Table of Contents
In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg changed the world forever. He invented movable type for printing presses and revolutionized the way that books were made. Because of his invention and its near immediate success, millions of people were gifted with books and the literacy with which to read them.
To call an update to a program “Gutenberg,” one would have to be confident their update was world changing. WordPress hopes version 5.0 and the accompanying Gutenberg update will be just that.
Just what is the Gutenberg update and how does it affect your business? Keep reading to find out.
The Power of Gutenberg
Websites have become the most prevalent form of media since the inception of the internet. These pages have become the “store front” and first impression of almost every company. Despite their creative power, websites can be difficult to create, work with, and manage.
WordPress aims to change all this with Gutenberg. The update changes the way WordPress operates, eliminating the need to know or use code. The new system will use “blocks” to replace the current simple text window editing format.
WordPress cites the current system’s unintuitive nature and difficulty to use as the reason for the change. Where once you had to fight with code, struggle with images, battle with links, and coerce widgets, you now simply have to drag and drop blocks onto the page.
This may not seem impressive, but the subtle power of Gutenberg is astounding.
All the widgets, plugins, and functions carefully implemented to avoid conflicts and crashing are now blocks. Every block is searchable, easy to understand, and simple to use. The blocks are dynamic: they can be placed anywhere on any page and function without issue. The best part? All of the previous issues WordPress users experienced when trying to format pages are now gone.
If you’re familiar with WordPress, or prefer the freedom to use code, don’t worry. There is an official plugin for disabling Gutenberg’s new features while retaining the 5.0 updates.
What does Gutenberg mean for me?
In a world where every company needs a website, every person has a message to spread, and the whole world uses the internet; the power for an individual with no coding knowledge to create a professional website is astounding.
WordPress 5.0 and Gutenberg means literally anyone can create a website and spread their influence across the internet. A wealth of new ideas, content, and causes can grow and spread with the power of Gutenberg. Individuals no longer need to rely on companies or learn code to create their very own websites.
For companies who create websites, this update is beneficial too. Their work can become ever faster and higher in quality with the ease of use Gutenberg provides. Companies can work with their clients to create unique, stylish, professional, and wide-reaching websites. There will always be need for a professional touch to stand out from the new growing crowd of sites.
Companies and users who already have WordPress sites will need to be careful as WordPress 5.0 approaches.
Their current sites must be converted into the Gutenberg system before the release of 5.0 or they risk the sites accruing errors or even ceasing to function.
The Future of the Internet
No one can truly say what effect WordPress 5.0 and Gutenberg will have on the internet, how websites will be made, or anything else. What can be said, however, is Gutenberg will have an effect.
Much like Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press, this change will allow more people to make new things, to be created more easily, and encourage the spread of knowledge and ideas. Gutenberg will also give people the opportunity to create their own platform, to write their own story.
Whether or not this update will lead to a new era like Gutenberg’s press did is up to you. To all of us. There is a plugin to update your WordPress to Gutenberg, allowing you to use the functions they currently have available in the new program.
The future is coming. Are you in?
For more information, check out WordPress’s official article on the Gutenberg update.
If you’re interested in a professional website and amazing support, contact Strategy today.
