Major Changes Coming to WordPress 5.0

Is your website one of the 32% on the internet that are built using WordPress? If so, then you need to prepare for the release of WordPress 5.0. The current release date is scheduled for December 6, 2018. According to the WordPress community this is the BIGGEST change to WordPress EVER! Everything will change. It affects every aspect of WordPress, from how users interact with the editor and create content, to how developers code plugins and themes.

If you have ignored prior updates, they are usually minor and do not overly affect your website. However, WordPress 5.0 is different. The key difference in a word is “Gutenberg”. That is the name for the new editor for WordPress 5.0. The Gutenberg editor completely overhauls the Classic Editor in the CMS (content management system).

Is your website ready for WordPress 5.0?

It’s impossible to say what to expect from this upgrade, because every website has its own unique combination of themes, plugins and customizations. But in general here are some of the changes you can expect:

  1. The Classic editor will be replaced with Gutenberg. This means it is possible for ALL of your current site pages to lose formatting. Columns might be off, images out of place, links broken, etc.
  2. Content will transition from containers to multiple movable “blocks”. This means you’ll have to learn an entirely new editor. How to create/edit/add pages is going to be different.
  3. Many themes and plugins may not be compatible. Many customizations may be wiped out. Forms, image galleries, button styles, etc.. will all need to be reviewed. Some plugins may no longer function at all.
  4. Responsive column support may no longer function. If your website uses columns for placing content those may need redone. According to the reviews, the Gutenberg editor is problematic in handling existing columns.

How to Prepare for WordPess 5.0 Upgrade

1 – Backup your site & database as a precaution prior to the update.

2 – If your website is set for automatic updates, turn them OFF! This will prevent the update from taking place and give you a chance to review/experiment with the new changes before implementing live on your site.

3 – WooCommerce released an official statement: If you’re running WooCommerce, make sure to update to WooCommerce 3.5.1+ before updating to WordPress 5.0 to avoid breaking changes.

4 – Update all themes and plugins prior to updating the core WordPress database to version 5.0

5 – Use a staging or test environment to see how your site will be affected before updating your live site.

6 – After updating, conduct a thorough website audit to ensure that every page and feature is functioning properly.

Do I have to upgrade?

NO. You can continue to use the Classic Editor and not upgrade to WordPress 5.0. However, the WordPress team says the Classic Editor plugin will only be officially supported until December 31, 2021. While that may be a long while off, there are other issues if you do not upgrade to WordPress 5.0, including your site will not receive critical updates that include fixing security and performance bugs. That is why we highly recommend upgrading sooner than later.

Of course the biggest advantage of upgrading to the new Gutenberg editor is the huge improvements in content creation. Gutenberg is a block-based editor that is a huge leap forward in the ability to create significantly more complex designs than you can within the current WordPress editor.

Helpful reference links for more info 

WordPress 5.0 Beta News – https://make.wordpress.org/core/2018/12/04/new-5-0-target-date/

WordPress Gutenberg Handbook – https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/handbook/

WordPress 5.0 Changes Everything (What’s New)

SUMMARY: This update is a big deal for WordPress website owners. Considering the release date is around the holidays, the last thing anyone wants is their site to have problems or even go down. That’s why we recommend developing your WordPress 5.0 Update Action Plan as soon as you can or at the very least turn off all automatic website updates until you are ready.

To make the most of this update we encourage every website owner to consider it an opportunity to review your entire website strategy for potential enhancements that could help increase your sales, decrease your cost of doing business and expand your brand reputation in 2019. If you are not absolutely confident that your website is doing all it can to attract and convert potential customers, then take advantage of our complimentary Internet Marketing Reality Check. More info

Amazeinc Internet Solutions is a Google Partner with over 17 years experience helping businesses succeed online. For more info visit: https://amazeinc.com/

Comments or questions? Contact Lisa Frost at 760-754-8012 or email: lf@amazeinc.com