Countdown to WordPress 5.0 and Gutenberg

If all goes according to schedule, WordPress 5.0 and the new content editor Gutenberg will be released in three weeks (November 19). With this new major version upgrade, Gutenberg will move from being a WordPress plugin to being integrated into the WordPress Core.

If you have not installed the new editor, it’s time to do so and get acquainted with the new features.

Until recently, it seemed everyone was cautioning against using Gutenberg on a “live” site because it was seen as being “not ready for prime-time”. Well, we’re down to three weeks, so it’s time to get acquainted with it, even on a live site if you don’t have an option to check it out on a local or a staging site.

You may already have Gutenberg installed on your website as a plugin. If so, go to your WordPress Plugins Menu and enable Gutenberg. If it’s not installed, just Add New and type Gutenberg. Next, Install and Activate it. If you see a plugin called Classic Editor, you will need to disable it.

When you go to create a new Post or Page (or edit a Post or Page you already have written), your screen will look very different.

You are used to seeing this:

Now you are greeted with this:

As you navigate around, you’ll find that Gutenberg is more than a little bit different than you’re used to. But that’s ok.

Admittedly, this is the first post I’ve written with Gutenberg. And actually, it’s not been as bad as I feared. It was surprisingly easy to navigate and insert the pictures.

If you want a little more about navigating around Gutenberg, check out WPCrafter’s tutorial geared for non-techies.