With the release of WordPress 5.8 around the corner (July 20), there has been a lot of buzz around full site editing.
Full site editing (FSE) is a WordPress project that aims to make entire websites customizable by utilizing Gutenberg blocks, and users will get their first taste of it with WordPress 5.8.
In this article, we will break down exactly what the full site editing project is, cover its primary features, and what it means for WordPress moving forward.
What is Full Site Editing?
Full site editing is a term used to collectively represent a set of new WordPress features that aim to make entire websites customizable. While blocks were traditionally used just for content, FSE means that blocks will be able to be used to customize all the aspects of a WordPress website, essentially turning the block editor into a full-fledged page builder.
With full site editing, WordPress aims to make the world’s most popular CMS more user-friendly and beginner-friendly.
The goal of this project is to utilize the power of Gutenberg’s block model in an editing experience that goes beyond post or page content. This editing mode will work hand in hand with the structure of the site and will give users a way to modify global elements of a page such as buttons, headers, and footers.
It is one big project, but there are three major areas or projects being worked on in relation to a FSE experience:
Full Site Editing (Template Manipulation)
Also known as template manipulation, this is the primary project for a majority of things related to full site editing. Most issues and tickets will fall under this project and will largely involve template manipulation as well as navigating the full site editor.
The whole goal of this area is to make entire WordPress sites customizable, just as post and page content is now.
Block Patterns
One of the primary features of full site editing is block patterns.
The Block Patterns feature will enable WordPress users to access a catalog of various pre-made patterns (made of blocks) that they can easily add to their sites with the click of a button.
These patterns will give users the ability to easily create and modify engaging layouts for their content.
The underlying vision for block patterns is for its library to be made up of patterns provided by themes, plugins, core defaults, and even WordPress users.
Global Styles
Global styles extends the efforts of full site editing and is another step in bringing a higher level of customization to Gutenberg and WordPress.
With global styles comes a brand new interface that enables users to apply styling to a WordPress website from within the site editor.
The styling can be applied globally, specifically to a page or post, or directly to a component itself.
Using buttons as an example, styling can be applied to an individual button, all buttons within a page, and/or all buttons across an entire site.
Together, these features give users greater control over the aesthetics and layouts of their sites taking it beyond just single Pages and Posts.
With full site editing on the horizon, WordPress is beginning to shift to a new era of how users and developers design the front end of WordPress sites.
It is a signal that block-based site customization is going to be the new standard moving forward.
Full site editing is still in its initial steps, but once it takes over as the new normal, the world will be looking at a whole new WordPress.
Keep an eye out for full site editing in WordPress 5.8.
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