Using Widgets in Gutenberg for WordPress

Using widgets in Gutenberg does not include all of the normal widgets found within WordPress. The widgets block include shortcode, categories, and latest posts. We will briefly discuss each widget that you can use and the options available.

Note: As of WordPress 5.0, Gutenberg has been integrated directly into the WordPress Administrator.  If you are using a separate editor for your pages and posts, you will need to select the default WordPress editor (Gutenberg) for the steps in the article below.

If you are using BoldGrid you can switch editors by doing the following:
1. Login to the WordPress Administrator
2. Click on Add New or Edit Post/Page
3. In the top right corner next the block labeled “Editor”, click on the drop-down editor indicating the editor that you’re using.  If you’re in BoldGrid, it will show Post and Page Builder.  To use the Gutenberg editor, click on WordPress editor.
4. The page will then re-load and you can start working in that editor.

Using the Widgets block – Shortcode

Shortcode is a specific snippet of code typically enclosed in square brackets used in WordPress. Shortcodes are used for macros in a post’s content that can activate various functions. To use the Shortcode block:

Click on the circled plus sign to the left of your content in order to add the block. Remember that you can easily reposition the block using the up and down arrows
Scroll down in the window that appears and find Widgets. Click on Widgets
Click on Shortcode
Click on the field to add your code
Click on Save Draft or Publish to save your changes

For more information on shortcodes, please see this WordPress Codex page on Shortcode.

Using the Widgets block – Categories

The Categories widget displays a list of your categories.
To use the Categories block:

1. Click on the circled plus sign to the left of your content in order to add the block. Remember that you can easily reposition the block using the up and down arrows
2. Scroll down in the window that appears and find Widgets. Click on Widgets
3. Click on Categories
4. Click on the alignment options to arrange how you want the Categories to appear
5. Additionally, in the menu column at right, click on Block. If you don’t see the column at right, then click on the gear icon in the top right corner to make it appear. You will see 3 options: Display as drop down, show post counts and show hierarchy. Click on the slider to enable the item as needed.
6. Click on Save Draft or Publish to save your changes

Using Widgets – Latest Posts

The latest posts widget simply displays your latest published posts. To use the Latest Posts block:

1. Click on the circled plus sign to the left of your content in order to add the block. Remember that you can easily reposition the block using the up and down arrows
2. Scroll down in the window that appears and find Widgets. Click on Widgets
3. Click on Latest Posts
4. Select how you want to display your posts using the options in the top left corner of the block: Align center, list view, or grid view.
5. Additionally, in the menu column at right, click on Block. If you don’t see the column at right, then click on the gear icon in the top right corner to make it appear. You will see the following options for ordering your posts:
   

   Order by	This option lets you order the posts by time or alphabetically
   Category	You can display the posts from a specific category
   Number of items	Specify the number of posts using a slider
   Display post date	Click on the slider to show the post date
   Advanced	Add CSS code for additional formatting needs

6. Click on Save Draft or Publish to save your changes