The Complete Gutenberg Guide | WordPress Blocks Breakdown
Before we start editing pages, you need to understand the tool you'll be using every day.
In this lesson, we break down the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg) - what it is, how it works, and the key blocks you'll use most often. By the end, you'll feel confident navigating the editor and ready to start customising your pages.
This is Lesson 15 of 26 in the free WP Odyssey WordPress course for 2026. It's the fourth lesson of Quest 02: Build Your First Website.
WHAT WE COVER:
- What is the Block Editor and why Gutenberg matters
- Common blocks you'll use daily (paragraphs, headings, images, buttons, columns)
- Block toolbars and the settings panel on the right-hand side
- The document overview panel for managing page structure
- The + button for adding new blocks
- Reusable blocks (now called Patterns) - create once, use everywhere
- How to detach a pattern to edit independently on a single page
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Everything in WordPress is a block - paragraphs, images, buttons, columns
- Gutenberg is built into WordPress core - no plugins required
- The block toolbar appears above each block for quick formatting
- The settings panel on the right gives you detailed control over each block
- Patterns (reusable blocks) save time when you use the same layout across multiple pages
- Editing a pattern updates it everywhere - detach first if you want a one-off change
- Gutenberg works hand-in-hand with the Astra theme we installed
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro (Understanding the Block Editor)
00:34 - Agenda
00:51 - What is the Block Editor
03:27 - Why Gutenberg Matters
06:55 - Common Blocks You'll Use Daily
17:31 - Block Toolbar & Settings Panel
27:25 - Reusable Blocks Concept
37:24 - Summary
COURSE STRUCTURE:
Quest 00: Bootcamp (Lessons 1-2) ā
Quest 01: WordPress Foundations (Lessons 3-11) ā
Quest 02: Build Your First Website (Lessons 12-22) ā You are here
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ABOUT DAN:
I'm Dan, a WordPress developer with 15+ years experience running an agency managing 100+ client sites. I built this free course because I wish I had something like this when I started in 2010.
Previous: Lesson 14 - Theme Settings & Branding Basics
Next: Lesson 16 - Customising Your Homepage with Gutenberg
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