Recently, I was writing an “epic” post that deserves special treatment. I wanted this post to really shine, so I started thinking about how I could add some cool design elements. There were sections that I wanted to highlight and content areas that needed to be arranged in ways that go beyond the typical top-down flow. After staring at it for a few moments, I decided to look for some design inspiration by browsing WordPress patterns.
What are Patterns?
Patterns are pre-designed elements that we can quickly apply to our own pages. A pattern can contain one small section of a page, encompass several sections, or consist of an entire page design.
We don’t have to be design experts to create expert designs now.
Simply choosing a great-looking pattern can elevate a boring page to a pro-level design, in much the same way themes have in the past.
The Evolution of Design Inspiration
How many times have you scrolled through theme directories or lists of “the best website designs” to find inspiration for your latest website? I remember downloading and hoarding dozens of beautifully designed WordPress themes during the first decade of WordPress, hoping one might be an excellent fit for a future website. I no longer collect themes, but I’ve never stopped looking at what others create to help inspire my own designs.
The recent evolution of WordPress makes designing a great website even easier now that we have the Block Editor and Full Site Editing. Add patterns to this mix, and it opens up a whole new world of no-code design possibilities for everyone – even me, even you.
Default patterns and those patterns that themes sometimes provide have given us a small collection of patterns to choose from, but that choice expanded when the Block Pattern Directory was released.
WordPress.org released the Pattern Directory in July of 2021 as part of the WordPress 5.8 version release. The directory allows anyone to copy a pattern’s code – with the click of a button – and use it on a WordPress website, all for free. Initially, the directory contained a limited, curated collection of patterns, with the promise that the general public would eventually be able to contribute to it in the future.
The Future is Here. Meet the Pattern Creator.
Fast forward eight months from the initial launch, and the Pattern Directory’s header now provides a new link, “Create a new pattern”. Clicking that link opens an editor that works just like the WordPress block editor you’re already familiar with.
This new tool enables everyone to contribute new patterns to the pattern directory.
Once you’ve opened the pattern editor, you first enter a title for your pattern in the “Add title” section. I’d suggest making your title somewhat descriptive of the actual pattern’s design.
The rest of the pattern’s design is up to you. Take that blank canvas to new heights by dropping blocks onto the canvas, adding text, images, and anything else that is needed to create the pattern of your dreams.
Some things to note:
- You must be logged in to WordPress.org to create a pattern.
- Only images from Openverse can be used in the public patterns. Of course, these are just placeholder images, and once someone copies a pattern onto their site, they can replace the photos with any images of their choice.
- You can save your patterns as drafts to work on them later by clicking the Save draft link in the upper right corner of the editor. Once you’ve saved a pattern as a draft, a new “My patterns” link will become available on the main Pattern Directory page. Click “My patterns” to see all your pattern creations.
- The Pattern Creator is new and still evolving. You may encounter a bug now and then or notice new features or changes in the future. Overall, it works pretty well right now and is easy to use.
Would You Like To See The Pattern I’m Creating?
Here’s what I’ve been working on.
It is in draft mode, and I have periodically returned to edit it as I have time.
I’ve kept this pattern simple, but I’m anxious to see all the interesting and perhaps more complex patterns that the community will provide.
Submitting Your Pattern to the Directory
Once you are happy with your creation, all that’s left to do is to click the blue Submit button in the upper right corner. In fact, I’ll click that button now so we can all see what happens next.
A window pops up with the Title and Description pre-filled if you’ve already filled that in. Edit, if needed, then click Next.
Now it’s time to choose a category. Again, it will be pre-filled if you have already selected this in the editor. Edit, if desired, and then click the Finish button.
If all goes well, you’ll see a “Thank you” message, with a note informing you that your pattern is pending review, and you will be informed when it has been published in the public directory.
You’re also given a choice to close the popup, create another pattern, or view your patterns.
It’s that simple!
How Long Does It Take to be Reviewed and Published to the Directory?
I don’t know the official answer to this. I imagine the time it takes to review and publish will depend upon how many patterns are being submitted. As more and more people submit, it may take longer to be approved. But I can tell you my experience with the pattern I just submitted while writing this post.
Within half an hour of submitting, I received this email.
It is already live in the directory. That was super fast.
Here’s what the Pattern Directory looks like right now, with my new pattern showing up as the first one in the list. By the time you read this, there will likely be many more submissions, so what you see will reflect those new patterns rather than what I’m seeing right now.
The Pattern Creator is Exciting
I’m stoked about this, and here’s why. I can now contribute to WordPress in an easy, no-code way. I should note that there are many ways anyone can contribute without having to code. Anyone can help with documentation, translation, support, and more. But pattern creation pushes all my fun and creative buttons. I don’t even have to be a pro designer, as I can easily create a useful pattern with minimal design skills needed. And the best part? You can too!
Your Turn: What Patterns Will You Create?
The WordPress block pattern directory is now open for submissions from the public. If you’d love to contribute to WordPress, submitting a pattern to the directory is a fun and creative way to give back. I’m personally looking forward to sharing some patterns with the world, and I’m equally excited to see all the new patterns the community will be sharing as well.
If you need to know how to use a pattern you find in the directory, we’ve got you covered there too. Check out our article, “How to Use the WordPress Block Pattern Directory”.
Have you submitted a pattern yet? If so, we’d love to take a look at it! Drop a link to it in the comments below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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