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Free Plugin by WordPress.org v23.8.0

Gutenberg

The Gutenberg plugin adds editing, customization, and site building to WordPress. Use it to test beta features before their official release.

Gutenberg

The facts

Rating
2.1★ from 3,882
Active installs
300k+
Price
Free
Last updated
19 Aug 2026
Added
Jun 2017
Requires WP
6.9
Tested up to
WP 7.0.4
Requires PHP
7.4
Downloads
51,387,205

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Gutenberg is a WordPress plugin that serves as the block editor for creating and modifying content. It allows users to edit individual content blocks on posts and pages, add widgets, and design site elements like headers and footers through a modular approach. The plugin is aimed at both general users looking to enhance their site and tech-savvy individuals interested in testing new features.

The plugin supports a visual editing experience, enabling users to create media-rich content without needing to use shortcodes or custom code. It is an open-source project that encourages contributions from users and developers alike, providing access to the latest features and ongoing developments in the WordPress ecosystem.

Best for: This plugin suits users who want to create and edit content on WordPress using a block-based approach, especially those interested in testing new features.

What it does well

  • Modular approach to site editing
  • Supports full site editing features
  • Encourages user contributions and testing of new features
  • Free to use from the WordPress.org directory
  • Extensive user and developer documentation available

Where it falls short

  • Low user rating of 2.1 out of 5
  • Requires PHP version 7.4
  • Active installs may indicate mixed user experiences
  • Details about specific features are limited

Verdict

Gutenberg offers a modern way to edit WordPress sites but has received mixed feedback from users. It is best for those who are comfortable with new technologies and willing to explore its capabilities.

From the developer

WordPress.org's own description of Gutenberg, lightly tidied.

“Gutenberg” is a codename for a whole new paradigm for creating with WordPress, that aims to revolutionize the entire publishing experience as much as Johannes Gutenberg did the printed word. The project is following a four-phase process that will touch major pieces of WordPress — Editing, Customization, Collaboration, and Multilingual.

Following the introduction of post block editing in December 2018, Gutenberg later introduced full site editing (FSE) in 2021, which shipped with WordPress 5.9 in early 2022.

What Does Gutenberg Do?

Gutenberg is WordPress’s “block editor”, and introduces a modular approach to modifying your entire site. Edit individual content blocks on posts or pages. Add and adjust widgets. Even design your site headers, footers, and navigation with full site editing support.

Each piece of content in the editor, from a paragraph to an image gallery to a headline, is its own block. And just like physical blocks, WordPress blocks can be added, arranged, and rearranged, allowing users to create media-rich content and site layouts in a visually intuitive way — and without workarounds like shortcodes or custom HTML and PHP.

We’re always hard at work refining the experience, creating more and better blocks, and laying the groundwork for future phases of work. Each WordPress release includes stable features from the Gutenberg plugin, so you don’t need to install the plugin to benefit from the work being done here.

Early Access

Are you a tech-savvy early adopter who likes testing bleeding-edge and experimental features, and isn’t afraid to tinker with features that are still in active development? If so, this beta plugin gives you access to the latest Gutenberg features for block and full site editing, as well as a peek into what’s to come.

Contributors Wanted

For the adventurous and tech-savvy, the Gutenberg plugin gives you the latest and greatest feature set, so you can join us in testing and developing bleeding-edge features, playing around with blocks, and maybe get inspired to contribute or build your own blocks.

Discover More

  • User Documentation: Review the WordPress Editor documentation for detailed instructions on using the editor as an author to create posts, pages, and more.

  • Developer Documentation: Explore the Developer Documentation for extensive tutorials, documentation, and API references on how to extend the editor.

  • Contributors: Gutenberg is an open-source project and welcomes all contributors from code to design, from documentation to triage. See the Contributor’s Handbook for all the details on how you can help.

The development hub for the Gutenberg project can be found at https://github.com/wordpress/gutenberg. Discussions for the project are on the Make Core Blog and in the #core-editor channel in Slack, including weekly meetings. If you don’t have a Slack account, you can sign up here.

Read the full description on the official page →

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