WordPress 6.0 ‘Arturo’ arrived with nearly 1,000 changes

WordPress 6.0, named “Arturo”, is launched and ready to go. This update introduces nearly 1,000 updates and improvements that make WordPress more intuitive to use for developers and end users.

Several notable updates, which you can read about in the following sections, include:

  • Faster website performance
  • Page builder templates
  • Block lock
  • Stack and row variants
  • Global Style Variations
  • Ability to select text across multiple blocks

Some of the changes, like faster website performance, will be felt immediately. Others, like the brand new page builder templates, are features that theme developers can deploy.

Each WordPress update is named after a jazz artist. This version is named after Grammy-winning jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill. He is associated with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

The official WordPress announcement explains:

“The latest version of the software takes full site editing one step further and seeks to consolidate the ‘no-code’ experience for building sites, expanding on existing customization tools, bringing new blocks and focusing on writing and design workflows.

An example of this is the new style switcher for block themes, one of the most anticipated features for the flexibility and creative opportunities it introduces without having to switch themes.

“With thoughtful updates to the writing experience, the creation of better block functionality, and the addition of an intuitive new style selector, I’m really proud of the work that has gone into this release. to create a great site editing experience,” says the WordPress executive director. , Josepha Haden Chomphosy.

WordPress 6.0 is an incremental update

WordPress 6.0 is the culmination of the work of over 500 people in at least 58 countries, encompassing nearly 1,000 enhancements.

Usually, when a product undergoes a version change, such as a new Android phone model, end users expect to see dramatic changes. This is not really the case with WordPress version changes.

Although a “point 0” release, version 6.0 is best understood as part of a series of incremental improvements intended to preserve backwards compatibility while introducing improvements.

WordPress 6.0 is a version number change but it’s not on the scale of a redesign. The publishing experience between versions 5.9 and 6 is improved.

According to the official WordPress announcement, there is no need to be wary of the update, encouraging all site owners to update now in order to enjoy the many benefits of this release.

“Site owners and administrators should upgrade to take full advantage of the many current improvements in stability, performance, and usability.

WordPress content creators will benefit from a suite of new features intended to improve writing and design experiences.

A WordPress spokesperson shared with Search Engine Journal:

“This release picks up where 5.9 left off – focusing on improving the full site editing view and improving the overall block editor experience wherever you go. were using it.

6.0 features a collection of new features meant to improve the writing and design experiences shared by most WordPress users.

Of course, like all recent WordPress releases, this one includes performance improvements, your typical core code stability improvements, and many small improvements that improve the site building experience.

WordPress performance improvements

WordPress 6.0 comes with performance improvements that will help make WordPress faster for site visitors.

Improvements have been made to the way queries are executed against the database and also to cache management.

This means fewer numbers and types of database calls, which results in greater efficiency which results in faster performance.

New features that end users will love

Page builder templates

One of the most important changes is the Page builder templates feature.

Usually, when creating a web page, an editor can start with a blank layout. Page builder templates are a way to select from multiple layouts as a starting point.

The WordPress core itself will not come with layouts, this is something theme developers need to build into their themes.

block lock

Block locking is a feature that prevents an end user from accidentally deleting or moving an important block. The new functionality is available via a block settings drop-down menu.

Andrew Wilder of WordPress support company, NerdPress (@NerdPress) gave his opinion that although 6.0 comes with “tonsimprovements that end users will like, he thinks the page builder templates feature is the one they’ll appreciate the most.

Wilder said:

“For many of our customers, the page builder templates will be really useful, especially once plugins are available for pre-made templates specific to their content. This could be a huge time saver!

I’m also glad to see the new block lock feature – at the moment it doesn’t let you lock changes to block content, but it can prevent you from accidentally moving or deleting a block.

Stack and Row Variations

A useful addition is the ability to create dynamic flex-based containers by stacking blocks in a columnar or row layout.

A flex container is so called because it is flexible and automatically adapts to the viewport, shrinking for small mobile devices and growing when needed.

WordPress posted a video to show how it works:

Multi-selection: select text on several blocks

In the new block-based WordPress editors, creating a web page layout is done using what are called blocks, building blocks, so to speak.

Blocks are like containers into which content can be inserted. Content can be images, text, whatever.

An example of a gradual but exciting change in WordPress 6.0 is the ability to select text across multiple content blocks.

This allows a user to select content in multiple blocks without selecting multiple blocks themselves. This gives editors the ability to write and control content in the way expected, contributing to a more intuitive writing experience.

WordPress released this animation to show how multi-select works:

Wilder from NerdPress tested this new feature in advance and is enthusiastic.

He says:

“I love being able to select text in multiple frames.

It looks like a small detail, but it’s something that has frustrated me at times – and those kind of little details really add up to make the editing experience more enjoyable and easier.

Style variants

Another cool new feature is called Global Style Variations.

Style Variations allow theme authors to provide their clients with a way to easily change the look and feel of their website without having to edit CSS or HTML, dramatically speeding up the process of getting a theme up and running. website.

This is a feature implemented on the WordPress theme developer side that improves the WordPress publishing experience for end users.

The WordPress team shared with Search Engine Journal:

“Introducing style variations in block themes allows theme authors to provide multiple options for users to change the look of a site with just a few clicks in a single theme.

This means you can quickly change things like font weights and default colors consistently without changing the CSS.

Notable Changes for Developers

I asked the WordPress team what the biggest changes developers should be aware of are.

They replied:

WordPress 6.0 Accessibility Improvements

There have been many accessibility improvements to WordPress that have been documented here.

Highlights include:

Accessibility fixes related to Aria for WordPress 6.0

RichText: Reverse line breaks disabled to determine the aria-multiline state.

Remove role attributes on SVGs intended for “decoration”.

Here is how WordPress describes the changes to media management in version 6.0 for accessibility:

  • “Preserve attachment properties when cropping custom logo. This means that an image’s alt text, title, description, and caption will migrate to the cropped copy of the image after cropping.
  • Stop arrow keys from changing media if URL is targeted.
  • Add a “Copy URL to clipboard” function to the list table view.
  • Set a keyword on a sample permalink so that the full permalink is visible on mobile devices in posts, media, and comments.
  • Remove target empty attribute from media uploader edit links.
  • Remove target=”_blank” from the link to change the permalink structures and edit the link text to clarify the purpose of the link. »

The official WordPress announcement states:

“Accessibility is an integral part of WordPress’ mission to foster an inclusive community and support users of all types across the globe.

With that in mind, WordPress 6.0 includes over 50 updates specifically focused on improving the platform’s accessibility. You can read these updates and learn about ongoing accessibility initiatives.

WordPress Full Site Editor Beta Label

Something that may be worth considering about WordPress 6.0 is that the Full Site Editor (FSE) is still labeled as beta.

WordPress 6.0 improves the editing experience for end users by easing the writing process and making it easier to create unique website layouts without having to manage code. But FSE is still considered a beta product.

The good news, according to what the WordPress team shared with Search Engine Journal, is that the full site editor will see continued improvement.

The WordPress team shared:

“While 6.0 moves WordPress in the right direction, there’s still work to be done to create a cohesive site editing experience, so if you’re expecting full site editing to feel more intuitive, expect this let it come in 6.1 and beyond.”

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Read the official WordPress announcement

WordPress 6.0 “Arturo”

Esther L. Gunn