As you know, WordPress is constantly evolving. More users on the web are becoming familiar with the web design process but still, lack the time or ability to write necessary code. D.I.Y companies such as Wix and SquareSpace continue to prove a successful business model, focusing on a simplified user interface and WordPress has taken notice. The current visual editor by WordPress has not made many advancements in the past, until now. After nearly a year of development by the WordPress Community, the latest innovation Gutenberg provides inexperienced users a simple solution to adding content.
So just what is the Gutenberg project and how does it affect your site?
Named after Johannes Gutenberg, the man who first introduced mechanical movable type on a printing press, the WordPress community has begun to present an invention of their own. Focused on those new to WordPress and less involved with development, Gutenberg simply breaks down adding content to your site. The term “block ” is used by WordPress to describe the parameters in which the Gutenberg editor effects. These little blocks provide an intuitive approach to “media library/HTML for images, multimedia and approved files, pasted links for embeds, short-codes for specialized assets from plugins, featured images for the image at the top of a post or page, excerpts for subheads and widgets for content on the side of a page.“
So the question remains, how will the development of Gutenberg affect your site? Although the Gutenberg project has received tons of hype lately, it’s important to note it is still in its early development stages. Gutenberg is not yet ready to be run on just any website although the founder of WordPress, Matt Muhlenberg has plans to change that. After 100,000 installations and a complete debugging process, Gutenberg will be available on all production sites.
After installing the Gutenberg editor, your back-end will experience some significant changes. First, you’ll notice just how much more room there is for content. The new interface is streamlined and allows the user a much more visual process.
Although to some these changes may be viewed as minimal, Gutenberg will continue to grow in what WordPress has described as a 3 step process. The first step is that of which I’ve described, highlighting blocks and their functionality as it relates to your content. Blocks offer a simple solution to configuring your content without the distraction of options for those more technically-savvy. Step two and three involve a much more custom process regarding themes and eventually the option for full-site customization via the Gutenberg Editor. It’s an exciting time to be apart of the WordPress community!
