WordPress in 2019
A brave new year for WordPress
2018 was a big year..
WordPress 5.0
The big "block editor" update
The world didn't end
30% of the internet didn't break
So now what?
WordPress is a little divided
- Lots of users are using the new block editor
- Reactions have been mixed
- General consensus is it's better for new projects
- Offers the most to non-technical users
- Can be slow when writing long / large posts
If you're worried..
Classic Editor has you covered
Should I look for another CMS?
Short Answer: no
Long Answer: Maybe?
Picking the right tool
- If you use meta fields a lot then it could be time to look elsewhere
- It's not dire or urgent, classic editor has long-term support
- There are plenty of great CMS' out there, though most are commercial / licensed
- Check out Statamic, Craft CMS, or ProcessWire for custom / heavily structured sites
- These all need developers to build the front end
Gutenberg Phase II
Going beyond
the_content()
Menus & Widgets
The goals are simple
- Unified editing interface
- Bring live edit to WordPress
- Convert legacy content structures to blocks
- Increase freedom and creativity for users
Plugins and Themes
Some great experiences
- Atomic blocks plugin & theme is great
- Genesis themes have all been upgraded
- WooCommerce is making strides with blocks
But it takes time..
- Plenty of plugins and themes are lagging behind
- In general themes shouldn't 'break'
- Lots of plugins that use shortcodes have not added 'blocks' to use in the new editor
- Expect 2019 to be the year these catch up
example: WooCommerce
example: Atomic Blocks
Big changes for developers!
Finally dropping PHP5.3 support
Gutenberg has solved the "shortcode" problem
I expect to see the community build some amazing things in 2019
So in summary
- 💥 Big changes, but things are okay now
- 📦 Classic editor will be supported long-term
- 🔥 The community is now making great plugin and theme features for Gutenberg
- 🕶 Gutenberg phase 2 is converting menus and widgets to blocks
- 🎢 WordPress continues to move forward
- 🛠Always assess your needs, and select the right tool for the job
Q & A
Thanks for watching!
WordPress in 2019 - WordPress Adelaide
By WordPress Adelaide
WordPress in 2019 - WordPress Adelaide
A look at what's ahead, and how to stay on track.
