Each time there is a new major WordPress update we, as a leading WordPress Company in Birmingham, and a whole lot of others, get very excited about it!
Although this may make us sound a little bit boring, when you consider that WordPress powers 27% of the internet you probably begin to understand why we do.
With each new major version of WordPress come new and exciting features, however, there are few WordPress updates from times gone by that have generated as much noise and excitement as WordPress 5.0 has.
What Exactly is WordPress?
WordPress is a free open-source content management system (CMS) that is used by millions of websites, brands, service providers, and e-commerce stores, amongst others, worldwide. It is just as popular for local businesses with a physical presence, such as WordPress in Birmingham, as it is for online businesses with a worldwide digital presence. It is a powerful solution that, as we mentioned, powers over one quarter of the internet.
If you are yet to establish your company’s presence online or have a website that is very basic, you can benefit hugely from a bespoke WordPress implementation.
You can find out more by contacting one of our WordPress designers in Birmingham. For now, though, let’s go over WordPress 5.0.
Things to Expect from WordPress 5.0
WordPress 5.0 comes with a lot of improvements and big changes.
1. The Gutenberg editor
By far the biggest change in WordPress 5.0 is the Gutenberg editor. It is an entirely new editor built from the ground-up that uses a block-based system to enable users to intuitively create unique layouts with content blocks.
In contrast to the old WordPress editor that was a mere text window with some formatting options, this is a huge step towards future-proofing WordPress and providing a content editor that more closely aligns with the internet of today and enables the creation of unique, dynamic, and engaging layouts without the need for coding.
2. A move towards intuitive website creation
WordPress 5.0 have clearly taken note of what their major competitors are doing and are attempting to blow them out of the water with a move towards intuitive website building.
Whilst WordPress is already a market leader in this regard, other services such as SquareSpace have begun to catch up. By improving WordPress’ website creation functionality, WordPress is clearly attempting to remain the market leader by making it easier than ever to build modern, dynamic, and responsive websites with their platform.
3. It is easier to build themes
Prior to WordPress 5.0, you needed a basic understanding and background in website development to create your own WordPress theme. Again, thanks to the Gutenberg editor, the creation and editing of custom themes is going to become a lot easier and more widely accessible.
Still, though, theme creation, even with the new features, is still going to be something that can best be taken advantage of by somebody who knows how to code.
4. A change to the WordPress release calendar
It has for a while now been the case that there would be at least two major updates per year supplemented by lots of smaller ones.
WordPress now plans to move away from this model. Instead, its core development team will push out releases on an ad hoc basis when they are ready instead of feeling pressured to provide regular ones alongside a schedule set by precedent. This means that each update will be packed full of meaningful changes rather than insignificant ones.
Getting Started with WordPress 5.0
Whether you are just getting started with WordPress or are looking to upgrade to the latest version, we recommend seeking professional help. We are leading WordPress developers in Birmingham and are equipped to provide assistance with or handle the entire installation or upgrading process.
As WordPress 5.0 has changed massively, upgrading is a more involved task than you may be used to, and getting it done right is just as important as, if not more important than, ever before.
If you want to upgrade your WordPress site to the latest version and want it doing right, contact us—we are a leading WordPress Company in Birmingham that regularly works with local businesses.
