WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE) has revolutionized how users design and manage websites. With the introduction of the Gutenberg block editor, WordPress made significant strides towards offering a complete site-building experience. Full Site Editing (FSE) themes allow users to control every aspect of their site, from headers and footers to templates and individual blocks, using a visual block-based editor. This flexibility and ease-of-use have made FSE themes increasingly popular. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 WordPress Full Site Editing themes, highlighting their features, ratings, and user reviews.
Understanding Gutenberg Block Editor
The Gutenberg Block Editor is WordPress’s modern content editor, introduced in WordPress 5.0, which replaced the classic editor to offer a more visual, block-based editing experience. Unlike the old text-based editor, where you had to use shortcodes and HTML for custom layouts, Gutenberg lets users design pages and posts using blocks. Each block represents a piece of content, such as paragraphs, images, galleries, buttons, videos, and more, making it easier to build rich content visually.
Key Features of the Gutenberg Block Editor
- Blocks – These are the core elements of the editor. They include various content types like text, images, media, embeds, and widgets. Users can drag, drop, and rearrange blocks as needed.
- Reusable Blocks – Users can create custom blocks and save them for reuse across different posts and pages, helping maintain consistent design.
- Full-Site Editing (FSE) – With WordPress 5.9 and later, Gutenberg now supports Full-Site Editing, allowing you to edit templates, headers, footers, and other site elements using the block interface.
- Customization – Each block comes with its own set of customization options, including alignment, background colors, padding, and margins, allowing for precise control over layout and styling.
- Responsive – Blocks automatically adjust for mobile responsiveness, ensuring that content displays well across different devices.
Benefits of Using the Gutenberg Block Editor
- Ease of Use – The visual interface makes it simple for beginners to create complex layouts without writing any code.
- Customization – Offers a flexible approach to content creation, allowing users to build custom designs directly from the editor.
- Speed – It reduces the need for third-party page builders, speeding up the design process and improving site performance.
- Future-proof – Gutenberg is actively being developed by WordPress, meaning new features and improvements are regularly added, making it the standard for WordPress editing in the future.
Top 10 WordPress Full Site Editing Themes
WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE) themes offer complete control over the design and layout of your website using the Gutenberg block editor. These themes allow you to customize every aspect of your site, from headers and footers to individual page templates, all without needing any coding skills. In this article, we explore the Top 10 WordPress Full Site Editing Themes, highlighting their key features, ease of use, and ratings.
1. Twenty Twenty-Three
The Twenty Twenty-Three theme is the latest default WordPress full site editing theme designed to take full advantage of Full Site Editing capabilities. It’s a minimalist, block-based theme, giving users the flexibility to create almost any type of layout with ease. Its design focuses on simplicity, allowing users to build their sites from the ground up.
Features
- Fully responsive and block-based design.
- Multiple pre-built templates for pages and posts.
- Offers several global style variations to change the look of the entire site.
- Built-in support for Full Site Editing with full compatibility with WordPress 6.1+.
Reviews
Users appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of the theme, praising it as a perfect starter theme for WordPress Full Site Editing. Its clean design and robust functionality make it suitable for both beginners and advanced users alike.
Ratings: ★★★★★ (5/5)
2. Tove
Tove is a vibrant, playful FSE WordPress full site editing theme built specifically for cafés and restaurants but can be adapted to other purposes. This theme provides a colorful, modern design that focuses on showcasing content beautifully, with a particular emphasis on images.
Features
- Designed for cafés and restaurants but adaptable to other niches.
- Over 40 block patterns, including custom headers, footers, and galleries.
- Customizable block-based templates and layouts.
- Full integration with the block editor for complete visual editing.
Reviews
Users love Tove’s unique design and ease of customization. Many praise its block patterns, which allow even beginners to create beautiful pages. However, some users mention that it lacks some advanced features found in other FSE themes.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
3. Blocksy
Blocksy is a lightweight and highly customizable WordPress full site editing theme designed for FSE. Known for its speed and flexibility, it’s perfect for blogs, portfolios, and business websites. Blocksy provides a modern design, extensive customization options, and a seamless Full Site Editing experience.
Features
- Lightweight, fast, and optimized for SEO.
- Full compatibility with Full Site Editing and block-based layout control.
- Pre-designed starter sites for faster setup.
- Extensive customization options for headers, footers, and global styling.
Reviews
Users rave about Blocksy’s speed and flexibility. Its pre-designed starter sites are a particular favorite, allowing users to get their site up and running quickly. The theme’s lightweight design ensures fast loading times, which is highly appreciated.
Ratings: ★★★★★ (5/5)
4. Chaplin
Chaplin is a powerful and flexible WordPress FSE theme designed for business websites, portfolios, and blogs. It offers a clean, modern design with full integration into the Gutenberg editor, making it a favorite among users looking for an easy-to-customize theme with modern features.
Features
- Full support for Full Site Editing.
- Flexible header, footer, and sidebar customization.
- Pre-built templates and patterns to speed up the design process.
- Clean, modern design with easy-to-read typography.
Reviews
Chaplin has received high praise for its design flexibility and ease of use. Users find it an excellent choice for creating a wide variety of websites without needing coding knowledge. The availability of pre-built templates also makes it user-friendly for beginners.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.7/5)
5. Aino
Aino is a feature-rich WordPress full site editing theme designed for building professional and visually appealing websites with the Gutenberg editor. It offers a clean and minimal design with a focus on ease of customization and adaptability.
Features
- Clean and modern design with a minimalist approach.
- Full compatibility with Full Site Editing.
- Customizable headers, footers, and page layouts.
- Offers several ready-made block patterns and templates.
Reviews
Aino is praised for its simplicity and clean design. It’s ideal for those who prefer a minimalist layout and want to focus on content. Users, however, mention that the customization options, while easy to use, are somewhat limited compared to other themes.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.4/5)
6. Armando
Armando is an WordPress full site editing theme designed with sports and fitness blogs in mind, though it can be adapted to other industries. The theme offers a bold, dynamic layout that highlights images and content in an engaging way.
Features
- Designed with sports and fitness websites in mind.
- Full Site Editing support for complete control over the site’s layout.
- Bold typography and engaging design elements.
- Customizable templates and block patterns.
Reviews
Armando receives praise for its bold and visually striking design. Users appreciate the ease with which they can adapt the theme to their specific needs, especially with Full Site Editing support. Some users mention that while it’s perfect for sports-related sites, it may require customization for other niches.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.6/5)
7. Geologist
Geologist is a sleek and modern WordPress full site editing theme perfect for business websites, portfolios, and blogs. Its minimalist design helps highlight your content, and it provides numerous customization options with Gutenberg.
Features
- Clean, minimalist design with a professional look.
- Fully compatible with Full Site Editing and block-based layout editing.
- Built-in templates for common website pages such as home, blog, and contact.
- Lightweight and responsive design.
Reviews
Users enjoy Geologist for its professional and clean design. It is particularly appreciated by business owners and professionals looking for a modern yet straightforward layout. Some users, however, wish for more unique customization features.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
8. Qubely
Qubely is an advanced block-based WordPress full site editing theme designed for Full Site Editing. It provides a rich set of block patterns, advanced styling options, and full layout control. Qubely is known for offering both simplicity and extensive customization options for advanced users.
Features
- Full Site Editing compatibility with block-based templates and patterns.
- Extensive design controls for color schemes, typography, and layout.
- Pre-built starter templates for quick setup.
- Deep integration with the Gutenberg editor.
Reviews
Qubely is highly rated for its versatility and customization options. Users appreciate its ease of use, especially the pre-built templates, which save time during setup. Advanced users, however, appreciate the theme’s extensive customization controls.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.7/5)
9. Naledi
Naledi is a sleek and minimalist WordPress Full Site Editing theme designed for personal blogs, portfolios, and small businesses. It’s tailored for those who want a clean and modern aesthetic, with easy-to-use block-based customization. Naledi offers flexibility in design without overwhelming users with too many options, making it ideal for beginners and those seeking a simple yet effective theme.
Features
- Lightweight and fast-loading for optimal performance.
- Full Site Editing support with customizable templates and layouts.
- Pre-designed block patterns for quick setup and design.
- Minimalist design focusing on readability and a clean user experience.
- Perfect for bloggers, freelancers, and small businesses.
Reviews
Naledi is widely praised for its simplicity and performance. Users love its minimalistic design, which ensures that content remains the primary focus. Many appreciate the ease of customization using the block editor, though some users note that advanced customization options are somewhat limited compared to more feature-rich themes. However, Naledi is considered perfect for those who value simplicity and speed.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
10. Catch FSE
Catch WordPress full site editing is a simple, versatile Full Site Editing theme that focuses on flexibility and customization. It’s suitable for blogs, portfolios, and small business websites. The theme provides a clean design and supports multiple block-based templates.
Features
- Lightweight and fully responsive.
- Full Site Editing capabilities for complete layout customization.
- Multiple block patterns and customizable templates.
- Ideal for small businesses and personal blogs.
Reviews
Catch FSE receives praise for its simplicity and speed. Users particularly enjoy how easy it is to set up and customize without any prior technical knowledge. However, some mention that it’s not as feature-rich as some of the other FSE themes available.
Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.3/5)
WordPress Full Site Editing themes are the future of WordPress, offering users unparalleled flexibility and control over their website design. Whether you’re building a blog, business site, or an e-commerce platform, these top 10 FSE themes provide diverse options in terms of design, features, and ease of use. Each of these themes comes with its own set of strengths, so choosing the right one depends on your specific needs and preferences. Regardless of your choice, using an FSE theme ensures that your website is modern, responsive, and easy to maintain.
FAQs
Do I need coding skills to use a Full Site Editing theme?
No, you don’t need coding skills to use a Full Site Editing theme. The block editor provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to customize your website. You can adjust layouts, colors, fonts, and more using the editor, though more advanced customizations may require some coding knowledge.
Can I switch my existing theme to an FSE theme?
Yes, you can switch your existing theme to an FSE theme, but doing so may require some adjustments to your content and design. Switching to an FSE theme will change how your website handles templates and blocks, so it’s recommended to test the new theme in a staging environment before making changes live.
Are Full Site Editing themes responsive and mobile-friendly?
Yes, most FSE themes are designed to be fully responsive and mobile-friendly, ensuring that your website looks great on all devices. Since you can control the layout and design through blocks, FSE themes provide flexibility to create designs that work across different screen sizes.
What are block patterns in FSE themes?
Block patterns are pre-designed, reusable layouts that you can insert into your pages or templates with a single click. FSE themes often come with several block patterns for headers, footers, galleries, and more, making it easier to build and customize your site without designing each section from scratch.
