New in WordPress 6.5: Fonts, new APIs and better performance

WordPress 6.5, the latest update to the popular content management system, is due to be released on March 26, 2024. In this article, we take a look at the update and show you what new features and changes you can look forward to.

Improved Gutenberg Editor

A central element of the update is the improved Gutenberg editor, which now offers new options for blocks. These include color variations for group blocks using "colorways", improved spacing options with intuitive controls and a responsive preview that allows different screen sizes to be displayed directly in the editor.

The block tools have also been expanded:

• A block lock prevents unintentional changes
• Duplicating templates makes it easier to create new pages
• Renaming blocks provides a better overview

The user interface has also been optimized, including a redesigned settings menu with clearer options, a distraction-free mode and an improved search function.

The font library in WordPress 6.5

Long awaited and now finally available: The font library is being introduced with the release of WordPress 6.5. A feature that was originally planned for WordPress 6.4, but is now celebrating its premiere. This innovation revolutionizes working with fonts on WordPress websites through the central management of web fonts. The library makes installing, removing and activating fonts more intuitive and convenient than ever before, regardless of the theme used.

The global integration of the font library in WordPress ensures a clear display of all available fonts. This allows you to keep an overview at all times and manage fonts efficiently. The advantages of this innovation are manifold: they range from the simple installation, removal and activation of fonts to theme-independent use and the central management of all web fonts, which provides an improved overview and control.

The introduction of the font library marks the end of the previous, sometimes cumbersome workflows for handling fonts in WordPress. This simplification is a great benefit for anyone who wants to design their websites with individual fonts and represents a significant step towards user-friendliness and design flexibility.

More design freedom and improved performance

In addition to the font library, WordPress version 6.5 brings even more design freedom: theme styles can now also be customized more easily, including colors, fonts and layouts. The improved controls for colors and spacing also allow more precise control over the design.

Improvements will also be made in terms of performance. The optimization of the code base leads to reduced resource consumption and faster loading times. Lazy loading for images and automatic image optimization further improve performance by loading images with a delay and compressing them to the optimum size.

New WordPress APIs

WordPress 6.5 comes with three enhanced APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) if you develop with WordPress yourself:

API for interactivity

The Interactivity API represents a significant step forward in the development of WordPress by providing a standardized method for developers to integrate interactive elements into the frontend of their blocks. This enables actions such as liking a post or adding products to the shopping cart without having to reload site .

This type of interactivity helps to significantly improve the user experience on websites by providing smoother and more responsive interactions. The introduction of this API marks an important step towards a more dynamic and interactive web by making it easier for developers to implement complex features such as instant page navigation or instant search.

Since its testing phase in certain core-provided blocks within the Gutenberg plugin and recently in core with WordPress 6.4, the interactivity API has already shown its potential. However, some tasks remain to make the API fully available for extensions. These include:

• Refactoring the store based on feedback from early adopters
• Server-side processing of directives that meets SEO requirements and optimizes initial rendering
• Support for ES modules and import cards

These steps are necessary to ensure a robust and efficient implementation of the interactivity API that offers developers maximum flexibility and performance.

User-defined API fields

The Custom API Fields is another exciting feature being introduced in WordPress 6.5. It aims to create a seamless connection between block attributes and custom fields or metadata. This approach simplifies the way developers and content creators can manage and present content on their website by allowing them to make dynamic content more easily reusable.

The integration of custom fields into the block editor opens up a wide range of possibilities for personalized and contextual content, which is particularly beneficial for complex websites with specific data requirements. For version 6.5, it is planned to introduce a simplified version of this API that enables the direct connection of block attributes with custom fields without a user interface.

In addition, a basic UI will be implemented that allows the metadata values to be read and gives users the ability to change the value of the meta field directly in the editing process. These steps form the basis for a more comprehensive use of custom fields in WordPress and significantly expand the possibilities for content customization.

API for block binding

The block binding API is an innovative tool that aims to dynamically link block attributes to values that can vary depending on the context. This flexibility significantly expands the application possibilities of existing blocks by making it possible to display information such as the authors of a post directly in blocks without the need for special new blocks.

This type of data binding is particularly valuable for theme-developers and website owners who want to make their sites more dynamic and content-rich without having to rely on a variety of additional plugins or blocks. Work on the block binding API for WordPress 6.5 is primarily focused on supporting other areas of the roadmap, particularly the custom fields and partial sync patterns.

This focus demonstrates an effort to create a cohesive and integrated development landscape within WordPress, where different APIs and features work together seamlessly to provide maximum flexibility and efficiency for developers and content creators. The introduction of the Block Binding API represents WordPress' ongoing commitment to simplifying website development and content creation while expanding the possibilities for creative and dynamic content presentation.

Conclusion on WordPress 6.5

WordPress 6.5 is an update that offers many advantages for developers and users . With a focus on improving the Gutenberg editor, more design freedom and better performance, WordPress continues to be the leading platform for creating websites and blogs.

If you're interested in the WordPress development process and the planned features and innovations, you can find a list of the changes and much more information about the new WordPress version 6.5 directly from the source at WordPress.org. What do you think about the planned changes in WordPress 6.5? We look forward to your comments.