The first and most awaited major release of this year, WordPress 5.9 has been released with exciting new features and enhancements. This update has been named after the acclaimed international Jazz singer, Joséphine Baker. So, let’s welcome the new update and dig in to find what’s inside the big release.
If you’ve been staying updated with the latest happenings on WordPress, you might be aware of the major changes taking place in WordPress 5.9. Some of the interesting updates include Full Site Editing, New Default Twenty-Twenty Two theme, Navigation Block, Styles interface, Better Blocks Controls, Pattern Explorer, Enhanced List view, Updated Gallery Block, and more.
A Closer look at the new changes in WordPress 5.9 “Josephine”
Full Site Editing
With WordPress 5.9 release, Full Site Editing is here. It allows you to control both the page content and other contents of your site directly from the front-end without any coding. FSE is a new way to build themes, create templates, and style your site. With the full site editing, new styles for themes will be introduced including clean typography and colors.
If you’re using block themes, you do not need the Customizer anymore. You can stylize your site with the Styles interface inside the Site Editor itself. The Styles tab allows you to play around with different colors, typography, layouts, and more.
Twenty-Twenty Two Theme
A new default theme is here with WordPress 5.9 – Twenty Twenty-Two. It is the first block-based default theme and comes with many crucial features and functionalities including exciting block patterns and color palettes. Like any other default theme released by WordPress, Twenty Twenty-Two is also clean, simple, and visually aesthetic. With a simple and minimal outlook, the theme provides extreme flexibility at its core. With the implementation of Full Site Editing in Twenty Twenty-Two, every page can be customized right on the spot and you also have a wide array of visual choices directly in your hands.
Know more about the new Twenty Twenty-Two theme here.
New Navigation Block
We are now introduced with a block-based Navigation block. The new block allows you to choose either an always-on responsive menu or one that adapts to your user’s screen size.
Pattern Explorer
The Pattern Explorer comes with a nearly full-screen view to see fine details on different available patterns. It helps in comparing patterns and choosing the one that best suits you.
Enhanced revamped List View
The List View allows you to drag and drop your content exactly wherever you want. Not only drag and drop, but the List View also lets you expand/collapse sections and add HTML anchors to blocks.
Enhanced Gallery Block
WordPress 5.9 comes with an enhanced Gallery block. It allows you to style every image in your gallery or make them all the same, or also keep one or two in exception. You can also change the whole layout by dragging and dropping.
KNOW MORE ABOUT WORDPRESS 5.9 HERE. Or you can also check out the WordPress 5.9 Field Guide for more details.
The lead for this major update was Matt Mullenweg.
Other Squad Members:
- Core Tech and Release Co-Coordinator:Tonya Mork
- Triage Leads:Jb Audras and Ahmed Chaion
- Editor Tech:Robert Anderson and George Mamadashvili
- Theme Leads:Kjell Reigstad and Jeff Ong
- Technical Writer:Jonathan Bossenger
- Documentation Leads:Marcus Kazmierczak and Milana Cap
- Marketing & Communications Leads:Mary Baum, Abha Thakor, and Josepha Haden Chomphosy
- Test Leads:Piotrek Boniu and Anne McCarthy
There were 624 contributors with props in this release. With so many new and improved things this time, the WordPress 5.9 release comes with WordPress 90% or more translated into 205 languages with more on the way.
Have you updated to WP 5.9 yet? Did this newest version of WordPress fulfill all your expectations? Let us know in the comments section below.
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