If you’re a designer or a developer, you may have heard there’s something big happening with the way WordPress will work in the future. If you haven’t heard about the changes happening within WordPress and you manage the content on a site, we want you to be aware that there are some big changes happening with the WordPress software. Those changes are being driven by Gutenberg.
What is Gutenberg?
Currently, Gutenberg is a plugin on the WordPress plugin repository that changes how the content editor works and looks in WordPress. It takes the current WordPress editor that has been around for nearly a decade and completely transforms the interface and how content is edited. Where shortcodes and page builders and knowledge of HTML and CSS were required in order to create complex page layouts, Gutenberg creates a user-friendly interface through which complex layouts can be more easily achieved.
While the current content editor is a single field where most content resides within a single field, Gutenberg has introduced the concept of blocks. A block is a piece of content that can be formatted consistently and easily and used throughout an entire site. Currently, that same functionality is achieved through different elements, such as shortcodes, custom post types, meta boxes, custom-coded templates and the like. Gutenberg’s aim is to simplify the entire publishing experience and create beautiful posts and pages.
What is the Future of Gutenberg?
The plan is for the new editor to be included as a core part of WordPress 5.0. At the State of the Word at WordCamp US 2017, Matt Mullenweg stated the WordPress 5.0 release date would be in April 2018.
While we keep an eye on how the project is developing, we are continuing to have conversations with our friends and colleagues of the impact this new editor may have on our clients’ sites and the way we serve our clients. While we don’t have a straightforward answer about what we think will happen, we aim to make every effort of moving forward while mitigating the risks involved when a big update occurs.
Further Reading on Gutenberg
Many of our colleagues and friends within the WordPress community are having conversations about Gutenberg and the future of WordPress. To learn more about Gutenberg, check out some of the articles below.
- How Existing Content Will Be Affected by Gutenberg WordPress Editor by John Hawkins at WebDevStudios
- Morten Rand-Hendriksen: Gutenberg and the WordPress of Tomorrow video from WordCamp US 2017
- The Gutenberg WordPress Editor: 10 Things You Need to Know by Nathan Ingram at iThemes
- Gutenberg, or the Ship of Theseus by Matías Ventura
- A Collection of Gutenberg Conversations, Resources, and Videos by Jeff Chandler at WP Tavern
- Is Gutenberg the End or a New Beginning for WordPress? by Iain Poulson at Delicious Brains
