WordPress 5.0 was just released, and it is probably one of the most talked about WordPress releases we have seen over the last couple of years.
So what is so special about this release? What are the changes you need to expect, and how to get ready for them? – Have no worries, because we got all the information in this article.
A new text editor – Meet Gutenberg
Arguably the most significant change in the current release is a totally new text editor named Gutenberg. The Gutenberg editor will replace the current editor, which was part of WordPress for the last 14 years.
The new editor brings a totally new user experience, as it is block based and allows you to create pre built custom layouts to style your site pages and posts.
Gutenberg brings a whole new level of content editing to WordPress. It will have a great impact on how you format and display content, and it will allow you to improve users experience when they visit your website, by keeping a constant theme throughout your site.
Test Gutenberg before you upgrade
Since this is a major change in how you will use WordPress, it will be smart to try the new features on a dummy site before implementing it to a live site.
The good fellows at WordPress created a site, where you can experience Gutenberg before making any changes to your site.
Take Gutenberg for a test drive: https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/
Should I upgrade to WordPress 5.0, or wait?
As we were saying, WordPress 5.0 is a game changer. We highly advice you to try the new editor on the demonstration site mentioned above, or on any other testing environment you have access to.
There will certainly be an adaptation period, where theme builders and plugin creators will need to make the necessary changes in their products, so they will be compatible with the new version of WordPress. We can also expect that a bug fix release will follow the current release, as it usually happens.
To sum it all, the smartest move will probably be to hold off for now, and wait until this big upgrade ‘dust’ settles.
Can I keep using the old editor?
The new Gutenberg editor will be the default text editor when you install the latest version of WordPress. Surely some people would like to take their time and will want to keep using the classic editor. We have good news for these people, because the new editor will keep being available as a WordPress plugin. (Download: https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic-editor/)
The classic text editor plugin hides all traces of Gutenberg and its block based features. You will still be able to switch to Gutenberg at any time, and you can even assign different kind of editors on a user base.
The classic editor will be supported by WordPress at least until 2022 so you can take your time and get ready for Gutenberg and the whole block editing concept.
What is your opinion on this big step WordPress is taking? Tell us in the comment section bellow
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