If you picked a block theme, you have a superpower waiting: the Site Editor. It lets you design your entire site visually, from headers to templates. Let’s take it for a spin. (Classic theme users: follow along in Appearance → Customize, where many similar settings live.)
Opening the Site Editor
Go to Appearance → Editor. You’ll see a navigation panel with sections such as Navigation, Styles, Pages, Templates and Patterns. Labels can shift a little between WordPress versions, but the ideas stay the same.
Templates and template parts
- Templates control the layout for types of content: the single post template, the page template, the blog index, archives, search results and the 404 page.
- Template parts are reusable chunks, like your Header and Footer. Edit the header once and it updates everywhere.
- Patterns are pre-designed groups of blocks (hero sections, pricing tables, calls to action) you can drop in and customize. Synced patterns update everywhere they’re used.
Global styles: design once, apply everywhere
Click Styles to open global styles. This is where you set site-wide defaults:
- Typography: fonts and sizes for body text, headings, links and buttons.
- Colors: your palette, background, text and link colors.
- Layout: content width and default spacing.
- Blocks: style specific blocks, like every Button or Quote, in one place.
Many block themes also include style variations, ready-made combinations of fonts and colors you can try with one click.
Professor’s tip: Style globally first, then tweak individual blocks only when you must. If you change colors block by block, your site gets inconsistent fast, and redesigns become painful.
Oops-proofing
Experiment freely. You can undo changes, and edited templates can be reset back to the theme’s original. Look for a “Reset” or “Clear customizations” option in the template’s menu. Revisions for styles are available in recent WordPress versions too.
Your assignment
- Open Styles and try each style variation your theme offers; keep your favorite.
- Edit your Header template part to include your site title and a navigation menu.
- Add one pattern to your homepage and customize its text.
