Blocks Query

  • velanche

    (@velanche)


    7 months, 2 weeks ago

    Greets. I’m in need of some assistance with blocks. This past week, I was following a WP blocks course that had a local WP setup, and so I set it up on my Mac to follow the course. All went fine, until one day when I got to the section on creating template, which I stared the next day, I was suddenly unable to find the “plus” sign next to create a new part. I then went to Patterns in the editor, and could not find the plus sign to create a new pattern. This really threw me off.

    For the last several days, taking a much-needed break in-between, I tried retracing my steps. Tonight, I did a quick search, and found that there’s a distinction, as I have expected, between adding a pattern, and creating one. Further, I’ve learned that, rather than being able to create from the editor, that I needed to actually have a page, or a post, before having the ability to not only add, but also create, patterns and template parts.

    I wanted to confirm if this is the case? In my thinking, if I were to go to the editor and wish to create a pattern or a template, I could do so ahead of time without necessarily having to have content first.

    I am coming from being a novice at blocks. I have used WordPress in the past, but it’s been before the introduction of blocks. I think I’ve followed enough of it in the last week or so to start my theme work, but wish to be sure that my thinking on creating a pattern or template part via the blocks editor is sound and logical.

    Thank you.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Birgit Pauli-Haack

    (@bph)

    7 months, 2 weeks ago

    There are two groups of template-related entities.

    Templates and patterns. A template part is also a Pattern, that’s why they can be found and managed via the same menu item “Patterns”

    From the site editor, you can create Templates from scratch via Editor > Templates > Add Template.

    Screenshot 2025 08 11 at 10 55 51

    To add a Pattern or Template part go to Editor > Patterns > Add Pattern

    https://cloudup.com/i_JvX0ICSqu/f

    The drop-down offers you three options:

    • Add Patterns
    • Add Template Part
    • Import pattern from JSON

    Screenshot 2025 08 11 at 10 57 06

    I am not sure, if I answer your question completely. At least, so I hope, it established a shared understanding of the pieces.

    Thread Starter velanche

    (@velanche)

    7 months, 2 weeks ago

    Hello Birgit and thank you for the reply.

    Yes, you have made the understanding of templates clear…I appreciate it.

    Going back to Patterns, do I need to have a Page or a Post in order to create a pattern? I can add them, but if I want to create one, the only time that I see the plus sign is when I have either a Page or Post to insert a pattern in. When I choose Patterns in the Editor, I see the existing patterns, but not an option to create a new pattern, but only to add one.

    Thank you.

    Birgit Pauli-Haack

    (@bph)

    7 months, 2 weeks ago

    You don’t need a Page or a Post to create a pattern. You can go right into Editor > Patterns > Add new Pattern and add the blocks for your pattern. You decide on should it be a synched or standard pattern. I made you two videos

    The plus sign you see when editing a page or a post has one purpose: to open the Inserter so you can add existing blocks or patterns to the canvas or your post or page.

    There is another way to save a combination of blocks into a pattern to be reused: via the Block’s Toolbar menu > Create a pattern. This is helpful when you realize that you used the same combination of blocks multiple times. Now you can highlight this group of blocks, click on the 3-dot menu in the block toolbar, and select the menu item “Create a Pattern.” Here is another video.

    You’ll find more resources around patterns on the Documentation page: Block Patterns

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

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