WordPress 4.0 released

Finally WordPress 4.0 was released today!

Despite the numbering change, the official data indicates that the change is as substantial as the change from 3.8 to 3.9, and in this note we tell you what the new features are.

Choice of language

We consider that the most outstanding feature is its internationalization, since, from the very beginning of the installation, you can now select the language of our site. This initiative had been launched since May 2014 by Andrew Nation. The interesting thing is that, as soon as we start installing WordPress, the first thing it will ask us is the selected language: thanks to this, all the following steps of the installation will change to the language we have chosen, also being reflected in the search for plugins and themes.

Media Library

Another new feature is the design of the media library. Now you can see your images and videos in a grid format, more visual and current (although it is possible to choose to continue seeing it as it always was, in lines with information to its right). The new view will give you a faster way to view and manage your media files, allowing you to find images faster.

Clicking on a media file will open an overlay window where you can edit the file information.

Video previews

Now it is also possible to embed content directly by indicating the URL of YouTube, TEDex talks, Vimeo, Twitter and WordPress.tv among others. More visual, impossible! This option is very useful because you already know what you are going to be sharing in advance, skipping a preview to be sure.

Plugin installation

Another novelty is the redesign and installation of plugins. With WordPress 4.0, the plugin installation interface is more intuitive and has a better design. The most popular and featured components are displayed, and like the media library, they are displayed in grid form. The screen with the plugin details has also been modified.

Widget customization improvements

The new version of WordPress places all widgets in a sub section of the customization screen. In the previous version, 3.9, widgets were added to a point where if you had too many, the display was compromised. Having its own subsection now makes the visual order friendlier.

Fixed Toolbar

As you type, the top toolbar now stays visible at all times. This makes the writing process more comfortable, avoiding the need to move the cursor up to look for the toolbar in order to style our texts. Goodbye scrolling up and down!

 conclusion

Although they are not significant changes, these small improvements make the experience of using WordPress on a day-to-day basis easier, faster and more user-friendly. Instead of adding and duplicating features, they strived to improve and consolidate the most used tools. These changes reflect the fact that the WordPress team listens to their community. Undoubtedly, most will appreciate and enjoy the improvements.

What do you think of WordPress 4.0? For you, what is the most useful improvement?