The first thing that users see before making a purchase choice is your store’s design and intuitiveness. So it’s important to opt for an ecommerce theme that provides a good user experience, translating into increased sales.

But themes alone cannot give your users the best user experience unless the website is fully functional.

So, If you don’t have a functional WordPress site, set it up now using CloudyHost managed hosting platform.

What should you consider when choosing a WordPress ecommerce theme?

• Attractive design: Order of elements, clean layout, and style according to your industry and inventory.
• Responsive ready: Design adaptability to all screen sizes for better usability.
• SEO optimized: Fast loading, structured data, proper tagging, and link structure built for the search engines’ bots.
• Extended features: Specific features such as sliders, widgets, translation-ready, and other value-added features to save time and add value for your visitors.
• Regular updates: Good support and developer maintenance system to keep the theme fresh and compatible with newer WordPress versions.

Best Free WordPress Ecommerce Themes

Here is the list of best WordPress free Ecommerce themes:

1. Astra

Astra is one of the most popular WordPress ecommerce themes and is compatible with all leading page builders like Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder.

It offers various ecommerce templates that can cater to different market niches. It also has numerous add-ons and custom widgets, giving your site versatility.

Key Features

• Lightweight theme
• Optimized for speed and performance
• Quick loading
• Self-hosted Google fonts
• Optimized code
• Powerful design options

Rating

Astra theme has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 5,087 reviews.

2. OceanWP

OceanWp has some amazing built-in features, making it suitable for any niche. This theme is compatible with WooCommerce and eight different page builders. Moreover, OceanWP is best known for its speed and performance.

Key Features

• Fast and responsive
• RTL and translation ready
• SEO optimized
• Compatible with WooCommerce
• Mobile and tablet friendly
• Supports most popular page builders such as Elementor, Beaver Builder, Brizy, Visual Composer, Divi, SiteOrigin, etc

Rating

OceanWP has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 5,305 reviews.

3. GeneratePress

GeneratePress is a lightweight ecommerce WordPress theme that focuses on speed and usability. This theme’s default install is only 10kB, making its loading time incredibly fast.

Key Features

• Speed optimized
• Gutenberg Compatible
• Compatible with major page builders, including Beaver Builder and Elementor
• Responsive
• Translation ready
• Powerful dynamic typography
• Sidebar layouts
• Drop-down menus
• SEO-friendly
• Mobile-friendly
• Retina-ready

Rating

GeneratePress has a 4.9 out of 5 stars rating on WordPress.org based on 1,346 reviews.

4. Sydney

Sydney is a free WordPress ecommerce theme that caters to the needs of any business niche. It offers you greater customizability. You can play around with the site’s appearance by changing its layout and colors.

Key Features

• Compatible with WooCommerce
• Compatible with Elementor
• Access to Google fonts
• Access to full control, layout control, logo upload, stick navigation, etc
• Supports social media features

Rating

Sydney has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 603 reviews.

5. Zakra

Zakra is a lightweight ecommerce WordPress theme integrated with the WooCommerce plugin. It provides more than 50 pre-built design demos. Zakra focuses on speed and provides a user-friendly shopping experience.

Key Features

• Compatible with all popular WordPress plugins
• Responsive
• Lightweight
• Gutenberg-compatible
• SEO-friendly
• Translation ready
• Retina-ready

Rating

Zakra has a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 530 reviews.

6. Rife Free

Rife free is recognized for its visual elements, making it the best choice for fashion and design stores. It is compatible with WooCommerce and offers excellent customization options.

It also has a live preview feature that allows you to see the changes in real-time.

Key Features

• 7 ready-to-use demo layouts
• WooCommerce compatible
• Writing effect
• One-page mode
• Mobile-friendly image and video slider
• Bricks gallery for photographers
• Mega menu
• Post grid
• Google fonts
• RTL and translation ready

Rating

Rife Free has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 308 reviews.

7. Woostify

Woostify is a lightweight WordPress theme known for its speed and performance. It is fully compatible with multi-vendor plugins, allowing you to display items from multi-vendors.

Also, it is built on a modular architecture, meaning you can disable the modules that you don’t need.

Key Features

• Fast and lightweight
• Responsive
• Mobile-friendly
• Retina-ready
• Compatible with popular page builders including Elementor, Beaver Builder, SiteOrigin, Thrive Architect, Divi, etc
• Compatible with WooCommerce

Rating

Woostify has a rating of 5 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 308 reviews.

8. Botiga

While Botiga is designed for corporations and agencies, it is also suitable for ecommerce stores, thanks to its multiple-section homepage.

The theme is swift and offers many customization options. Also, it is compatible with almost all popular WordPress plugins, giving it an edge over many of its competitors.

Key Features

• It has a multiple-section homepage
• SEO-friendly
• Responsive HTML5
• Customizer to add your own background, page layout, site width, and more
• Fast and easy-to-use
• Supports unlimited color options
• Supports all major WordPress plugin

Rating

Botiga has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 73 reviews.

9.  ShoppingCart

ShoppingCart is also among the leading ecommerce WordPress themes. It is quite easy to use and offers multiple customization options.

ShoppingCart is perfect for people who want to mark their presence on social media. It offers many social icons that allow you to share your products across all social media platforms.

Key Features

• Easy-to-use
• Multiple social and navigation menus
• Logo display options
• A large variety of widgets
• Social icons to support social media features
• Mobile-friendly
• Retina-ready
• Compatible with WooCommerce

Rating

ShoppingCart has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 24 reviews.

10. SparkleStore

SparkleStore is a WordPress ecommerce theme suitable for any store selling physical products or digital downloads. This theme integrates with WooCommerce, turning any website into an online store.

Since SparkleStore is compatible with multilingual plugins, it can serve a wide range of audiences.

Key Features

• Amazing performance
• Ajax cart, wishlist, compare, and Quickview
• Live-customization​ options
• Excellent RTL support
• Drag & drop page builder compatible
• Responsive and retina ready
• Multilingual & translation ready.
• Fully optimized for SEO.

Rating

SparkleStore has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on WordPress.org based on 15 reviews.

Wrapping Up!

Whether it’s your first store or you are an ecommerce veteran, we recommend you choose the theme that is compatible with your brand and requirements.

An ecommerce store must be good enough to compete with the existing players and reflect your brand well, and an optimum theme helps you achieve exactly that.

The post 10 Best WordPress Ecommerce Themes for 2024 appeared first on Cloudys®.

Businesses are constantly seeking ways to gain a competitive edge online. Small businesses, often constrained by limited resources, recognize that choosing the right website development platform is a fundamental step towards achieving success.

Years have gone by, and many solutions have popped up, but WordPress has consistently remained a top choice for small businesses looking to establish a strong online presence. 

This article explores why WordPress continues to be a popular option for small business owners in 2023.

1. WordPress is cost-effective and scalable

WordPress has asserted its dominance in the SME market, in part, due to its cost-effectiveness. The fundamental software is both free and open-source, enabling anyone to download, install, and tailor it to their needs without incurring any licensing fees.

Aside from the free themes and plugins you can get, there are also plenty of premium options for those who want extra features. This affordable and adaptable method enables small businesses to create professional websites without spending too much money.

2. WordPress has a user-friendly interface

WordPress is well-known for its easy-to-use interface. Even if you’re not a tech expert, you can handle a WordPress website. Small business owners can smoothly navigate the admin dashboard to make and change content, add new pages, upload images and videos, and tweak the look of their sites. This simplifies things and lets small businesses concentrate on other crucial parts of their work.

3. WordPress offers many customization options

With thousands of themes and plugins available, WordPress offers unparalleled customization options. Small businesses have a wide variety of themes to choose from and can easily tailor their website to fit their unique brand identity. 

But that’s not everything. Plugins expand what a WordPress site can do, letting you add important features like online stores, contact forms, SEO improvements, and more. With this wide range of customization choices, small businesses can effortlessly build a website that matches their exact needs.

4. WordPress offers strong SEO capabilities

There are many reasons why WordPress is the best content management system for SEO, including that it offers a solid foundation for optimizing a website. WordPress themes come with clean code that allows search engines to crawl and index the site easily. Plus, several SEO plugins are available to help small businesses improve their website’s visibility in search engine results. By harnessing the power of WordPress and its SEO capabilities, businesses can increase their online exposure and attract more potential customers. 

5. WordPress embodies responsive and mobile-friendly design.

In today’s digital landscape, it’s crucial for websites to adapt and work well on mobile devices. WordPress themes are typically crafted with responsiveness as a priority, guaranteeing that websites appear and perform effectively on different screen sizes and devices. This mobile-friendly design is vital for small businesses aiming to meet the demands of their diverse customer base.

6. WordPress issues regular updates and security features

WordPress is constantly evolving. With regular updates to its core software, themes, and plugins, the platform’s stability, performance, and security have never been better. WordPress also offers several security features, such as user authentication, access controls, and automatic backups, to protect websites from potential threats. For small businesses, the availability of these updates and security measures is invaluable in keeping their websites running smoothly and securely.

7. WordPress has a large support community

The popularity of WordPress has resulted in a massive global community of users, developers, and designers who are committed to improving and supporting the platform. Small businesses can easily access this knowledge through online forums, tutorials, and blogs. This support network ensures that even those with limited technical expertise can find answers to their questions and troubleshoot any issues they may encounter.

8. WordPress provides easy e-commerce integration

As online shopping continues to soar in popularity, numerous small businesses seek to integrate e-commerce features into their websites. WordPress provides effortless compatibility with well-known e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, simplifying the process for smaller companies to establish and oversee their online stores.

These e-commerce solutions provide a range of features, including product management, payment gateways, shipping options, and inventory tracking, enabling small businesses to sell their products or services online effectively.

9. WordPress offers multilingual support

As businesses grow and reach global markets, the capacity to serve an international audience becomes more vital. WordPress provides robust multilingual support, complete with a variety of plugins to assist in translating and handling content in different languages. This empowers small businesses to connect with a wider audience, bridging language gaps and potentially expanding their customer base.

10. WordPress enables easy integration with third-party services

The adaptability and expandability of WordPress make it easy to connect with external services like email marketing systems, social media platforms, and analytics tools. Small businesses can utilize these integrations to simplify their work, automate specific tasks, and access valuable data on their website’s performance and user interaction.

11. WordPress is future-proof technology

By consistently staying up-to-date with the latest web development trends, WordPress maintains its relevance in the ever-evolving digital environment. This commitment guarantees that small businesses can have faith in ongoing support and updates for their WordPress websites as new technologies surface. This dedication to future-proofing ensures that SMEs can make a secure investment in WordPress as their preferred website platform.

12. WordPress provides both blogging and content management

Starting out as a blogging platform, WordPress has since evolved into a comprehensive content management system (CMS). Its powerful blogging features, such as easy content creation, a built-in commenting system, and advanced publishing tools, make it an ideal choice for small businesses looking to share their expertise and connect with their audience.

Moreover, WordPress accommodates a wide range of media formats, empowering businesses to integrate multimedia content like images, videos, and audio to enrich their storytelling and captivate their website visitors.

13. WordPress enables custom user roles and permissions

Running a website often involves teamwork, and WordPress provides an easy way for small businesses to manage user access and permissions. The platform offers various predefined user roles like Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber, each with specific abilities. This allows businesses to assign tasks and responsibilities to different team members, ensuring that everyone has the appropriate access rights to carry out their roles effectively.

14. WordPress is celebrated for its speedy loading times and optimized performance.

Website speed and performance are essential to retaining visitors and improving search engine rankings. WordPress, by default, offers a solid foundation for fast-loading websites.

Nonetheless, there are several plugins and recommended methods that can take WordPress site performance to the next level. These include caching, image optimization, and code minification. By incorporating these performance-enhancing techniques, small businesses can guarantee that their website loads swiftly and smoothly, delivering a positive user experience to their visitors.

WordPress is still a winner

WordPress continues to be the foremost choice for small businesses looking to build a robust online presence. Its affordability and scalability, user-friendly interface, abundant customization possibilities, and robust SEO features make it a perfect solution for small businesses operating within budget constraints.

Here’s a snapshot of what makes WordPress so special:

• Super responsive design
• Regular updates
• Top-notch security features
• Large support community
• E-commerce integration
• Multilingual support
• Easy integration with third-party services

Small businesses can create professional, functional, and visually appealing websites tailored to their specific requirements by leveraging the capabilities of WordPress. As the platform evolves and aligns with the latest web development trends, SMEs can trust that their investment in WordPress will prove enduring and fruitful.

You can begin building your website with our WordPress Hosting Packages. It’s a user-friendly and popular choice for website creation. If you have any particular questions or require guidance to get started, please don’t hesitate to ask in our online chat, and our team will be happy to assist you.

The post 14 Reasons That Continue To Make WordPress a Top Choice appeared first on Cloudys®.

In this article, we’ll explain what is headless WordPress and if should you use it. We’ll also talk about the pros and cons of a headless WordPress website.

What is Headless WordPress?

Usually, when you make changes to your site on the back end (or admin dashboard), you see the corresponding results on the front end (meaning the live pages visitors have access to). In this traditional model, WordPress serves both the back and front ends of your website.

Front-end is the publicly visible area of your website.

This is what the users see when they visit your site.

When we talk about headless WordPress, we’re referring to a setup in which you’re not using WordPress to generate the front end of your site. Instead, WordPress acts only as the back end. For the front end, you can use any other platform that connects with WordPress via its API, or set up a static website.

The two primary advantages of this methodology are:

• Static websites are highly secure since there aren’t any moving parts for hackers to take advantage of.
• Non-dynamic pages load much faster since they don’t need to pull information from databases or load scripts.

However, it’s not an approach that works with all types of projects. For instance, with this solution, it’s more complicated to include dynamic elements such as contact forms or site search.

That said, a static front end can be an excellent fit for simple websites. If you’re launching a personal blog or brochure site, this setup can be a good option.

What Are the Advantages of Using Headless WordPress?

Headless WordPress can be beneficial in some specific scenarios. We’ll talk about some of the advantages of using headless WordPress in those.

1. Headless WordPress Can Be Faster Than Regular WordPress Website

Many developers believe that headless WordPress can be used to create a much faster WordPress website.

By separating the front end of the site using technology such as React.js, many developers try to deliver more efficient code than most WordPress themes.

However, in our experience simpler WordPress performance optimization techniques work just as good as headless WordPress for most small business websites and use-cases.

2. Publish on Multiple Platforms via Headless WordPress

Headless WordPress makes your WordPress data portable, so that you can take it anywhere.

You can use the data in your marketing campaigns, post on social media platforms, use it on IoT devices such as smart speakers, feed an artificial intelligence tool, connect to virtual assistants, and more.

3. Headless WordPress is far more affordable than proprietary headless CMS

Headless WordPress is far more affordable and powerful than proprietary “enterprise CMS” solutions like Contentful which will easily cost you tens of thousands in hosting alone (not including development costs).

What Are the Disadvantages of a Headless WordPress Website?

Creating a headless WordPress website may also put your website at certain disadvantages. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

1. Some WordPress Plugins May Not Work

Plugins are like apps for your WordPress website, and they allow you to add new features to your site and extend its functionality.

A headless WordPress website may not be able to take advantage of some of the WordPress plugins.

For instance, some WordPress plugin data may not be accessible using the REST API, or plugin features may require a WordPress theme to function properly.

Who Should Use Headless WordPress?

Headless Mode, it’s not an approach that works with all types of projects. For instance, with this solution, it’s more complicated to include dynamic elements such as contact forms or site search.

That said, a static front end can be an excellent fit for simple websites. If you’re launching a personal blog or brochure site, this setup can be a good option.

We believe that headless WordPress should only be used in very specific scenarios.

How to Make a Headless WordPress Website?

With every host package in CloudyHost you can make a headless WordPress website very easy.

You need to login on your epanel, and after you can click Enable HEADLESS MODE.

This will create a static copy of your site. The process might take a while, depending on how large your website is. Once it’s done, you should be able to access the live static version of your site.

Final thoughts on headless WordPress

A headless WordPress approach doesn’t work for all websites. However, if you don’t rely heavily on dynamic elements, then a static front end could improve your site’s security and performance. Plus, you’ll likely save money on hosting.

If you want to set up a static website with a headless WordPress setup, you can do so using the Headless Mode in Control Panel. It works out of the box, and you can generate and deploy a static copy of your site in minutes.

Do you have any questions about how to use headless WordPress? Let’s talk about them via our Live Chat.

The post How to Set Up a Headless WordPress Website appeared first on Cloudys®.

As this version is still a part of the Gutenberg project phase two, it features many block editor improvements, including backports from over 10 Gutenberg releases after WordPress 6.0. On top of that, it comes with the new Twenty Twenty-Three default theme.

Let’s discuss the new updates for WordPress 6.1.

New Twenty Twenty-Three Default Theme

Following the Twenty Twenty-Two block theme released with WordPress 5.9, 6.1 introduces a new default block theme called Twenty Twenty-Three.

It comes with eleven theme styles from the get-go, allowing you to easily switch the color scheme and typography via the global styles switcher feature. Even if you don’t want to use pre-defined theme styles, the wide variety of options is a great starting point for customization.

Another improvement in Twenty Twenty-Three is the typography. Not only do you get more font family options, but they are available across all eleven styles. This allows more freedom to mix and match the typography between styles.

Block Editor Improvements

With over 10 Gutenberg releases merged into the WordPress 6.1 core, we can see plenty of block editor improvements in the new version.

Improved Template Options

6.1 comes with two new template options – Page and Single Item: Post. The new version also streamlines the template creation process by automatically adding relevant patterns, so you no longer have to start from scratch.

For example, when you add the Single Item: Post template, it will start with block patterns that include post content, the comments query loop, and template parts such as the header and footer. From that point, you can start customizing the layout or design.

Another improvement is that you can choose to add the template to all items or a specific one. For example, when adding an author template, you’ll be prompted to choose whether the template will apply to all authors or just one.

As such, you can create tailored templates for Author, Category, and Single Item: Post.

In addition, there’s now the Custom template option allowing you to create a new template for any post or page. It will feature a pattern similar to the post template, but you can reconstruct it to suit whatever type of content.

Improved Block Locking

Block locking is a neat feature that ensures your content blocks won’t be accidentally deleted or moved. However, locking a nested block can take a lot of time as you have to lock all individual blocks one by one.

WordPress 6.1 introduces a new improvement to this system, allowing you to apply block locking to all elements inside a group block. This option will appear on the block locking pop-up when you want to lock a group block. You’ll see the Apply to all blocks inside toggle switch.

Content-Only Editing

WordPress 6.1 supports content-only editing for group, cover, and column blocks using the templateLock attribute. This lets you lock the content layout while writing, uploading images, or in any other way editing the content.

Patterns allow practical use of content-only editing. If a pattern uses a group block to contain several blocks, add the templateLock attribute to the pattern’s code and set it to contentOnly.

With that pattern active on the block editor, the design tools will be removed from the sidebar panel. Instead, you will see a list of the content blocks in the group. The toolbar will also contain no block-moving tools after selecting a block. With the feature active, you can freely edit the actual content.

You can temporarily disable content-only editing by clicking Modify on the group block’s toolbar. When disabled, you can access all design and layout tools for the group block and its components. Click Done on the group block’s toolbar to enable content-only editing again.

Updated Quote and List Blocks

Quote and list blocks can now contain inner blocks for more content flexibility.

The block inserter is now available in the quote block. You can use it to add any block in the quoted content by clicking the add block (+) icon or typing / in the quote block line.

For example, you can use this improvement to add a heading block before writing the text below or to incorporate an image in the quote block.

Multiple blocks inside the quote block allow you to easily rearrange the inner content. Use the block moving tools in the block toolbar to move a block up or down.

The list block now treats the items as individual blocks, resulting in a nested block structure. This allows for a more streamlined workflow as you can rearrange or remove list items more easily.

The improved list block uses a nested structure and treats the list items as individual blocks. The advantage is that you can rearrange or remove list items easily. The nested structure can also be seen from the block list view for easier bulk actions.

Featured Image in Cover Block Placeholder

The previous major WordPress release introduced featured image support to the cover block. However, users had to add an image and then replace it with the featured image using a button on the toolbar, resulting in an awkward workflow.

WordPress 6.1 comes with the option to use the featured image when you add a cover block. This way, you can set up the cover block easier and faster.

Design Tools Consistency

Starting with WordPress 6.1, we’ll see improvements in design tools consistency for more customization using the block editor without custom CSS. This will allow users to find certain tools for a specific block easier.

In 6.1, over 50 blocks have typography and color tools, over 40 have dimension tools, and 30 have all three. You can find a complete list of the design tools available for each block in the WordPress 6.1 Dev Notes.

Dimensions Settings Presets

WordPress 6.1 adds a slider with seven presets for dimensions settings, such as block spacing and margin. This allows users to set a value quickly and apply the same value for other blocks easily.

That said, there’s still a button to switch back to the old custom pixel field if you want to include custom values.

Updated Preview Button

The block editor’s Preview button is now labeled View, but it still functions similarly. It lets you choose between the editor’s desktop, tablet, and mobile views and open the preview in a new tab.

The only significant difference is the new View site option in the site editor, which will open your site in a new tab. In the previous WordPress version, you had to manually type your URL in a new tab or go back to the dashboard to visit your site.

Template Parts in Block Inserter

Template parts are now available in the block inserter. This makes it easier to create or customize new templates as you can insert them in a few clicks.

Moreover, with the existing options to create template parts from existing blocks, this feature can open more possibilities to utilize custom template elements.

New Preference Option

A new Always open list view option is available in the block editor preferences. To access it, click the Options button at the top-right corner of the editor and select Preferences.

By enabling this option, the list view will be opened by default when you open the block editor.

Updated Editor Details

New metrics have been added to the editor Details menu. Now you can see the Time to read information along with the word and character counts. This way, you can better estimate how long the content you’re writing will be and the time it will take to read it.

Post Summary Update

The Status & visibility section of the post editor is now called Summary. The post’s permalink and template settings are now within this section.

Theme Improvements

WordPress 6.1 brings a lot of enhancements to theme customization, including the improved global styles panel and custom starter patterns. Let’s overview all the theme improvements in the latest version.

Improved Global Styles

There are some new additions to the global styles interface.

The first one is the headings element that you can configure in the typography and color sections. In the previous version, headings followed the global text style, but in WordPress 6.1, you can make headings use different typography and colors throughout the website. This improves the workflow, as you no longer need to customize the heading blocks individually.

The Buttons element is now also available in the typography and color. Similar to the headings element, you can now set different typography and colors for the button’s text and background.

The next are the layout global styles. In the previous version, you could only change padding settings. WordPress 6.1 significantly improved on this by adding content area width and block spacing controls. The padding and block spacing controls also feature a slider with presets to simplify customization.

Starter Patterns for All Post Types

Theme authors and users can set up starter patterns for all post types to provide pattern options when creating a new post. 

This requires adding the patterns’ PHP files into the theme’s patterns folder. Such files contain code snippets that specify the pattern’s title and post type, followed by the pattern’s code.

Note that the new Twenty Twenty-Three theme already has the patterns folder by default. You may have to create the folder if you use another block theme.

For example, we can add a travel blog pattern from the WordPress pattern directory. First, we must create a PHP file called blog.php with the following code:

You can change the title and categories to your liking. The next step involves copying and pasting the pattern from the pattern directory into the file using the Copy Pattern button.

Paste the pattern on the blog.php file. Once done, the PHP file will look like this:

Save the file and open your WordPress admin panel. To confirm that the pattern has been registered, navigate to Posts -> Add New to create a new post. You should see a pop-up with a selection of the registered patterns.

You can add as many starter patterns as you want. To add more, create another PHP file for the pattern and repeat the steps. 

Fluid Typography

WordPress 6.1 introduces fluid typography support via the theme.json file. It enhances responsiveness as the text size will automatically adjust based on the user’s viewport.

To change the fluid typography settings in the theme.json file, include the fluid parameter in the settings.typography.fluid section. If you’re using an older block theme, it may have fluid typography disabled by default, but you can add the fluid parameter and set its value to true.

You can also disable fluid typography simply by setting the fluid value to false.

You can configure the size for fluid typography in the settings.typography.fontSizes section of the file. Here, you can set the minimum and maximum values for each font size and disable fluid typography for specific font sizes. 

For example, you can set the fluid typography size for the Normal font size by setting the fluid parameter value to true and specifying the minimum and maximum values. Then, disable fluid typography for the Large font size by setting a false value for the fluid parameter.

You can configure the text size for fluid typography in the settings.typography.fontSizes section.

Block-Based Template Part Support for Classic Themes

WordPress 6.1 also introduces the block-based template part support feature that expands classic theme usability with the block editor.

Enabling this feature takes two steps. First, you must add template part support by adding the following function to the theme’s functions.php file:

You’ll see the Template Parts option in the dashboard’s Appearance menu.

However, you’ll find no template parts options in the editor – you’ll have to add them manually by creating an HTML file in the parts folder within the theme’s root directory.

For example, we’ll add a footer template part to the Twenty Twenty-One theme. Start by creating an HTML file with the path of /public_html/wp-content/themes/twentytwentyone/parts/footer.html.

Paste the the following code snippet into the file:

Go back to the WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance -> Template Parts. You should see the footer template part is now available, and you can start editing it using the block editor.

You can add more HTML files in the parts folder to register more block-based template parts for the theme.

Block Theme Filters

Following the update to the WordPress theme repository, which features a new Block Themes filter, the WordPress dashboard has received a similar update.

When you navigate to Appearance -> Themes -> Add New, you can see the Block Themes filter.

How to Update to WordPress 6.1

Updating to WordPress 6.1 should only take a few minutes, and there are a few ways to do it easily. We recommend creating a backup and testing the new version in a staging environment before proceeding with the update on your main site.

This way, you’ll be sure that the new version works perfectly with your website’s content, themes, and plugins. 

Once you’re ready to proceed, choose one of the following ways to update WordPress:

• WordPress dashboard – go to the update page by navigating to Dashboard -> Updates or clicking the Please update now button on the top banner. Once you’re in the update page, click Update to version 6.1.
• Manual update – download the WordPress 6.1 files from WordPress.org. Extract the .zip file and delete the wp-content folder and wp-config-sample.php file. Then, use an FTP client or a file manager to overwrite the WordPress core files and folders, excluding the wp-content folder and wp-config-sample.php file.
• WordPress command-line interface (WP-CLI) – use SSH to access your website’s public_html root directory and run the wp core update command to perform the update.

Conclusion

WordPress 6.1 adds more enhancements to the block editor to simplify the workflow and introduce additional customization, such as an improved global styles panel and block locking features. The new version also comes with a new default theme and more options available in the theme.json file.

Update your site to WordPress 6.1 if you haven’t done so already. This way, you’ll benefit from the new features and protect yourself from potential vulnerabilities. Remember to back up your site and use a staging environment to test the latest version beforehand.

The post WordPress 6.1: What’s New in the New Major Release? appeared first on Cloudys®.

Often beginners don’t install updates because they are afraid of breaking their site. Updating your WordPress site in the correct order will help you prevent common errors and troubleshoot more easily.

In this article, we’ll show you the proper order for updating WordPress core, plugins, and themes.

Why Keep WordPress Up to Date?

It’s important to always use the latest version of WordPress. This will make sure your website has the latest security patches, newest features, and the best speed and performance.

Unfortunately, on rare occasions, updating WordPress or a plugin can break your website. This can happen if there’s a bug in the code or if the update introduces some kind of conflict with a theme or plugin.

That’s why we always recommend that you create a complete WordPress backup before performing any updates.

It’s also helpful to use the proper WordPress update order. You may be wondering whether it’s best to update WordPress core or your plugins first.

We recommend updating WordPress in this order:

1. First, update WordPress core.
2. Then update your plugins.
3. Finally, update your theme last.

Let’s take a look at the best order to update your WordPress website.

Before You Start, Make a Complete WordPress Backup

Before you update anything, it’s important to perform a full backup of your WordPress website. You should store the backup on your computer or in cloud storage, not just on your hosting server.

That’s because there is always some risk that an update may break your site, no matter how careful you are or which order you perform the updates.

A complete WordPress backup includes everything:

• Your WordPress database.
• All your images and media uploads.
• Your WordPress plugins and themes.
• Core WordPress files.

UpdraftPlus is one of the best WordPress backup plugin and is used by more than 3 million websites. You can use it to create a complete backup of your WordPress site and store it on the cloud or download it to your computer.

First, Update WordPress Core

If a new version of WordPress core is available, then you should update that first. This follows the update order as it is listed on the Dashboard » Updates page and helps minimize the risk to your site.

Because plugin and theme updates are tested to work with the latest WordPress version, you are less likely to have conflicts by updating your plugins and themes after the latest version of WordPress is installed.

The simplest way to update WordPress core is to navigate to the Dashboard » Updates page and then click the ‘Update Now’ button.

When you press ‘Update Now,’ WordPress will automatically put your site in maintenance mode, then fetch the latest version of the software and install it for you. You will see the update progress on your screen.

Advanced users can also update WordPress manually by downloading the latest version from the WordPress download page, and then logging into their WordPress hosting account and using FTP to upload the new WordPress files.

Troubleshooting a WordPress Core Update

Before you move on to update your plugins, you should first make sure that there are no problems with your website now that it is running the latest version of WordPress.

Simply visit your website in a new browser window to see if anything isn’t working or looks out of place. You should also review the settings in your WordPress admin area.

After That, Update Your Plugins

Once you have upgraded WordPress on your website, then you can update your plugins.

An easy way to do that is to scroll further down the Dashboard » Updates page to the ‘Plugins’ section.

Simply select the specific plugins you wish to update and click the ‘Update Plugins’ button. You can select all of the plugins listed by checking the ‘Select All’ box at the top of the list.

You may also notice a red number beside Plugins in the admin dashboard. Clicking inside will show you a yellow notice under each plugin that needs to be updated.

Then, all you have to do is click the ‘Update now’ link under any plugin you want to update without having to leave the page.

Troubleshooting a Plugin Update

As you did after updating WordPress core, you should visit your website in a new browser window to see if you encounter any error messages or other problems.

You may sometimes discover that one of your plugins is not compatible with the latest WordPress version.

If the plugin is from the WordPress Plugin Directory, then you can contact the developer using the site’s support forum. Otherwise, check the official website for support information.

If no further development is planned, then you will need to look for a different plugin that performs the same task.

Finally, Update Your Theme

After you have updated WordPress core and your plugins, and you have checked that your website is working, you can update your theme, if an update is available.

However, when you update a theme, you will overwrite the existing theme files with new ones and lose any changes you made.

Once you are ready to update your theme, you can simply scroll to the ‘Themes’ section at the bottom of the Dashboard » Updates page.

Once there, you can select the themes you want to update, then click the ‘Update Themes’ button. The ‘Select All’ checkbox will automatically select all available theme updates.

Alternatively, you can navigate to Appearance » Themes in your admin area. If any updates are available, you will notice a red number next to ‘Themes’ in the admin sidebar.

Simply click the ‘Update now’ link above any theme you wish to update.

Troubleshooting Your Theme Update

Troubleshooting a theme update is similar to troubleshooting a plugin update. You should start by visiting your website in a new browser window to see if there are error messages or other problems.

If there are, check the error to find a solution, or reach out to the developer for help.

If the theme is from the WordPress Theme Directory, then you can contact the developer using the support forum for that theme. Otherwise, check the official website for support information.

What Is the Proper WordPress Update Order?

In conclusion, let’s summarize the proper order to update your WordPress website:

• First, you should back up your website.
• Then, update the core WordPress files.
• Next, update your plugins.
• Finally, update your theme.

Always make sure your website is working properly before moving on to the next step.

Of course, if there is no update for WordPress core, then you can update your plugins or theme whenever new versions become available.

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PHP X-Ray provides detailed information on performance bottlenecks that involve the CMS. If a site has sluggish plugins, database queries, functions, or external calls, this new tool helps pinpoint the underlying problem.

PHP X-Ray was developed specifically to troubleshoot performance issues in PHP-based websites, such as:

• Slow plugins.

• Slow database queries.

• Slow functions.

• Slow external calls.

Below are instructions on how to use it to fix a slow site.

1. To get started, log into cPanel and click the X-Ray icon.

2. Click Start tracing.

3. Select the desired domain to trace.

4. Specify the exact desired URL or use a wildcard (*) for all.

5. Now visit your website to simulate real-world traffic so that the trace can collect the needed data.

6. You can now view your results by clicking on the view icon.

7. You’ll see the results in order of the slowest first. Click the result to drill down into the trace data.

8. Here we can see all of the results.

If for instance, one of the WordPress plugins uses a lot of resources, you’ll see that here. Disable the plugin through the WordPress administration interface. Visit the site again and make some more requests. The site should load more quickly than it did before. The Details page should show no performance issues.

You should now have a clear idea of what is causing the issue and how to start debugging it.

The following data is collected for each request:

• Software modules/plugins by execution time (only for WordPress plugins)
• Database queries by execution time
• External requests by execution time
• Other system functions by execution time

Start creating a professional website with CloudyHost, and you can monitor your website performance using PHP X-Ray.

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In WordPress, this is handled by WP-Cron, which is used to simulate a system cron. However, depending on the amount of traffic to your site, using the built-in cron handler can actually start to impact your page load times. So today we’ll show you how to disable WP-Cron (wp-cron.php) and instead, use a system cron for faster performance.

Performance Issues with WP-Cron

We deal with a lot of high-traffic and demanding sites. Because of this, we’ve seen a lot of performance issues with the WordPress built-in Cron handler: WP-Cron. First off, it’s important to understand that WP-Cron is not a real cron job, it’s simply what WordPress has created to mimic what a system cron does.

WP-Cron does not run continuously. By default, the wp-cron.php fires on every page load, which on high-traffic sites can cause problems. If a site doesn’t have enough PHP workers, sometimes a request will come in, WordPress will spawn the cron, but the cron has to wait for the worker, and therefore just sits there.

The reverse scenario is also true. If a site doesn’t have a lot of traffic, schedules could be missed due to the fact that no one has loaded a page.

A better approach is to disable WP-Cron and use the system cron instead. This runs on a pre-defined schedule and is even recommended in the official Plugin handbook.

How to Disable WP-Cron

To disable WP-Cron, add the following to your wp-config.php file, just before the line that says “That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging.”

Note: This disables it from running on page load, not when you call it directly via wp-cron.php.

define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

How to Schedule System Cron

You will then need to schedule wp-cron.php from your server.

If your site is multisite, there are some extra setup steps you’ll need to take so cron jobs will run for your subsites. Here are a couple of resources we can recommend for that:

• Using WP CLI to Run Cron Jobs on Multisite Networks
• Running WordPress cron on a multisite instance

Create Cron Job in cPanel

If you’re using a host with cPanel, you can also create a system cron from their control panel.

Note: Make sure you disable the default WP-Cron above first.

Step 1

Log in to cPanel. In the Advanced section, click on Cron Jobs.

Step 2

Under the Add New Cron Job section, you can choose from a number of different pre-defined schedules, such as twice per hour or once per week. Your hosting provider most likely has a limit on how often they allow cron jobs to be run. Twice per hour is a common setting for shared hosts.

Step 3

Add the following command. Replace https://domain.com with your domain name. This command might vary slightly based on how your hosting is configured. Then click on “Add New Cron Job.”

wget -q -O - https://domain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron >/dev/null 2>&1

The >/dev/null 2>&1 part of the command above disables email notifications.

Choose the most suitable website package for your business and make your first move to developing your online presence now.

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Much of our success here at CloudyHost is credited to our high-speed infrastructure that allows for our customers to have extremely fast-loading websites. One key element in our infrastructure is using all NGINX web servers.

Some advantages of NGINX are:

Increased performance
NGINX works very well on pages with thousands of visitors per second. All that happens with minimal hardware resources such as memory and CPU. NGINX serves static content faster than any other web server. It increases PHP performance due to its custom PHP Fast-CGI.

Increased security
NGINX has its own security features which will come handy when your web site gets a DoS or DDoS attack. Such attacks are pretty popular these days and happen very often. NGINX will protect you from most of them and release security updates as soon as new attack methods become known.

Reduced Hardware Costs
The NGINX web server may also reduce your costs for systems administration as it includes 24/7 technical support. You can always contact them and get immediate help.

NGINX advantages over Apache:

• it is up to six times faster than Apache
• It is three times faster than Apache in SSL
• It increases PHP performance by 50%

NGINX Cache for WordPress (WP Fastest Cache )
WP Fastest Cache for WordPress is a PHP-based plugin that provides page caching and other site optimization features, which deliver superior performance to your WordPress site.

Because WP Fastest Cache (NGINX’s cache module) is built directly into the server, overhead is significantly reduced, and caching can be done more efficiently than with other PHP-based caches.

WP Fastest Cache supports WordPress Multisite and is compatible with most popular plugins, including WooCommerce and Yoast SEO.

CloudyHost Web Hosting is powered by NGINX web server technologies so that your websites will get all the benefits like superior performance and value.

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