WordPress 4.9 Update: Introducing “Tipton”

WordPress is the web platform that constantly evolves. New trends in web developing and site administration never come beside WordPress. And this feature has become one of the decisive reasons to use WordPress and create billions of web projects within it.

Today we are taking a closer look at the new 4.9 update, which was called “Tipton” (for the memory of the outstanding jazz musician Billy Tipton). The update was released on November 15, 2017 and has already became a huge milestone in the WordPress platform history.

All changes and new features of WordPress 4.9 update can be divided into three big categories: customizer changes, sidebar widgets new options and code editing updates. Let us observe the details of Tipton Update for you to be better informed about new features and opportunities.

First of all we should mention, that the short overview of the Tipton features` are available in video format. The video is created by official WordPress YouTube channel. So, if you prefer watching video instead of reading, you are welcome:

WordPress Customizer in 4.9 Update

The Customizer tool is available to any WordPress admin through Appearance menu and Customizer submenu. This tools offers an opportunity to change the appearance of the main elements on your website in live mode. In Tipton update the Customizer has obtained new several interesting features.

The first feature allows you to schedule any changes you have made on the visual editor. This option opens up huge opportunities for you to make some interesting surprises for your visitors. And it does not require you presence in the concrete time. Now you can schedule every design changes you want as simple as they are made live.

New link preview option is also connected with the Customizer. With the new link preview feature you can share the new design with everyone you want or need just by sending one link. The link recipient do not need an account on your web site or any other registered account. This link sharing option is as simple as any social post showcasing.

Menu creation tool has been slightly changed for the convenience of WordPress administrators. It can be also reached through Customizer as a separate sub menu with the corresponding name. Now you can add multiple items through the visual editor of Customizer and fine-tune them in live mode.

Theme browsing has been also improved within the Customizer visual editor. Now you can preview and change WordPress themes not only from the assortment you have previously downloaded, but from all the available WordPress theme catalog. The choice of a new theme comes even closer than you could expect!

WordPress Widgets in 4.9 Update

The previous WordPress 4.8 update brought us several new widgets, and the Tipton update also has one new widget. This time we have got the Gallery widget for simple adding image galleries to sidebars. The process of creating new gallery was simplified to maximum: you just need to add new gallery through the Widget menu, give it a title, add photos from the media library and push the Insert Gallery button.

Furthermore you can edit your new galleries in various directions: link images to media files or delete such a connection, resize images, add or delete captions, choose the number of columns for the gallery, organize or randomize images inside each gallery.

The existing Text widget has been improved. Now it supports media content. The Add Media button appeared in Text widget menu and it works similar to the button on WordPress post editing menu. It opens up more opportunities to create engaging multipurpose widgets with media content.

WordPress widgets now fully support shortcodes. Previously you needed to enter a special line of PHP code for a shortcode to work properly in a widget. Now the shortcodes are supported by widgets by default. Furthermore, widgets now support any embedded content like tweets, Facebook posts and other social media content types.

Video widget now supports any third-party video providers, which work with oEmbed service. Previously you could use only YouTube and Vimeo videos. New horizons are already open!

WordPress Code Editing in 4.9 Update

WordPress 4.9 starts to use CodeMirror as the useful tool for coding. CodeMirror is based on JavaScript and allows any WordPress admin to use code in more convenient and confident manner. New features of WordPress and CodeMirror synergy include line numbering, syntax highlighting, error handling, space and tabs support.

You can now also use new CSS and HTML widgets. These widgets have all the mentioned above advantages by means of CodeMirror. The important feature is a new error handling tool that prevent you from saving code with critical bugs and highlighting the suppositional places of errors.

Other Changes in WordPress 4.9 Update

As we have mentioned above, theme switching was made significantly easier for any WordPress admin. Within the Appearance Customizer you can not only choose the new theme, but further download and install it in one click. Them you can see all the changes with content in live mode and switch to previous or some other variant without any difficulties.

The changes were made for the process of email changing. Both user and admin emails were touched with the changes. Now the new and the old emails will receive the full information about the changes and the confirmation links to prevent the hack attacks.

The minor changes also include the removal of Press This feature. This feature is no longer available through Tools menu.

Other minor changes and some specific information for WordPress developers can be observed on the official WordPress website in the dedicated article.