What is New in WordPress Version 6.1?

wordpress-latest-version

WordPress: An Introduction

WordPress is free and open-source software with a large community of users and developers who contribute themes, plugins, and support.

It started as a blogging platform, but now it has become one of the most popular and powerful content management systems (CMS). You can create any website or blog using WordPress – from personal to complex corporate websites.

This blog post will briefly explore the following topics –

Why Does WordPress Release Frequent Updates?

WordPress has come a long way in recent years and is now used by millions of businesses and organizations worldwide. However, given its popularity, it’s no surprise that hackers often target WordPress websites.

Hackers persistently try to find vulnerabilities in WordPress because of its popularity. So, developers must concentrate on keeping things patched and secure so that vulnerabilities that could be exploited will be fixed in a new WordPress version.

In short, better security will come from following WordPress updates and staying informed about its latest changes. Additionally, the WordPress platform has amassed a strong community regarding updating new versions. Additionally, developers listen to requests from users and often update the requested features.
WordPress’s updates often feature more security improvements, and these frequent updates are to improve performance that may sometimes even slightly change how things work. However, all these updates are required according to contemporary needs and to simplify the user experience.

Which is the current WordPress version?

The latest version of WordPress is 6.1, “Misha,” released on November 1, 2022.

WordPress 6.1 includes nearly 60 updates that focus on improving accessibility. In addition, it introduced a new default theme, “Twenty-Twenty-Three,” which includes 10 different styles and can easily apply a different look within a single theme.

This new version improved the block editor, tools for greater control, consistency in design, easy menu management, and fluid typography with more responsive text. Also, this version mainly focuses on the improvement of the developer experience.

What’s new in WordPress 6.1

Twenty Twenty-Three:

WordPress version 6.1 introduces a new default theme – Twenty Twenty-Three default block theme.

It has eleven theme styles pre-installed, and the global styles switcher function makes it simple to change the color scheme and typography. Although if you opt without using pre-defined theme designs, the variables in the form of options are an excellent starting point when customizing.

The typography of Twenty Twenty-Three has also been improved. You have access to more font family options and all eleven styles. This gives more opportunities to combine different typographic styles.

Fluid Typography Support:

WordPress 6.1 now supports Fluid Typography by using calc and clamp CSS functions.

Fluid typography lets you scale smoothly from a minimum to maximum width. Or, define the font sizes that will appear on any screen size with easy reading.

With this new option, authors can choose text sizes that can scale and adapt to the actual state of the screen, ensuring that your content appears perfect on any display.

One-click lock setting:

To prevent users from changing the content of a block or pattern, WordPress introduces a new toggle that lets you apply lock settings to all the blocks.

Block locking is a powerful feature that protects your content blocks from accidental deletion. However, locking a nested block can take a while because you have to lock each block separately.

This feature has been improved in WordPress 6.1 by enabling you to apply block locking to each element inside a group block. This option will appear in the block locking pop-up when you want to lock a group block. Inside the toggle switch, you will see the Apply to all blocks.

Manage menus with ease

It’s now much easier to edit the navigation you see in your navigation block. They just open up instead of going through a search process. In addition, the controls for choosing and working on menus are now in their own section of the block settings. There’s also a new mobile menu option with some significant accessibility updates, including the ability to change icons on menus.

Introduces content-only editing

Content-only editing for blocks, patterns, and templates is introduced in WordPress 6.1. So, when content-only editing is enabled, users can only change the content of a block or pattern, preventing them from accidentally changing or breaking the layout or style.

The Visual editor interface does not currently support content-only editing. To enable this feature, set the templateLock attribute to contentOnly, via the Code editor. However, to disable the content-only edition, click the Modify button in the group toolbar.

Appearance tools are available in any theme

Appearance Tools were only accessible in block themes before WordPress 6.1. With 6.1, any theme can add support for this feature in their functions file and include it. You can now activate all the settings in one place, such as:

  1. Typography
  2. A border with color, radius, style, and width
  3. Spacing includes of blockGap, margin, and padding.

Updated Editor Information

The editor Details menu has been updated with new stats. Information popover displays the word and character counts and the Time to read statistics along with headings, paragraph, and block counts. By doing so, you’ll be able to predict more accurately how long your content will be and how long it will take to read.

Check out this article to find out which WordPress version your site is currently using.

Importance of using the latest WordPress version

You should continuously update to the latest WordPress version for

  • Higher security
  • Better speed
  • Improved performance
  • Extra features

importance-of-using-latest-wordpress-version

Higher security

WordPress is a popular CMS, making it vulnerable to hacks because hackers can easily analyze open-source code.

Non-malicious hackers often study WordPress code to find and report any vulnerabilities. Then the WordPress team reviews these reports and provides quick updates addressing the security issues raised. All these measures work to minimize the potential damage malicious hackers could pose.

So regularly updating WordPress should be a priority as this will reduce the success rate of hacking attacks and improve your holistic website security.

Better speed

The latest WordPress updates often significantly increase speed and performance improvements. Faster loading results in a reduced bounce rate, a better user experience, and overall improvement in your website ranking, ultimately leading to a greater conversion rate with higher search visibility.

Improved performance

Using the most recent WordPress version always results in better performance, regardless of the type of WordPress website you want to build. So, take advantage of the latest updates to improve the editing and designing experience.

Extra features

WordPress’s latest version nowadays also includes many advanced features to make it more user-friendly, simplify designing tasks, and make it delightful.

Not only that, themes and plugins typically receive updates in response to every significant WordPress upgrade. So, updating to the latest version of WordPress often also comes with the benefit of advanced features.

However, before the WordPress update, you should consider the points below –

  • Do not forget to back up your WordPress website to ensure you don’t lose any data if anything goes wrong.
  • Ensure that the themes and plugins are compatible with the latest update to avoid compatibility issues.
  • There are pros and cons if you opt for automatic updates, so it’s more recommendable to auto-update for minor updates only.

Read this guide to know How to Upgrade your WordPress.

WordPress Version History

WordPress has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a simple blogging tool when its Version 1.0 was released on May 27, 2003. Each new WordPress version brings new features, improvements, and bug fixes.

Let’s take a look at WordPress’ history and some of the significant changes that have been made to it over the years.

Version Name Release Date Key Updates
4 Benny September 4, 2014
  • Manage media-embedded content with style
  • Improved content-editing experience in visual editing
  • Easy to find and install plugins
  • WordPress installed in your language
4.1 Dinah December 18, 2014
  • New default theme- Twenty Fifteen
  • Option to turn on distraction-free writing mode
  • Easy language switch
  • Simple to embed video from a vine
4.2 Powell April 23, 2015
  • More personalized email notifications
  • Enhanced mobile device usability
  • Multi-site and plugins to improve cache behavior
4.3 Billie August 18, 2015
  • Mobile-friendly interfaces to customize your site quickly and easily
  • To keep the site secure, a password reset link to reset the password
  • Change the site icon without any plugins or themes
4.4 Clifford December 8, 2015
  • New default theme – Twenty Sixteen
  • Embed your WordPress content
  • Support for five new embed providers
4.5 Coleman April 12, 2016
  • You can preview the mobile, tablet, and desktop views directly in the customizer
  • Easy to insert links; input the URL within the inline link box
  • Use your email address as a username to login into the WordPress website
4.6 Pepper August 16, 2016
  • Native Admin Fonts
  • Broken link detection
  • Even with revision disabled, you can access recent autosave
4.7 Vaughan December 6, 2016
  • New default theme – Twenty Seventeen
  • Better menu building
  • Edit shortcuts option
  • Video headers supported
  • Custom CSS in theme customizer with live preview
4.8 Evans June 8, 2017
  • Text widget available with a visual editor
  • Option to remove auto-embed feature for WMV and WMA files
  • Adding an image to a widget is more straightforward, and there is an option to add New Audio Widget
4.9 Tipton November 16, 2017
  • Collaboration with design preview links
  • Design locking to secure draft design
  • Prompt to save your work
  • Syntax highlighting to identify coding errors quickly
  • Add a gallery via the widget
5 Bebo December 6, 2018
  • A new block-based editor
  • New default theme – Twenty Nineteen
  • With Gutenberg, building custom themes becomes easier
5.1 Betty February 21, 2019
  • Introduction of WordPress site health features that notify to upgrade the PHP version
  • Editor performance improvement
  • Launch of wp_blogmeta database table
  • Addition of new filters for modifying cron storage
5.2 Jaco May 7, 2019
  • Update of Site Health Check to improve its effectiveness
  • PHP error protection
  • Addition of Thirteen new icons
5.3 Kirk November 12, 2019
  • New default theme: Twenty-Twenty
  • Addition of 150 new features and improvements – Support for large image size and improved picture quality
5.4 Adderley March 31, 2020
  • Added two new blocks – Social Icons and Buttons
  • Improved speed that is 14% faster loading of the editors and 51% faster Time to type
  • Addition of a custom field to a menu item without a plugin
5.5 Eckstine August 11, 2020
  • The faster speed with lazy-loaded images
  • An XML sitemap by default
  • Plugin and theme auto-updates
  • Introduction of new block patterns for simple and attractive layouts
5.6 Simone December 8, 2020
  • New default theme: Twenty Twenty-One
  • Easy to edit the layout with or without coding
  • Easy to update WordPress automatically
  • Steps toward More support for PHP 8
5.7 Esperanza March 9, 2021
  • Font-size adjustment, reusable blocks, drag blocks, and patterns from the inserter
  • Interface with improved button block functionality
  • One-click switch from HTTP to HTTPS
  • New Robots API to increase traffic
5.8 Tatum July 20, 2021
  • With live preview through the Customizer, Add blocks in widget areas throughout your website
  • Query loop block
  • Edit templates around the post
  • Image styling and coloring with a duotone filter
  • Recommended block patterns
  • Improved list view and ceased to support IE11
5.9 Joséphine January 25, 2022
  • New default theme: Twenty Twenty-Two
  • Full site editing
  • Block themes that the site editor can manage
  • a Pattern Directory and List View
  • Support for Theme.json child themes
6 Arturo May 24, 2022
  • Improved writing experience.
  • Option to contain multiple shortcuts to switch the look
  • New template options for block themes
  • Additional design tools
  • Blocks locking control
  • Improved performance and enhanced accessibility
6.1 Misha November 1, 2022
  • New default theme: Twenty Twenty-Three
  • New template to improve creator experience
  • Table of the content block
  • Manage menus with ease
  • A new toggle for lock setting to all blocks

 

Conclusion

It’s Time to upgrade WordPress if you’re still using its older version; upgrading can be done in just a few clicks. The most recent version of WordPress includes critical security updates, performance improvements, and new features that make it worthwhile.

So don’t wait any longer — upgrade today and enjoy the benefits of the latest version of WordPress.

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