On May 24, 2022, WordPress 6.0 was released with a LOT of changes. There are over 500 enhancements and more than 400 bug fixes adding up to about 1000 updates. While this may seem daunting at first, many of these changes are actually quite welcome and can make your website faster, more secure, and easier to use.
If your website is hosted by TecAdvocates, we’ve got you covered and will let you know when your site is updated.
In keeping with WordPress naming releases after jazz musicians, version 6.0 is “Arturo,” after Grammy-winning jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill. Known for his contemporary Latin jazz, Arturo had over 15 albums across five decades.
Here’s more on what “Arturo” has to offer.
What’s new in WordPress 6.0?
The headlines for WordPress 6.0 include the following.
- Faster Website Performance
- Enhanced Writing Experience
- Style Switching – Change the look and feel of your site with just a few clicks
- More Template Choices
- Additional Design Tools
You will immediately notice faster website performance. The other changes are more techie and become evident as you use the release.
What are the changes, and how do they impact you?
WordPress 6.0 is a major release that includes many new features, such as a new block editor, support for responsive images, and an improved accessibility experience. While most of these changes are designed to improve the overall WordPress experience, some may have unintended consequences for your site. For example, the new block editor may not be compatible with some older themes or plugins. As always, we recommend backing up your site before upgrading. And as always, if you’re with TecAdvocates, we’ll take care of the backup and testing.
1,000 changes are a lot – are they good or bad?
Big Superman fan here. How can you not be? As a fan, I’ve watched every episode of Smallville. Here’s a quote from the show.
“Life is about change. Sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s beautiful. But most of the time, it’s both.”
With an update as big as WordPress 6.0, most of the changes are in the “beautiful” column.
First off, the new editor is a huge change. It’s called Gutenberg, and it’s designed to make creating posts and pages easier and more intuitive. There are still a lot of bugs to be ironed out, but overall we think it’s a positive change.
Another big change is the addition of a revamped media library. It’s easier to use and navigate, and it makes working with images and other media much simpler.
Finally, there are improvements to performance and security.
WordPress 6.0 is faster and more secure than ever before, and that’s definitely a good thing. So while there are some mixed feelings about this latest release, we think WordPress 6.0 is a step in the right direction.
Upgrading to WordPress 6.0
If your site is hosted elsewhere you’ll need to handle the backup and update on your own. Or you can switch to TecAdvocates web hosting. Click HERE for a great deal on web hosting that includes:
- SSL – Here’s more in SSL and why your website needs it.
- Backups – Most Web Hosts DO NOT do WordPress Backups. But WE DO!
- WordPress Updates – We proactively monitor for WordPress updates and apply them in a timely fashion. You will be emailed regular reports when your site has been updated.