The WordPress 5.5 first Beta is now available for testing to those interested in trying out this latest development. If you want to test this release, you should know that the software is still in the development stage, so you should not use it on your production site. The latest WordPress 5.5 Beta 1 comes with a lot of features and other functionalities that are designed to enhance the developers’ experience. If you are interested in testing this WordPress 5.5 release, read on to get insight into new functionalities that you can enjoy with the software.
How to Test WordPress Beta 1
If you are a website owner and you want to try the latest WordPress 5.5 Beta 1 release, this is the opportunity to see what’s improved and new in the upcoming edition of the blog software. You should know that this latest version, that is available for testing should be tested on testing systems and avoid trying it on your actual live sites. The issue is that the Beta stage software can cause severe bugs and other problems with functionality if you test it on your production site. However, all the potential issues are expected to be fixed when the final WordPress 5.5 is finally released.
What Is the Common Functionality of WordPress?
WordPress is commonly used in web development and the .htaccess file is a very popular component of the WordPress file. Some people believe that it is an obligatory element of every WordPress Installation. However, the file can cause some issues which some bloggers are not aware of and don’t know how to get rid of without any losses. If you are interested in finding solutions to these challenges, this comprehensive overview outlines some functionalities that you need to consider when you develop your site using WordPress .htaccess. For instance, you can restrict the number of persons who can log in to your admin area to access your files using the new coding security features.
Currently, there are two methods that you can use to test the Beta version. You can use the plugin method that upgrades all the active instances to the new version of the beta. This is also called “WordPress Beta Tester” and you can access it by choosing “bleeding edge nightlies” and this will help you follow all the development releases as published by the responsible developers. You can get this particular option in the WordPress dashboard. Just click tools followed by Beta testing where you choose the bleeding edge nightlies option under Core Settings. Alternatively, if you are an owner of a website, you can download and install the new copy of the Beta version.
What’s New in WordPress 5.5
The latest WordPress 5.5 software features New Gutenberg Plugin Functionality that is mainly used in the creation of posts and editing. For instance, some of the handsome features include inline image editing, which presents newer options that can help you crop, rotate, as well as zoom the photos directly in the image blocks. When creating new pages for your website, you can use the block patterns to provide a smart way of presenting content in clear layout patterns. There are several templates available that you can use to create your content.
The new WordPress version now consists of device previews mode and this allows you to view posts or pages on different screen sizes. The latest streamlined block insert panel is designed to simplify the display of different collections and categories. Additionally, the editing process has been improved by perfecting the mouse drag and drop functions that help you see how the block moves. The parent blocks can be selected and moved, whereas the design theme toolset has been expanded. You can now apply blocks to the backgrounds and gradients like columns, groups, and text.
The support for different types of measurements is one of the greatest additions that include rems, ems, percentages, vw, vh, and many others. This is crucial for graphic editors since it helps them to produce custom multimedia content designed to fit the blocks the way they want it.
Other Important Features
There are other new features included in the latest version of WordPress like XML Site Maps. You need a manual file or an SEO plugin to access the site maps which will be available by default in this version of WordPress. A site map helps the search engines understand your website which will improve its visibility.
Auto-updates
You can also update the plugin automatically when you include it in your auto-update list. With this new feature, you will no longer need to update your plugins and important themes manually. These can also be updated with a ZIP file.
Slow Loading Images
The latest WordPress 5.5 will no longer require a plugin for lazy-loading images. It comes with a feature that is designed for image optimization. If you have a slow internet connection, then this new feature comes in handy and it can save you the hassle of loading images to your site.
Better Accessibility
The other notable improvement of the latest WordPress 5.5 version is that it comes with better accessibility. The following are some of the functionalities that can improve your user experience with the software.
- You can add different view modes it tables
- You can use introduction buttons to copy links in widgets and media screens
- You can convert widgets to HTML5 to navigation blocks
- Active and disabled buttons do not look the same
- You can use a keyboard to move meta boxes, no need for a mouse
- The animation during a login failure can be rectified with a media query
- Error notices will all be prefix-free
- You can preview the content
- Improved editing experience
If you own a website or you are into developing, there is something to anticipate with the coming of the latest version of the WordPress 5.5 First Beta. The software is currently available for testing. If you are interested in testing the software, do not run it on your production sites since this can cause some issues. More importantly, the latest software comes with new features and functionality that can enhance user experience.