Widgets Editor Tracking Issue

[draganescu]

Last updated June 23, 2021

Extends #24551, preliminary for milestone 7
This is an overview issue that we'll maintain going forward into the 5.8 milestone. It attempts to track discussions and resulting actions about the Widgets Editor.

This overview tries not to track bugs of the Widgets Editor, for that you should filter open issues using the labels [Feature] Widgets Screen and [Type]Bug.

🏷 Important to do before 5.8 RC 1

Blockers for launching the Widgets Editor in WP 5.8

Widgets Screen

• Unable to add widgets after Opting out of the Widgets Block Editor in WordPress 5.8-Beta2 Core-53479
• wp.editor.initialize is not a function notice Core-53437
  This bug prevents legacy widgets such as Text from working which is a blocker. Has a (hacky) patch.
• remove_theme_support doesn’t restore back to classic widgets editor Core-53424
  This bug prevents themes from opting out of the block editor which is a blocker. Has a patch.
• Widget preivew not working if widget registered via a instance Core-53427
  This bug prevents widgets in LegacyWidget block to render properly. Has patch from @spacedmonkey.
• Blocks that use entities are not saved in the widget editors Blocks that use entities are not saved in the widget editors #32756
  This bug prevents FSE blocks from working properly.

Blockers for making the Widgets Editor opt-out in WP 5.8

Backwards compatibility

• Bundled Themes: Minor styling issues with blocks in widget areas Core-53422 Some of our bundled themes don’t play nicely with the default blocks that you see in a new WordPress install. Needs an assignee.

Widget screen

• Latest Posts and Latest Comments blocks don’t look great when editor styles are disabled Latest Posts and Latest Comments blocks don't look great when editor styles are disabled #32718
  This bug means that two of the default blocks you see in a new WordPress install look broken in the widgets screen and customizer. Needs an assignee.
• Add editor styles to the widgets block editor Core-53344
  This is an alternative to the above. It’s more work and so perhaps not feasible for 5.8 but provides quite a nice UX as it makes widgets more WYSIWYG. @tellthemachines is looking into it.

🏷 Regular priority

Widgets in Customizer

The widgets editor in the Customizer should have a smooth user experience and be enabled by default.

• Implement undo/redo Implement undo/redo in the widgets customizer #30400
• Some legacy widgets don't fit in the customizer block editor Some legacy widgets don't fit in the customizer block editor #31194
• Design exploration. Managing blocks in the Customizer #26900
• Use temporary fix to make blocks appear in the Customizer Blocks in Customizer: Use temporary fix to make blocks appear #29283
  • Make the block editor talk to the Customizer API Blocks in Customizer: Make the block editor talk to the Customizer API #29284
  • Implement slide-out inserter Blocks in Customizer: Implement slide-out inserter #29285
  • Implement block inspector panel Blocks in Customizer: Implement block inspector panel #29286 The inspector in the widgets customizer should follow accessibility best practices #30271 Widgets: Refactor the inspector in Widgets Customizer to use core's controls #30431
• Ensure compatibility with customizer hooks and filters Enabling Gutenberg breaks hook in the customizer #25417
• Update Customizer to use Legacy Widget block instead of outputting JSON Update Customizer to use Legacy Widget block instead of outputting JSON #30265
• Add some basic e2e tests Add some basic e2e tests for the Widgets Editor in the Customizer #30269
• Remove temporary __unstable_instance hack Widgets in Customizer: Remove temporary __unstable_instance hack #30266

Legacy Widget

• [Widgets editor] is_admin() is false in the API requests to /wp/v2/widget-types #33462
• Add support for widgets with attributes that can't be serialised into JSON Legacy Widget add support for widgets with attributes that can't be serialised into JSON #28902
• Remove deprecated properties Widgets REST API: Remove deprecated properties #30267
• Some widgets don't load all the scripts they need Legacy widgets: Some widgets don't load all the scripts they need #22765
• Unable to save edits to existing widgets Unable to save edits to existing widgets #27747
• Improved interaction with legacy widgets Legacy Widget Design Iterations #26179 Widgets: Offer option to disable preview or a static placeholder #28671 Widget Editor: relationship between the Edit and Preview toggle buttons is not obvious #25960
• Enable conversion and transforms to blocks Legacy Widget: Add "Convert to blocks" button #25100 Migration path for widgets to blocks for plugin and theme authors #30919
• General stability [Widgets Screen] Drag & dropping legacy text widget sometimes causes breakage #26236 Text issues when switching a widget in the Legacy Widget block #26469 Sometimes legacy widget data is not saved properly #28672 Toolbar doesn't move to selected widget reliably (on new Widgets Screen) #28995 Previewing the Legacy Widget does not work #26474

Feature parity with the classic widgets screen

• Provide ability to Clear Inactive Widgets Provide ability to Clear Inactive Widgets #26232 Pressing Cmd+A 2 times in widget areas selects all of the widget areas rather than the widgets #28267
• Adding widgets to widget areas
• Customizing widgets
• Move widgets between widget areas Block in Customizer: Moving blocks between widget areas #27409 Up/Down arrows - move blocks independent of relation to placement inside/outside a container #24328
• Shortcode block not working in Widgets screen Shortcode block not working in Widgets screen #27793
• Provide 'Manage with Live Preview' Widgets Screen: Provide 'Manage with Live Preview' #26244

Widgets editor

• We need a backward compatibility audit Widgets Screen: We need a backward compatibility audit #28673
• Content added in blocks are removed if you deactivate Gutenberg [Widgets Screen] Content added in blocks are removed if you deactivate Gutenberg #26217
• General parity Widgets Screen: Order of Appearance menu changes with Gutenberg installed #26245 Class the block based widgets editor as "admin" for is_admin #25945
• Fallbacks and Default widgets Widget Screen Documentation for Fallbacks and Default widgets #26298
• Problems keyboarding through the areas Problems keyboarding through the areas #25880 Using keyboard to jump between widget areas is difficult #25877 Pressing Cmd+A 2 times in widget areas selects all of the widget areas rather than the widgets #28267
• Mirror block editing experience Add Top Toolbar to Block Widget Screen #26297 Widgets Screen: Backspace on empty Verse block doesn't remove it. #26230 'Start writing' placeholder text doesn't appear consistently. #26177 In-between Inserter is Unreliable #28123 Widget Editor: Missing ellipses Options menu from topbar #27564
• Custom block styles are not available Widget screen: Custom block styles are not available when running WP 5.7 #25808
• Improve widget discovery and recognition Improve widget discovery and recognition #25959 Inserter search field just says "search for a block" but should suggest more #26222
• Render widgets in the editor with the same style as in the theme Render widgets in the editor with the same style as in the theme #26163 [Widgets Screen] Cover Block stretches across widget area if height left unspecified  #26181
• Allow inserting block patterns Add block patterns to the Widgets editors #26170
• General stability Add unit tests for all of the exported functions in packages/edit-widgets/store #25406 When themes don't support widgets the editor looks broken #26153 Widgets screen: Use button block appender instead of inline appender #26072 Editing on mobile sometimes shows the inspector unexpectedly #26152 Only register widgets-related blocks in widgets-related contexts (server side) #26156 Widget area block toolbar being displayed #26261
• Hello Dolly plugin causes screen breakage Hello Dolly plugin causes screen breakage #26219 🏆

Block support in widget areas

• Previewing blocks and widget areas Bogus undo and unsaved changes notification #26468
• General stability Widget screen Undo button is active before any actions are taken #26073 Notice on Widgets Screen overlaps Page content #26221 Widgets Screen: Suppress the Legacy Widget block when no 3rd party widgets installed. #26240 Highlight the whole Widget Area when it is selected #26465 Widgets screen: PHP notices with the legacy Recent Posts widget and possibly other legacy widgets #25910
• Provide an API to prevent certain blocks being shown in Widget Areas Provide an API to prevent certain blocks being shown in Widget Areas #28517
• Adding blocks to widget areas

REST API

• General stability Delete widgets that have been removed from all sidebars. #26303 When an empty legacy widget is added the widget area can't be saved #28561 Widgets screen: sidebars endpoint returning inconsistent results for client/server #25982 Hitting enter in text block updates the block's client id. #26252 Data not saving/loading correctly on the widget screen. #26186
• Test sidebars API based on capabilities, not roles Test sidebars API based on capabilities, not roles #24902
• Modify __experimentalBatch to respect batch size limit Batch saving: Modify __experimentalBatch to respect batch size limit #28709
• Use sidebars REST API endpoint. Create remaining issues out of this overview #24530

[draganescu]

Updated to reflect the new focus on Backwards compatibility and extensibility.

[draganescu]

Updated by @noisysocks to reflect priorities for a good merge candidate for WP 5.8.

[draganescu]

I have updated this issue with new info (props @noisysocks) about blockers as we head into the code freeze for WP 5.8 RC 1.

[spacedmonkey]

@noisysocks @draganescu Flagging #32781 and https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53441

[draganescu]

Hey! It's WordPress 5.8 RC2! Can you believe this? WIdgets are going to live nicely along with blocks thanks to the feature this issue tracked for so long!

Thanks everyone for the great work. 🎉 🙏🏻

Closing this as it has run its course. Let's track #33242 instead and make things even better!