WPBeginner

Beginner's Guide for WordPress

  • Blog
    • Beginners Guide
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Showcase
    • Themes
    • Tutorials
    • WordPress Plugins
  • Start Here
    • How to Start a Blog
    • Create a Website
    • Start an Online Store
    • Best Website Builder
    • Email Marketing
    • WordPress Hosting
    • Business Name Ideas
  • Deals
    • Bluehost Coupon
    • SiteGround Coupon
    • WP Engine Coupon
    • HostGator Coupon
    • Domain.com Coupon
    • Constant Contact
    • View All Deals »
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Products
X
☰
Beginner's Guide for WordPress / Start your WordPress Blog in minutes
Choosing the Best
WordPress Hosting
How to Easily
Install WordPress
Recommended
WordPress Plugins
View all Guides

WPBeginner» Blog» Tutorials» How to Test Your Site for Updating to Gutenberg (WordPress 5.0)

How to Test Your Site for Updating to Gutenberg (WordPress 5.0)

Last updated on March 29th, 2019 by Editorial Staff
185 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Free WordPress Video Tutorials on YouTube by WPBeginner
How to Test Your Site for Updating to Gutenberg (WordPress 5.0)

Are you excited to use the new WordPress Gutenberg editor? Officially launched with WordPress 5.0, Gutenberg is the new default content editor for WordPress that allows you create visually stunning content using blocks.

The challenge is that some themes and plugins may not properly support Gutenberg, so updating your website can cause unexpected issues.

In this article, we’ll show you how to test your WordPress site for updating to Gutenberg and WordPress 5.0.

Testing your site for update to Gutenberg and WordPress 5.0

Why Test Your WordPress Site Before Updating to Gutenberg?

WordPress 5.0 brings a totally new way of creating content with a brand new editor called The Block Editor or Gutenberg. It uses blocks which are content elements that you can move around the editor.

New WordPress Block Editor also known as Gutenberg

WordPress 5.0 with Gutenberg editor is indeed a revolutionary improvement to the WordPress platform.

However due to this massive change, some users are reluctant to update their sites right away, fearing that something would not work, or it may break their website.

Gutenberg was developed over a long period with enough time for theme and plugin developers to make their products Gutenberg compatible. All top WordPress plugins are already fully compatible with Gutenberg and most themes would work without a hiccup.

However, to avoid any conflicts you may want to test your site with Gutenberg and WordPress 5.0. This would allow you to find if any of your plugins or theme are incompatible. You can also catch unexpected errors and fix them before updating your live site.

That being said, now let’s go ahead and check how to test your website for updating to Gutenberg or WordPress 5.0 step-by-step.

Step 1: Create a Complete Backup of Your Website

You must always create a complete back of your WordPress website before any major update. Backups protect you against any unfortunate damage that can happen during the update process.

Keeping regular website backups is important even if you aren’t updating your site because they can save you in catastrophic situations like malware attack, hacking, etc.

There are plenty of WordPress backup plugins that you can choose from. We recommend using UpdraftPlus because it allows you to setup automatic backups and store them on a remote location.

Step 2: Test Your Site on Local Server or Staging Site

After you’ve created a complete backup of your website, you are now ready to test your website with WordPress 5.0 and the new Gutenberg editor.

There are two common methods to test new updates without actually affecting your live site.

  1. Test your website on a local server installed on your computer
  2. Test your website on a staging server

Both options allow you to test WordPress 5.0 with the new Gutenberg editor with your existing content, plugin, and themes.

1. Test Your Website on Local Server

Using a local server simply means installing your WordPress site on your personal computer with a software like WAMP or MAMP (for Mac).

In this method, you’ll first move a copy of your live WordPress site to local server using a migration plugin like Duplicator.

Duplicator WordPress plugin

Then on the local site, you can update to WordPress 5.0 and test out all your plugins / themes for compatibility with the new editor.

You can also make changes on the local site and upload it to your live site when you are done.

If you didn’t need to make any changes to the local site, and everything seemed ok, then you can go ahead and update your live site to WordPress 5.0.

2. Test Your Website on Staging Environment

A staging site is a separate development version of your website where you can try out new features.

It’s usually a sub-domain of your site that’s restricted from public access. It’s where you can test new updates, themes, plugins, or use it for all your development. Once you’ve tested everything necessary, you can then upload it to your live site.

Most top WordPress hosting companies offer 1-click staging site installation from your hosting account.

If your site is hosted with Bluehost, then you’ll find an option to create a staging site under the Bluehost menu in your WordPress admin dashboard.

Creating a staging site in Bluehost

You can also create 1-click staging sites on WPEngine and SiteGround. If you are not using any of these hosting companies, then you should ask your host because they may offer this feature.

If your hosting service doesn’t have staging site installation feature, then you can still do it manually on your own. Here’s our step by step tutorial on how to create a staging environment in WordPress.

Step 3: Install the Classic Editor Plugin

The most significant change in WordPress 5.0 is the new Gutenberg editor.

This means that if you were to run into any issues, then it’ll likely be caused by a plugin or theme’s incompatibility with the new editor.

It is also possible that you may not like the new editor.

Luckily, you can update to WordPress 5.0 and still keep the classic WordPress editor.

You can simply disable Gutenberg by installing the Classic Editor plugin on your WordPress site. Doing this will allow you to safely update to WordPress 5.0, while still keeping the classic editor that you’re familiar with.

Switching to the classic editor

Classic Editor is an official WordPress plugin from WordPress core contributors to allow you to switch back to the classic editor. With this plugin, you can hide the Gutenberg editor and create content the same way as before.

If you had to install Classic Editor because a theme or plugin wasn’t working after updating to WordPress 5.0, then you still have work to do.

You need to reach out to the theme or plugin developer and request them to make it compatible with the latest WordPress release.

If you don’t get a positive response, then you need to find an alternative theme or plugin to replace incompatible ones.

Step 4. Things to Do After Updating to Gutenberg in WordPress 5.0+

If you are just starting your first WordPress blog, then you are in luck. You’ll quickly get used to the awesome new block editor which is faster, modern, and incredibly powerful.

On the other hand, if you have been using WordPress for a while, then the new editor is an exciting new experience for you.

Most of us are used to working with the old editor and have setup our workflows around it.

Good news is that you can still do all the things you did in the old editor with Gutenberg, and then some more.

To help you learn new features, we have created a complete Gutenberg tutorial it shows how to use new block editor and create visually stunning content for your site.

We hope this article helped you to learn how to test your WordPress site for updating to Gutenberg or WordPress 5.0. For troubleshooting common errors you may encounter, check out our guide on most common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

185 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Popular on WPBeginner Right Now!
  • How to Start Your Own Podcast (Step by Step)

    How to Start Your Own Podcast (Step by Step)

  • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

    How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress

  • Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

    Revealed: Why Building an Email List is so Important Today (6 Reasons)

  • Google Analytics in WordPress

    How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners

About the Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi. Trusted by over 1.3 million readers worldwide.

The Ultimate WordPress Toolkit

4 Comments

Leave a Reply
  1. Anibal says:
    Jan 9, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    You can use DemosWP , it’s a site to créate WordPress installtions for free ;)

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jan 10, 2019 at 11:24 am

      Thanks for bringing this site to our attention, we’ll certainly take a look at it.

      Reply
  2. Tomy says:
    Jan 9, 2019 at 4:02 pm

    This is very useful, thanks, very helpful

    Reply
    • WPBeginner Support says:
      Jan 10, 2019 at 11:10 am

      Glad our article was helpful :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thanks for choosing to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our comment policy, and your email address will NOT be published. Please Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation.

Over 1,320,000+ Readers

Get fresh content from WPBeginner

Featured WordPress Plugin
WP Mail SMTP logo
WP Mail SMTP
Fix WordPress email delivery issues. #1 SMTP plugin. Learn More »
How to Start a Blog How to Start a Blog
I need help with ...
Starting a
Blog
WordPress
Performance
WordPress
Security
WordPress
SEO
WordPress
Errors
Building an
Online Store
Useful WordPress Guides
    • 7 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (Pros and Cons)
    • How to Fix the Error Establishing a Database Connection in WordPress
    • Why You Need a CDN for your WordPress Blog? [Infographic]
    • 30 Legit Ways to Make Money Online Blogging with WordPress
    • Self Hosted WordPress.org vs. Free WordPress.com [Infograph]
    • Free Recording: WordPress Workshop for Beginners
    • 24 Must Have WordPress Plugins for Business Websites
    • How to Properly Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
    • 5 Best Contact Form Plugins for WordPress Compared
    • Which is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin? (Comparison)
    • Best WooCommerce Hosting in 2020 (Comparison)
    • How to Fix the Internal Server Error in WordPress
    • How to Install WordPress - Complete WordPress Installation Tutorial
    • Why You Should Start Building an Email List Right Away
    • How to Properly Move WordPress to a New Domain Without Losing SEO
    • How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting for Your Website
    • How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform (Comparison)
    • WordPress Tutorials - 200+ Step by Step WordPress Tutorials
    • 5 Best WordPress Ecommerce Plugins Compared
    • 5 Best WordPress Membership Plugins (Compared)
    • 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2020)
    • How to Choose the Best Domain Registrar (Compared)
    • The Truth About Shared WordPress Web Hosting
    • When Do You Really Need Managed WordPress Hosting?
    • 5 Best Drag and Drop WordPress Page Builders Compared
    • How to Switch from Blogger to WordPress without Losing Google Rankings
    • How to Properly Switch From Wix to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • How to Properly Move from Weebly to WordPress (Step by Step)
    • Do You Really Need a VPS? Best WordPress VPS Hosting Compared
    • How to Properly Move from Squarespace to WordPress
    • How to Register a Domain Name (+ tip to get it for FREE)
    • HostGator Review - An Honest Look at Speed & Uptime (2020)
    • SiteGround Reviews from 4196 Users & Our Experts (2020)
    • Bluehost Review from Real Users + Performance Stats (2020)
    • How Much Does It Really Cost to Build a WordPress Website?
    • How to Create an Email Newsletter the RIGHT WAY (Step by Step)
    • Free Business Name Generator (A.I Powered)
    • How to Create a Free Business Email Address in 5 Minutes (Step by Step)
    • How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners
    • How to Move WordPress to a New Host or Server With No Downtime
    • Why is WordPress Free? What are the Costs? What is the Catch?
    • How to Make a Website in 2020 – Step by Step Guide
Deals & Coupons (view all)
HostGator
HostGator Coupon
Get 62% OFF HostGator, one of the most reliable and popular web hosting companies! Includes FREE domain.
SeedProd Logo
SeedProd Coupon
Get 50% OFF SeedProd Coming Soon Page plugin for WordPress.
Featured In
About WPBeginner®

WPBeginner is a free WordPress resource site for Beginners. WPBeginner was founded in July 2009 by Syed Balkhi. The main goal of this site is to provide quality tips, tricks, hacks, and other WordPress resources that allows WordPress beginners to improve their site(s).
Join our team: We are Hiring!

Site Links
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FTC Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Free Blog Setup
  • Free Business Tools
Our Sites
  • OptinMonster
  • MonsterInsights
  • WPForms
  • SeedProd
  • Nameboy
  • RafflePress
  • Smash Balloon

Copyright © 2009 - 2021 WPBeginner LLC. All Rights Reserved. WPBeginner® is a registered trademark.

Managed by Awesome Motive | WordPress hosting by SiteGround | WordPress CDN by MaxCDN | WordPress Security by Sucuri.