RSS block. (24159)
Merge similar translation strings – tables. (24169)
useBlockSync: Fix race condition when onChange callback changes. (24012)
Allow enter to insert line breaks even if template is locked. (23330)
Experiments
Full Site Editing and Site editor:
Add alignment support to post content block. (24014) (24077)
Template Part: Improve title editing interactions. (23661)
Update the Post author, ExcerptExcerptAn excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugin’s metabox. and Comment blocks to use lightBlockWrapper. (24253)
Query blocks: Support wide alignments in the editor. (24229)
Post Comments Block: add block alignment support. (24226)
Post Excerpt block: Added icon and description to Post Excerpt block. (24203)
Post Date block: Added Post Date icon and updated block with icon and desc. (24178) (24225)
Convert blocks to function component with hooksHooksIn WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same.:
Wrap LinkControlSearchInput in forwardRef. (24119)
Build Tooling
Perf Tests: Set up branchbranchA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch". only once for all test suites. (24123)
Revert “Build: Use .min.js suffix for bundled JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/.”. (24239)
Add a GitGitGit is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with lightning fast performance. Most modern plugin and theme development is being done with this version control system. https://git-scm.com/. Diff to the output of the static checks job on failure. (24154)
Various
Fix intermittent Navigation block test failure. (24146)
Performance Benchmark
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 8.7
6.97 s
26.63 ms
Gutenberg 8.6
6.84 s
27.15 ms
WordPress 5.4
9.55 s
43.81 ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 8.6 has been released. Keeping with our July focuses, we’ve been working hard to get ready for WordPress 5.5 while continuing to ship various enhancements to continue to expand Gutenberg. In particular, this release focuses on local UIUIUser interface improvements, performance improvements, and bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. fixes. As part of this work, some of these fixes have made their way to WordPress 5.5 BetaBetaA pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. 3.
Cover blockBlockBlock 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. video position controls
The positioning of video backgrounds in the Cover block can now be adjusted. Previously, these positioning controls were available only to image backgrounds. The focal point picker and the input controls support cursor and keyboard interaction alike.
Block pattern updates: Large headerHeaderThe header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. and paragraph,Large header,Text two columns,Three buttons,Two buttons,Quote. (23858) (23857) (23853) (23849) (23848) (23881)
Enhancements
Editor: Display Site Icon (if one is set) in full-screen mode. (22952)
Block Variations: Add support for finding variations using keywords. (24040)
Classic Block: Move the “convert to blocks” option from menu to own toolbar button. (23704)
a11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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): Use composite pattern to improve keyboard navigation on the inserter. (23610)
Date: Add timezone hint to post-scheduling UI. (23400)
Panel: Improve scroll view handling when expanding. (23327) (24046)
New APIs
Support disabling coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. block patterns. (24042)
Make the line height and custom units theme support flags consistent and opt-in. (23964) (23904)
Image: Add the ability for a pluginPluginA 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 to disable Image Editor. (23966)
Experiments
Site Editor:
Change references to section back to template part. (23765)
Post Date Block: Add style attributes and restructure the edit function. (23931)
Prevent JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/. error when using arrow navigation in URLInput. (24047)
Fix components utils export for use-update-effect. (23969)
Fix blocks dropping to incorrect position in inner block lists. (23950)
RangeControl: Adapt slider color to color scheme. (23936)
(JSJSJavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors.) Color Values: Rename brand to theme. Add fallback values. (24059)
Prevent content loss after refreshing an editor with unsaved auto-draft post. (23928)
Fix edited Classic block’s content deletion when switching to Code editor. (23927)
Fix block merging regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5.. (23901)
Inserter: Order quick inserter items by frecency. (23900)
Inserter: Set quick inserter content width to 100% on screens below 782px. (23896)
Autocomplete: Fix closing slash inserter with ESC. (23859)
Inserter: Hide inserter’s block preview when searching. (23827)
Apply the reset mixin to the inserter panel. (23744)
SidebarSidebarA 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. controls: Add more space for German and other locales. (23738)
Block Library: Standardize post block placeholders. (23690)
i18ni18nInternationalization, or the act of writing and preparing code to be fully translatable into other languages. Also see localization. Often written with a lowercase i so it is not confused with a lowercase L or the numeral 1. Often an acquired skill.: Block Library: Translate post block placeholders. (23774)
Fix issue where block inserted in wrong place when selection is in nested block list, but root appender is used. (23668)
Fix an issue where dragging while the page has no scrollbar results in a console error. (23666)
Link to theme-experiments repo in block-based theme documentation. (23748)
Code Quality
Refactor URLPopover to use ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. Hook. (23918)
Refactor Disabled component to use React HooksHooksIn WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same.. (23917)
Allow wp-env to start without configuration. (23913)
Add support for different options in each environment. (22568)
Build: Use .min.js suffix for bundled JavaScript. (23926)
Try running the performance tests as a GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ action. (23818)
E2E: Remove duplicate blocks in setup file. (23981)
REST APIREST APIThe REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/.: Check for WP5.5 and skip registering routes. (23880)
Image Editor: When editing, pass the edited image src. (23703)
Replace SEO settings nofollow toggle with rel text widgetWidgetA 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.. (23682)
Use global registry on the experimental navigation screen. (23675)
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 8.6
9.62 s
35.05 ms
Gutenberg 8.5
10.38 s
37.55 ms
WordPress 5.4
13.48 s
54.65 ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
GutenbergGutenbergThe 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/ 8.5 has been released. This is the last pluginPluginA 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 release that is going to be included entirely (without experimental features) in WordPress 5.5.
Drag and Drop
Since its first introduction, the experience of drag and dropping blocks to reorder them has stayed almost untouched. This release includes several iterations to improve on this interaction. Drag and drop supports vertical reordering more clearly, it replaces the cloned element with a nice little drag chip and smooth the scroll-on-drag behavior.
AccessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (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) improvements
One important addition in this release is the possibility to disable arrow navigation across blocks. While writing long form content, it’s very important to be able to navigate using arrow keys between blocks, this can be confusing for screen reader users. We now have an option to disable that behavior.
Easy upload for external images.
Another workflow people use while writing is to rely on external tools to write or collaborate on their posts and when ready, copy/paste these into the blockBlockBlock 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. editor.
The downside is that any external images used there are hosted elsewhere and may not always persist. In this release, if an image block is using an external images, you’ll have the possibility to upload it to the media library while keeping it as is on the post with a single click.
8.5 🇸🇪
Features
A11yAccessibilityAccessibility (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): Add an option to keep the caret inside blocks in edit mode. (23546)
Add anchor/id support to all static blocks. (23197)
Add filterFilterFilters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. to REST APIREST APIThe REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/. image edit. (23539)
Avoid ordering block types per frecency inside block categories. (23643)
Polish the document sidebarSidebarA 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. controls. (23578)
Cover block: Don’t show the matrix alignment button when no background set. (23196)
Spacer: Show tooltip with height value on resize. (23077)
Improve post publish buttons alignment. (22390) (23487)
Make Preview and Save Draft buttons use the same style. (21192)
Add unlink URLURLA specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org to buttons block. (23445)
Clean the patterns list to include in coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. (23608)
Support a flexible useItemsAPIAPIAn 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. for the autocompleters API. (22853) (23385)
Stabilize the image editing REST API endpoint. (23536)
Stabilize the block directory REST API endpoint. (23528)
Fix file names generation for edited image files. (23440)
Fix ReactReactReact is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. warning when cropping imùges. (23432)
Fix small RTL regressionregressionA software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5. in Buttons block. (23390)
Don’t show the “Move to trashTrashTrash in WordPress is like the Recycle Bin on your PC or Trash in your Macintosh computer. Users with the proper permission level (administrators and editors) have the ability to delete a post, page, and/or comments. When you delete the item, it is moved to the trash folder where it will remain for 30 days.” action if the user is not allowed to delete posts. (23174)
add inline font-sizes and colors to the editor for themes that don’t enqueue the preset classes. (22356) (22668) (23717)
Create Block: Fix missing scripts section in scaffolded package.json. (23443)
Scripts: Fix build script with style.css files. (23710)
Restore removed props and behavior back to Query Controls. (23419)
Add support for hexadecimal colors in gradient presets. (23363)
Performance
Improve the performance of the keyboard shortcuts binding. (23394)
Documentation
Add a documentation page explaining how the repository is organized. (23563)
Document the WordPress 5.5 backported code. (23478) (23708)
Add .markdownlint.jsonJSONJSON, 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. configuration extending scripts configuration. (23655)
Add “Create a Block” tutorial Create a Block tutorial. (22831) (23654)
Extract block draggable scroll behaviour into React hook. (23444)
Refactor Dropdown to use functional component. (23142)
Refactor Embed Edit component: Class component to Function component. (22846)
Extract navigation link rendering code from the navigation block. (21075)
Block editor: Use vanilla JSJSJavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. instead of Lodash if possible. (21063) (23633)
Add “engines” to the package.json and “engine-strict = true” to the package.json. (23600)
Block Directory: Remove custom permission check in favor of canUser. (23624)
Remove REST_WP_REST_Block_Types_Controller_Test which now exists in WordPress Core. (23500)
Post Author block: Fix end-to-end test fixture indentation. (23209)
Build Tooling
Add new command for pre-releasing npm packages. (23357)
Move the CI setup from Travis to GithubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ actions. (23523) (23520) (23518) (23470) (23538)
Add npm cache to Github workflows and use checkout v2. (23482)
Scripts: Remove default exclude rule for node_modules for SVG, CSS and Sass files. (23495)
REST API: Sync /themes endpoint with Core’s. (23321)
Performance Benchmark
The following benchmark compares performance for a particularly sizeable post (~36,000 words, ~1,000 blocks) over the last releases. Such a large post isn’t representative of the average editing experience but is adequate for spotting variations in performance.
Version
Loading Time
KeyPress Event (typing)
Gutenberg 8.5
6.86 s
27.84 ms
Gutenberg 8.4
7.22 s
27.85 ms
WordPress 5.4
8.91 s
40.52 ms
Kudos for all the contributors that helped with the release. 👏
