The WordPress 5.5 Update, also known as Eckstine, is one of the most significant upgrades to the widely popular content management system. Released in August 2020, it offers an array of features to enhance the performance, security, and user experience on your website. In this article, we will dive deep into the ten most impressive features of this update and how to make the most of them for your WordPress site.
Table of Contents
- Block Editor Improvements
- Block Patterns
- Lazy Loading
- Auto-Updates for Plugins and Themes
- Built-in XML Sitemap
- Security Enhancements
- Accessibility Improvements
- New Developer Features
- Performance Improvements
- Deprecated Features
1. Block Editor Improvements
The Gutenberg block editor has undergone extensive improvements in WordPress 5.5, providing a more refined and user-friendly experience. Some of the key upgrades include:
- Streamlined block navigation with parent and child indicators for nested blocks
- UI enhancements, such as a new block inserter panel and a modernized design with better contrast and new icons
- Improved drag and drop options for inserting and moving blocks
- Support for block-based widgets to replace traditional widgets and sidebars
2. Block Patterns
Keeping reusability and efficiency in mind, WordPress 5.5 introduces block patterns, which are pre-built layout templates made up of multiple blocks. These patterns make it quick and easy to create cohesive designs without designing each block separately.
Block patterns can be found in the block patterns library, which can be accessed through the block inserter within the editor. Various pre-built patterns are available in the default installation, but theme developers can also create and share custom patterns.
3. Lazy Loading
Speed and performance are critical factors for any website. To address this, WordPress 5.5 has brought native lazy loading to images. This feature drastically improves page load times by deferring the loading of images that are not visible on the screen, reducing the initial data load.
In previous versions, lazy loading required third-party plugins or themes. However, with WordPress 5.5, it becomes a default feature, requiring no additional setup.
4. Auto-Updates for Plugins and Themes
Regular updates to pluginsand themes are essential to ensure your site’s security and performance. WordPress 5.5 introduces auto-updates for them, making it easier to keep your site updated without manual intervention.
From the plugins and themes admin pages, you can enable auto-updates for individual plugins or themes, and now, the system will take care of updating them in the background. Additionally, WordPress sends email notifications after any auto-update is performed, keeping you informed at all times.
5. Built-in XML Sitemap
Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a significant role in driving organic traffic to your website. To assist search engines in better discovering and indexing your content, WordPress 5.5 introduces a built-in XML sitemap.
The sitemap, generated automatically by WordPress, contains important information about your site’s pages, posts, categories, and tags. Previously, XML sitemaps required third-party plugins, but the new update ensures that they are included by default.
6. Security Enhancements
WordPress 5.5 increases the overall security of your website by introducing several new mechanisms:
- Login security: An option to display only an incorrect password error message, concealing whether it is the email or the password that is incorrect
- Password protection: A feature to enforce strong passwords for users and administrators
- Safe editing: WordPress will now store a copy of your draft for 24 hours so that you can go back and undo changes made by mistake
- Security by default: WordPress core will automatically disable deprecated features that pose potential security risks
7. Accessibility Improvements
Emphasizing the importance of accessibility, WordPress 5.5 brings several improvements to make it seamless for users with disabilities:
- Alternative text for images: The editor will now prompt users to add alternative text when uploading an image
- Keyboard accessibility: Improved keyboard navigation for the block editor, making it easier for users who have difficulty using a mouse
- Color contrast: Enhanced contrast for form elements and error messages, improving readability for visually impaired users
- UI enhancements: Improved focus and hover styles for buttons and other UI elements
8. New Developer Features
WordPress 5.5 brings various new features for developers to work with, including:
- REST API Improvements: Enhanced flexibility and consistency in the REST API endpoints, making it easier to consume data or manage content programmatically.
- Custom Post Types: Developers can now create custom post types out of the box, opening up more possibilities for content organization and presentation on a site.
- Additional Block Attributes: Several new options have been added to blocks in the Gutenberg editor allowing for further customization and functionality
- Deprecated Dashicons: Development focus has shifted to using SVG icons, which are more lightweight and canbe styled with CSS for better consistency across interfaces.
9. Performance Improvements
Besides the built-in lazy loading, WordPress 5.5 includes several other performance enhancements:
- Script optimizations: Improved loading and rendering times for JavaScript and CSS files, thanks to script concatenation and minification.
- Faster database queries: Improved query performance in the admin area and on the frontend, resulting in a snappier user experience.
- Reduced memory usage: Better handling of large hierarchies and taxonomy queries, providing a smoother experience for sites with a vast amount of content.
10. Deprecated Features
As WordPress continues to evolve and improve, there are times when certain features become outdated or unnecessary. WordPress 5.5 marks the deprecation of several such functions:
- TinyMCE Editor: With the continuous improvement of the Gutenberg block editor, the classic TinyMCE editor becomes deprecated.
- Older PHP versions: WordPress 5.5 requires PHP 5.6.20 or higher, encouraging users to update to a latest, more secure version.
- jQuery Migrate: The jQuery Migrate library, which aids backward compatibility for deprecated jQuery code, is no longer included by default in WordPress 5.5. Updating themes and plugins relying on older jQuery code will be crucial.
In conclusion, the WordPress 5.5 update brings a myriad of enhancements and improvements for site owners, developers, and end-users alike. Taking advantage of these new features and adjustments can help strengthen your website’s security, performance, and accessibility, ultimately contributing to a more effective online presence.
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