WordPress 6.6: Is This the Best Version Ever?

The long-awaited WordPress 6.6 is here! In this article, we’ll cover all the new features, everything about the new WordPress blocks, and, of course, the new theme: Dorsey. In short, we’ll provide everything you need to know, including some tips and tricks to improve your workflow from a user experience perspective (and some UI as well, as WordPress encompasses both).

A Bit of Personal History

As you may or may not know, we’re huge fans of WordPress. We’ve built more than 1,000 custom WordPress themes, including the one that powers this website. This is not an exaggeration. In fact, I think it’s closer to 2,000 themes, but that might sound incredible (and I honestly believe it’s closer to that, just not over 2,000).

Nevertheless, it’s our weapon of choice whenever possible. I have found that I can use WordPress for a whole variety of use cases, no matter how complex they are. A funny story: At a point when WordPress didn’t have multimedia management, much less for videos, I created the first WordPress-based CMS that handled all types of multimedia management. It was like “YouTube meets WordPress.” It was especially aimed at video and included file type conversion, automatic thumbnails, sound extraction, and more, but it also managed images and sound. The “funny” part: right when we were close to launch, WordPress added amazing multimedia support, so all my work was moot. In retrospect, I should have followed through with it, but well…

My point is that I have been using WordPress almost since it has existed as a CMS. I never cared about the initial “blog-only” versions, and I never built a “blog-only” website. I only paid attention when it became a full CMS system. I’m talking about 2005, but I don’t remember if it was the Strayhorn or Duke (2.0) release.

Since then, I have become a WordPress TRAC collaborator, speaker at WordPress events, and what is known as a “WordPress Evangelist.”

With all this history behind, you may imagine I know a bit about the subject. And yet, I was really anxious about WordPress 6.6 and the big question: Is this the best WordPress version ever?

Well, let’s see! (Spoiler alert: Yes)

WordPress 6.6 new features

Classic Themes and Patterns

WordPress has introduced a new Patterns experience in the Site Editor This update brings a modern, feature-rich approach that enhances both functionality and user experience.

The new Patterns interface simplifies the process of integrating and customizing patterns within classic themes. Users can now easily navigate through categories such as “All patterns,” “My patterns,” “Store” (if you have an active store like Woocommerce). This organized structure makes it easier to find and apply patterns that best suit the site’s design needs.

Additionally, the integration of the Store category allows users to explore and incorporate professionally designed patterns, expanding their creative possibilities.

Overall, the new Patterns experience in the Site Editor empowers WordPress users to enhance their classic themes with greater ease and creativity. This feature not only improves the design workflow but also elevates the overall aesthetic quality of websites, making it a valuable addition to WordPress’s toolkit.

Edit Custom Fields from Blocks

In my opinion, the ability to edit custom field values directly from connected blocks is a game-changer for WordPress users. This feature allows me to integrate data sources seamlessly with block attributes and edit those values right within the editor.

For instance, when I’m working on a project, I can easily connect WordPress blocks to custom fields and make real-time adjustments without leaving the editor. This integration streamlines my workflow, making it more efficient and intuitive. I no longer have to switch back and forth between different sections of the site, which saves me a lot of time and effort.

Moreover, being able to edit custom fields directly from blocks ensures that all the data remains consistent and up-to-date. I can see the changes immediately, which helps maintain a cohesive design and functionality across the site. This feature truly enhances the flexibility and power of the WordPress editor, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to create dynamic and data-driven websites.

WordPress 6.6 Custom Fields Edition Example

You can explore the creation of custom fields by utilizing a plugin or modifying your theme’s functions file. Ensure that you enable REST API support by setting show_in_rest to true when you register the post meta. Below is a revised example to illustrate this process.

Instead of directly registering custom fields, consider using a structured approach that involves defining your custom post types and their associated metadata. Here’s how to do it:

1. Register Your Custom Post Type: Use the register_post_type() function to create a new post type. This will allow you to manage different content types effectively.
2. Add Custom Fields: Utilize the register_meta() function to define your custom fields. This includes specifying parameters such as show_in_rest, which allows the fields to be accessible via the REST API.
3. Example Code:

// Register a custom post type called 'Portfolio'
function create_portfolio_post_type() {
    register_post_type('portfolio',
        array(
            'labels' => array(
                'name' => __('Portfolios'),
                'singular_name' => __('Portfolio')
            ),
            'public' => true,
            'has_archive' => true,
            'show_in_rest' => true, // Enable REST API support
            'supports' => array('title', 'editor', 'thumbnail'),
        )
    );
}
add_action('init', 'create_portfolio_post_type');

// Register custom meta field for the 'Portfolio' post type
function register_portfolio_meta() {
    register_meta('portfolio', 'portfolio_description', array(
        'show_in_rest' => true,
        'single' => true,
        'type' => 'string',
        'sanitize_callback' => 'sanitize_text_field',
    ));
}
add_action('init', 'register_portfolio_meta');

4. Usage: After implementing the above code in your theme’s functions.php, you can create a new ‘Portfolio’ post type in your WordPress dashboard. The custom field portfolio_description will be available for use in the REST API, allowing you to manage it programmatically.

Ta-dah! That’s all you need!

Simplified CSS Specificity in WordPress 6.6

This probably seems like a minor thing for most users. But for those who build hundreds or even thousands of WordPress themes, this is great news, believe me!

In WordPress 6.6, updates to CSS specificity have made it much easier for me to override core styles while still effectively supporting global styles. Before this version, sometimes it was a bit challenging to override core styles. We had to create complex CSS rules to achieve the desired results.

Now, with the recent changes in 6.6, overriding core styles has become straightforward. WordPress has implemented a new method that wraps existing selectors with :root :where(...). This lowers the specificity of core styles to 0-1-0, making it much simpler to apply custom styles without conflicts.

This change is a significant improvement for custom theme developers like me, providing a more efficient and effective way to manage styles in WordPress.

WordPress Blocks Extensibility

In WordPress 6.6, I find it much easier to extend the editing experience. The Post Editor and Site Editor now use the same slots and extensibility APIs, making development more streamlined and consistent.

Before this update, working with different editors could be cumbersome due to varying APIs and slots. Now, with a unified approach, we can develop custom blocks and features that work seamlessly across both editors. This change simplifies workflow and reduces the learning curve, allowing developers to focus on creating better user experiences.

WordPress 6.6 Accessibility Fixes

WordPress 6.6 brings over 55 accessibility fixes and enhancements, significantly improving the overall user experience. These updates focus on foundational aspects of WordPress, particularly the data views component, which powers the new site editing experience, and areas like the Inserter that are key for interacting with blocks and patterns.

As a company dedicated to accessibility and inclusion, we view this as one of the most significant advancements from our perspective. A little-known fact: I personally collaborated with TRAC’s accessibility team, so perhaps something you utilize is an element I contributed to (If you’re a WordPress user, you actually are 😉 )

In my opinion, these accessibility improvements are essential for making WordPress more inclusive and user-friendly. Enhancements in the data views component ensure that users with disabilities can navigate and manage their sites more effectively. The improvements in the Inserter make it easier for everyone to add and organize content, ensuring a smoother and more accessible editing experience.

UI and UX improvements

Dorsey includes numerous user interface improvements that positively impact the user experience. The enhancements made to the user experience are quite beneficial! While some elements have been rearranged, everything is still accessible—just in a more refined format. The editor is now more compact, allowing you to see everything at a glance (though this may vary depending on your screen size). Additionally, new information has been introduced that can assist you in overall website design and some SEO features.

Additional Enhancements

• ⌘G or CTRL + G to group blocks.
• Tab to indent list items.
• Improved block selection outlines.
• Smarter block insertion.
• Featured images in Media & Text blocks.
• Simpler and more consistent outer padding.

New Features in Dorsey

As you can see, WordPress 6.6 (aka Dorsey) brings a host of new features and improvements to enhance your site-building experience. This version offers greater control, flexibility, and creative possibilities, ensuring you can create and deploy beautiful, coherent design elements across your sites with ease. Besides the features mentioned above, which I believe are the most important, there are many improvements to existing features. Here are a few highlights:

Color Palettes & Font Sets

One of the exciting updates in WordPress 6.6 is the ability for block theme authors to create unlimited individual color or font sets. This feature allows for more specific design options within the same theme, providing customization without altering the site’s broader styling. You can now easily switch between different color schemes or font styles, enhancing the visual appeal of your site.

Quick Previews for Pages

The new layout for page previews in the Site Editor simplifies your workflow. With a side-by-side layout, you can see all your pages and preview any selected page before editing. This streamlined approach makes it easier to navigate and manage your content, saving you time and effort.

Rollbacks for Plugin Auto-Updates

Auto-updating plugins is now safer with the introduction of rollbacks in WordPress 6.6. If an update fails, the system will automatically revert to the previous version, minimizing potential downtime and improving your site’s security. This feature gives you peace of mind, knowing that your site remains functional even if something goes wrong during an update.

Custom Content Overrides

With the new overrides feature, you can customize content in synced patterns while maintaining a consistent style across your site. This capability is available for Heading, Paragraph, Button, and Image blocks, allowing you to tweak specific content pieces without disrupting the overall design.

Performance Updates

WordPress 6.6 includes significant performance improvements, such as removing redundant WP_Theme_JSON calls, disabling autoload for large options, and eliminating unnecessary polyfill dependencies. These updates contribute to faster loading times and a smoother user experience. Additionally, lazy loading for post embeds and a new data-wp-on-async directive further enhance performance, while template loading times in the editor have been reduced by 40%.

Accessibility Improvements

This release features over 55 accessibility fixes and enhancements, focusing on foundational aspects of the WordPress experience. Key improvements target the data views component powering the new site editing experience and areas like the Inserter, making it easier for all users to interact with blocks and patterns.

Negative Margins

WordPress 6.6 introduces the ability to manually input negative values into margin controls, allowing for overlapping designs. This feature is available for all blocks that include margin support, offering more design flexibility and creativity.

Refined Publish Flow

The new publish flow design highlights key information when publishing, no matter where you’re writing. A standardized inspector now displays essential information for everything you edit, ensuring a smoother and more informed publishing process.

Set Styles for Groups of Blocks

Theme authors can now pre-package styling options for sections of blocks. This addition allows users to apply beautiful, consistent designs with added flexibility, enhancing the overall look and feel of their sites.

Custom Shadows

The new custom shadows feature allows you to create and edit shadows directly in the Styles section of the Site Editor. This precise control over shadow appearance adds depth and dimension to your designs.

New Grid Block

The new grid block lets you display blocks in a grid with visual sizing controls. You can change the row and column span of items to your liking, using both auto and manual controls for greater flexibility.

Aspect Ratio Presets

Customize the available presets for aspect ratios in Image, Featured Image, and Cover blocks. This feature helps maintain visual consistency and enhances the presentation of your media.

Unified Extensibility APIs

With unified extensibility APIs, you can integrate your extensions across editors using slots now available under the wp.editor global variable. This change simplifies the development process and ensures a more cohesive user experience.

My final thoughts

I still haven’t tried all the new features and am still exploring the plethora of options available. However, as someone who has witnessed nearly all WordPress updates since version 2 (and believe me, there have been many!), I can confidently say that this is the best version of WordPress ever.

As usual, I anticipate some minor updates. But that’s one of the great things about WordPress.

I know many people dislike this, but as I always say: think of it like a physical store or an office (because in most cases, it is your business!).

Don’t you clean it, keep it tidy, and maintain it as much as possible every day?

Of course you do!

And believe me, it takes a lot more effort than just clicking a button once in a while! (On a related note, I’m writing this on the same day Microsoft caused disruption worldwide due to a faulty script. This could happen with WordPress, but it would only take you five minutes to get back on track without much effort).

In short, WordPress is the most important CMS in the world for good reasons. The new Dorsey version gives us even more reasons to love it. So, hail to Open Source, hail to WordPress, and hail to Dorsey!