Gutenberg represents a revolutionary change in the editor, transforming how users and authors manage their content on WordPress. It provides a more flexible, dynamic system that replaces the legacy Classic Editor through a modern graphical editing experience.
Since its first release in 2018, this WordPress page editor has empowered millions of WordPress developers in their quest to create rich and interactive layouts without requiring extra plugins or coding. Given its periodic updates, this editor continues to expand with added features and performance, supporting customization for all of WordPress’s compelling tools.
The Genesis of Gutenberg – How It All Started
Before Gutenberg, WordPress used the Classic Editor, a word processor that allowed users to input and format text. However, it failed to fulfill the requirements of modern web design. Shortcodes, widgets, or custom HTML were required to add images, buttons, and columns.
Recognizing that the editing world needed improvement, WordPress’s team began working on its newest block-based system. This idea was inspired by Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the first printing press. Gutenberg constructed a block-based editor that enables intuitive, visual, and codeless content creation.
Key Highlights of Gutenberg
- Inspired by Johannes Gutenberg
- Block-based intuitive editing
- No more shortcodes needed
- Launched with WordPress 5.0
- Drag-and-drop functionality added
- Replaced Classic Editor fully
- Customizable and moveable blocks
- Improved content structuring tools
- Reduced reliance on plugins
- Visual and codeless editing
Content blocks were designed to eliminate the pain of shortcodes and manual formatting. Any block, whether text, image, or button, was moveable, styleable, and fully customizable. This change freed users to create full pages without being bound by third-party page builders.
After three months of testing and development, Gutenberg was officially launched on December 6, 2018, with WordPress 5.0. This marked perhaps the biggest change in the whole history of WordPress, opening up a new era in content creation.
Timeline of Important Events
Growing since its release, Gutenberg version history has had so many new updates and improvements. Year after year, it added performance, usability, and feature improvements that stretched its capabilities. Here are the most important milestones in Gutenberg (Github Gutenberg Release Data):
2018: This is the Launch of Gutenberg
Gutenberg was launched as the default WordPress editor, replacing the Classic Editor. It was a block-based editor that enabled users to visually structure content. The update featured essential blocks, such as paragraphs, images, headings, buttons, and lists.
Many users disliked this change since it felt unusual for them. Nonetheless, Gutenberg became common as developers fine-tuned the editor over time, introduced new functionalities, and did many things with it. And eventually set up a solid basis for the contemporary WordPress editing experience.
Pro Tip: Compare WordPress Classic Editor vs Gutenberg Editor to find out their key differences. See how Gutenberg elevates the editing experience and addresses the Classic Editor’s weaknesses.
2019: Performance Improvements and Addition
In 2019, speed improvements and the expansion of Gutenberg’s block library occurred. Users could use dynamic content blocks, which provided the ability to insert reusable design elements across various pages.
Gutenberg also became more compatible with existing WordPress themes, reducing layout inconsistencies. The editor’s speed and responsiveness were optimized, ensuring a smoother experience even for content-heavy pages.
2020: Full-Site Editing Development Begins But Not Fully Launched
One of the most significant updates in 2020 was the early development of Full-Site Editing (FSE). While it did not become fully functional that year, the groundwork was laid to allow WordPress service providers to customize headers, footers, sidebars, and entire layouts using blocks.
WordPress has worked for block-based themes since FSE’s introduction. It was first presented in WordPress 5.8 (2021) and became a core feature in WordPress 5.9 in the first month of 2022.
2021: Customization and UI Enhancements
With Gutenberg gaining traction, developers introduced more customization options in 2021. Users could now adjust typography settings, apply global styles, and use enhanced block patterns to create consistent designs.
The drag-and-drop experience was refined, making arranging and resizing blocks easier. These updates made Gutenberg more flexible and efficient for both beginners and experienced WordPress users.
2022: Multi-User Collaboration Announced but Remained in Development
In 2022, the focus was on speed, usability, and making the Gutenberg editor lighter and more efficient. Backend optimizations improved loading speeds, and container blocks made it easier to build complex layouts.
While multi-user collaboration features were announced, real-time co-editing (similar to Google Docs) was not fully available in 2022. Instead, WordPress began developing these features, with plans for full real-time collaboration in later phases of Gutenberg’s roadmap.
2023: AI Features Introduced in the Experimental Phase
In 2023, accessibility improvements became a major focus, and WordPress experimented with AI-powered content suggestions. These AI tools aimed to help users structure content more effectively and generate design recommendations, but they were not yet a core part of WordPress.
- Experimental AI features included:
- AI-assisted writing (suggesting headings, summaries)
- Automated content formatting suggestions
- Design improvements for accessibility and SEO
However, AI was not fully integrated into Gutenberg yet—instead, it was tested in various WordPress plugins and early experimental releases. Full AI-powered content creation and automation are expected to become a standard feature in 2025 and beyond.
2024: Further improvements to designs with expansion on Full Site Editing
In 2024, Gutenberg enhanced Full-Site Editing to become more potent in site-wide customizations. For classic themes, the feature called Style Book introduced previewing and managing global design settings efficiently.
A new Query Total block provided advanced filtering and dynamic content display options. This helps users organize large amounts of data efficiently. Accessibility also saw major improvements with better keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and UI refinements.
Component library updates and code quality enhancements made the editor smoother and more efficient, ensuring a faster and more intuitive editing experience for all users.
2025: Advanced Customization and AI Integration
In 2025, Gutenberg developers’ primary focus has shifted toward AI-powered editing tools. Users can access features like content structuring, layout suggestions, and SEO enhancements, making content creation more innovative and more efficient.
FSE has become even more powerful, and users can now build websites without traditional themes. More block-based themes and WordPress plugins are making FSE the new standard for site-building.
Global design presets mean that users can apply site-wide styles instantly. Performance improvements ensure that content-heavy sites load faster and run smoothly; 2025 will be a game-changing year for Gutenberg.
Last 100+ Gutenberg Versions List
| Gutenberg Version History | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Gutenberg 22.0 — Gutenberg 22.3 (Current Version) | 29 Oct 2025 — 11 Dec 2025 |
| Gutenberg 21.0 — Gutenberg 21.9 | 11 June 2025 — 22 Oct 2025 |
| Gutenberg 20.0 — Gutenberg 20.9 | 10 Jan 2025 — 28 May 2025 |
| Gutenberg 19.0 — Gutenberg 19.9 | 14 Aug 2024 — 19 Dec 2024 |
| Gutenberg 18.0 — Gutenberg 18.9 | 27 Mar 2024 — 31 Jul 2024 |
| Gutenberg 17.0 — Gutenberg 17.9 | 09 Nov 2023 — 13 Mar 2024 |
| Gutenberg 16.0 — Gutenberg 16.9 | 14 Jun 2023 — 25 Oct 2023 |
| Gutenberg 15.0 — Gutenberg 15.9 | 18 Jan 2023 — 31 May 2023 |
| Gutenberg 14.0 — Gutenberg 14.9 | 31 Aug 2022 — 04 Jan 2023 |
| Gutenberg 13.0 — Gutenberg 13.9 | 14 Apr 2022 — 17 Aug 2022 |
| Gutenberg 12.0 — Gutenberg 12.9 | 24 Nov 2021 — 30 Mar 2022 |
| Gutenberg 11.0 — Gutenberg 11.9 | 09 July 2021 — 12 Nov 2021 |
| Gutenberg 10.0 — Gutenberg 10.9 | 17 Feb 2021 — 23 Jun 2021 |
| Gutenberg 9.0 — Gutenberg 9.9 | 16 Sep 2020 — 05 Feb 2021 |
| Gutenberg 8.0 — Gutenberg 8.9 | 29 Apr 2020 — 02 Sep 2020 |
| Gutenberg 7.0 — Gutenberg 7.9 | 27 Nov 2019 — 15 Apr 2020 |
| Gutenberg 6.0 — Gutenberg 6.9 | 26 Jun 2019 — 14 Nov 2019 |
| Gutenberg 5.0 — Gutenberg 5.9 | 06 Feb 2019 — 12 Jun 2019 |
| Gutenberg 4.0 — Gutenberg 4.9 | 17 Oct 2018 — 23 Jan 2019 |
| Gutenberg 3.0 — Gutenberg 3.9 | 5 Jun 2018 — 21 Sep 2018 |
| Gutenberg 2.0 — Gutenberg 2.9 | 12 Jan 2018 — 18 May 2018 |
| Gutenberg 1.0 — Gutenberg 1.9 | 29 Aug 2017 — 11 Dec 2017 |
Why Do Gutenberg Updates Happen?
Gutenberg is one of WordPress’s most critical features. It must be updated regularly to meet users’ needs and current industry standards. Each update concerns performance, usability, and security.
The security updates must be ensured first to patch vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Performance enhancements ensure the editor remains quick and responsive, even for the largest websites.
New features are often added to improve personalization options, allowing users more creative control. In addition, bug fixes make editing seamless and error-free, so Gutenberg becomes even more reliable with each update.
Current Trends in Gutenberg
Gutenberg is reshaping its future by following the latest industry trends. One of the most exciting trends is AI-powered content assistance, which generates structured, quality content for users much faster than before.
Full-site editing is growing, and more themes embrace block-based customization. As a result, the traditional theme customizer will become obsolete, as users can visualize their entire website as something they can edit.
Collaboration features are boosting real-time multi-user editing functionality. Like Google Docs, this will allow many users to collaborate on a content page simultaneously, making Gutenberg a team-friendly tool.
Accessibility improvements have also made the editor friendly to people with some disabilities. Voice-controlled editing, where users can type content hands-free, is also on the horizon.
The Future of Gutenberg – What is Next?
WordPress recently released a four-phase roadmap for Gutenberg’s future development. They aim to make it the most powerful content editor available.
1. Enhancements in Core Editing
The first phase improves the core editing experience with more advanced block controls, improved drag-and-drop functionality, and enhanced block styling options for developers.
2. Customization Expansion
The second phase aims to expand Full-Site Editing capabilities. More block-based themes will be introduced, allowing users to design entire websites visually without coding.
3. Real-Time Collaboration
In the third release, Gutenberg is going to allow multi-user collaboration. This allows several users to edit the same content at one time, thereby making WordPress much more efficient as a team or business platform.
4. Native Multilingual Capabilities
Phase four will finally bring native, natively-based multilingual functionality to WordPress so users can manage and create content in various languages without translation plugins.
Conclusion
Gutenberg Editor has indeed changed the face of content creation in WordPress since its release in 2018. It is yet another modern, easy-to-use, and customizable content editing option. Gone are the options a Classic Editor offers and its limitations; WordPress design and development are becoming more visual, flexible, and accessible.
Gutenberg has come a long way since its very early days. Full-site editing tools and capabilities provide an effortless means of creating a professional-looking website. Like any big thing, Gutenberg continues to be at the forefront of WordPress’s advancement in content design and creation on the web.
An ambitious roadmap, continuous improvements, and rising adoption make it the future of WordPress editing. In the future, millions of users will create better websites with more dynamic designs.
Ready to take your WordPress editing experience to the next level? Start exploring Gutenberg today and unlock a world of seamless, intuitive, and powerful content creation! 🚀
