WordPress 5.0 is scheduled for release today! This release is a big one, and WordPress professionals like me have been anticipating this update for months now.<\/p>\n
Let’s get right to it. Here’s what you need to know about the release of WordPress 5.0:<\/p>\n
Blogging just became more beautiful. The Gutenberg editor<\/a> brings powerful editing without forcing you to write any line of code. If you blog at all, I definitely encourage you to familiarize yourself with Gutenberg as it will change your blogging game in the best way.<\/p>\n Gutenberg includes building blocks, similar to Divi, Beaver Builder, or Elementor, though they are now part of the WordPress core. This makes for lightweight blogging, since you won\u2019t need an additional plugin.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t blog, it\u2019s probably not necessary for you to spend precious time familiarizing yourself with Gutenberg right now. Just put a little bug in the back of your brain that it\u2019s out, it\u2019s proud, and it\u2019s here to stay.<\/p>\n The classic editor (lovingly known as the WYSIWYG editor) is still available for you to use. If change makes you want to run and hide, you\u2019ve got some transition time.<\/p>\n WordPress core updates are absolutely crucial when it comes to the security of your site. If you\u2019re not on a maintenance plan where I handle these updates for you<\/a>, be sure you update your site soon.<\/p>\n A site that doesn\u2019t get updated regularly is a vulnerable site. Vulnerable sites get hacked. The best way to prevent your site from getting hacked is updating it regularly. (I recommend at minimum every month.)<\/p>\n Also, a good rule of thumb: backup your site BEFORE running any updates (especially big ones like WordPress core updates!)<\/strong><\/p>\n (If you\u2019re on a maintenance plan, don\u2019t worry. I\u2019ll take care of all of this for you<\/a>, and if anything goes wrong I\u2019ll take care of that too – at no extra cost to you!)<\/p>\n Any time you run updates on your site, be sure to check for conflicts. This includes things like:<\/p>\n Any time you run updates, it\u2019s important to check for functionality. Most plugins and themes are updating to ensure compatibility with WordPress 5.0, but I\u2019ve learned to double check updates anyway.<\/p>\n Gutenberg is an important core update that will likely experience major hiccups. If your site theme isn\u2019t prepared for Gutenberg, that\u2019s to be expected. Run the update as soon as you can.<\/p>\n If you need help maintaining your site (because you have more important things to do than worry about the compatibility of WordPress 5.0) don\u2019t hesitate to reach out.<\/p>\nIf you care about security (and you should), be sure to update your site to WordPress 5.0.<\/h2>\n
Here\u2019s the exact process I use when running WordPress updates:<\/h3>\n
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Check for conflicts when updating to WordPress 5.0.<\/h2>\n
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Final thoughts on WordPress 5.0…<\/h2>\n