WordPress recently decided that the third major version release for 2021 will be delayed to January 25, 2022. The project had fallen significantly behind to such an extent that core contributors as recently as last week voiced concerns about the feasibility of meeting the 2021 deadline.
What played out behind the scenes was a rush to meet a deadline with a growing awareness that failure to halt the release could result in “regrettable decisions” as “large red flags” signaled there was no way version 5.9 could be released on time.
High Hopes For WordPress 5.9
WordPress version 5.9 represents a major milestone for the WordPress community because it includes important upgrades to the full site block editing capabilities.
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Full Site Editing is a fundamental feature that allows a publisher to edit every aspect of a website using the Gutenberg block interface.
The purpose of the Gutenberg blocked-based interface is to make WordPress easier to use through a visual interface.
Key Components of Version 5.9 Not Ready
Many key components for an easy to use block-based editor were nowhere near ready for release.
The block-based editor represents the future of WordPress but without these important components the future of WordPress remain stuck in the future.