The new WordPress 3.8 ushers in a new era of WordPress. Huge improvements in design and functionality.
New Features & Updates
Well, WordPress 3.8 has been available for a few weeks now, and if you haven’t updated yet, I highly recommend it. To date, this update marks as perhaps the most transformative in regards to the general WordPress Aesthetic. Many of the items featured in this update have been in development for close to a year and the WordPress team and community really deserves a round of applause for this one.
New Modern Design
For those that follow WordPress closely, the new admin styles should be no surprise, having been announced close to a year ago.
The dashboard has been totally redesigned to reflect a new, easy to navigate design. Contrast is used not only for aesthetic purposes but to draw attention to certain aspects of the site for much easier navigating and altogether much more pleasurable experience. Users of popular plugins like Gravity Forms will find that these plugins have made their own updates to embrace the new look. The new Open Sans type, perhaps the most legible font ever, is a welcome addition.
Better Responsive
If you like accessing your WordPress site via your phone, you’re in luck, because the new design is also incredibly responsive. In my opinion, this is one of the features (in addition to widget areas) that was most in need of improvement and thankfully, it was addressed in a big way. I’ve tested the new WP3.8 on an iPhone 5, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy Note, and, it’s soo good!
Admin Color Schemes
To access the new color schemes, navigate to Users > Your Profile from your website Dashboard. There are presently 8 different options. Each user on your site can have their own based on their preferences, which is pretty cool.
Better Widget Management
Drag and Drop were nice, and still possible, but wow, the new widget management system is fantastic. You can now click any widget you want to add to a widget area, and a list of all the available widget areas will appear below.
No more dragging for miles, just click the widget you want to add and then select where you want it to go!
In Summary
The new WordPress 3.8 ushers in a new era of WordPress. Huge improvements in design and functionality, what’s not to love!
