Traditionally, WordPress updates, even the major ones, feel more like tweaks than anything else - but WordPress Bebo is different. This time around, the CMS is changing the way everything works: with WordPress 5.0, we’re getting a brand new look and style of working. For the first time, we got a WordPress version for users instead of developers. Visually pleasing and far easier to manage, Bebo is here to shake up how we handle content - in 37 languages from the get-go!
The newest version of WordPress has moved on to a new way to do things: block-based programming. The CMS is leaving text-based coding after a lifetime of using it, so we’re talking about the end of an era. This new structure opens up a broad array of possibilities for developers, and there are two new things you need to become familiar with:
- Gutenberg. The new WordPress Editor, its goal is to make things easier for content creators, taking out the need for shortcodes and HTML backgrounds.
- Twenty Nineteen. The new default theme for WordPress, adaptable to any website.
Before we delve deeper into what these two game-changing features can do, let’s remember a few safe practices before updating!
Before Diving Into WordPress Bebo, Consider
While WordPress Bebo is already out, it’s still new, and there are a few factors to take into account:
- The 5.0 update is still buggy, so you might want to wait until the necessary tweaks.
- Gutenberg is the way to the future, but WordPress is giving users plenty of time to adapt to it. The Classic Editor will remain available as a plugin until 2022.
- WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg hopes to get 100,000 active Bebo installs before merging it into the core code, which means you can chill for now.
Our recommendation at Bright Vessel? First off, back up your site entirely before making any decisions regarding updates. We believe it’s best to install Bebo from the start, but it’s a good idea to wait out on Gutenberg for a little longer.
Do you feel more comfortable waiting for the next, less buggy update? We’d recommend sticking to staging environments or test sites for the time being.
What’s New in WordPress Bebo?
As previously noted, WordPress is now all about blocks, and the new version is moving forward with this way of coding. As such, there are two significant changes in WordPress Bebo: the Gutenberg Editor and the Twenty Nineteen theme.
Below, you’ll find the essential bullet points on each of them!
Gutenberg WordPress Editor
- It is the most significant editor upgrade in WordPress history.
- Gutenberg perfectly caters to the new WordPress, allowing the user to build their website through blocks.
- The new editor is for users instead of developers. Gutenberg focuses on writing, and its whole point is making it easier to post new content.
- It has ready-to-use blocks for multiple functions, including audio, embedding, gallery, and more. In time, more options will be available.
- Gutenberg allows more work with fewer plugins; ideally, at one point, you’ll have everything you need just a few clicks away.
- Gutenberg has a new WordPress menu, similar to Medium, which includes a demo.
- Users can create modern multimedia layouts directly from Gutenberg, without the need for further, more substantial plugins.
- For the first time, the WordPress editor looks like the actual website it’s building, making visualization much simpler.
- The simplified look allows content creators to see what they’re working on, without clutter.
- It lets users work across screen sizes and different devices.
Twenty Nineteen WordPress Theme
- New default WordPress theme, created to fit the new block-based WordPress Bebo.
- Visually pleasing and much easier to navigate.
- Twenty Nineteen looks to democratize publishing, giving content creators more power to build new things without relying entirely on developers.
- Its font is built-in as a classic serif, and it uses system fonts to minimize load times, thus decreasing loading waits on slower connections.
- Heavily relies on Gutenberg updates as well as on the availability of blocks, which means it might not have as many options at first.
- Designed to quickly adapt to any website, be it a WooCommerce, a non-profit, or a simple and mostly text-based blog.
In Conclusion
Web design is decreasingly technical. Once, HTML was a basic need for anyone looking to build a new site, but that's no longer the case. Bebo is quite a step forward in that arena, particularly considering WP is the most popular CMS in the world.
A block-based and straightforward design is the way to the future, and we can’t wait to build beautiful, custom sites for our clientele with WordPress Bebo. If you’re looking for a new WordPress website or a significant redesign, contact us at Bright Vessel for more information!
