What does the WordPress Gutenberg editor do?

WordPress is the most widely used content management system globally and is continuously being developed further. One of the biggest changes in the history of WordPress was the introduction of the block editor as part of the Gutenberg project (hence also partially referred to as Gutenberg editor). The block editor replaced the classic TinyMCE editor and brought a new way of content creation with it.

What is WordPress Gutenberg?

The Gutenberg Project is an initiative to modernize WordPress. It includes several phases and aims to improve the entire WordPress experience—from creating posts to full website design. The Block Editor is the first major milestone of this project. It was introduced with WordPress 5.0 in December 2018 and replaced the previous classic editor. Unlike the old text processing, which used HTML and shortcodes, the new editor is based on a modular system of blocks. Each content type—whether a paragraph, an image, or a table—is its own block that can be individually customized. This not only makes creating posts and pages easier, but also enables complex layouts without additional CSS or page builder plugins.

History of the WordPress Block Editor

The development of the WYSIWYG editor began with the goal of making WordPress more user-friendly and competitive with modern website builders. In 2017, the first announcements about the Gutenberg project were published. Developers and users had mixed reactions; some praised the innovation, while others feared compatibility issues. In 2018, the block editor was made available as a beta version in the form of a plugin. By the end of that year, WordPress 5.0 was released with the Gutenberg block editor as the default editor.

Since then, numerous updates have improved functionality and user-friendliness, notably the introduction of Full Site Editing in WordPress 5.8 and 5.9. In the current WordPress version 6.1, the Block Editor is an integral part, offering more design possibilities with new features like Block Patterns, Reusable Blocks, and Theme Blocks.

How does the WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor work?

The WordPress Block Editor is based on a modular system. Each post and page are made up of blocks that can contain a variety of content. It has several features that distinguish it from the previous TinyMCE editor.

1. Blocks as the basis of content creation: There are blocks for text, images, videos, lists, tables, and much more. Each block can be individually edited, moved, or customized.
2. Pre-made block templates: WordPress offers Block Patterns that allow users to quickly create professional layouts. This WordPress-Gutenberg feature significantly enhances user-friendliness, as even complex layouts can be achieved without in-depth technical know-how.
3. Custom styles and layouts: Colors, fonts, and spacing can be adjusted for each block without requiring CSS knowledge.
4. Reusable blocks: Users can save their custom blocks and reuse them in multiple posts.
5. Full site editing: Since WordPress 5.8, the Block Editor also allows editing of headers, footers, and other template parts directly in the editor.

Pros and cons of the block editor

Like any major change, the block editor brings both positive and negative aspects. A key advantage of the Gutenberg Editor is its user-friendly operation. Thanks to drag-and-drop functionality, content creation is intuitive. The editor’s block structure allows for flexible design options and custom layouts without additional page builders. Users are also less dependent on shortcodes, as many features previously added via shortcodes are now available as blocks. With Full Site Editing, entire web pages can be directly customized in the editor.

Although the block editor offers many features, specialized page builders are still superior in some areas. Another disadvantage of the Gutenberg editor is its low compatibility with older WordPress versions and plugins.

Plugins to enhance the block editor

The block editor can also be extended with numerous plugins, as is typical for the CMS, which add additional blocks, design options, and functionalities. Some of the best WordPress plugins for expanding the Gutenberg editor can be found here:

• Spectra: Adds numerous additional blocks, including advanced call-to-action buttons, infoboxes, and testimonials.
• Kadence Blocks: Offers customizable grid systems, advanced forms, and AI-assisted interactive elements.
• Stackable: Includes more than 40 blocks and layouts, perfect for professional designs.
• CoBlocks: Focuses on layout and design elements with additional column, gallery, and hero header blocks.