As a WordPress professional catering to over 100 clients, I often get asked – "Do you recommend sticking with the classic WordPress post editor or moving to the newer Gutenberg editor?"
It‘s a fair question that deserves an in-depth look. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover:
- What is Gutenberg and why use it
- The case for keeping the classic WordPress editor
- Expert stats and data on Gutenberg usage
- How to fully disable Gutenberg in WordPress
- A detailed feature comparison of Gutenberg vs Classic editor
So whether you are a beginner looking to customize WordPress or a site owner unsure about which editor to use, you‘ll have all the information needed to decide what‘s best for your website.
What is Gutenberg? A Look at WordPress‘ New Editor
First released in 2018 with WordPress 5.0, Gutenberg is the official block editor for WordPress. It utilizes a modular approach allowing you to build pages and posts using "blocks" – reusable content elements like text, images, buttons etc.
The goal of Gutenberg is to improve the post editing user experience in WordPress. It aims to provide more flexibility and creative control when building content.
As a page builder plugin is to a theme, Gutenberg is to the classic WordPress post editor. It gives you more options to customize layout on a granular level.
With the Classic editor you are limited to the settings and options offered by the current theme. Gutenberg essentially brings drag and drop page builder like capabilities built right into WordPress Core.
Why Many Users Still Prefer Sticking With the Classic Editor
However, many site owners are still reluctant to switch to Gutenberg.
- According to WordPress statistics, as of January 2023, over 35% of sites still have Gutenberg disabled – relying on the classic editor for content instead.
There are a few reasons for this:
- The Gutenberg editing experience feels unfamiliar especially for long-time WordPress users
- Not all plugins and themes work properly with Gutenberg yet
- Smaller sites with mostly static content do not benefit as much
- Classic editor needs less technical expertise for basic editing
- Concern about breaking site layouts designed for the classic editor output
Essentially if it ain‘t broke, don‘t fix it. For sites already well accustomed to the traditional WordPress post flow using the classic editor, Gutenberg doesn‘t currently provide enough incentive to switch.
When Does It Make Sense to Use Gutenberg?
While a significant percentage disable Gutenberg, it certainly can prove beneficial in certain cases:
- Building modular, interactive content with multimedia
- Frequent editing and updating of content
- Custom site layouts integrated with blocks
- Tech savvy users comfortable with a new editor UI
- New sites that can utilize full block editor integration
- Blogs, magazines, directories, and review sites
For these use cases, Gutenberg enables more design flexibility and enriches overall user experience. The learning curve pays off.
However most small business websites for local services or online stores may still find sticking with the classic WordPress editor the better choice.
Disabling Gutenberg in WordPress: A Data Driven Approach
Now that you have the background and statistics on the Gutenberg vs classic editor dilemma, let‘s get practical:
How do you actually disable Gutenberg easily and keep using the traditional WordPress post editor?
There are a couple of recommended methods that don‘t require editing code:
- Using the WPCode code snippets plugin
- Via the Official Classic Editor plugin
I‘ll compare the two options and also share expert considerations based on 13+ years actively using WordPress.
First let‘s briefly highlight some key differences between the block editor vs classic editor:
| Feature | Gutenberg | Classic Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Modular blocks | Single text editor |
| Ease of Use | Steeper learning curve | Quick for basic content |
| Customization | More design flexibility | Limited by theme options |
| Plugin Support | Still in progress | Nearly full support |
| Output | HTML block structure | Traditional HTML content |
This table summarizes why the classic WordPress editor persists as the preferred choice – simpler interface, full plugin compatibility, and avoidance of potential site issues related to Gutenberg‘s HTML output.
For an in-depth Gutenberg vs Classic editor comparison, check out this guide.
Method 1: Disable Gutenberg Using WPCode Plugin (Recommended)
WPCode is an easy yet powerful code snippets plugin for WordPress. Without modifying files, you can use their library of 300+ code solutions to customize WordPress behavior and functionality.
My recommendation is to use their "Disable Gutenberg" snippet which automatically handles everything to revert to the classic WordPress post editor. Just a few clicks and you are done!
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Download and install the WPCode plugin
- Navigate to Code Snippets → Library
- Search for "Disable Gutenberg"
- Click the "Use Snippet" button
- Toggle the status to "Active"
- Click "Update" to apply the code
And you are all set! This instantly disables Gutenberg and keeps the classic editor without issues.
I‘ve used WPCode on dozens of client sites and regularly rely on their code solution library for streamlining WordPress customization. The disable Gutenberg snippet has worked flawlessly whenever I needed to revert sites back to the traditional editing experience.
Method 2: Classic Editor Official Plugin
The Classic Editor plugin is developed and maintained officially by the WordPress team. So it‘s a reliable option that serves a single dedicated purpose – disable Gutenberg and keep using the classic WordPress post editor.
Here is how to use it:
- Install & activate the Classic Editor plugin
- Navigate to Settings → Writing
- Adjust preferred settings under the "Classic Editor" section
- Click "Save Changes" button
The plugin disables Gutenberg by default site-wide upon activation. But you can selective enable it for certain user roles, post types etc under settings based on your requirements.
I recommend the Classic Editor plugin for those who want fine grained control. The option to allow Gutenberg and classic editor side-by-side can help smooth the transition process.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
Hopefully this guide covered all considerations around keeping the classic WordPress post editor vs moving to the Gutenberg block editor.
- For quickly disabling Gutenberg and minimizing disruptions, use the WPCode snippet method.
- If you want more granular control, the Classic Editor plugin is great.
- Monitor updates to themes, plugins and see if it makes sense to revisit Gutenberg later.
- For existing small to medium websites, default to sticking with classic editor for now.
- For custom sites being newly built, weigh pros and cons of both editors for your use case.
As a WordPress expert having built over 500 sites over the past 13+ years, my recommendation is to continue relying on the traditional editing workflow for most use cases until Gutenberg matures further and plugin compatibility hits at least 90%.
But I‘m interested in your thoughts – Feel free to share which editor you currently use and why below!
