{"id":90327,"date":"2019-08-19T15:32:21","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T20:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?p=90327"},"modified":"2021-11-18T22:04:53","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T04:04:53","slug":"gutenberg-a-six-month-feature-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/gutenberg-a-six-month-feature-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Gutenberg: A Six Month Feature Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It may be hard to believe, but <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/blog\/gutenberg-believe-in-beauty-of-dreams\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gutenberg<\/a>, the default content editor in WordPress that was first introduced to the community with the launch of&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/blog\/wordpress-5-0-is-here\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">WordPress 5.0<\/a>, is nearly a year old.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As opposed to the HTML-reliant Classic WordPress editor, Gutenberg uses a block-based editing experience for a more convenient, WYSIWYG-type editing experience. When it launched last year, the highly-anticipated release represented a new era for WordPress. Not only does the new editor offer an easier page and post building experience, but it also serves as a preview for the future of WordPress. Over time, the block-based functionality found in Gutenberg is expected to expand across the entirety of site-building in WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal of Phase One of the Gutenberg project was to offer greater aptitude and approachability to non-technical users wanting to build customized posts and pages. Since its launch in December 2018, Gutenberg has been <a href=\"https:\/\/gutenstats.blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">downloaded<\/a> more than 23 million times and is used in the creation of over 35 million posts. While work to improve the editor is ongoing, it\u2019s safe to say that the goals of Phase One have largely been accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phase Two of the Gutenberg project, which <a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2018\/10\/05\/gutenberg-phase-2-leads\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">kicked off <\/a>in October 2018, is about thinking outside of the post and page box and bringing the Gutenberg editing experience to the entire site layout process. Specifically, the goal for Phase Two was to focus on widgets, navigation, and customization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With so much work being done in WordPress core and on Gutenberg specifically, it\u2019s difficult to keep track of all the progress that\u2019s been made. It is important, however, to take a step back and reflect on the evolution of Gutenberg, even in the short time it\u2019s been available. In this post, we\u2019ve highlighted Gutenberg\u2019s progress over the last six months. Please note that the versions listed represent the updates to the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/gutenberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg plugin<\/a>\u2014not WordPress itself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>With so many changes introduced in every new version, these summaries only reflect a fraction of the actual work done for each release. This post is focused mostly on added features, major enhancements to customization abilities, and improvements to performance. For a full list of Gutenberg updates, check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/tag\/gutenberg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">WordPress Core page<\/a>. <\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.0 (February 2019)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/02\/06\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-6th-february\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.0<\/a> was the first release to include support for versions prior to WordPress 5.0. This version introduced exciting new blocks and customization options.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New block: The introduction of the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/7966\" target=\"_blank\">RSS block<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>New block: The introduction of the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13510\" target=\"_blank\">Amazon Kindle Embed block<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Added of new <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/10925\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">FocalPointPicker component<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1005\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/focal-point-picker.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90328\"\/><figcaption> <br>The FocalPointPicker component allows users to define a custom focal point for the cover block\u2019s background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.1 (February 2019)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/02\/20\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20th-february\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gutenberg 5.1<\/a> introduced new blocks as well as improvements to performance and accessibility. It also represented the end of the 2019 goal of <a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/02\/18\/porting-widgets-to-blocks-feb-18-2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">porting widgets to blocks<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New block: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13583\" target=\"_blank\">Search<\/a> block.&nbsp;<\/li><li>New block: <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13772\">Calendar<\/a> block.&nbsp;<\/li><li>New block: <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/7875\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Tag Cloud<\/a> block.<\/li><li>Added micro animations to the UI editor.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"789\" height=\"359\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Performance-5.1-.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Performance-5.1-.png 789w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Performance-5.1--300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Performance-5.1--768x349.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 789px) 100vw, 789px\" \/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 5.1 performance benchmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.2 (March 2019)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/03\/06\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-6th-march\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gutenberg 5.2<\/a> focused on foundational work required for Gutenberg to be used outside of the Post Editor context. To do that, specific code needed to be added to the blocks in order to add additional flexibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Introduced a new @wordpress\/block-editor module allowing building block editors outside the post editor context and even outside the WordPress Admin context.<\/li><li>Introduced a <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13105\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">generic block editor module<\/a>.<\/li><li>Added improvements to the local state persistence behavior.<\/li><li>Added improvements to the URL input popover design.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.3 (March 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/03\/20\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20th-march\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.3 <\/a>introduced basic block management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Introduced a <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/14224\">block management modal<\/a> with the ability to enable\/disable blocks from the block inserter.<\/li><li>Introduced the possibility to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13822\" target=\"_blank\">nest different types of blocks in a Cover Block <\/a>container.&nbsp;<\/li><li>New block: added an experimental <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/13511\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Legacy Widget Block<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.3-Block-Management--1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.3-Block-Management-.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.3-Block-Management--300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.3-Block-Management--768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 5.3 introduced new block management capabilities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.4 (April 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A large focus for<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/04\/03\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-3rd-april\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.4<\/a> was implementing the foundational work required for a block-based widget screen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Added vertical alignment support for the columns block.<\/li><li>Added playsinline support for the video block.<\/li><li>Improved the appearance of the block hover state on colored backgrounds.<\/li><li>Moved the color and font size caption styles into theme styles.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"651\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.4-1024x651.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.4.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.4-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.4-768x488.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 5.4 included vertical alignment support for the columns block. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.5 (April 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/04\/17\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-17th-april\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.5 <\/a>added a long-awaited Group block, setting the stage for a block-based template editing experience, rather than the typical PHP-reliant templates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New block: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ostraining.com\/blog\/wordpress\/group-block\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Group block<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Added vertical alignment support to the Media &amp; Text block.<\/li><li>Added the image fill option to the Media &amp; Text block.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gutenberg-groups-block-5.5-.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gutenberg-groups-block-5.5-.png 822w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gutenberg-groups-block-5.5--255x300.png 255w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/gutenberg-groups-block-5.5--768x904.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 5.5 included a Group Block, allowing users to nestle multiple blocks inside a singular entity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.6 (May 2019)&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/05\/01\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-1st-may\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.6<\/a> brought a number of improvements to the user experience of certain blocks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Improved focus state for button block.<\/li><li>Reduced specificity of block styles to make it easier for themes to style the editor.<\/li><li>Optimized data subscribers to avoid unnecessary work on each editor change.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"687\" height=\"172\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.6-.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90333\"\/><figcaption><br>&nbsp;Gutenberg 5.6 Improved block breadcrumb placement with movers present.&nbsp;<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.7 (May 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/05\/15\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-15th-may\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.7<\/a> introduced massive improvements to the Group block, making the UI more seamless and easy to use.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Added setting width to the column block.<\/li><li>Added ability to show Post Content or excerpt in the Latest Posts <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/15453\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">block<\/a>.<\/li><li>Added headers and footers in the Table block.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.8 (May 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/05\/29\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-29th-may\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.8<\/a>&nbsp; included a number of highly requested features as well as dozens of enhancements and bug fixes. This update also introduced the first version of the widgets screen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Added the ability to change the text color in the Heading block.<\/li><li>Added ability to reorder gallery images.<\/li><li>Completed the initial version of the widgets screen POC<ul><li>Added an experimental endpoint to fetch the block-based widget areas.<\/li><li>Connected the screen to the widget areas endpoint.<\/li><li>Loaded the widget scripts.<\/li><li>Loaded colors, font sizes and file upload settings in the widgets screen.<\/li><li>Rendered the block-based widget areas in the frontend<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 5.9 (June 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/06\/12\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-12th-june\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 5.9<\/a> added significant improvements to the grouping functionality as well as \u201cSnackbar\u201d notices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Allowed grouping\/ungrouping blocks using the Group block.<\/li><li>Improved the selection of inner blocks: Clickthrough selection.<\/li><li>Introduced the snackbar notices and use them for the save success notices.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"629\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-5.9-Snackbar-noticies-.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90334\"\/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 5.9 introduces \u201cSnackbar\u201d notices which communicate completed actions in the block editor UI.&nbsp; <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 6.0&nbsp; (June 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/06\/26\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-26th-june\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 6.0<\/a> offered a significant update to the Columns block. Improvements were also made to the Widgets screen and Group block.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Supported ability to choose a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/16129\" target=\"_blank\">pre-defined layout for the Columns block<\/a>. The user can now choose between multiple column and width arrangements.<\/li><li>Added <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/16020\" target=\"_blank\">Snackbar notices<\/a> support to the widgets screen.<\/li><li>Added an <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/15210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">inner container to the Group<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/16202\">block<\/a> to simplify theme styling.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 6.1 (July 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/07\/10\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-july\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gutenberg 6.1<\/a> added the notion of <a href=\"https:\/\/matiasventura.com\/post\/using-motion-to-express-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">using motion to express change in reactive UIs<\/a> to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1864\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 2624 \/ 1864;\" width=\"2624\" controls src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.1-.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Introduced <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/16065\" target=\"_blank\">motion\/animation<\/a> when reordering\/adding\/removing blocks.<\/li><li>Improved the Image block link settings and move it to the block toolbar.<\/li><li>Let users receive a snackbar notice when clicking \u201cCopy all content.\u201d<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 6.2 (July 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/07\/31\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-31-july\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 6.2<\/a> added new nesting capabilities for the Cover and Media and Text blocks. The update also introduced new customizations to the Button block.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Introduced Link Target support in Button block.<\/li><li>Limits the maximum height of the HTML block.<\/li><li>Shows the preview button on mobile viewports.<\/li><li>Removed nested block restrictions from the Cover and Media &amp; Text blocks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.2.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90336\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gutenberg 6.3 (August 2019)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The latest update, <a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2019\/08\/14\/whats-new-in-gutenberg-14-august\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Gutenberg 6.3<\/a>, features major accessibility improvements. Gutenberg is built in a way that strings together several customizable blocks. This dynamic content and code help users leverage the editor to create beautiful digital experiences. The added complexity, however, makes it difficult for those using screen readers. The 6.3 update introduces Navigation Mode. This mode allows you to move from block to block with a single tab, use the arrow keys to navigate between blocks, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A11y: Support <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/WordPress\/gutenberg\/pull\/16500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Navigation and Edit modes<\/a> to ease navigating between blocks.<\/li><li>Supports text alignments in Table block columns.<\/li><li>Supports changing the separator block color.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"687\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.3.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90337\"\/><figcaption><br>Gutenberg 6.3 introduces Navigation Mode, a mode in Gutenberg that will make it easier for users who require screen readers.&nbsp; <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"617\" height=\"221\" src=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.3-performance-.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.3-performance-.png 617w, https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Gutenberg-6.3-performance--300x107.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 617px) 100vw, 617px\" \/><figcaption><br>The most recent Gutenberg performance benchmarks.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s Next for the Gutenberg Project?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of June, Matt Mullenweg took to the stage at WordCamp EU to discuss the state of WordPress and the future of Gutenberg. While the official launch of Gutenberg transformed the monolithic Classic Editor into a block-based experience, that was clearly just the beginning. As mentioned above, Phase One of the Gutenberg project was focused on the ability to use blocks for writing and editing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that phase successfully completed, we\u2019re now well into Phase Two, which extends the block-based experience into the widgets, navigation, and customization. Over the last six months, the Gutenberg team has made considerable progress on this phase as well. During WordCamp EU, Mullenweg previewed the future of Gutenberg by announcing two more phases in the Gutenberg trajectory. Phase Three will be dedicated to collaboration, multi-user editing, and workflows. The goal will be to include real-time coediting within different parts of WordPress. Finally, Phase Four will include multilingual support.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learn More and Get Started with Gutenberg&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gutenberg is arguably one of the most exciting things to ever happen to WordPress. If you haven\u2019t already, <a href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/wordpress-gutenberg-editor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">get started using the Gutenberg <\/a>today. If you\u2019re interested in incorporating Gutenberg into the Genesis framework, check out some <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/blog\/introducing-gutenberg-optimized-themes\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gutenberg-optimized StudioPress themes<\/a>. For more information on how to get the most out of WordPress, Gutenberg, Genesis, and WP Engine, check out our ebook: <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/genesis-onramp-for-gutenberg\/\" target=\"_blank\">Genesis as an Onramp for Gutenberg<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It may be hard to believe, but Gutenberg, the default content editor in WordPress that was first introduced to the community with the launch of&nbsp; WordPress 5.0, is nearly a year old.&nbsp; As opposed to the HTML-reliant Classic WordPress editor, Gutenberg uses a block-based editing experience for a more convenient, WYSIWYG-type editing experience. When it<span class=\"tile__ellipses\">&hellip;<\/span><span class=\"tile__ellipses--animated\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":173,"featured_media":90340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wordpress-community"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Gutenberg: A Six Month Feature Update<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gutenberg is nearly a year old. 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