This new version brings new updates and improvements that seek to further facilitate the creation and management of your website on the platform.
- Color Palettes and Fonts
Now, you can easily choose and apply predefined color schemes and font styles.
How Does the Upgrade Work?
- Adding Palettes and Fonts to Themes: Themes can include various color schemes and font styles.
- Standalone Application: You can apply these color palettes and fonts separately. This means that you can choose a set of colors and combine it with a different font style according to your preference.
- Variations for block groups
Block group variations are a simplified way to manage the styling of your website. Imagine you can design a specific section of your page and then apply that same design to other sections without having to repeat the process.
How Does Updating Work?
- When you create a block group in WordPress 6.6, you can now save that group as a “variation”. Once saved, this variation can be applied to other block groups on your site with just one click.
- Override Content in All Patterns
This feature allows users to maintain a consistent design and style across all patterns, while customizing the content in any instance of a synchronized pattern.
How Does Updating Work?
- When you create a block pattern in WordPress you can use the same layout for several sections of your website and then customize the content of each section individually.
- Quick page previews
This feature allows you to preview pages before making any changes, using a side-by-side list layout in the Site Editor.
How does the update work?
- When you open the editor, you will see a list of all the pages of your website in the side panel. When you click on any page in this list, a quick preview will appear in the main panel.
This preview shows you how the page will look in its current layout, allowing you to decide if you want to make changes.
- Reversions for automatic plugin updates
This feature allows you to automatically update WordPress plugins with the peace of mind that if something goes wrong, you can easily revert the update.
How Does the Update Work?
- You must enable automatic updates for your WordPress plugins. Before completing the installation, WordPress backs up the current version of the plugin, if the new version causes any problems on your site, WordPress will automatically revert to the previous version.
- Editor Transitions
This feature provides a smooth transition when you switch between the list pane and the inspector, this helps to make switching between panes more natural and understandable.
How Does Updating Work?
- When you work in the WordPress editor and switch between the list pane and the inspector, you’ll notice that the switch now occurs with a smooth animation instead of a sharp jump, to help you maintain context.
- Editable shadow presets
This feature allows users to create and edit shadows throughout their website using the new shadow controls in the Site Editor.
How Does the Upgrade Work?
- You can access the new shadow controls from within the site editor, enhancing the depth and visual appeal of your website, you can select the element, apply a shadow preset and then customize it to your needs.
- Negative Margin
Allows you to overlay blocks to create more interesting and dynamic layouts, using negative margins.
How does the Update work?
- When you select a block, you will find the option to adjust the margins in the block’s settings panel.
Simply enter negative values for the margins in the desired directions (top, bottom, left or right) and you will see the block move outside its normal boundaries, overlapping with other blocks.
- Grid block
With the CSS grid block, you can organize your content in an attractive way, allowing you to create complex layouts without coding.
How does the Upgrade work?
- You can add and access the grid block from the site editor. You will be able to create rows and columns within the block, and then drag and drop other blocks (such as images, text, buttons, etc.) into the grid.
- Site background image
This feature allows you to add a background image visible on all pages of your website.
How Does the Upgrade Work?
- You can access the background image controls from the site editor. By selecting this option, you can upload a new image or choose an existing one from your media library.
Once selected, you can adjust the position, size, so that it fits perfectly with your site design.
- Modern pattern management for classic themes
Classic themes can now access the pattern experience provided by the site editor. With this update you can manage and create patterns in an easier and more functional way.
How does the update work?
- With this update you can select, customize and reuse predefined design blocks (patterns) directly from the site editor, which simplifies and streamlines the process of designing pages and posts.
WordPress 6.6 Performance Updates
- Removal of redundant calls to WP_Theme_JSON: Unnecessary calls to the code have been removed, making the site faster.
- Disabled automatic loading for large options: Very large options are no longer loaded automatically, reducing resource usage and improving speed.
- Removed unnecessary polyfill dependencies: Removed some old code that is no longer needed, making the site lighter.
- Lazy loading of post embeds: Content embeds are now loaded when needed, improving initial load speed.
- Data-wp-on-async directive: Introduction of a new directive that allows certain elements to load asynchronously, improving overall performance.
- 40% reduction in template loading time in the editor: The template editor now loads much faster, saving time for users.
WordPress 6.6 accessibility updates
With over 55 accessibility fixes and improvements focus on key aspects of the WordPress experience, in particular the Data Views component that powers the new site editing experience and areas such as the Inserter, which provide a key way to interact with blocks and patterns.
If you want to download it and learn more about these updates click here
