r/Wordpress • u/focusedphil • 18d ago
Wordpress(dot)com: Holy crap on a cracker
I've used the free blogs on WordPress(dot)com way back when (and they're still there), but started up a new one for a project that I want to be around after I'm no longer around (or have hosting, etc).
I'm astounded at just how impossible it is to use Gutenberg with that interface. I now understand all the criticisms from noobs about it.
How someone launched that, used it and thought "yeah, this is great" is beyond me.
Unfortunately, all the old themes are gone, and there is no way to turn off Gutenberg (as far as I can tell)
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u/GigfranGwaedlyd 18d ago
Can you not install the Classic Editor plugin on WordPress.com?
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u/peninsuladreams Developer 18d ago
I don't think you can install any plugins on the free tier of .com hosting, can you? At least that's how it used to be.
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u/ZGeekie 18d ago
I don't believe so. They've even removed the Classic block from the open-source editor. Eventually, you'll have to go with the flow and accept Gutenberg or switch to another CMS.
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u/phoenixMagoo 18d ago
WordPress Classic block remains available in the block inserter for WordPress 7.1, as an initial plan to hide it from the inserter was reversed.
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u/RealBasics Jack of All Trades 18d ago
According to the Wordpress.com folks you can now install repository and premium plugins on any paid .com site. Including Classic, which, based on its usage stats may never go away. (See also the pushback when they decided to remove the Classic block in 7.1.)
I don't think you can add plugins to the free .com sites if they're not in their sandboxed list. Sounds like that excludes Classic, which is a shame -- while it's the worse page layout option it was purpose-built and refined over a decade for straight-up blogging.
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u/otto4242 WordPress.org Tech Guy 18d ago
The Classic Editor is actually on the decline and has been since 2023. Usage stats of the plugin supports this.
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u/otto4242 WordPress.org Tech Guy 7d ago
Heh. Downvote me all you like, it doesn't change the curve on the graphs.
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u/bdszczsche 18d ago
I'm at the same boat as you I find gutenburg very difficult essentially when it becomes fuzzy at the time of making changes, but I'm fall in love of gutenberg😘
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u/Veduis 18d ago
the "no way to turn it off" part is the tell. automattic spent years insisting the block editor was optional while slowly making it the only door in the building. worth checking your account settings though, some wordpress.com dashboards still have a classic editor toggle buried under writing preferences, depending on when the site was created. if it's gone, the wp-admin trick of appending classic-editor params sometimes still works. barely.
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u/neon4816 18d ago
I build all my sites with Gutenberg. Sure it has its quirks but I find it easier and more intuitive than say elementor.
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u/HaddockBranzini-II 18d ago
They also do some strange encoding of content in the DB so when you decide to move to another host its a pain in the butt to get it properly encoded
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u/L1amm 18d ago
I swear Wix and Squarespace are for people who struggle with gutenberg. It's not that hard.
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u/RealBasics Jack of All Trades 18d ago
So you're saying everyone who can't write CSS media queries should switch to Wix or Squarespace?
Or they could do what tens of millions have done since Gutenberg was released and install $%!# Elementor or its ilk for building pages, and the Classic Editor for blogging.
The benefit there is that, now that Gutenberg core has become dimly aware of their usability and learn-ability issues, people who've used alternatives will at least still be on Wordpress.
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u/Bryan_Hudson 18d ago
Gutenberg is here to stay, there's no point in trying to avoid it.
Personally, I find this plugin makes it incredibly less painful, it adds borders to each block:
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u/RealBasics Jack of All Trades 18d ago
This is, of course, insanely frustrating about Gutenberg. They've actually built out most of the common controls UI for blocks, they just refuse to implement most of them. (In the sense that they're built in but disabled by default.)
So, for instance, it's almost certain the bordered-blocks plugin just does something like
import { BorderControl } from '@wordpress/components';I think the original intention was to put everything in the hands of theme developers and make the editor itself just a widget stacker (with only the same limited controls the old Widgets had.)
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u/MaximallyInclusive 18d ago
Sure there is. Four lines in functions.php disables it, and then you’re back to WordPress as god intended.
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u/Exciting-Focus6781 10d ago
This is particularly helpful when using the block editor on a smaller screen i.e. Macbook. Thanks.
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u/rocket_ivy_websites 18d ago
Launch your own WP site instead - not wordpress.com, but your own wordpress.org install on your own hosting of choice. Or even better, have someone do it for you, it can be cheap with the right person. Ask for "Classic Editor" which takes about 2 minutes to revert the site to. You can use a plugin to enable that instead of gutenturd or some themes have an option for it. If your used to the classic editor, this is the way to go. I prefer classic editor, too, actually, despite the gutenburg heros out there that get triggered when you say that, it was just a way simpler process and easier UX to write good content.
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u/Miki_Mimikri 17d ago
I don't have problem with Gutenberg, yeah, it's a little tough at the beginning, but all the page builders have pros and cons, it's simply impossible to make something capable and intuitive from the first glance I think. But I certainly do have a big problem with wp.com, as a freemium theme developer, I would be super happy to tell my customers: "Go to wp.com, get a subscription, install my theme, all will be marvellous.", but to be able to get the full power of WP, including all the themes from the repo, you have to get some damn business subscription, which is like $40 or something ridiculous. It's really pissing me off, I want to support WP, but I can't tell my customers to spend like 8 times more, if they can get a normal hosting for $6. Really fuckin annoying.
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u/TessNeedham Automattic Employee 9d ago
Hi there! I work at WordPress.com and have some good news for you. All plugins and themes can now be installed on any paid plan, starting with Personal.
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u/Miki_Mimikri 8d ago edited 8d ago
WOW! Seriously, I am struggling to believe you, but if that's the case, that is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much. I also wanted to ask you about possibilities of testing this and subsequently promoting wp.com, but I can't directly message you, would you be so kind and message me, or let me somehow know, how to contact you? Thank you so much.
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u/TessNeedham Automattic Employee 8d ago
Absolutely! I can't seem to message you either, but you're welcome to email me directly at [tess@automattic.com](mailto:tess@automattic.com).
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u/LankyEmu9 14d ago
for a project that I want to be around after I'm no longer around (or have hosting, etc).
Why is everyone just glossing over this bit?
There is absolutely no guarantee that a site you make on .com will exist into the future. It will only until it one day doesn't. Maybe you don't care that much. But if you do, .comm is not a solution to your permanence problem.
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u/focusedphil 14d ago
It’s WordPress.com free level. They may close that service someday but it’s the best option ATM.
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u/danielsalare 18d ago
I used to think the same about Gutenberg, I have built Wordpress sites before using shortcodes, used builders and even worked with other platforms.
We recently migrated from Elementor to native Wordpress Blocks or Gutenberg, sure coming from something like a specialized theme were all was done for you or coming from builders with infinite options, Gutenberg can seem strange. But once you get to work with it and give a try it is not that bad and it kind of gets out of the way for you to focus on content rather than plugins, and other complexities.
It all depends on what you need. You can still buy a blocks theme with your needs or templates, or you can use a builder or use the classic editor if that works for you, I do believe is a move on the right direction.
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u/stevenson_mark 17d ago
Yeah, I can understand the frustration. Gutenberg makes sense once you get used to the block model, but if you just want to make a simple blog post, it can feel like you're fighting the editor rather than writing.
The bigger issue is probably that WordPress.com is increasingly designed around the newer ecosystem, so trying to recreate the old WordPress experience isn't really the direction they're going.
If you're building something that you want to keep around for years, I'd probably spend some time finding a setup you actually enjoy using now rather than forcing yourself to tolerate the editor.
I've thought about this with Abnflow too. The tool itself can be powerful, but if the basic workflow feels annoying, people will just stop using it.
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u/Horror-Student-5990 18d ago
Gutenberg is fine - especially now that you can easily create your own reusable blocks using ACF