It’s a new day and a new WordPress release. This time it’s about version 4.8, named for jazz pianist and composer William John “Bill” Evans
In a nutshell: link boundaries (SWEET JESUS YES FINALLY), new widgets (meh), Nearby WordPress Events (meh)
Let’s start with my fave new feature, for which I’ve been waiting since forever and thank god they FINALLY did this: Link Boundaries.
Just watch the video below. Please. Just do it.
Praise be onto the WordPress gods (the community of remote workers and the wider community of global contributors) for adding this small change that changed… my life. And I’m not even being sarcastic. This is hands down the best new thing I love about WordPress 4.8. Here’s how they described:
“Have you ever tried updating a link, or the text around a link, and found you can’t seem to edit it correctly? When you edit the text after the link, your new text also ends up linked. Or you edit the text in the link, but your text ends up outside of it. This can be frustrating! With link boundaries, a great new feature, the process is streamlined and your links will work well. You’ll be happier. We promise.”
I am happier. Yes. Good job.
Let’s talk about the new widgets
They basically introduced three new widgets, and updates the text widget. They’re really proud of this and I just honestly couldn’t care less. But! There are people in the world who really look forward to this so yay for them! Here’s the new stuff:
Image Widget
Adding an image to a widget is now a simple task that is achievable for any WordPress user without needing to know code. Simply insert your image right within the widget settings. Try adding something like a headshot or a photo of your latest weekend adventure — and see it appear automatically.
Video Widget
A welcome video is a great way to humanize the branding of your website. You can now add any video from the Media Library to a sidebar on your site with the new Video widget. Use this to showcase a welcome video to introduce visitors to your site or promote your latest and greatest content.
Audio Widget
Are you a podcaster, musician, or avid blogger? Adding a widget with your audio file has never been easier. Upload your audio file to the Media Library, go to the widget settings, select your file, and you’re ready for listeners. This would be a easy way to add a more personal welcome message, too!
Rich Text Widget
This feature deserves a parade down the center of town! Rich-text editing capabilities are now native for Text widgets. Add a widget anywhere and format away. Create lists, add emphasis, and quickly and easily insert links. Have fun with your newfound formatting powers, and watch what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.
Final touches
There’s nothing worth noting about the “Nearby Events” section that’s added to the dashboard. Because it’s just that. Some folks might like it? Most won’t care? Prove me wrong? Anyway there’s been roughly 225 bugs, 109 enhancements, 1 feature request, and 21 blessed tasks that have been marked as closed in WordPress 4.8. Which is a great number of bugs fewer. Which is, yeah, great.
All our themes should work with WordPress 4.8 so…
