What’s new in Gutenberg 17.8? (28 February)

“What’s new in GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/…” posts (labeled with the #gutenberg-new tag) are posted following every Gutenberg release on a biweekly basis, showcasing new features included in each release. As a reminder, here’s an overview of different ways to keep up with Gutenberg.

What's new in Gutenberg 17.8

Gutenberg 17.8 has been released and is available for download!

With many contributors focused on the upcoming WordPress 6.5 release, this Gutenberg release prioritizes stability and bugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. fixes. Still, there are some new features worth noting below!

As a reminder, with WordPress 6.5 now in the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. phase, bug fixes from the Gutenberg pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party are backported to be included in 6.5, as needed. But new features in Gutenberg 17.8 will not be included in WordPress 6.5.

Grid layout variation

Grid is a new layout variation for the Group blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. that allows you to display the blocks within the group as a grid. There are two options for the grid layout. “Auto” generates the grid rows and columns automatically using a minimum width for each item. “Manual” allows specifying the exact number of columns.

Grid child sizing

A grid of 9 images in the post editor with the first image taking up 2 rows and 2 columns, while the other images all occupy 1 row and 1 column.
Using row and column span to resize a grid item

Grid children can be resized to a specific number of rows/columns by changing the “Column Span” and “Row Span” settings under Styles > Dimensions in the block inspector.

Bulk export your patterns

A grid of patterns with three that are selected. A menu is open under "Edit 3 Items" with the "Export as JSON" option highlighted.
Bulk export selected patterns

Multiple patterns can now be exported at the same time. After selecting the patterns you’d like to export in the Patterns section of the Site Editor, choose “Export as JSONJSON JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML.” from the Bulk Edit menu to download a zip archive containing JSON export files for all of the selected patterns.

Browse and try alternative templates in the sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme.

The Blog Home template is open in the editor, with the Template tab visible in the sidebar. A list of pattern previews shows under the heading "Transform Into:"
Browsing alternative templates in the sidebar

Templates and template parts now show similar, related templates in the sidebar. You can switch to an alternative template or template part in a single click!

Other Notable Highlights

  • AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)
    • Enter editing mode via Enter or Spacebar. (58795)
    • Font Library: display font collected with pagination instead of infinite scrolling. (58794)
  • Performance Improvements
    • Pattern Block: Batch replacing actions. (59075)
    • Block Editor: Move StopEditingAsBlocksOnOutsideSelect to Root. (58412)
  • The repository specific code of conduct has been removed in favor of using a shared code of conduct for all WordPress repositories. (59027)

Changelog

Full changelog available

Changelog

Features

  • Patterns: add bulk export patterns action. (58897)
  • Template editor/inspector: show and select related patterns. (55091)

Layout

  • Add toggle for grid types and stabilise Grid block variation. (59051 and 59116)
  • Add support for column and row span in grid children. (58539)

Enhancements

  • Patterns Page: Make categoryCategory The 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. action button compact. (59203)
  • Block Editor: Use hooksHooks In WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same. instead of HoC in ‘SkipToSelectedBlock’. (59202)
  • Font Library: Adds the ability to use generic() in font family names. (59103 and 59037)
  • REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/. Global Styles RevisionsRevisions The WordPress revisions system stores a record of each saved draft or published update. The revision system allows you to see what changes were made in each revision by dragging a slider (or using the Next/Previous buttons). The display indicates what has changed in each revision. Controller: Return single revision only when it matches the parent id. (59049)
  • CSSCSS Cascading Style Sheets. & Styling: Tweak link focus outline styles in HTMLHTML HyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. anchor and custom CSS. (59048)
  • Data Views: Make ‘All pages’ view label consistent with template and patterns. (59009)
  • Script Modules APIAPI An API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways.: Script Modules add deregister option. (58830)
  • Block Hooks: Add help text to Plugins panel. (59371)

Custom Fields

  • Block Bindings: Lock editing of blocks by default. (58787)
  • Style engine: Rename at_rule to rules_groups and update test/docs. (58922)

Block Library

  • Gallery: Set the ‘defaultBlock’ setting for inner blocks. (59168)
  • Remove the navigation edit button because it leads to a useless screen. (59211)
  • Set the ‘defaultBlock’ setting for Columns & List blocks. (59196)
  • Update: Increase footnotes metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. priority and separate footnotes meta registration. (58882)

Site Editor

  • Editor: Hide template part and post content blocks in some site editor contexts. (58928)
  • Tweak save hub button. (58917 and 59200)

Components

  • CustomSelect: Adapt component for legacy props. (57902)
  • Use Element.scrollIntoView() instead of dom-scroll-into-view. (59085)

Global Styles

  • Global style changes: Refactor output for a more flexible UIUI User interface and grouping. (59055)
  • Style theme variations: Add property extraction and merge utils. (58803)

Bug Fixes

  • Distraction Free Mode: fix ui toggling bugs. (59061)
  • Layout: Refactor responsive logic for grid column spans. (59057)
  • Interactivity API: Only add proxies to plain objects inside the store. (59039)
  • Cover Block: Restore overflow: Clip rule to allow border radius again. (59388)

List View

  • Editor: Do not open list view by default on mobile. (59016)
  • Create Block: Add missing viewScriptModule field. (59140)
  • Ignore the ‘twentytwentyfour’ test theme dir created by wp-env. (59072)
  • useEntityBlockEditor: Update ‘content’ type check. (59058)

Block Library

  • Author, Author Bio, Author Name: Add a fallback for Author Archive Template. (55451)
  • Fix Spacer orientation when inside a block with default flex layout. (58921)
  • Fix WP 6.4/6.3 compat for navigation link variations. (59126)
  • Interactivity API: Fix server side rendering for Search block. (59029)
  • Navigation: Avoid using embedded record from fallback API. (59076)
  • Pagination Numbers: Add data-wp-key to pagination numbers if enhanced pagination is enabled. (58189)
  • Revert “Navigation: Refactor mobile overlay breakpoints to JSJS JavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. (#57520)”. (59149)
  • Spacer block: Fix null label in tooltip when horizontal layout. (58909)

Data Views

  • DataViews: Add loading/no results message in grid view. (59002)
  • DataViews: Correctly display featured imageFeatured image A featured image is the main image used on your blog archive page and is pulled when the post or page is shared on social media. The image can be used to display in widget areas on your site or in a summary list of posts. that don’t have image sizes. (59111)
  • DataViews: Fix pages list back path. (59201)
  • DataViews: Fix patterns, templates and template parts pagination z-index. (58965)
  • DataViews: Fix storybook. (58842)
  • DataViews: Remove second reset filter button in filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. dialog. (58960)
  • Revert footer in pages list with DataViews. (59151)

Block Hooks

  • Fix in Navigation block. (59021)
  • Take controlled blocks into account for toggle state. (59367)

Block Editor

  • After Enter transform, skip other onEnter actions like splitting. (59064)
  • Close link preview if collapsed selection when creating link. (58896)
  • Editor: Limit spotlight mode to the editor. (58817)
  • Fix incorrect useAnchor positioning when switching from virtual to rich text elements. (58900)
  • Inserter: Don’t select the closest block with ‘disabled’ editing mode. (58971)
  • Inserter: Fix title condition for media tab previews. (58993)

Site Editor

  • Fix navigation on mobile web. (59014)
  • Fix: Don’t render the Transform Into panel if there are no patterns. (59217)
  • Fix: Logical error in filterPatterns on template-panel/hooks.js. (59218)
  • Make command palette string transatables. (59133)
  • Remove left margin on Status help text. (58775)

Patterns

  • Allow editing of image block alt and title attributes in content only mode. (58998)
  • Avoid showing block removal warning when deleting a pattern instance that has overrides. (59044)
  • Block editor: Pass patterns selector as setting. (58661)
  • Fix pattern categories on import. (58926)
  • Site editor: Fix start patterns store selector. (58813)

Global Styles

  • Fix console error in block preview. (59112)
  • Revert “Use all the settings origins for a block that consumes paths with merge #55219” (58951 and 59101)
  • Shadows: Don’t assume that coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. provides default shadows. (58973)

Font Library

  • Fixes installed font families not rendering in the editor or frontend. (59019)
  • Font Library: Add missing translationtranslation The process (or result) of changing text, words, and display formatting to support another language. Also see localization, internationalization. functions. (58104)
  • Show error message when no fonts found to install. (58914)
  • Font Library: Create post types on init hook. (59333)

Synced Patterns

  • Fix missing source for binding attributes. (59194)
  • Fix resetting individual blocks to empty optional values for Pattern Overrides. (59170)
  • Fix upload button on overridden empty image block in patterns. (59169)

Design Tools

  • Background image support: Fix issue with background position keyboard entry. (59050)
  • Cover block: Clear the min height field when aspect ratio is set. (59191)
  • Elements: Fix block instance element styles for links applying to buttons. (59114)

Components

  • Modal: Add box-sizing reset style. (58905)
  • ToolbarButton: Fix text centering for short labels. (59117)
  • Upgrade Floating UI packages, fix nested iframeiframe iFrame is an acronym for an inline frame. An iFrame is used inside a webpage to load another HTML document and render it. This HTML document may also contain JavaScript and/or CSS which is loaded at the time when iframe tag is parsed by the user’s browser. positioning bug. (58932)

Post Editor

  • Editor: Fix ‘useHideBlocksFromInserter’ hook filename. (59150)
  • Fix layout for non viewable post types. (58962)

Rich Text

  • Fix link paste for internal paste. (59063)
  • Revert “Rich text: Pad multiple spaces through en/em replacement”. (58792)

Custom Fields

  • Block Bindings: Add block context needed for bindings in PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 or higher. (58554)
  • Block Bindings: Fix disable bindings editing when source is undefined. (58961)

Accessibility

  • Enter editing mode via Enter or Spacebar. (58795)
  • Block Bindings > Image Block:Mark connected controls as ‘readonly’. (59059)
  • Details Block: Try double enter to escape inner blocks. (58903)
  • Font Library: Replace infinite scroll by pagination. (58794)
  • Global Styles: Remove menubar role and improve complementary area headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. semantics. (58740)

Block Editor

  • Block Mover: Unify visual separator when show button label is on. (59158)
  • Make the custom CSS validation error message accessible. (56690)
  • Restore default border and focus style on image URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org input field. (58505)

Performance

  • Pattern Block: Batch replacing actions. (59075)
  • Block Editor: Move StopEditingAsBlocksOnOutsideSelect to Root. (58412)

Documentation

  • Add contributing guidlines around Component versioning. (58789)
  • Clarify the performance reference commit and how to pick it. (58927)
  • DataViews: Update documentation. (58847)
  • Docs: Clarify the status of the wp-block-styles theme support, and its intent. (58915)
  • Fix move interactivity schema to supports property instead of selectors property. (59166)
  • Storybook: Show badges in sidebar. (58518)
  • Theme docs: Update appearance-tools documentation to reflect opt-in for backgroundSize and aspectRatio. (59165)
  • Update richtext.md. (59089)

Interactivity API

  • Interactivity API: Fix WP version, update new store documentation. (59107)
  • Interactivity API: Update documentation guide with new wp-interactivity directive implementation. (59018)
  • Add interactivity property to block supports reference documentation. (59152)

Schemas

  • Block JSON schema: Add viewScriptModule field. (59060)
  • Block JSON schema: Update shadow definition. (58910)
  • JSON schema: Update schema for background support. (59127)

Code Quality

  • Create Block: Remove deprecated viewModule field. (59198)
  • Editor: Remove the ‘all’ rendering mode. (58935)
  • Editor: Unify the editor commands between post and site editors. (59005)
  • Relocate ‘ErrorBoundary’ component unit testunit test Code written to test a small piece of code or functionality within a larger application. Everything from themes to WordPress core have a series of unit tests. Also see regression. folders. (59031)
  • Remove obsolete wp-env configuration from package.json (#58877). (58899)
  • Design Tools > Elements: Make editor selector match theme.json and frontend. (59167)
  • Global Styles: Update sprintf calls using _n. (59160)
  • Block API: Revert “Block Hooks: Set ignoredHookedBlocks metada attr upon insertion”. (58969)
  • Editor > Rich Text: Remove inline toolbar preference. (58945)
  • Style Variations: Remove preferred style variations legacy support. (58930)
  • REST API > Template Revisions: Move from experimental to compat/6.4. (58920)

Block Editor

  • Block-editor: Auto-register block commands. (59079)
  • BlockSettingsMenu: Combine ‘block-editor’ store selectors. (59153)
  • Clean up link control CSS. (58934)
  • HeadingLevelDropdown: Remove unnecessary isPressed prop. (56636)
  • Move ‘ParentSelectorMenuItem’ into a separate file. (59146)
  • Remove ‘BlockSettingsMenu’ styles. (59147)

Components

  • Add Higher Order Function to ignore Input Method Editor (IME) keydowns. (59081)
  • Add lint rules for theme color CSS var usage. (59022)
  • ColorPicker: Style without accessing InputControl internals. (59069)
  • CustomSelectControl (v1 & v2): Fix errors in unit test setup. (59038)
  • CustomSelectControl: Hard deprecate constrained width. (58974)

Post Editor

  • DocumentBar: Fix browser warning error. (59193)
  • DocumentBar: Simplify component, use framer for animation. (58656)
  • Editor: Remove unused selector value from ‘PostTitle’. (59204)
  • Editor: Unify Mode Switcher component between post and site editor. (59100)

Interactivity API

  • Refactor to use string instead of an object on wp-data-interactive. (59034)
  • Remove data-wp-interactive object for core/router. (59030)
  • Use data_wp_context helper in core blocks and remove data-wp-interactive object. (58943)

Site Editor

  • Add stylelint rule to prevent theme CSS vars outside of wp-components. (59020)
  • Don’t memoize the canvas container title. (59000)
  • Remove old patterns list code and styles. (58966)

Tools

  • Remove reference to CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md in documentation. (59206)
  • Remove repository specific Code of Conduct. (59027)
  • env: Fix mariadb version to LTS. (59237)

Testing

  • Components: Add sleep() before all Tab() to fix flaky tests. (59012)
  • Components: Try fixing some flaky Composite and Tabs tests. (58968)
  • Migrate change-detection to Playwright. (58767)
  • Tabs: Fix flaky unit tests. (58629)
  • Update test environment default theme versions to latest. (58955)
  • Performance tests: Make site editor performance test backwards compatible. (59266)
  • Performance tests: Update selectors in site editor pattern loading tests. (59259)
  • Fix failing Dropdown Menu e2e tests. (59356)

Build Tooling

  • Add test:e2e:playwright:debug command to debug Playwright tests. (58808)
  • Updating Storybook to v7.6.15 (latest). (59074)

Contributors

The following contributors merged PRs in this release:

@aaronrobertshaw @afercia @ajlende @alexstine @andrewhayward @andrewserong @brookewp @c4rl0sbr4v0 @chad1008 @ciampo @creativecoder @DAreRodz @derekblank @desrosj @draganescu @ellatrix @fabiankaegy @gaambo @glendaviesnz @jameskoster @janboddez @jasmussen @jeryj @jorgefilipecosta @jsnajdr @juanfra @kevin940726 @Mamaduka @MarieComet @matiasbenedetto @mirka @noisysocks @ntsekouras @oandregal @ockham @pbking @ramonjd @SantosGuillamot @scruffian @shreyash3087 @t-hamano @talldan @tellthemachines @tyxla @youknowriad

Props to @saxonafletcher for assisting with visual assets and to @mikachan and @jorbin for reviewing this post before publishing.

#block-editor, #core-editor, #gutenberg, #gutenberg-new