WordPress 7.0, codenamed “Armstrong” in honor of jazz legend Louis Armstrong, arrives as a release focused on modernizing the user experience and laying the groundwork for artificial intelligence across the platform. The update introduces a central AI hub, a revamped dashboard, and expanded tools for both creators and developers.
AI Integration Across WordPress
WordPress 7.0 marks the beginning of a new era for AI within the CMS. The release introduces an AI Client in Core, a built-in component designed to allow WordPress to communicate with generative AI models. This client works in tandem with the Abilities API to introduce new functionality, workflow automation, and creation tools.
Users can manage external AI connections through a new Connector screen in the dashboard. This hub allows for easy authentication and configuration of AI services. To extend these capabilities, the release includes an AI plugin that enables users to generate and edit images, create titles or excerpts, and suggest alt text.
On the frontend, a Client-Side Abilities package provides a JavaScript counterpart to the Abilities API. This includes a built-in UI and command palette, delivering extensive new and hybrid AI abilities directly to the browser.
Modernized Dashboard and User Experience
The admin interface has been fully revitalized with a modern color scheme and clean finishes. The update promises smoother transitions between screens, aiming for a more intuitive workflow.
A key addition to the dashboard is the Command Palette. Activated via the shortcut ⌘K or Ctrl+K in the admin bar, this feature allows users to access favorite tools from anywhere in the interface.
Other UX improvements include:
- Font Management: A dedicated page to install, upload, and manage font collections, supported across block, hybrid, and classic themes.
- Visual Revisions: A new interface for visually scrubbing through version history to see changes at a glance and restore specific revisions.
New Blocks and Design Tools
For content creators, 7.0 adds several new blocks to the block editor:
- Gallery Block: A lightbox slideshow to showcase images.
- Heading Block: For refined typography.
- Breadcrumbs Block: To improve site navigation.
- Icons Block: For adding detail to designs.
Design controls have been enhanced with responsiveness controls, allowing users to hide or reveal blocks based on the device viewport without affecting other views. The menu overlay can now be designed and built entirely with blocks and patterns, offering full style customization.
Patterns have been improved to function as single, detachable units, allowing for easier layout adjustments and custom CSS application at the block level.
Developer Tools and APIs
Developers gain access to an expanded set of APIs and functionality:
- Server-Side Blocks: Create blocks and patterns using only PHP, which are auto-registered with the block API.
- Extensible Site Editor: Enhanced routing and validation, along with a new
wordpress/bootpackage that allows plugins to build custom site-editor pages.
The release reflects the contributions of over 875 contributors, including more than 200 first-time contributors, resulting in over 420 enhancements and fixes.