The new version of WordPress 5.4, titled “Adderley,” is available with a faster editor, new blocks, improved color management, and privacy enhancements.
Many new features accompany the release of WordPress 5.4, titled “Adderley,” which refers to jazz musician Nat Adderley. This first major update of the CMS in 2020 was developed by 552 volunteer contributors. It aims to give users “more ways to bring your pages to life”, but also “more ways to make your vision of your website come true”, while offering “more speed everywhere, so you can feel how much faster your work is getting.
A faster editor
This is one of the new features of this update: the new version of WordPress 5.4 promises a 14% faster loading of the editor and a 51% shorter typing time. If the tips have disappeared, a new window for the Welcome Guide will only appear when you need it. It will also be easier to distinguish whether you are in edit mode or block navigation mode. In some cases, the screen reader will also be able to tell you which mode you are in. A new tab option in the sidebar of most blocks is also included with this update.
New Blocks, Improved Color and Media Management
WordPress announces the appearance of two new blocks for adding social links and buttons. Version 5.4 also adds new features in terms of color management. The toolbar in the rich text block now allows you to change the color of part of a text, not just an entire paragraph, as was previously the case.
Gradients are now available for buttons, cover images, to change the background of a group of blocks or for blocks in columns.
The process of placing and replacing media in each block now works the same way “in almost every block,” WordPress says. Images in the Media+Text block can now be linked to other elements, if you want to offer a brochure image as a document upload, for example. These new features in the editor and the different blocks offered by WordPress provide clearer and better navigation within the tool.
Privacy improvements
Version 5.4 of the CMS offers further improvements in the protection of the privacy of its users. Personal data exports now include three types of information: users’ sessions, their location data from the community events widget, and a table of contents.
The progress of the processing of requests to export or delete personal data can be tracked using WordPress’ privacy tools. These too benefit from improvements with a clearer look for users.
What’s New in WordPress 5.4 for Developers
WordPress 5.4 makes several changes for developers, such as adding custom fields to menu items natively, simplified formatting, new APIs, and embedded content.
