New WordPress 6.7 Beta 1: A glimpse of what to expect

The WordPress 6.7 Beta 1 version is here! This new beta brings a range of improvements and features that promise to enrich the experience of creating and managing websites. Although it is not recommended to install it in production environments, it is an excellent opportunity to discover the new features that await us. The final version will arrive on November 12, 2024, and your participation in the tests is crucial to ensure that it meets stability and usability standards.

Strengths of the new version

1. Twenty Twenty-Five theme.

One of the main new features is the new Twenty Twenty-Five theme. This theme is designed to be flexible and adaptable to different styles, allowing users to tell their story through visual patterns. It is inspired by nature and cultural heritage, offering an appealing aesthetic for websites.

2. Improved editing with Zoom Out.

The new Zoom Out view makes the editing process easier. Users can create and edit at the pattern level, making it easier to work on the structure of a page without focusing on each individual block.

3. Improved image handling.

With WordPress 6.7, you can now upload images in HEIC format, which will be automatically converted to JPEG. This ensures better compatibility with different browsers. In addition, options are added to customize background images, which improves the visual appearance and speed of the site.

4. More options for blocks.

This update also provides more options for various blocks, including the much-requested option to add shadows to group blocks. This gives designers and developers more tools to create visually appealing content.

5. Preview customization.

Developers will be able to use a new API that allows them to customize content previews in the block editor. This means that custom elements can be added to the preview menu, which will improve the user experience.

6. Improved data views.

The data views introduced in previous versions will receive improvements, making them more flexible and easier to use. This will make it easier to customize and view important data.

7. Optimization of the query block.

The query block has been simplified to automatically inherit the template settings. This means that publications will appear immediately in the editor and on the website, saving time for users.

8. Font size control.

The new style interface allows users to easily modify and create font size options. It will also be possible to enable fluid typography, which adjusts text size responsively on different devices.

9. Split view for meta boxes.

A new split view has been added that allows accessing the editor canvas and meta boxes at the same time. This ensures a more consistent and user-friendly editing experience.

10. Simplified template registration.

Developers will be able to register custom block templates more easily, streamlining the development and customization process.

Would you like to try this release?

If you want to try WordPress 6.7 Beta 1, you can do so in several ways:

• Plugin WordPress Beta Tester: Install and activate the plugin WordPress Beta Tester on a WordPress installation. Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and the “Beta/RC Only” flow.
• Direct download: Download the Beta 1 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website.
• Command line (WP-CLI): Use the following WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.7-beta1.
• WordPress Playground: Use an instance of WordPress Playground 6.7 Beta 1 to test the software directly in your browser, no configuration required-just click and go!

Future Prospects

WordPress 6.7 Beta 1 brings with it a number of improvements and new features that enrich the experience for both users and developers. With an attractive new theme, more intuitive editing tools, and a renewed focus on content management, this update promises to make WordPress a more powerful and user-friendly platform.