WordPress
Rebuild wp-admin as onboarding tool
Based on discussion below:
Turn the wp-admin interface into a kind of help screen or readme that shows exactly where to go in the Site editor and how to make use of the plugin -- this helps keep the visibility of the high level page while removing the duplicate interface.
I like the idea of keeping a wp-admin interface as an onboarding tool for both the plugin and an introduction to building block themes. The information could be focused on how to use the plugin, but also include tips and best practices for building block themes, including things like links to the theme handbook, etc.
Change the wp-admin interface into an onboarding tool containing documentation with room for a wizard interface to introduce new users to the workflow.
Why would the Site Editor interface be preferred? (This is an actual question, not arguing ;) )
Especially when you are creating the first version of your new theme, it makes less sense for me personally to go into the Site Editor first.
Why would the Site Editor interface be preferred?
As there are currently two interfaces that do (mostly) the same things in (sometimes) slightly different ways. Ideally we can consolidate both of these into a single interface (and the Site Editor seems like the best place to land).
What workflow do you think best (exclusively?) lends itself best to being in the wp-admin interface? What about the "first version" of the theme makes it seem best to be outside of the Site Editor? Do you see a way to improve the Site Editor experience to make that workflow better?
Having just installed create-block-theme for the first time a couple weeks ago, my experience was that having the wp-admin interface in it's own page under Appearance made it immediately evident how I could use the plugin and what it does. The Site Editor interface took considerably longer to find. I wouldn't want to loose the self-evident nature of having such a visible page for the plugin.
That said, having 2 interfaces that do slightly different things, in addition to maintaining both with any changes that need to be made, is not good. @pbking What do you think of the following options?
- Turn the wp-admin interface into a kind of help screen or readme that shows exactly where to go in the Site editor and how to make use of the plugin -- this helps keep the visibility of the high level page while removing the duplicate interface.
- Keep the 2 forms (one in the Site Editor sidebar, and one on the wp-admin page) and streamline the backend so you're guaranteed the same output from either place. It's still 2 forms to maintain, but if the backend works exactly the same this seems like it would help.
- Abstract the React based interface in the Site editor so that it could run in a "regular" wp-admin page (by mounting a small React app on the page that contains the necessary components), so that it's one interface rendered in 2 places.
I'm very keen on the first option. Additionally I do think that there may be SOME workflows that make better sense in the wp-admin interface. (I'm still keen to know what part of the workflow is most useful for you in the beginning @carolinan) And also providing a very clear way to instruct how to use the tool sounds good.
Number 2 could be helpful in making sure whatever workflows remain are consistent. There's already some shared code and it wouldn't be too difficult to consolidate the rest. But I would rather limit that to only SOME workflows in each place; Just the ones that make the most sense there.
Option 3 doesn't sound quite right to me, it's not just about the location of the interface but also how the workflow itself works. Whatever is in both places needs to work the same, but I don't believe that both should have the same interface.
I also like options 1 and 2 that @creativecoder has listed above.
I like the idea of keeping a wp-admin interface as an onboarding tool for both the plugin and an introduction to building block themes. The information could be focused on how to use the plugin, but also include tips and best practices for building block themes, including things like links to the theme handbook, etc.
Number 2 could be helpful in making sure whatever workflows remain are consistent. There's already some shared code and it wouldn't be too difficult to consolidate the rest. But I would rather limit that to only SOME workflows in each place; Just the ones that make the most sense there.
Sounds good!
Option 3 doesn't sound quite right to me, it's not just about the location of the interface but also how the workflow itself works. Whatever is in both places needs to work the same, but I don't believe that both should have the same interface.
Agreed 👍
Note that specifying the name of a style variation is missing in the Site editor interface, from a report on the support forums
https://github.com/WordPress/create-block-theme/issues/559