WordPress 5.9 is currently in development, but you can test the beta today. In order to avoid unpleasant situations, the update is recommended to be carried out on a test site.
To get familiar with the new version of WordPress, you can:
- Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin
- Download WordPress 5.9 beta 1 distribution and install manually
- If your filesystem is not case sensitive, you can use WP-CLI to install the test version with the following command: wp core update –version=5.9-beta1
WordPress version 5.9 Features:
- New Twenty Twenty-Two Theme: Traditionally a new theme for 2022, you can experience a lot of WordPress innovations. These styles can be configured in the Admin Panel. A wide range of color schemes, page templates, and ready-made image processing forms will make your site unique.
- A number of changes in the full site editing, including updates to theme.json (support for child themes and two-color images). There will also be a built-in keyboard, the ability to add search and site icons, horizontal and vertical alignment, as well as the ability to create a custom navigation block.
- Convenient gallery: each image can be made unique using cropping and duotone, and layouts can be swapped with a simple drag and drop. A focus mode will appear, which will allow you to see only the part of the site that you are working on right now.
- A number of ready-made templates will appear, from a few blocks that show an image and text to an entire page layout with columns and sections.
- And other interesting interface changes, including the ability to add a new entry immediately after the publication of the previous one, the choice of language can be done on the login screen.
- Some aspects of the site and editor performance will also be improved.
The release of WordPress 5.9 is scheduled for January 25, 2022. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when a new version of WordPress is released.