Tracking: A curated list of high-priority extensibility issues and enhancements

[justintadlock]

The following is a curated list of extensibility issues that have mostly been identified through various channels and events by DevRel teams, such as Hallway Hangouts, Developer Hours, the #outreach channel on Slack, and via the @WordPress/outreach group.

This is a tracking issue to help contributors prioritize issues and enhancements based on direct feedback from extenders.

It is not an exhaustive list of every extensibility issue (there's a label for that). Instead these are oft-repeated blockers for adopting the block system and quality-of-life enhancements that folks want to see. The list is broken down into major categories.

Theming

• Add support for synced theme patterns (with overrides) #59272
• Font faces defined in variations aren't loaded in the browser until the variation switch is saved and the page is refreshed #59965
• Style variations should be another layer in the theme.json hierarchy rather than stored in the database #62661
• Standardized way to modify interactive states (:hover, :focus .etc) for blocks #38277
• color-palette-panel - add possibility to "group" colors #47837
• Connect "Section Styling" with "Pattern Overrides"/ "Content Only" locking #62078
• Add a way to identify which .JSON style variation that is in use #43405
• Block variations are missing Global Styles support #47324

Extending and Building Blocks

• Allow to disable settings for specific blocks #38767
• Allow custom settings to be placed in global styles #47990
• Allow/deny block use based on post-type or template context #41062

Extending the Editor

• Plugin sorting via priority property in registerPlugin #16384
• A page attributes panel slot now exists #61768
• Add PluginHeaderToolbar SlotFill to edit-post package. #52261
• Add extensibility to PreviewOptions #50605
• Make the Preview Menu extensible #31984
• Allow extending editor preview in more ways #65005
• Provide ways to extend/customize the Global Styles sidebar #48068
• Block Registration: add SlotFill to extend a block's description #49887

Stabilize experimental block supports

• Stabilize Typography Block Supports Keys for WP 6.8 #63001
• Stabilize Border Block Support Keys for WP 6.8 #64312
• Stabilize the __experimentalDefaultControls block supports property #64314

Developer Experience

• Scaffold for typescript in @wordpress/create-block #39915
• Docs: Add explanations about attributes of each Core Block in the documentation (and in the source code) #64057

[annezazu]

Love this. Thank you for rounding up and summarizing!

[paaljoachim]

Thank you for this tracking issue Justin!
I have one more to the list.
Disable and trash default templates included in the theme one does not want to use.

• Site Editor: add option to disable templates #49640

[gziolo]

I landed today:

• Editor: Add extensibility to PreviewOptions v2 #64644

In effect, we could close some previous attempts:

• Add extensibility to PreviewOptions #50605
• Make the Preview Menu extensible #31984

Although looking at the code in PRs, I figured out that some attempts very more complex as they also tried to integrate more deeply into the editor screen by allowing to replace the visual code editor. We should revisit that later.

[simison]

I elaborated more in a new issue about future possibilities for extending preview menu and the canvas:

• Allow extending editor preview in more ways #65005

[paaljoachim]

It is difficult when the design shows one thing and the UI controls show something else.
When code has been added to Global styles and/or theme.json this should be reflected in the UI controls. Showing a consistent experience of design that is reflected through the UI controls.

Local block appearance controls should reflect values from global styles / theme.json

• Local block appearance controls should reflect values from global styles / theme.json #37752

[justintadlock]

New PRs for some of the above issues that could use some testing:

• Stabilize the __experimentalBorder support #65968
• Stabilize typography block support keys #65964
• Stabilize the Experimental block supports property #65912

[bph]

There is also a need to address this:

• Replace hardcoded breakpoints in front-end CSS with more modular CSS #35848

[gziolo]

This one is in progress:

• Block Registration: add SlotFill to extend a block's description #49887

Related PR:

• Add InspectorBlockInfo using SlotFill method #66170

There is an ongoing discussion on how to shape this slot/fill pair so it doesn't get used as a way to promote plugin features instead of being helpful for the user to provide additional details and action items specific to the block type. I would appreciate any feedback you can provide on the topic.

[akshaya-rane]

The following tickets are in Progress.

• Allow to disable settings for specific blocks #38767
  Related PR Disable Width Settings in Button Block #66254

• Provide ways to extend/customize the Global Styles sidebar #48068
  Related PR global styles slotfill #66282

The following tickets need a review.

• Stabilize Typography Block Supports Keys for WP 6.8 #63001
  Related PR Stabilize typography block support keys #65964

• Stabilize Border Block Support Keys for WP 6.8 #64312
  Related PR Stabilize the __experimentalBorder support #65968

• Stabilize the __experimentalDefaultControls block supports property #64314
  Related PR Stabilize the Experimental block supports property #65912

The following ticket concluded.

• Allow/deny block use based on post-type or template context #41062