Gutenberg 14.1 Improves Navigation Block, Adds Experimental Zoomed-Out View

Gutenberg 14.1 was launched as we speak with some much-needed enhancements to the Navigation block, which nonetheless appears to be on rocky journey in the direction of higher usability. Contributors are shifting performance across the Navigation interface to determine the place it really works greatest.

The menu selector has been removed from the Navigation block toolbar in favor of placement within the inspector sidebar. This was achieved to scale back the crowding within the block toolbar, which beforehand stitched collectively disconnected actions, hampering the consumer expertise. Automattic-sponsored Gutenberg contributor Carlos Bravo revealed a gif demonstrating the moved menu:

This launch additionally provides new options like a select icon for the Navigation block’s menu button. It’s simple to see how the interface can get crowded quick when including new capabilities. This specific enhancement was added to the block inspector below Show. If this methodology works nicely, contributors might look into including the flexibility so as to add customized icons subsequent.

The 14.1 launch additionally continues the trouble of consolidating design instruments, including issues like typography and spacing help to Avatar, Button, Avatar, Buttons, Classes Listing, Feedback Hyperlinks, Newest Posts blocks, and extra. This permits simpler customization within the editor with out the consumer having to resort to customized CSS.

Earlier this month we revealed an summary of the latest progress on a distraction-free mode for the editor, which included a short point out of the experimental zoomed-out view that’s now accessible for the positioning editor. It places the deal with constructing and composing patterns, permitting customers to maneuver sections round with out affecting the internal blocks. Customers can construct customized templates with out worrying about messing up internal blocks. It’s not on by default however will be enabled below the “Experiments” menu within the Gutenberg plugin.

Locked patterns with higher content material locking can be accessible in 14.1. Options like duotone filters, block alignment, and resizing at the moment are disabled on content-locked blocks, making it simpler to maintain customers from altering the block past recognition.

Just a few different highlights in 14.1 embody the next:

• Field-shadow help added to theme.json
• Block-based template elements now accessible for traditional themes
• 4 new filters to edit the worldwide types knowledge in PHP
• Smoother multi-selection expertise
• Improved block transforms group with Paragraph, Heading, Listing and Quote now proven in a separate menu subgroup

Take a look at the complete changelog within the 14.1 release post for a extra detailed take a look at the whole lot that has modified. This would be the final model of Gutenberg that may merge into WordPress 6.1, which is anticipated in November.