Day 22: Mastering Reusable Blocks in Gutenberg

Introduction

Welcome to Day 22 of the Gutenberg development series! Today, we’ll cover reusable blocks, a feature in Gutenberg that allows users to save a block or a group of blocks for reuse across different posts and pages. This feature is particularly useful for creating templates, call-to-action buttons, or any block-based content that you want to use multiple times without recreating it from scratch.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Create reusable blocks in the Block Editor.
• Manage reusable blocks for easy updates.
• Convert reusable blocks back into regular blocks when needed.

What are Reusable Blocks in Gutenberg?

Reusable blocks are blocks that can be saved and reused across multiple posts, pages, or custom post types in WordPress. This is ideal for content elements that remain the same throughout the website, like:

• Call-to-action sections
• Promotional banners
• Custom layouts for products or testimonials
• Predefined text snippets or styled content

Reusable blocks ensure consistency, as updates made to a reusable block will automatically apply to all instances where that block is used.

Step 1: Creating a Reusable Block

Let’s walk through the process of creating a reusable block in the Block Editor.

1. Add the Block in the Editor
   • Go to a post or page in the WordPress Block Editor.
   • Create or select the block (or group of blocks) that you want to save as reusable.
2. Convert to Reusable Block
   • Click on the block options (the three dots in the block toolbar).
   • Select “Create Reusable Block” from the dropdown menu.
   • Give your reusable block a descriptive name that will make it easy to identify.
3. Save the Reusable Block
   • Click Save after naming the block. It will now be available in the Reusable tab in the block inserter for easy access.

Example Use Case: Call-to-Action Button

You can save a Call-to-Action Button as a reusable block, allowing you to place it on multiple pages. If you need to update the button’s text or link, you can do it once in the reusable block, and the changes will reflect everywhere the button is used.

Step 2: Managing Reusable Blocks

Once you’ve created reusable blocks, you can manage them directly from the Block Editor.

1. Edit a Reusable Block
   • To edit a reusable block, insert it into a post or page and click on “Manage Reusable Blocks” in the block toolbar or go to Block Library > Reusable.
   • Make your changes, such as updating text, images, or styles.
   • Click Update to apply the changes. The updates will reflect in all instances where the reusable block is used.
2. Manage Reusable Blocks from the Admin
   • Go to Reusable Blocks in the WordPress admin menu (under Blocks or Manage Reusable Blocks).
   • Here, you can edit, delete, or export reusable blocks for use on other sites.

Example: Updating a Promotional Banner

Imagine you have a Promotional Banner saved as a reusable block, and you need to update the sale details. By editing the reusable block, the new promotion will automatically appear on all pages where the banner is used.

Step 3: Converting a Reusable Block Back to a Regular Block

In some cases, you may want to convert a reusable block back into a regular block to make changes that only apply to a specific instance.

1. Convert to Regular Block
   • Insert the reusable block into a post or page.
   • Click on the block options (three dots) in the toolbar.
   • Select “Convert to Regular Block”.
2. Edit the Converted Block
   • The block will now behave like a normal block. Changes made to this block will not affect the original reusable block or other instances.

Example: Customizing a Reusable Testimonial

You might have a Testimonial Block saved as reusable but need to make a specific edit for one post. By converting it to a regular block, you can adjust the content without changing the original reusable version.

Step 4: Exporting and Importing Reusable Blocks

You can also export reusable blocks to use them on other WordPress sites or import them into your current site.

1. Export a Reusable Block
   • Go to Reusable Blocks in the admin menu.
   • Click Export as JSON next to the reusable block you want to export.
   • Save the JSON file to your computer.
2. Import a Reusable Block
   • Go to Reusable Blocks > Manage Reusable Blocks in the admin menu.
   • Click Import from JSON.
   • Select the JSON file of the reusable block you want to import.
   • Click Import to add the block to your site.

Example: Reusing a Custom Block Layout on Multiple Sites

If you’ve created a Custom Layout for a client, you can export the reusable block as a JSON file and import it into another client’s site, ensuring a consistent design.

Best Practices for Using Reusable Blocks

1. Use for Repetitive Content: Save time by using reusable blocks for content that appears across multiple pages, such as headers, footers, or call-to-action sections.
2. Name Reusable Blocks Clearly: Give each reusable block a clear and descriptive name to make it easy to find in the block library.
3. Test Before Updating: Before making major updates to a reusable block, test the changes to ensure they display correctly across all instances.

Conclusion: Streamlining Content with Reusable Blocks

Reusable blocks are a game-changer for managing consistent content in WordPress. By saving blocks for reuse, you can easily replicate elements across your site while maintaining flexibility to make global updates. This not only saves time but also ensures a consistent design and messaging throughout your website.

In this article, you’ve learned how to:

• Create and save reusable blocks in Gutenberg.
• Manage and update reusable blocks for easy content control.
• Convert reusable blocks back to regular blocks for custom edits.

In Day 23, we’ll explore custom block controls, where you can add advanced customization options to your blocks.