What is the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg)?

The Block Editor, also known by its project name Gutenberg, is WordPress’s modern content editor introduced in WordPress 5.0 (2018). Instead of one big text box, every piece of content—headings, paragraphs, images, videos, buttons—is its own “block.”

This block-based approach gives users more control over layout and design without needing custom code. You can easily rearrange blocks, reuse them, or combine them into patterns. For developers and product builders, it opens up extensibility: plugins can register custom blocks that add new functionality directly into the editing experience.

Why does it matter? The Block Editor is now the foundation of WordPress’s broader vision for Full Site Editing (FSE). That means blocks don’t just handle post content—they power headers, footers, sidebars, and templates. Understanding blocks is no longer optional; it’s central to working with WordPress today.

Example: Instead of manually pasting a shortcode for a gallery, you now insert a Gallery block and adjust its settings visually. The experience is closer to modern site builders, but with WordPress’s flexibility underneath.

Jonathan Jernigan has a useful introduction to the Block Editor here:

Synonyms / Alternate Phrasings

  • Gutenberg editor
  • WordPress visual editor
  • Block-based editor
  • Content blocks

Posts linking to this Tip

  1. First Impressions: WordPress Full Site Editing and Gutenberg 7.7
  2. What Does Gutenberg Mean for Plugin Authors?
  3. Gutenberg: First Impressions