WordPress 4.0 is here! While this is a major release, some would argue that it doesn’t feature any groundbreaking changes like when WordPress 3.0 was released.

In this article, we’ll take a look at what’s new in version 4.0 and the response from the WordPress community.

What’s new in WordPress 4.0

There are many notable enhancements in WordPress 4.0. Let's take a closer look at some of the major additions and improvements, rather than listing them so that we can use them once we install the application.

Media library improvements

The Media Library is probably the biggest improvement in WordPress 4.0. Instead of an unnavigable, clunky list of media attachments, you get a smooth grid of all your uploads:

You can select multiple images by checking the checkbox in the upper right corner of each attachment. (This is a hard thing to do, and this may need some improvement.)

The individual attachment pages have also been updated: attachment details are now opened using a modal window instead of a separate page:

I really like this new interface. what do you think?

Enhancements in plug-in installation

Back in 2008 when WordPress 2.7 was released, the introduction of “install plugins through the admin panel” was a big thing for WordPress. But since then, the "Add New Plugin" screen remains the same

In WordPress 4.0, the "Add New Plugin" page has been nicely revamped, and when we browse or search for new plugins, we can see the "Plugin Card":

That’s not all: the design of modal windows has also changed. It looks much better than before thanks to the plugin header image:

Having said that, this is not a major enhancement. But still nice to see a better design.

Visual editor improvements

This might be your favorite new WordPress feature: For those who like to write long posts, the visual editor is now even easier to use! Our favorite TinyMCE editor gets two new features - first, the editor automatically expands as you write:

Second, the toolbar is now pinned and moves down with you:

Small things can have a big impact.

New language selection option

If you want to install a new copy of WordPress 4.0, you will see a new Language Selection page:

This means that if you want to install WordPress in a different language, you don’t have to visit the localized subdomain of WordPress.org and can just select your language and continue.

Another improvement regarding language selection is that you can change the language from the Options ? General page. At the bottom of the page you can see the new Site Language option:

As a non-native English speaker, I can say this is a huge improvement for people like me.

Enhancements in Customizer

Another new improvement in WordPress has to do with the theme customizer - sorry, it's just the Customizer now. The first one is related to widgets - now, widgets are loaded into the subpanel of the customizer:

The second enhancement is related to the Customizer API. If you’d like to learn more about what’s new in the API, check out the “Customizer improvements in 4.0” article on the Make WordPress Core blog.

WordPress 4.0 and Community

While many of us are excited about the release of a new WordPress version, this one has disappointed some in the WordPress community because it hasn’t been as massive a ##Version.

When WordPress 3.0 was released, there were some very exciting changes, such as the merger of WordPress and WordPress MU, custom menus, a new admin panel design, and a new default theme. Now, more than four years later, WordPress 4.0 is released, and while the changes are certainly good and exciting, we can’t compare them to the changes in WordPress 3.0. Raelene Wilson's article on WPMU DEV begins:

Is it just me or does WordPress 4.0 look more like version 3.10?

Did someone get the number wrong? Did we accidentally jump to 4.0?

That must be the case, because I can't think of any other reason why such a small WordPress upgrade deserves a full version number.

She's not alone: ??Kevin Muldoon from Elegant Themes says you may be disappointed:

If you’re expecting groundbreaking new features in WordPress 4.0, you’ll be disappointed. While WordPress 3.0 was a revolutionary step for WordPress as a platform, 4.0 is more of an evolutionary step that improves existing functionality.

Brenda Barron from ManageWP wrote an article titled “WordPress 4.0: What Developers Want It to Have” that begins:

There aren’t actually huge feature improvements this time around, which some people think is a good thing. Others were disappointed with what it offered (or didn't offer).

In my personal opinion, this new version is more like an improved version of WordPress UX. As a UX geek, I’m excited to see these changes, but I must say, it does look smaller than the WordPress 3.0 change set.

in conclusion

Sarah Gooding summarizes the changes and improvements to WP Tavern some time ago:

• Preview oEmbed URLs in the visual editor and via the "Insert from URL" tab in media mode.
• In addition to "List View", the media library "Grid View" has also been added
• Updated plug-in installation and search experience
• Select language when installing WordPress
• Improved the ability of the editor to resize its top and bottom bar pins when needed
• Improved keyboard and cursor interaction with TinyMCE views
• Widgets in the customizer are now loaded into separate panels
• Improvements in formatting function

As we've discussed, all of these are solid improvements, and despite the fact that some aren't as exciting as others, there's still plenty worth using in our day-to-day lives.

Once you’ve had a chance to install and explore WordPress 4.0, let us know what you think in the comments below. If you liked this article, don’t forget to share it with your friends!