How to Test Your Site for Updating to Gutenberg (Block Editor)

Is Your WordPress Site Ready for Gutenberg? Here‘s How to Test It (2024 Guide)

Hey there, WordPress user! If you‘re still rocking the Classic editor in 2024, you might be thinking about finally making the switch to the Gutenberg block editor. After all, according to WordPress.org, over 70% of all WordPress sites are now using Gutenberg!

But wait – before you hit that update button, it‘s crucial to thoroughly test your site first. You don‘t want to accidentally break something and send your blood pressure through the roof, right?

Don‘t worry, I‘ve got your back. As a seasoned WordPress developer, I‘m going to walk you through the process of testing your site with Gutenberg step-by-step. By the end of this post, you‘ll be ready to make the switch with confidence – or stick with the Classic editor a bit longer if needed.

Why Testing is Non-Negotiable for Major WordPress Updates

First, let‘s talk about why testing is so darn important. Gutenberg was a massive change to the WordPress editing experience, moving from a single text field to a system of modular "blocks".

While the WordPress core team worked hard to make the transition as smooth as possible, the reality is that themes and plugins built for the Classic editor can have compatibility issues with Gutenberg.

Classic Editor	Gutenberg Block Editor
One rich text field	Multiple content blocks
Limited formatting options	Wide range of block types for different content
Separate meta boxes	Unified sidebar for block settings and meta boxes
No drag-and-drop	Drag-and-drop block arranging

If you update carelessly and plugins or theme features break, it could take your site offline or make it look like a Picasso painting. Not good!

By properly testing first, you can catch any potential issues in a safe environment. Then you can work with your theme/plugin developers to get compatible versions or find alternatives before updating your live site.

Your 4-Step Gutenberg Testing Checklist

Alright, let‘s get into the nitty-gritty of testing Gutenberg. Follow these steps and you‘ll be good to go:

Step 1: Back That Site Up

Before you do anything else, make sure you have a complete backup of your WordPress site, including:

WordPress core files
Themes and plugins
Media uploads
Database

If you have a recent backup from your host or a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or BlogVault, you‘re set. If not, now‘s the time to run a backup. Trust me, you don‘t want to learn this lesson the hard way!

Step 2: Create a Staging Environment

Next up, you need a safe space to run your Gutenberg test without affecting your live site. This is called a staging site – essentially an exact copy of your site that only you can access.

If you‘re on a host like WP Engine, Flywheel, or SiteGround, you‘re in luck. They have handy 1-click staging tools built right into the hosting dashboard.

For example, on SiteGround, you‘d log into Site Tools, go to the WordPress section, and click "Create Staging Copy". In just a few minutes, you‘ll have an identical clone of your site to play with.

Don‘t have built-in staging? No problemo. You can DIY it:

Create a subdomain like staging.yoursite.com and point it to an empty directory on your host
Use a plugin like Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration to migrate a copy of your live site to the subdomain
Password protect the staging site so no one else can access it

Boom, staging environment complete!

Step 3: Update and Test All the Things

Time to get down to business. On your staging site, update WordPress to a version with Gutenberg active. Now click around and test as if you were a new visitor to your site.

A partial testing checklist:

Front page, posts, pages all display properly with Gutenberg blocks?
Overall theme styling is intact?
Header, menus, sidebar, footer functioning?
Plugin functionality like forms, sliders, polls working?
Creating/editing posts and pages works in Gutenberg?

Pro tip: Check your site on mobile devices too, since Gutenberg has a mobile-friendly editing view.

As you test, note down any compatibility issues you find. If anything seems broken, you may need to reach out to the developer for a Gutenberg-ready update.

Step 4: Ready to Update? The Choice is Yours

Alright, decision time. How did your staging site fare in the test? If everything looks slick and works smoothly, green light – update your live site to Gutenberg!

But if Gutenberg broke some essential functionality or you‘re just not ready to learn a new system, no worries. You have a few options:

Reach out to your theme/plugin authors requesting a Gutenberg compatibility update
Hire a WordPress developer to make compatibility tweaks
Look for alternative themes or plugins built for Gutenberg
Hold off on updating and keep on keeping on with the Classic editor

Remember, the Classic Editor plugin is fully supported until 2026, so there‘s no rush. Make the move to Gutenberg when you and your site are ready.

Making the Most of the Block Editor Life

If you are ready to embrace the Gutenberg way, mazel tov! While there‘s certainly a learning curve, the block editor can be pretty darn nifty once you get the hang of it.

To flatten that curve, I highly recommend digging into some Gutenberg educational resources, like:

And don‘t forget to have some fun with it! Gutenberg opens up a lot of cool design possibilities, especially when you add in some extra block plugins like Kadence Blocks or GenerateBlocks.

Over to You

Phew, that was a lot of info! I hope this guide has made the idea of testing your site for Gutenberg a little less scary.

Just remember, with a solid staging environment and thorough testing, you can make the transition with minimal stress. And if you hit any snags, the WordPress community has your back.

Now go forth and test, you intrepid WordPress user, you! And if you have any questions or tips to share, drop ‘em in the comments.

Happy WordPressing!