WordPress 4.9.8 Beta 2 was released today, featuring the new “Try Gutenberg” prompt that will appear in user dashboards when the official release drops at the end of the month.

The prompt invites users to install Gutenberg if they want to try the new editor or install the Classic Editor to keep using the current editor until they are ready to make the change. WordPress contributors discussed variations on the design and wording of the callout and finally settled on what you see in 4.9.8 Beta 2.

Screen-Shot-2018-07-19-at-4.02.56-PM First Look at “Try Gutenberg” Prompt in WordPress 4.9.8 Beta 2 design tips

Even if users don’t get involved in Gutenberg testing, the callout serves to inform them that the new editor will be enabled by default in the next major release of WordPress. It includes a link to the Gutenberg information page so users can learn more about the project.

Contributors agreed that they wanted to clearly communicate three important points in the callout, as per designer @kjellr’s suggestions on trac:

  1. Gutenberg is coming in the next major release.
  2. If you’re worried about compatibility, there’s a plugin to help ease the transition.
  3. The plugin lets you use the editor you’re used to until you’re ready to switch.

The prompt is clearly geared towards encouraging users to test Gutenberg, as that section has a more prominent, colored button. If your clients’ installations are not ready for users to act on the “Try Gutenberg” prompt, now is the time to install a plugin that will disable it. Clients with free-range of the WordPress admin, in sites that are running Gutenberg-compatible extensions, are better candidates for testing the new editor.

The Classic Editor Addon is one option that will suppress the prompt and automatically suppress Gutenberg when it ships in WordPress 5.0. It was also recently updated to auto-install the Classic Editor plugin as a dependency so users don’t have to install two plugins as part of the process.

A release candidate is slated for July 24, and the official 4.9.8 release is scheduled for July 31st. The Gutenberg plugin is currently sitting at 10,000+ active installations and the Classic Editor at 5,000+. After 4.9.8 is released, changes in these numbers will demonstrate how WordPress users across the globe are responding to the call for testing.