The WordPress block editor, codenamed Gutenberg, replaced the classic editor in WordPress 5.0 (December 2018). Instead of a single text field, content is built with individual blocks — paragraphs, headings, images, columns, and dozens more. Each block is a self-contained unit you can move, style, and configure independently.

How the Block Editor Works

Every piece of content is a block. A blog post might contain a heading block, three paragraph blocks, an image block, and a quote block. You add blocks with the + inserter button or by typing / followed by a block name directly in the editor. Blocks snap together vertically, and you can drag them to reorder or use the arrow controls in the toolbar.

The right sidebar shows block-level settings (typography, color, spacing) when a block is selected, or document-level settings (categories, featured image, publish date) when nothing is selected.

Essential Block Types

Text Blocks

Paragraph — The default block. Start typing and it's created automatically.
Heading — H1 through H6. Type ## for H2, ### for H3 (markdown shortcuts work).
List — Bulleted or numbered. Type - or 1. to create one instantly.
Quote — Styled blockquote with optional citation.
Code — Monospace block for code snippets. For inline code, use the toolbar button.
Table — Rows and columns with header row option and style variations.

Media Blocks

Image — Upload, select from media library, or paste a URL. Supports alt text, captions, and link settings.
Gallery — Grid of images with configurable columns and crop settings.
Video — Self-hosted video or embed from URL. Supports poster image and playback controls.
Cover — Image or video background with text overlay. Great for hero sections.
File — Downloadable file with optional download button.

Layout Blocks

Columns — Side-by-side content. Choose from preset layouts (50/50, 30/70, etc.) or customize widths.
Group — Container for other blocks. Apply shared background color, padding, or borders to grouped blocks.
Spacer — Vertical whitespace with adjustable height.
Separator — Horizontal line divider with style options.

Embed Blocks

Paste a URL from YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo, Spotify, or dozens of other services and WordPress auto-converts it into an embed. No shortcodes or plugins needed.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your editing with these shortcuts (Cmd on Mac, Ctrl on Windows):

/ — Quick block inserter (type block name after slash)
Cmd+Shift+D — Duplicate selected block
Cmd+Opt+T — Insert block before selected
Cmd+Opt+Y — Insert block after selected
Cmd+Shift+Z — Redo
Cmd+K — Insert link
Cmd+Shift+, — Toggle settings sidebar
Opt+Shift+O — Open block list view (document outline)
Esc — Switch between block selection and editing modes

Reusable Blocks and Patterns

Reusable Blocks (Synced Patterns)

Create a block or group of blocks once, save it as a synced pattern, and insert it on any page. Editing the synced pattern updates every instance across your site. Ideal for CTAs, author bios, disclaimers, or newsletter signup forms that appear on multiple pages.

Block Patterns

Pre-designed block layouts you can insert and customize. WordPress ships with built-in patterns (hero sections, testimonials, pricing tables), and themes add their own. The pattern directory at wordpress.org/patterns has thousands of community-contributed designs you can copy into your editor.

Full-Site Editing (FSE)

Block themes (like Twenty Twenty-Four and Twenty Twenty-Five) extend the block editor beyond posts and pages to your entire site structure. With FSE you can edit:

Templates — Control the layout of post pages, archive pages, search results, and 404 pages using blocks
Template Parts — Header, footer, and sidebar as reusable block sections
Global Styles — Site-wide typography, colors, spacing, and layout settings from one panel
Navigation — Build menus with the Navigation block instead of the classic menu system

FSE eliminates the need to edit PHP template files for most layout changes. Want to add a search bar to your header? Just open the header template part and insert a Search block.

Block Editor vs Classic Editor

Visual layout — Block editor lets you build columns, media-text layouts, and cover images without any code or page builder plugin. Classic editor requires shortcodes or raw HTML.
Reusability — Synced patterns didn't exist in the classic editor. Reusing content meant copy-pasting or custom shortcodes.
Theme control — FSE makes the block editor a full replacement for theme customizers and widget areas. Classic editor couldn't touch site structure.
Learning curve — The block editor has a steeper initial learning curve, but once familiar, it's faster for complex layouts. Classic editor is simpler for text-only content.

The Classic Editor plugin is still available but officially loses support after December 2024. New WordPress projects should use the block editor.

Tips for Faster Editing

Use slash commands — Type /image, /heading, or /columns to insert blocks without touching the mouse.
Markdown shortcuts — ## for headings, - for lists, > for quotes, `code` for inline code.
List View — Open it with Opt+Shift+O to see your document structure and drag blocks between nested groups.
Lock blocks — Right-click any block and lock it to prevent accidental moves or deletion. Useful for template layouts.
Copy/paste between sites — Select blocks, Cmd+C, and paste into another WordPress site's editor. Block markup transfers cleanly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still use the classic editor?

Yes, by installing the Classic Editor plugin. However, WordPress officially ended support for it after 2024, and it won't receive updates for future WordPress versions. It's recommended to transition to the block editor for long-term compatibility.

Do page builder plugins still work with the block editor?

Yes. Elementor, Beaver Builder, and other page builders work alongside the block editor — they replace it on specific pages where activated. Some builders like Spectra and Kadence Blocks extend the block editor with additional blocks instead of replacing it.

What's the difference between blocks and widgets?

In block themes, widgets are replaced by blocks entirely. In classic themes, the widget area still exists but uses block-based widgets since WordPress 5.8. The legacy widget system is available via the Classic Widgets plugin.

How do I find what blocks a WordPress site uses?

Use our WordPress theme detector to identify the theme — block-based themes use the block editor exclusively. For specific block plugins (like Kadence Blocks or Spectra), the detector identifies installed plugins from front-end signatures.

Want to know what theme and plugins a WordPress site uses? Try our free WordPress detector — paste any URL and get results in seconds.

WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg)