WordPress has revolutionized the website development industry years ago. And, still, now, WordPress is an all-in-one platform for creating diverse websites with user-friendly features. With time, everything has advanced and so has the web design and development, too. Moreover, as an ideal site, WordPress has become more dynamic and released their WordPress 5.5 version, recently.
So, what are the changes? Are you excited to know what has improved and what’s waiting for you in the new version? Don’t worry; we have got all the latest updates and features of WordPress 5.5. Let’s get started.
If you want to try the WordPress 5.5 version then you have to initiate the manual update. Well, you can skip this if you have subscribed for the managed WordPress hosting service. And, make sure that you get data backup before you opt for the update. Now, let’s move on to the features of WordPress 5.5.
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1. Revamped Block Editor
Block Editor in WordPress is the space where you concentrate the most while constructing any web content or website development. WordPress has also maintained its importance with back to back updates and improvements. Similarly, this version has got loads of tweaks for Block Editor.
Introduced Block Patterns
In case, you are a consistent user of WordPress then you might have used reusable blocks and groups. Their objective was to allow users to use the same block designs for repetitive projects. And now, it has come with Block Patterns. These are some default Block designs with pre-modified settings. These will help you in maintaining consistency while creating similar web pages.
Improved User Interface Changes
WordPress is already reputed for its easy-to-use and understandable user interface. When you encounter the new version, you can definitely notice that the UI has improved a lot. Use the + button to add a new block in the Block Editor. Moreover, borders and highlightings have gone more distinct. Find compact web design and development with the modifications made in the Gutenberg Editor.
Content Previews are Available
Is your website mobile friendly? Are you sure? Now, you can check the compatibility of your website and its design with WordPress 5.5 release. Check how your post or page will seem on a mobile device or computer. Thus, you can make the necessary modifications for the perfect alignment and design. Enhance the delivery and readability of your web content by adjusting the content representation. Consequently, the traffic is definitely going to increase on desktops, tablets and smartphones.
New Design Tools
When it comes to the Gutenberg plugin several design tools have been added to the sector for the past few months. All of them are now available with the WordPress 5.5 version. From height control, background gradients, customized line heights and units to link colour controls, there are countless design tools to explore in WordPress.
Block Directory
WordPress 5.5 now welcomes you to an integrated block directory. In case, you wish to place a block that is not present on that particular site then it will appear as suggestions on the block directory. Basically, the directory is a one-stop-shop for different blocks and a particular set of blocks is available with just a single plugin.
Inline Image Editor
Furthermore, you are now liable to make any changes with the images inside the Block Editor. Whether you need to crop, rotate, change its dimensions, or change the aspect ratio, everything is possible within the Block Editor.
Apart from these, say goodbye to the seams of the block navigation system of WordPress. Because WordPress 5.5 has made the block navigation smoother and much easier. In addition to block navigation, the management has experienced lots of change. Just drag and drop the blocks that you wish to move. It’s that simple with WordPress 5.5.
2. Auto Updates Enabled for Plugins
You need not manually update the plugins and theme whenever they are available for use. WordPress has kept its promise and users’ expectations by including the buzzword of auto-updates. Now, you have to toggle the ‘Enable Auto-Updates’ option to receive automatic updates of plugins and themes to your WordPress site.
Where can you find this option? Head towards the Admin Dashboard and opt for Plugins. There you will surely notice that particular function. Activate it and the site will automatically receive updates from time to time. However, you can do the same for automatic theme updates. Click the Appearance option and select Themes. You will discover the same option for themes too. Enable that and forget those manual updates.
3. Performance Boosted
When it comes to website development, one main criterion has always remained constant and that is its performance. The site shouldn’t be slow at all. That’s why WordPress has improved its performance and speed factors with their latest launch of WordPress 5.5 version.
Moreover, they have added Lazy Loading of images for stabilized loading of images. When any website opens it becomes quite bulky to load all the images at the same time. With WordPress 5.5 version, you can escape that bulky loading of images and switch to Lazy Loading.
More specifically, only one image will be loaded on the website on the screen that is user viewing right now. And, the mechanism would keep other image loading tasks pending until the user scrolls it down and reaches there.
More interestingly, this feature is now available with the core version of WordPress 5.5. Add the loading attribute as lazy and the feature will show its magic. Moreover, most of the web browsers support this option, except Safari.
4. Default XML Sitemaps
Another piece of good news from WordPress is that the XML sitemap would be automatically published for your site. XML sitemap determines the website contents as an XML file. Now, it becomes way easier to index the contents and make Google explore the contents.
Basically, this feature is an outcome of SEO insights. Beginners SEO will highly be benefitted from this option. But, there are limitations over the usage of the default XML sitemap publishing. In case, you already have the sitemaps Plugin or SEO plugin then you need not manually update.
5. Plugins Updated by a Zip File
You have already noticed the auto-update option for plugins and themes. But, as a matter of fact, not every plugin is available through automatic updates. You need to seek and manually update a plugin.
For that instance, you have to rely upon an FTP client. WordPress 5.5 has resolved this issue with a small intervention. Now, click on the Plugins option followed by the Add New Page option. There you have to upload the version, such as if you are uploading a plugin zip file.
As soon as WordPress detects it as a plugin, it allows you to update that particular plugin with the current version. Such a similar option for themes is also available on WordPress 5.5. Move to the Appearance option followed by Themes. Rest of the process is similar just like the plugins.
Summing Up…
Moreover, WordPress 5.5 has added a ton of features for developers to make the website development more customized and optimized. Grab the latest version of WordPress to refresh your passion for website building. Contact UAE Website Development for any queries regarding website design and development for your business or blogs.
