Blocks in Simple English
The following block types exist and this is what they do. I'm always getting confused by the terminology, as I'm not a native English speaker and the terminology does not cleanly map on other programming paradigms.
| Block Type | What They Say | What I say |
|
Enduser |
Previously Reusable Blocks
... you will be able to arrange blocks |
Blocks as symlinks: use one block in many places. Can be created by editors Can be converted to regular blocks too. |
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Block Variations Developer |
Block Variations is the API that allows a block to have similar versions of it, but all these versions share some common functionality. Each block variation is differentiated from the others by setting some initial attributes or inner blocks. Then at the time when a block is inserted these attributes and/or inner blocks are applied. A great way to understand this API better is by using the embed block as an example. |
Blocks as a function: pass in parameters and the block acts differently. |
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Block Patterns Enduser |
Block Patterns are a collection of predefined blocks that you can insert into posts and pages and then customize with your own content. Using a Block Pattern can reduce the time required to create content on your site, as well as being a great way to learn how different blocks can be combined to produce interesting effects. |
Blocks group snapshot: insert a combination of blocks in one go. Good for templating layout sections, not content (use innerblocks instead) |
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Dynamic Blocks Developer |
Dynamic blocks are blocks that build their structure and content on the fly when the block is rendered on the front end. | Live data blocks. |
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Block Styles Enduser |
Block Styles allow alternative styles to be applied to existing blocks. They work by adding a className to the block’s wrapper. This className can be used to provide an alternative styling for the block if the block style is selected. | Block Styles! |