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Gutenberg is the WordPress Block Editor: a way to build posts and pages from individual content blocks. Add blocks with the inserter or by typing /, select one to find its toolbar and settings, and use a synced pattern when edits should carry across every copy.

What is Gutenberg?

“Gutenberg” is the name associated with the project that brought a new editing experience to WordPress. WordPress’s current user guide calls it the Block Editor, WordPress editor, or Gutenberg editor. It became WordPress’s default editor with the release of WordPress 5.0 in December 2018. WordPress’s Block Editor guide explains the current editing experience; users who prefer the older Classic Editor can use the Classic Editor plugin.

What are blocks, and why use them?

A block is a separate piece of content or functionality in a post or page. Paragraphs, headings, images, lists, videos, galleries, media, and embeds are examples. Rather than treating a page as one uninterrupted field, the editor lets you select, edit, configure, and rearrange these pieces individually. What you can configure depends on the block, the theme, and where the block is being used. WordPress’s guide to working with blocks describes the everyday workflow.

How do I add a block?

WordPress documents three ways to insert one:

  1. Select the Block Inserter (+) in the top toolbar, then find and choose a block.
  2. Select the plus icon in the content area where you want to add a block.
  3. Click in the content area, type /, and search by the block’s name.

Where are block settings?

Select a block to reveal its toolbar and block-specific settings in the sidebar. These controls vary by block and can also vary with the theme or the block’s context. Post or page settings are separate from settings for the selected block, so check that you have selected the intended block when a control seems to be missing. The Block Editor guide covers the editor interface.

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What is the difference between a pattern and a synced pattern?

A pattern is a collection of blocks you can insert as a group. Choose between synchronized reuse and an independent starting point according to what should happen after insertion:

Choice What happens when you edit it? Best fit
Synced pattern Changes to the synced content update every place that pattern is used. Repeated content that should remain consistent.
Unsynced pattern Each inserted copy can be edited separately. A reusable layout or starting point that should be customized for each location.

WordPress renamed Reusable Blocks to Patterns in version 6.3; the current documentation calls the synchronized option a synced pattern. Patterns are for reusable block arrangements. For repeated site structure or repeated design and layout, consider whether a template part or a pattern fits the intended use. See WordPress’s patterns comparison guide.

How do I change the editor preferences?

Open the three-dot menu and choose Preferences. WordPress documents options for adjusting the editing experience, including which options or panels appear. Labels and the precise interface may differ by WordPress version, so check the guide for the version installed on your site: Block Editor preferences.

Can themes or plugins change blocks?

Blocks are extensible, and themes can add or override block styling. The WordPress developer FAQ distinguishes a block style, which changes how a block is presented, from a block variation, which is a related version of a base block with different settings or implementation. The FAQ also describes creating new blocks as a key extension point. Because that page includes historical and work-in-progress material, developers should use current WordPress Developer Resources FAQs and developer documentation for implementation details.

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Is Gutenberg accessible?

Do not assume that every editor workflow is accessible. The WordPress developer FAQ states, “Not every aspect of Gutenberg is accessible at the moment.” Accessibility status can change, and the statement does not establish how a particular site or workflow will behave. Consult current WordPress accessibility work, then test the actual editing tasks with the assistive technology your team uses.

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How is block content stored, and can developers parse it?

WordPress’s documented approach augments its existing content format and prioritizes human-readable HTML that can render in different contexts. HTML comments mark block structure; that does not mean posts are stored only as JSON in post metadata. The developer FAQ documents wp.blocks.parse( postContent ) in JavaScript and parse_blocks( $post_content ) in PHP for parsing block content. See the WordPress developer FAQ for its explanation.

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