Category: WordPress

The Block Bindings API (stable in WordPress 6.5) lets you connect core block attributes — content on Paragraph, url/alt on Image, href/text on Button — directly to custom data sources registered in PHP, without writing a custom dynamic block. This is the FSE equivalent of ACF’s display functions: your data source provides the value, the…

WordPress 6.4+ provides a complete set of tools for managing content contributor workflows: block locking (prevent specific blocks from being moved or deleted), a curated synced-pattern library (reusable components that only editors can modify), and post_status-based editorial stages. Combining these three features creates a structured content workflow without a third-party editorial plugin.

WordPress 6.9 continues the Gutenberg Phase 3 roadmap with collaborative editing foundations, expanded block-locking controls, and a redesigned template part focus mode. For plugin and theme developers the most impactful changes are: the new wp_block_supports() API for registering custom block support flags, improved WP_HTML_Tag_Processor with bookmark support, and interoperability improvements to the Interactivity API store.

Beyond basic block attributes, the block editor allows you to add custom controls to the block toolbar (contextual, inline controls that appear above the selected block) and the Inspector panel (the sidebar controls under “Block” tab). Using BlockControls, InspectorControls, ToolbarGroup, and PanelBody from @wordpress/block-editor you can build rich editing UIs that feel native to Gutenberg.

WordPress 6.5 stabilised the Interactivity API — a minimal reactive system built into WordPress core that lets you add client-side state, actions, and derived values to server-rendered blocks using data-wp-* directives and a store() function. It is purpose-built for progressive enhancement and works without React, without a build step for the HTML, and with full…

The Query Loop block is the FSE replacement for WP_Query-based PHP templates. It is highly flexible out of the box, but to power custom post types, meta-based ordering, or relationship queries you must hook into query_loop_block_query_vars to modify the query and optionally register a custom block variation to expose the new controls in the editor.

WordPress 6.1+ supports fluid typography and fluid spacing natively in theme.json — font sizes and gap values that interpolate smoothly between a minimum and maximum value across the viewport width using clamp(), generated automatically by WordPress from declarative min and max fields. This eliminates the need for media-query-based typography breakpoints entirely.

WordPress transients are a simple key-value cache stored in the wp_options table (or in Redis/Memcached when a persistent object cache is active). Beyond the basic set_transient()/get_transient() calls, a disciplined pattern of expiry-group keys, serialised complex data, and hook-driven invalidation prevents stale content and database bloat from accumulating over time.

Block Patterns are pre-built block compositions users can insert from the block inserter. In WordPress 6.3+ you can register patterns entirely in PHP, mark them as synced (pattern content is shared across all instances), and organize them into custom categories. Patterns are the modern replacement for shortcodes and widget-area layouts.