Gutenberg is the new content editor and layout manager for WordPress. It has been a part of the WordPress core for over 2 years now. But how many of you are using it?
WordPress still offers the ability to use the classic TinyMCE editor so you don’t break your current theme and as things stand right now it is active on over 5 million websites. So people are being a bit cautious about moving over to Gutenberg.
I have made dozens of custom themes in the last 2 years and have only integrated it once as it was the perfect fit for that particular project.
Every time I begin making a new theme I want to use the new editor, however, I don’t feel it is ready to give to a client to use.
When I make a WordPress theme I try to make it intuitive and simple to use so the client can easily manage the content without the fear that they may break the website or make it look unprofessional. With Gutenberg, I do not feel confident handing it over to a client as I find it difficult to use and it also keeps changing.
Having said that, I can really see the value of using Gutenberg. It can be a bit fiddly to use but gives great power to content makers. The constant changes can be exciting as the project evolves, lots of cool additions are introduced on every update.
This website is made using the Gutenberg editor. I have added some plugins, custom CSS and functionality along the way, but maybe around 80% less custom work has gone into creating this site. That can translate to around 80% less time and costs to develop the site, leaving more time and budget to make the site seen online.
From now on I have decided to use Gutenberg on client projects. It is a work in progress but it adds so much value and is the future of WordPress. At this point, it seems unfair to use old techniques for a clients’ new website.
So Gutenberg gets a thumbs up from me!
Let me know your opinion in the comments below.
Leave a Reply