What are the Differences between Gutenberg and WordPress Page Builder Plugins?
Upgrading to WordPress 5.0 will give you access to the Gutenberg WordPress editor. This is a block editor which replaces the classic editor. It is a drag and drop page builder which is powerful and allows you to create beautiful content layouts. In this article we will be looking at how Gutenberg differs from the WordPress page builder plugins.
Overview of the two
The Gutenberg is the new default WordPress editor. It uses blocks to add as well as arrange content elements for a page and post. This is the reason it is referred to as a block editor. The best thing about this editor is that it allows you to add custom content styles easily and drag and drop elements. It is, however, not a page builder.
WordPress page builder plugins, on the other hand, are drag and drop design tools that enable you to create completely custom web designs without having to write code. The top WordPress page builders are Divi, Beaver Builder and Visual Composer. These plugins come with ready-made templates which give you lots of flexibility than Gutenberg. Let’s now take a look at the top differences between Gutenberg and the WordPress page plugins.
- Drag and drop feature
Gutenberg isn’t a drag and drop page builder. What you can do is add blocks and move them up and down. You will not be able to adjust the height or width of the blocks or add blocks within the blocks. This means creating complex layouts using rows and columns will not be possible.
The WordPress page builders, on the other hand, permit drag and drop widgets/blocks. You will be able to adjust the width and height of the blocks as well as create columns and add new blocks inside blocks.
- Theme support and compatibility
Gutenberg relies on the installed WordPress theme styles. Yes it comes with its own CSS and allows for custom CSS for blocks but it will not override the settings and styles of your theme. Page builder plugins can work with the theme styles and allow you to override your theme styles. This is vital when you want to create custom page layouts.
- Backend editor vs live editing
Gitenberg is a backend editor. It does not give you a live preview of your page. Page builder plugins give actual live preview of your page as you work on it. You will see exactly how the page will look after saving and publishing.
- Content layout vs page design
Gutenberg will give you freedom to create content layouts but they are very limited. You can use tables, columns, and full-width cover images. Page builders offer more flexibility. You will be able to add content and change the whole page layout. You will get more design options for each block and widget.
Although the new default page editor offers more features than the classic one, it is limited when compared with the page builders. If you need more flexibility when creating your post or pages, you may want to install WordPress page builder plugins.