Currently I am using a child theme based on a Bootstrap starter and ACF to create custom fields that I fill with information in the editor. I create the “look” using PHP templates for posts and pages, which I can then easily cross-reference and link to each other via code using tags and the like as I need. I have 4 post templates and 8 page templates. So that’s the “old-fashioned” way of creating a WordPress site I think.
I learned PHP and a bit of JavaScript doing this and basically always achieved what I was aiming to do with this method. I find that it gives me flexibility and I enjoy solving problems like that.
So far I have avoided using Gutenberg blocks on my website as I never really liked the user experience – I find it cumbersome.
However, I want to update my website to remove bloat (code that accumulated over the years). Basically I want to start from scratch with the aim to optimise site speed and future-proof it (and I want to migrate the content of course). I want to do it the “right” way.
I have looked at using Gutenberg a bit and I still find it wildly confusing. The editor also freezes at times.
Should I stick to my ways or is it worth the effort to move to Gutenberg? I don’t want to do a redesign and then find out in a few years that I won’t be able to use it anymore.
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Just for some more options, Recently bricks is widely used, even elementor. But as you said you are not very much fond of blocks then you might not like the above options even. In that case custom old fashion development would be good.
Assuming you have ACF Pro, look into ACF Blocks. Nice alternative to Gutenberg blocks, and in my opinion they offer more customization than standard blocks anyway since you’ve got access to all of the available ACF fields. Much easier to develop/set up as well.
Most of my themes are a mixture of doing things the old way & using ACF Blocks. There’s not really a ‘right way’ of doing it in my opinion. The Gutenberg editor shouldn’t really be freezing on you though, so perhaps you’re using some plugins that are causing issues. You should try and find the cause of that issue, as it’s not one I’ve experienced.
> future-proof it
Blocks. Builders come and go.
I like doing things the old fashioned way.
Although your approach is almost perfect, from developer’s point of view; it can be tricky on the long run and from client’s point of view.
As a client, I would prefer if my site is built with proven theme and plugins, (for example GeneratePress and GenerateBlock, as /u/Black_H0le suggests) with minimum extra PHP in child theme.
Why?
As client, I do not want to be caged in your “design”. I do not want to be tied with (only) you as developer. What if I decide to switch to another developer, less capable to handle your code? Who says that your code is the best? What if some of my plugins demand a newer version of PHP, and your code is not compatible with it? Please do not answer: client does not care.
As developer, I would rather stick with “cleanest” possible WP, theme and plugins. So that someone others can easily take over the site. I would try to make these 4 post and 8 page templates in GeneratePress/GenerateBlocks.
Proven themes and plugins have support forums, your (or mine) ACF’s code does not. I always have developer who has to take over my site in my mind.
To be clear, I am not against CPT “editors”, I use Pods.
> I want to do it the “right” way.
Hard to say what is the “right” way.
Do not take this as negative critique, more as small observations from different point of view.