--- title: "Getting Started with Themes for Full-site Editing and Block Plugins - Weekend Edition #170" date: "2021-05-22" author: "Birgit Pauli-Haack" url: "https://gutenbergtimes.com/getting-started-with-themes-for-full-site-editing-and-block-plugins-weekend-edition-170/" categories: ["News", "Updates", "Weekend Edition"] --- Howdy, I am getting really excited about the [WordPress 5.8 release](https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-8/). It’s still about eight weeks away, but there is a lot of work in front of us. We are coming up to Feature Freeze on May 25, 2021. The Gutenberg team has a [release candidate for 10.7](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v10.7.0-rc.1), the last version of the plugin, that will make it into WordPress Core. How can you help? Test, test test! - Set up a test site. Pantheon offers developer 2 sites for free. - Use the Beta Tester plugin – set it to channel = Bleeding Edge and stream = Nightlies, that means you have the lasted WordPress version on your site. - Report any bugs you find On the team working on the block-editor end user documentation, we have a [preliminary list of relevant user-facing changes](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QdBr37mzz0AiAWDsR9PEFPUvzpULppt9FBbXE6WM0-w/edit#heading=h.yhitji5ms7k6) in Google Doc. We are looking for more contributors to not only get through the latest task list but also update some documentation pages with 5.6 and 5.7 changes. If you have a few hours, and want to take a deep dive into the block-editor features, let me know by joining the #docs channel or DM me on the Make Slack. Wishing everyone lots of patience. We are still in a pandemic, and all good things take time. Yours 💕, Birgit PS: Did a deep dive into the [wp.data package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@wordpress/data) to learn more about state management for the block-editor. Do you know of any resources that helped you get the hang of it? The usual metaphors don’t seem to help much. --- **Anne McCarthy** posted about **[Hallway Hangout: Discussion on Full Site Editing Issues/PRs/Designs (20 May)](https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/05/21/hallway-hangout-discussion-on-full-site-editing-issues-prs-designs-20-may/)**. This was the fourth Hallway Hangout, a series of information meetings, that started in April. [They are all available on YouTube.](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkPsxZ_WQFaACunULLiT85g) Sometimes it is much easier to talk through a feature, an interface, or bugs, when you can ask questions and screen share. If you missed them, they are available on YouTube and summary posts are available on the [Make block of the Test Team](https://make.wordpress.org/test/tag/fse-hallway-hangout/). --- Although, I long for in-person WordCamps, they are still not safe in many regions. For now, connections to my WordPress friends are still virtual: pick-up [Hallway Hangouts](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkPsxZ_WQFaACunULLiT85g), Meetups meetings and WordCamps and conferences. Speaking of which: Next week [WordSesh is taking place May 24 – May 27](https://wordsesh.com/register/), with Workshops starting on May 28. Well, depending on where you are in the world, it will start tomorrow night. **On the schedule a five session around Gutenberg: ** ![](https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-22-at-12.49.33-PM.png?resize=652%2C485&ssl=1) - Blazing Fast Block Development w/ Lee Shadle - Building Custom Blocks w/ Rob Stinson - Block-Based Themes – The Future Of Full Site Editing In WordPress w/ Imran Sayed - How the Block Editor Makes It Easier to Build Custom Websites w/ Danielle Zarcaro - Build your own Block-Based Theme w/ Daisy Olsen (Workshop) Find a [list of more upcoming WordPress events ](#events)further below. --- **[Eight Gutenberg Tips and Tricks in eight minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBr3TgVRrkE&t=14s) **– Learn how to start developing WordPress sites with Gutenberg blocks with **Bill Erickson** and **Gabriel A. Mays** from GoDaddy. Take a look at the YouTube video and the links resources, if you are just starting out working with the block-editor in your WordPress development. --- **[Edward Bock](https://twitter.com/edward_bock)** shared how to [Properly add modern JavaScript to Gutenberg](https://medium.com/write-better-wordpress-code/properly-add-modern-javascript-to-gutenberg-14bde8679d83). In his article, he helps you transition from the conventional programming on PHP to adding JavaScript to your tools set ## Full-Site Editing for Theme Developers **[Herb Miller](https://twitter.com/herb_miller)** shared recording from his presentation: [Guide to WordPress Full Site Editing, blocks and themes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfYWkKuzv90) at the Meetup in Portsmouth. Now the Herb went beyond the template editor bits that are coming to WordPress 5.8. He demonstrated the full Site Editor, which isn’t slated to come to WordPress until 5.9 or even 6.0. To follow along you would need a block-based theme and the latest Gutenberg version (for now 10.6.2). After a tour around the Site Editor, Herb Miller, shared with the audience how he built a block-based theme. --- **[Carolina Nymark](https://twitter.com/carolinapoena)** published here [full-site editing theme “Armando”](https://wordpress.org/themes/armando/) in the theme directory on WordPress.org. Carolina also is a contributor to the Gutenberg repository and published a [Full Site Editing course for developers](https://fullsiteediting.com/courses/full-site-editing-for-theme-developers/). Recently, she also published a [VS Code extension WordPress Block Markup ](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CarolinaNymark.wordpress-block-markup)with autocomplete snippets to add blocks to your templates faster. --- [Fränk Klein ](https://twitter.com/fklux)of [WPDevelopment Courses](https://wpdevelopment.courses/) is getting ready to open his **[Building Block-Based Themes ](https://wpdevelopment.courses/courses/building-block-based-themes/#curriculum)**course. He already shared quite a few insights in his learnings with the articles: [What I Learned Building a Full-Site Editing Theme](https://wpdevelopment.courses/articles/full-site-editing-theme-learnings/) and [Implementing Global Styles in Block-Based Bosco](https://wpdevelopment.courses/articles/global-styles-in-block-based-bosco/). The [Block-based Bosco Theme](https://wordpress.org/themes/block-based-bosco/) is also available in the WordPress.org repo. --- The **theme.json** settings structure is now finalized and is not experimental anymore. The [Documentation](https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/how-to-guides/themes/theme-json/) is available in the Gutenberg Handbook. **[Riad Benguella](https://twitter.com/riadbenguella)** wrote an [Introduction to WordPress’s Global Styles and Global Settings](https://riad.blog/2021/05/05/introduction-to-wordpresss-global-styles-and-global-settings/) to get you started on the new era of Theme development in WordPress. *(Yes, I shared this before. I just want to make sure you find it again ) * A few days ago, **[Ari Stathopoulos](https://twitter.com/aristath) **started working on a [Theme.JSON parser ](https://github.com/WPTT/theme-json-parser)to make it possible for conventional themes to take advantage of the settings file as well. --- **[Ana Segota](https://twitter.com/Ana_Segota),** Ariel Design, an early adopter of Gutenberg blocks in her themes she published in 2018 and 2019, came out with her first theme embracing full-site editing, and global styles with here [new Theme “Naledi”](https://www.anarieldesign.com/free-full-site-editing-theme-naledi/). Justin Tadlock took [the theme for a spin](https://wptavern.com/anariel-design-launches-naledi-a-block-based-wordpress-theme). Once the theme is available at WordPress.org, it will be the [sixth theme for full-site editing.](https://wordpress.org/themes/tags/full-site-editing/) When will we see yours? --- **[Sarah Gooding](https://twitter.com/pollyplummer) **has the story of **[Blocksy Theme Expands Free Starter Site Collection, Plans to Create New Suite of Blocks](https://wptavern.com/blocksy-theme-expands-free-starter-site-collection-plans-to-create-new-suite-of-blocks).** Blocksy embraced the block-editor wholeheartedly and grew it’s business rapidly, it seems. They also integrate well with the blocks by Stackable. ## Plugins for the Block Editor **Benjamin Intal**, of [Stackable ](https://wpstackable.com)was this week’s guest of the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, and he discussed with **[Nathan Wrigley](https://twitter.com/wpbuilds)** the **[Why He’s Betting His Business on Blocks](https://wptavern.com/podcast/3-benjamin-intal-on-why-hes-betting-his-business-on-blocks).** Intal and his team were an early adopter of the Block-editor and publish their plugin already in 2018 before the block-editor made it into WordPress Core. Since them Stackable has been an often recommended plugin for content creators, and it has grown quite a bit in features and reach. It’s certainly worth a listening, considering another wave of creativity and opportunities is coming to WordPress. This time for themes. --- **Alexandra Yap **of Stackable recently posted the [Introducing Dynamic Content. ](https://wpstackable.com/blog/introducing-dynamic-content/)They wrote: “We’ve received a huge number of requests to display content from ACF’s custom fields in Stackable blocks, and now you can! [Most ACF field types are supported](https://wpstackable.com/blog/stackable-integrates-with-acf/) as well as ACF Options Pages.”. They also [integrate with Toolset](https://wpstackable.com/blog/create-dynamic-content-in-stackable-with-toolset/). --- **[Justin Tadlock](https://twitter.com/justintadlock)** reviewed a newly published pricing block and found [You Might Not Need That Block](https://wptavern.com/you-might-not-need-that-block). “With WordPress’s base blocks and a decent theme, many custom solutions are possible via patterns.”, he wrote, and he went ahead and recreated a three column pricing table with the core blocks and different themes, Twenty-Twenty, Eksell, and a full-site editing theme, too. I strongly agree with Tadlock that block patterns would provide an easier path. I can see that plugins like Easy-digital downloads, Woo Commerce and other ecommerce plugins would offer such patterns together with their Gutenberg blocks extensions to get store owners up and running quickly. --- **[Jamie Marsland](https://twitter.com/pootlepress) **shared the [10 Big Updates to PootlePress WooCommerce Gutenberg plugins](https://www.pootlepress.com/2021/05/10-big-updates-to-our-woocommerce-gutenberg-plugins/) Storefront Blocks and WooBuilder Blocks. --- ## Upcoming WordPress Events **June 7 – 9th, 2021** **[WordCamp Europe](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/)** A virtual event and contributor day. [Call for sponsors is open.](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-sponsors/) **🎉** Gutenberg Times is a media partner of WordCamp Europe 2021 **June 20 – 26** **[WordCamp Japan](https://japan.wordcamp.org/2021/)** *The schedule has been posted. Most sessions will be in Japanese, with exceptions, I think… * **July 17 + 18th, 2021** **[WordCamp Santa Clarita](https://santaclarita.wordcamp.org/2021/)** Calls for speakers (May 30th), sponsors, volunteers and organizers are open. **June 24 – 26, 2021** **[WordCamp Cochabama](https://cochabamba.wordcamp.org/2021/)** (Colombia) **July 23, 2021** [WordFest Live ](https://www.wordfest.live/)– *The *festival of WordPress Call for Speakers is now open and submissions are **due on May 24th, 2021** **September 21 + 22, 2021** [WPCampus 2021 Online](https://2021.wpcampus.org/) “A free online conference for web accessibility and WordPress in higher education.” [Call for Proposal is up](https://2021.wpcampus.org/proposals) and proposal are **due May 26, 2021** --- On the[ Calendar for WordPress Online Events ](https://wpcalendar.io/online/)you can browse a list of the upcoming WordPress Meetups, around the world, including WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi Builder and Beaver Builder meetups. --- **Don’t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? ** Type in your Email address to subscribe.Subscribe We hate spam, too and won’t give your email address to anyone except Mailchimp to send out our Weekend Edition Thanks for subscribing. ---