After a year of suggested launch dates and push backs WordPress 5.0 was finally released on December 6th

and on December 19th the second patch 5.0.2 was released (fixing 73 identified bugs). Given the amount of bug fixes within the first two weeks of release, we here at WhatArmy are taking our time rolling out the new WordPress version just to be sure that when we do, it will go smoothly.

5.0.2 was released (fixing 73 identified bugs)

However, for those of you chomping at the bit to update, the most significant change you can expect is the new block editor.  Following the example of some of the more robust page builders out there, Gutenberg is the introduction of a native block based content builder within the core WordPress framework.  It is also introducing a front end editor similar to the ones you’d see on some of the more popular theme builders. This does not mean you have to stop using your current page builder system, but as the WP team continues to build out Gutenberg, you can expect more advancements in the block editing and front-end editor features.

Naturally, the new WordPress twenty-nineteen theme is completely integrated with Gutenberg, but WordPress has also released updates for most legacy themes so that they too can take advantage of the original block editor.  CloudWays (a managed hosting provider) found that WordPress 5.0 along with the twenty-nineteen theme decreased website load time from 1.43s to 807ms, and the number of page requests from 18-11.

For those of you who are nervous out about the changes introduced by the new WordPress 5.0 release, you have some options.  They have released a classic editor that can be installed to circumvent using the Gutenberg block editor. We highly recommend everyone install this on live before attempting any updates of your site. You can find a couple of our previous posts that make recommendations regarding how to handle the WordPress 5.0 update.

You can also view our earlier posts on WordPress 5.0 and expectations here:
WordPress 5.0 – The VERY Basic

WordPress 5.0 – Preparing for Gutenberg

Our audit checklist includes preparation steps before pushing the button: WordPress 5.0 and Gutenberg Pre Update Audit

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