The last WordPress 5.9 update alone gave us a new site editor and block-based themes that were already quite refreshing. The latest update will still focus on the full site editing experience. Here are some of the features that come with the latest WordPress.
WordPress Performance Improvement
It's tradition that updates should come with performance improvements. So it is with the latest WordPress which does get some performance enhancements. Of course, these improvements also have a positive impact on your website's performance.
This update is able to offer improvements to page loading times, more efficient execution of database queries to better adjustment of caching methods. That way, web pages will be more responsive in the eyes of visitors.
An increasingly convenient editor
The presence of the Gutenberg editor in the last update did manage to provide a more optimal writing experience. This time, the block editor gets another touch to make drafting and posting more comfortable.
- In this update, you can check out the new capabilities, including:
- Copy and paste article text becomes more efficient because this editor supports selecting text from different blocks.
- Support viewing the list of pages and new posts is faster due to the new shortcut [[ or two open square brackets
- The experience of editing between blocks is made easier because you can save style settings when you want to switch blocks
- You can also put your favorite buttons into custom buttons
- Details such as social media icons and tags are updated to be fresher
There are also a number of new settings followed by some new controls that are also interesting to explore further.
More Template Options
You can check out the new template options for using block-based themes, namely Author, Date, Categories, Tags and Taxonomy. Each of these options can be used according to the purpose of your website. Or you can also create your own theme using the tools available, including;
- Featured Image to use a specific image as the Block cover
- Image size adjustment for display as per image preference and purpose
- Quick Inserter for more efficient editing as you can customize templates in Block sections
- Author filtering if there are some
Page Design Using Integrated Pattern
You can also customize the appearance of the page again using the new Integrated Pattern feature in the form of preset layouts that you can then customize further. This option can also be applied to certain sections, such as the footer. Of course, your WordPress theme must support this feature for you to access it.
Display Customization Using Style Switching
An immediately noticeable update this time around is the Style Switching feature. This feature allows you to customize the appearance from a selection of appearance presets. Of course, if you use a suitable theme that supports the main block editor.
From this feature, you can access a wide selection of fonts to color palettes by specifying the preset you want to use and then see the changes in real time. This customization makes it easier for you to change your look with just one click.
Additional Tools for Website Design
There are also other additional tools for website design needs, including:
- Faster color selection using the new, more intuitive color panel
- Defining page borders is also easier using the updated border controls
- The use of color is made more complete with support for setting transparency levels through the transparency levels option.
- Edit in the more powerful Block Group with more controls such as control gaps, margins, typography and more.
- Use of a more complete variety of arrangement forms in block groups, including Stack, Row, and Group for a more optimal layout.
- Gallery block with gap support functionality to adjust the distance between images
List View Baru
The block editor also has a list view. Through this feature, you can add various blocks and then organize them into a list view that is also easy to open and close. You can open this view automatically by simply selecting a block.
Support Locking Block
A new feature that beginners might benefit from is locking blocks to avoid unwanted mistakes when customizing. Through this support, you can lock certain blocks so that they cannot be edited, moved or deleted. This can minimize blocks from getting messy while customizing the appearance.
Improved Accessibility
WordPress hasn't forgotten about users with disabilities by improving accessibility. Through this upgrade, there are at least 50 specific improvements to make it easier for users to interact with WordPress. These include the Alt Text feature when adding images and Screen Reader improvements.