Patterns: determine how best to address creating a category of patterns that matches Core

[annezazu]

Right now, we have some pattern categories that are hidden but are designed to be a future category for patterns to be added to: #49174 This includes Testimonials and Portfolio. While testing the pattern category work, I noticed that if I created patterns with a category that matched some of these invisible categories, I would get a neat description in the Pattern section:

This stands in comparison to a category that doesn't match one of these:

What should we do here? Perhaps the answer is nothing but I wonder what folks might think if we later add patterns to these categories and suddenly new patterns that are locked magically appear in this carefully curated category that then can't be removed. Marking this as a bug for now but keen to hear from others.

cc @WordPress/gutenberg-design @aaronrobertshaw

[annezazu]

Hmm, perhaps this doesn't matter too much since folks can create patterns for current categories too, like this example with Posts. I think I mainly wonder how folks might feel if Core patterns are added to user created categories after the fact.

[jasmussen]

Working through this, you'll never be able to edit the description of the core/stock categories, even if you can categorize into them.

Though if we find the need to add descriptions to custom categories, that could be an enhancement. One proposed design would be:

Testing
Add a description for this category.

The second line would be helper-text gray (if possible to lighter than it is now) and/or italic, and on click would turn into an inline text field with a save/cancel combo.

[estelaris]

I think @jasmussen 's proposal is the simplest for users to understand and use

[annezazu]

I'm afraid we've run out of time for a decision for 6.4 and it doesn't appear there's a PR to move this forward. I'm punting to 6.4.1 as a result.

[aaronrobertshaw]

Hmm, perhaps this doesn't matter too much since folks can create patterns for current categories too, like this example with Posts. I think I mainly wonder how folks might feel if Core patterns are added to user created categories after the fact.

My understanding is that long term there shouldn't really be a distinction between user-created categories or those that come from core patterns.

While it hasn't made 6.4 there are plans to provide "source" filtering on the site editor's pattern management page. These would allow users to filter by the source of patterns e.g. user-created, directory, theme, plugin etc. Similar to the post editor's inserter and the filters available there.

With that functionality in place, I don't think there's much of an issue with core patterns appearing in a category "after the fact". Happy to be corrected on this though.

If that is satisfactory, is all that is needed to resolve this issue, being able to add descriptions for the user-created pattern categories?

One interim workaround would be to add a description to the pattern category taxonomy term via wp-admin/edit-tags.php?taxonomy=wp_pattern_category.

[talldan]

We could also distinguish the core categories from the user created ones, but I don't know that it's absolutely necessary. It might be more relevant if there were UI for renaming/deleting categories as mentioned here - #54699

[annezazu]

Noting that this might help where it will surface Core categories upfront: #55024

[richtabor]

My understanding is that long term there shouldn't really be a distinction between user-created categories or those that come from core patterns.

I lean this way too. If I add a pattern to the "About" category, it should sit in the same category as any other patterns registered in the category. I wouldn't want two separate "About" categories.