wordpress-block-editor-fse

WordPress Block Editor & Full Site Editing

Overview

Full Site Editing (FSE) is production-ready (since WP 6.2) and treats everything as blocks—headers, footers, templates, not just content. Block themes use HTML templates + theme.json instead of PHP files + style.css.

Key Components:

• theme.json: Centralized colors, typography, spacing, layout
• HTML Templates: Block-based files (index.html, single.html)
• Template Parts: Reusable components (header.html, footer.html)
• Block Patterns: Pre-designed block layouts
• Site Editor: Visual template customization

When to Use: ✅ New themes, consistent design systems, non-technical user customization ❌ Complex server logic, team unfamiliar with blocks, heavy PHP dependencies

Full Site Editing Architecture

Block Themes vs Classic Themes

Block Themes	Classic Themes
HTML files with blocks	PHP files with template tags
theme.json + CSS	functions.php + style.css
Site Editor (visual)	Customizer (settings)
User edits templates	Limited customization

Site Editor Capabilities

• Template editing (pages, posts, archives)
• Template parts (header/footer variations)
• Global styles (colors, typography site-wide)
• Pattern library (save/reuse block compositions)
• Navigation menus (block-based)
• Style variations (alternate design presets)

theme.json Configuration

theme.json v3 (WP 6.7) provides centralized design control. WordPress auto-generates CSS custom properties.

Production Example

{
  "$schema": "https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json",
  "version": 3,
  "settings": {
    "appearanceTools": true,
    "useRootPaddingAwareAlignments": true,
    "layout": {
      "contentSize": "800px",
      "wideSize": "1200px"
    },
    "color": {
      "palette": [
        { "slug": "primary", "color": "#0073aa", "name": "Primary" },
        { "slug": "secondary", "color": "#005177", "name": "Secondary" },
        { "slug": "base", "color": "#ffffff", "name": "Base" },
        { "slug": "contrast", "color": "#000000", "name": "Contrast" }
      ],
      "defaultPalette": false,
      "defaultGradients": false
    },
    "typography": {
      "fontFamilies": [
        {
          "fontFamily": "-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, sans-serif",
          "slug": "system",
          "name": "System Font"
        }
      ],
      "fontSizes": [
        { "slug": "small", "size": "0.875rem", "name": "Small" },
        { "slug": "medium", "size": "1rem", "name": "Medium" },
        {
          "slug": "large",
          "size": "1.5rem",
          "name": "Large",
          "fluid": { "min": "1.25rem", "max": "1.5rem" }
        }
      ],
      "fontWeight": true,
      "lineHeight": true
    },
    "spacing": {
      "units": ["px", "em", "rem", "vh", "vw", "%"],
      "padding": true,
      "margin": true,
      "spacingSizes": [
        { "slug": "30", "size": "0.5rem", "name": "XS" },
        { "slug": "40", "size": "1rem", "name": "S" },
        { "slug": "50", "size": "1.5rem", "name": "M" },
        { "slug": "60", "size": "2rem", "name": "L" }
      ]
    },
    "border": { "radius": true, "color": true, "width": true }
  },
  "styles": {
    "color": {
      "background": "var(--wp--preset--color--base)",
      "text": "var(--wp--preset--color--contrast)"
    },
    "typography": {
      "fontFamily": "var(--wp--preset--font-family--system)",
      "fontSize": "var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium)",
      "lineHeight": "1.6"
    },
    "elements": {
      "link": {
        "color": { "text": "var(--wp--preset--color--primary)" },
        ":hover": {
          "color": { "text": "var(--wp--preset--color--secondary)" }
        }
      },
      "h1": {
        "typography": {
          "fontSize": "var(--wp--preset--font-size--large)",
          "fontWeight": "700"
        }
      },
      "button": {
        "color": {
          "background": "var(--wp--preset--color--primary)",
          "text": "var(--wp--preset--color--base)"
        },
        "border": { "radius": "4px" },
        ":hover": {
          "color": { "background": "var(--wp--preset--color--secondary)" }
        }
      }
    },
    "blocks": {
      "core/quote": {
        "border": {
          "width": "0 0 0 4px",
          "color": "var(--wp--preset--color--primary)"
        },
        "spacing": { "padding": { "left": "var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)" } }
      }
    }
  },
  "customTemplates": [
    {
      "name": "page-wide",
      "title": "Full Width Page",
      "postTypes": ["page"]
    }
  ]
}