Full Site Editing basics in Wordpress - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Full Site Editing basics

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple WordPress site using Full Site Editing (FSE). You want to create a custom header block with a site title and a navigation menu.

🎯 Goal: Build a basic WordPress theme template part using Full Site Editing blocks that includes a site title and a navigation menu.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a block template part for the header

Add a site title block with the exact text 'My Awesome Site'

Add a navigation block with three menu items: Home, About, Contact

Use proper block syntax and structure for FSE

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Full Site Editing lets you build and customize WordPress themes visually using blocks, making site design easier and more flexible.

💼 Career

Knowing how to create and edit block template parts is essential for WordPress theme developers and site builders working with modern WordPress versions.

1

Create the header template part

Create a block template part file named header.html with a root block that will contain the header content.

Wordpress

Hint

The group block is a container block that holds other blocks inside it.

2

Add the site title block

Inside the group block, add a block with the exact text My Awesome Site as the site title.

Wordpress

Hint

The site title block displays the site name. You can set its text directly in the block comment.

3

Add the navigation block with menu items

Below the site title block, add a block containing three blocks with the exact link texts Home, About, and Contact.

Wordpress

  My Awesome Site
  

Hint

The navigation block holds navigation-link blocks as menu items.

4

Complete the header template part

Ensure the header.html file contains the full group block wrapping the site title and navigation blocks exactly as specified.

Wordpress

  My Awesome Site
  
  
    Home
    About
    Contact
  
  
  

Hint

Check that all blocks are properly nested and closed.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of Full Site Editing (FSE) in WordPress?

easy

A. To build and customize the entire website layout using blocks visually

B. To write PHP code for custom themes

C. To manage plugins from the WordPress dashboard

D. To create posts and pages only

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Full Site Editing concept

   FSE allows users to build the whole site layout using blocks instead of coding.

2. Step 2: Compare options with FSE purpose

   Only To build and customize the entire website layout using blocks visually describes building and customizing the entire site visually with blocks.

3. Final Answer:

   To build and customize the entire website layout using blocks visually -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Full Site Editing = Visual site layout building [OK]

Hint: FSE means editing the whole site visually with blocks [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing FSE with plugin management
• Thinking FSE is only for posts or pages
• Assuming FSE requires coding PHP

2. Which of the following is the correct way to open the Site Editor in WordPress for Full Site Editing?

easy

A. Go to Posts > Add New

B. Go to Appearance > Site Editor in the WordPress dashboard

C. Go to Plugins > Add New

D. Go to Settings > General

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify where Site Editor is located

   The Site Editor for Full Site Editing is accessed via Appearance menu.

2. Step 2: Match correct menu path

   Only Appearance > Site Editor opens the FSE interface.

3. Final Answer:

   Go to Appearance > Site Editor in the WordPress dashboard -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Site Editor location = Appearance > Site Editor [OK]

Hint: Site Editor is under Appearance menu [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Looking for Site Editor under Plugins or Posts
• Confusing Site Editor with plugin or post creation
• Trying to find Site Editor in Settings

3. In Full Site Editing, if you add a Header block and then add a Navigation block inside it, what will happen when you save the template?

medium

A. The header with navigation will appear on all pages using that template

B. Only the current page will show the header and navigation

C. The navigation block will be saved but not the header

D. The template will not save due to block nesting errors

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand template saving in FSE

   Templates saved in Site Editor apply site-wide to all pages using that template.

2. Step 2: Analyze block nesting effect

   Adding Navigation inside Header means both are saved together in the template.

3. Final Answer:

   The header with navigation will appear on all pages using that template -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Template save = site-wide layout change [OK]

Hint: Templates apply site-wide, not just one page [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking changes affect only one page
• Assuming nested blocks won't save together
• Believing block nesting causes save errors

4. You tried to add a Footer block in the Site Editor but it does not appear on your site after saving. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. Footer blocks only work on posts, not pages

B. The Site Editor does not support Footer blocks

C. You need to install a plugin to enable Footer blocks

D. The Footer block was added but not included in the active template part

Solution

1. Step 1: Check how Footer blocks work in FSE

   Footer blocks must be part of the active template part to show on the site.

2. Step 2: Identify common mistake

   Adding Footer block outside the active template or not saving template part causes it not to appear.

3. Final Answer:

   The Footer block was added but not included in the active template part -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Footer block must be in active template part [OK]

Hint: Footer must be in active template part to show [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Footer blocks need plugins
• Believing Site Editor lacks Footer support
• Assuming Footer blocks only work on posts

5. You want to create a custom page template with a unique header and footer using Full Site Editing. Which steps should you follow?

hard

A. Install a plugin that disables Full Site Editing and use classic templates

B. Edit the theme's PHP files directly to add header and footer code

C. Create a new template in Site Editor, add custom Header and Footer blocks, then assign it to the page

D. Create a new post and add header and footer blocks inside the post content

Solution

1. Step 1: Use Site Editor to create a new template

   In Full Site Editing, custom templates are created visually in the Site Editor.

2. Step 2: Add custom Header and Footer blocks to the new template

   Blocks let you build unique headers and footers for that template.

3. Step 3: Assign the new template to the desired page

   Assigning applies the custom layout to that page only.

4. Final Answer:

   Create a new template in Site Editor, add custom Header and Footer blocks, then assign it to the page -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Custom template = new template + blocks + assign [OK]

Hint: Create and assign templates visually in Site Editor [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Editing PHP files instead of using Site Editor
• Trying to add header/footer inside post content
• Disabling FSE plugins unnecessarily