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As a follow up to a few prior posts I’ve written, I wanted to share a much more contained, semi-6.2 related update as this marks a big step forward in the experience, resulting in the removal of the beta label. For completeness, here are the prior posts: So you want to talk about Full Site Editing?, So you want to talk about FSE? 5.9 Edition, and So you want to talk about FSE? Part III. I recommend reviewing them as I try as much as possible to only share new information in each so the posts can build upon each other and so you can get a broader sense of the “story” of the Site Editor experience. Like the last few times, please see this post as a place to get inspiration from and to pull from rather than to somehow cover entirely in a presentation. 

Important note:

Previously, I used the term “FSE” in the posts and, after the discussion on Giving FSE a More User Friendly Name, “Site Editor” or “Site editing” has become the general phrasing to use. My advice personally is to use more granular terms and be as specific as possible: Site Editor, Block Themes, Styles, Theme Blocks, gradual adoption pathways, etc.

Recommendation:

• For end users/clients, directly talk about practical ways to migrate your site to a block theme (and when you should) and the evolved site editing experience in 6.2.
• For themers, discuss ways of partially adopting block themes, the tooling available to go all in on block themes when ready, and the current efforts towards intrinsic design. 
• For agencies/site admins, focus on curation pathways, including how best to take advantage of patterns, style variations, and more.  
• For developers and block developers, address the benefits of static vs dynamic blocks and how building blocks allows for a level of future proofing with blocks available across contexts (post editor, template editor, site editor). 
• Show how features have changed over time. For example, the Navigation block has come a long way since it was first introduced in 5.9 as has the site editor experience itself. 
• Discuss the present and future of patterns with unlocking the power of blocks #39281, #48458, #44581, #44611.

(Newer) Resources:

There are a few new resources to be aware of and, as always, there’s a ton of great content coming out of Learn WP:

• Introducing the new WordPress Developer Blog: a shared space to keep up to date on the latest and greatest for developers. 
• An informative article on intrinsic design theming in WordPress (a hot topic right now). 
• Join the Community Themes initiative, a collaborative effort to create block themes in much the same way as the core Twenty* themes are built.

Patterns of critical feedback:

This is a non comprehensive list – you’re welcome to dig through the public recaps of calls for testing for more ideas here.

• Desire for more responsive controls with a lack of awareness and/or frustration around the lack of pace with intrinsic design. 
• Lack of clarity between global vs local elements, causing folks to do things like adding page content to their template or removing the post content blocks from their templates effectively breaking the experience.
• Confusion around the UX when Styles are being implemented from multiple spots or are inherited. 
• Desire for the ability to create mega menus. 
• Simplify the way layouts can be created and expand what’s currently available (at the same time). 

Demo ideas:

• Show how radically different you can make a block theme either with style variations or digging into Styles. 
• Show the process for migrating from a Classic to a Block theme.
• Explore the Site Editor as a designer and how far you can get without any code, design tools baked in (like the Style Book), etc. Create a theme! Create patterns! 
• Show tips and tricks of using the Site Editor (using List View, keyboard shortcuts, transforms, replacing template parts, how to find and use various design tools, etc). 
• Show how building a site has changed overtime and what’s unlocked with site editing (see below video as an example).

What’s coming to 6.2?

I’m going to “cheat” and link off to a guide I made for WordPress 6.2! This is intentionally incredibly comprehensive so feel free to skim the headlines. Here’s a highlight grid for an at a glance visual look:

What’s planned for the future?

• Shorter term: Phase 2, Finale, a dive into wrapping up phase 2. 
• Medium term: curated GitHub tracking issue for the final items remaining for phase 2 efforts. 
• Longer term: Thinking through the WordPress Admin Experience.

A post isn’t yet out about Phase 3 but stay tuned for more information there as part of the natural progression of Phase 2 wrapping up.