In case you haven’t heard the latest WordPress update includes a “Try Gutenberg” callout. What is Gutenberg? It is the new editor that will replace the Classic Editor in the next major WordPress release. Building a post with content blocks will be a major departure from what we are all use to.
The WordPress community has been tasked with the job of making plugins and themes Gutenberg ready. But are your plugins and theme are Gutenberg ready? Worse yet, are your clients are Gutenberg ready? And even worse, are you ready for all potential troubles that could come with the initial Gutenberg rollout?
How to Adopt the Gutenberg “Wait and See” Approach
For years, I have been backing up and updating clients websites. You can learn more about that side of my business here: ScrubWP. Before pushing the update button, I read the plugin or theme’s change log and check on support postings on WordPress.Org. If the current update is causing grief, I “wait” for the next update to “see” if the issues have been resolved.
This “wait and see” approach can be easily applied to the Gutenberg editor. It is as easy as installing and activating these plugins: the Classic Editor Plugin and the Classic Editor Addon Plugin. Install the combo now and you will be able to continue to use the Classic Editor until you determine that Gutenberg is ready for “prime time”.
The free Classic Editor Addon plugin is targeted at everyone who is not yet ready for Gutenberg and/or who does not want to bother clients with Gutenberg. Install it now on sites and by the time WP 4.9.8 and eventually 5.0 are released, the UX remains the same as you are used to! – Excerpt from description on WordPress.Org
Want to learn more about the Gutenberg editor?
Gutenberg
Gutenberg is more than an editor. While the editor is the focus right now, the project will ultimately impact the entire publishing experience including customization (the next focus area). Discover more about the project. Get started by installing the plugin on a test site.
- WordPress.Org has a set up an interactive introduction to Gutenberg page: Say Hello to New Editor.
- Gutenberg News has gathered a collection of Gutenberg tutorials & resources.
- The WordPress.Org Gutenberg Handbook has a detailed tutorial on Creating Block Types.
Leave a Reply