The WordPress community continues its journey toward enhanced usability and performance with a new Beta release. I offer you my WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 review; of sorts. More commentary on what wordpress say about this new Beta. The update brings significant improvements to the Gutenberg block editor, offering more refined control over layouts, media handling, and site-wide styling options. However, as exciting as these features may be, it’s essential to approach beta releases with caution, particularly if you manage a live website.
Key Updates: More Control, Less Code
In this release, duotone support in the Site Logo block and enhanced grid support are welcome additions for those looking to create modern, visually appealing websites without writing custom CSS. The expanded block gap control also allows for more precise adjustments to spacing between elements, giving developers and designers alike more creative flexibility.
There are also numerous bug fixes that address lingering issues with link handling, gallery blocks, and other components. From a technical perspective, these fixes help improve stability—something that’s always appreciated, especially in fast-moving environments.
My Take: be cautious and wait for the final release out of BETA
As someone who’s worked with WordPress for years, I welcome any improvements that reduce the time spent tinkering in the backend. However, I have to admit that I’ve never been a fan of the Gutenberg block editor. While it offers a lot of potential for non-developers, I find it cumbersome and overly complex for those of us who prefer working with custom code. The increased control Gutenberg provides is great in theory, but in practice, I often find myself wrestling with it rather than speeding up my workflow. Even so, WordPress is my “go to” in CMS and page builders [https://rockingrose.technology/wordpress-vs-joomla/]
That said, the progress being made in each release is undeniable. The development team continues to refine the editor, making it more accessible and versatile, but the user experience still leaves much to be desired for those who prefer a more direct approach to content management.
Proceed With Caution
Beta versions, while potentially feature-rich, aren’t without their risks. Installing WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 on a production site could introduce compatibility issues with plugins or themes, leading to potential downtime or functionality problems. I’d recommend if you are super curious and want to contribute to the WordPress community that you install this release in a staging environment to ensure everything your live site is not affected by any compatibility issues or unresolved bugs.
Final Thoughts
WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 offers some great updates, particularly for users who are comfortable working within the Gutenberg editor. If you’re like me and prefer more control with less interference from blocks, it might not transform your workflow, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on for when the live release comes out.
WordPress remains one of the most adaptable CMS platforms out there, but as always, proceed with caution when testing betas—it’s better to be safe than sorry.
References:
https://wordpress.org/news/2024/10/wordpress-6-7-beta-2/
https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/08/27/bug-scrub-schedule-for-wordpress-6-7/
