Block Editor: A Beginner’s Guide to Building Layouts

Block Editor: A Beginner’s Guide to Building LayoutsThe block editor (often known by platform-specific names such as WordPress’s Gutenberg) has reshaped how people create content and design page layouts. Instead of relying on a single large content area with HTML or shortcodes, the block editor treats each piece of content as a modular “block” — paragraph, image, gallery, button, columns, and more — that you can add, move, and configure independently. This article will walk you through the fundamentals of using a block editor to build clean, responsive layouts, explain key block types and layout patterns, offer practical tips and accessibility considerations, and provide examples to help you practice.

Why use a block editor?

Visual control: Block editors give you a closer representation of how the final page will look while you edit.
Modularity: Each block encapsulates content and its settings, making reordering and reuse simple.
Consistency: Reusable blocks and global styles help maintain consistent design across pages.
Extensibility: Plugins and block libraries add new blocks (e.g., advanced layouts, forms, sliders) without coding.
Responsiveness: Modern block editors include blocks and settings designed for responsive behavior.

Getting started: interface basics

Most block editors share common UI elements:

Block inserter: a plus (+) button to add new blocks.
Block toolbar: appears when a block is selected; contains inline formatting and block-specific controls.
Sidebar/Inspector: shows block settings (spacing, color, typography) and document-level settings.
Drag handles: let you move blocks up/down or into nested structures like columns.
Reusable blocks / patterns: pre-built groups of blocks you can save and reuse.

Practical steps to begin:

Create a new page/post.
Click the inserter (+) and pick a block (e.g., Paragraph, Image).
Type or add media, then use the toolbar and sidebar to adjust alignment, font size, colors.
Use drag handles or arrow keys to rearrange blocks.
Save as a draft and preview on different screen sizes.

Core blocks and how to use them

Below are the blocks you’ll use most when building layouts.

Paragraph and Heading

Paragraph: basic text content. Control font size, color, line height in settings.
Heading: structure your document (H1–H6). Use headings to create a hierarchy and improve accessibility and SEO.

Image, Gallery, and Media

Image: place single images; set alt text, sizes, and alignment.
Gallery: displays multiple images in grid or mosaic layouts.
Media & Text: side-by-side image and text, useful for feature sections.

Columns and Group

Columns: divide a row into multiple vertical sections. Each column is its own block container.
Group: wrap multiple blocks into a single container for shared background, spacing, or layout settings. Tips: Use Group to apply background color or padding to multiple blocks at once.

Buttons and CTAs

Button block: add clickable calls-to-action. Adjust styles, sizes, and link behavior.
Use multiple buttons in a Columns or Group block for consistent alignment.

Spacer and Separator

Spacer: add adjustable vertical space between blocks.
Separator: visual dividing line. Good for breaking content into sections.

List, Quote, and Code

List: ordered/unordered lists. Use for steps or features.
Quote: highlight testimonials or pull quotes.
Code: display preformatted code snippets without formatting.

Widgets/Embeds

Embed blocks: easily insert content from YouTube, Twitter, Spotify, and other services.
Shortcode/HTML: for advanced embeds or third-party widgets if a dedicated block is unavailable.

Layout patterns and recipes

Use these patterns as starting points when building pages.

Hero section (top of page)

Blocks: Cover or Group with full-width background image → Heading → Paragraph → Buttons.
Settings: Full-width alignment, vertical padding, dark overlay for text contrast.

Two-column content with image

Blocks: Columns (⁄₅₀) → Left: Image; Right: Group(Heading → Paragraph → Button).
Use Media & Text for a simpler side-by-side image and text arrangement.

Feature grid

Blocks: Columns (three or four columns) → Within each: Group(Image/Icon + Heading + Paragraph).
Use consistent icon sizes and headings for visual rhythm.

Testimonial slider (if supported)

Blocks: Reusable block or plugin-provided carousel → Multiple Quote blocks with client name and avatar.
If no slider block, stack testimonials in Columns to simulate layout.

Blog index / Archive layout

Blocks: Query Loop (if available) or Post List block → Configure display (excerpt, featured image, meta).
Use patterns to show multiple posts with consistent card styling.

Responsive design: tips that actually work

Preview at multiple breakpoints using the editor’s preview tool. Don’t rely only on desktop.
For columns, specify stacking order or use single-column fallback for mobile.
Keep touch targets large: buttons should be at least 44–48px tall on mobile.
Avoid fixed-width elements that require horizontal scrolling.
Use relative units (%, em, rem) where available for spacing and typography.

Accessibility and SEO basics

Always add descriptive alt text for images. Treat alt text like a short caption for screen-reader users.
Use heading levels logically — don’t skip from H2 to H4.
Ensure color contrast meets WCAG AA for text and important UI elements (buttons, links).
Use semantic blocks (Heading, List, Quote) instead of visual tricks (big bold paragraph).
For SEO: use clear H1 on the page, descriptive titles for reusable blocks, and meaningful link text.

Reusable blocks, patterns, and global styles

Reusable blocks: create once (e.g., a CTA) and insert across multiple pages; changes update everywhere.
Patterns: pre-designed block groups you can insert and customize for common layouts.
Global styles: set default typography, colors, and spacing to keep designs consistent site-wide.

Best practice: Create a small library of reusable blocks and patterns tailored to your brand (header, CTA, pricing card, footer snippets).

Advanced tips and troubleshooting

Nested blocks: Use Group and Columns for deeper structure; remember nested blocks inherit some container styles.
Custom CSS: If the editor’s options don’t cover a design need, add a small amount of CSS via theme customizer or a custom-class field on blocks.
Performance: limit heavy blocks (large image galleries, many embeds); lazy-load images and use optimized formats (WebP where supported).
Plugin conflicts: if a block behaves oddly, temporarily disable plugins to isolate the issue.
Restore layout: use the editor’s undo/redo and revision history to recover earlier versions.

Example walkthrough — Build a simple landing section

Insert a Cover block. Set it to full width and choose a background image.
Add a Heading (H1) inside the Cover: “Launch Your Product”.
Under the heading add a Paragraph with a short description.
Insert a Buttons block and add two Button blocks: “Get Started” and “Learn More”.
Set the Cover block’s overlay to 40% dark and increase vertical padding to 120px.
Save and preview mobile — ensure the heading scales and buttons stack comfortably.

Practice exercises

Recreate a homepage hero from a site you admire using only core blocks.
Build a 3-column feature grid with identical card styles and make it stack gracefully on mobile.
Create a reusable CTA block and insert it into three different pages; then update the CTA text in the reusable block and confirm all pages reflect the change.

Conclusion

The block editor transforms layout building from code-heavy work into visual, modular composition. Start with simple blocks and patterns, maintain consistent styles with reusable blocks and global settings, and prioritize accessibility and responsiveness. With practice, you’ll move from assembling pages to designing flexible templates that scale across your site.