It has been a wild few months! At Web Badger, we want to support you however we can – always, but especially now, as we all keep our heads above water due to COVID-19. Many of us are doing what we can to keep supporting ourselves through this pandemic. Have just had a business idea, and you want to build a website? Or have you logged back into the blog you started before? Regardless of your situation, we’re here to help you with all your WordPress website needs.
As a response to many people transitioning to online meetings and online learning, WordPress has released WordPress 5.4, “Adderley.” This update was released on March 31. It includes new blocks, enhancements, and new features for users and developers. The focus of this release included the block editor, privacy, accessibility, and developer improvements. Read the 5.4 field guide for a detailed list of enhancements.
In addition, WordPress has released updates of Gutenberg, which is an integrated page builder. Gutenberg 7.7 and 7.8 introduced block patterns, which are predefined block layouts that are ready to use and tweak to your liking. These updates are a step toward Full Site Editing. WordPress expects Full Site Editing to be included in WordPress 5.6.
Another important update is that WordPress postponed or canceled their upcoming in-person WordCamps and meetings. But because community events are an important part of WordPress, the Community team has made suggestions for training for online conference organizing, in addition to raising money for charity.
WordPress Core’s bug-tracking system, Trac, was also updated in March with a new experimental feature. This will help improve collaboration between Trac and GitHub (an online project hosting service). There’s now an option to connect your GitHub account to your WordPress profile so that it’s easier to track contributions to the WordPress project. This update also allows for more accurate acknowledgement and recognition of contributors.
Coding standards have been proposed to be implemented in WordPress Coding Standards 3.0.0. This is an important step in creating the consistent codebase needed to prepare for requiring PHP 7.x for WordPress Core. This update includes many new features that will be helpful.
If you’re thinking about creating a WordPress website for your new business venture, or you’re going back to the old blog, or even if you’re working to improve your already existing website, we can help! At Web Badger, serving small businesses all over, we want to help you develop and maintain your website. We believe your website should match your unique business. Contact us when you’re interested in getting started!