As a web designer with over a decade of experience, I’ve witnessed WordPress evolve in remarkable ways. Recently, I decided to revisit Full Site Editing (FSE)—a feature that felt buggy and underdeveloped when it was first introduced. My goal was to see how far FSE has come, using my latest project, spiritswithoutspirits.com, as a test case.
Keeping It Vanilla
For this experiment, I committed to working strictly within the confines of WordPress itself. I used the new default theme, Twenty Twenty-Five, introduced with WordPress 6.7, and avoided any third-party blocks or plugins. My aim was to see how much could be accomplished with “vanilla” WordPress.
A New Way to Build
Previously, my workflow involved selecting a theme from providers like Astra or Kadence and customizing it to fit the project. However, with FSE, the concept of themes as we knew them is gone. Instead, WordPress now revolves around patterns and full-site templates, offering unprecedented flexibility.
This new approach required me to unlearn old habits and embrace a block-first mindset. Instead of looking for theme-specific options, I worked directly within the Site Editor to shape every aspect of the design.
Challenges and Rewards
Adapting to FSE’s paradigm shift was no small feat. The block-based interface can feel overwhelming at first, and it’s clear that this level of customization comes with a learning curve. However, the experience was also liberating. Twenty Twenty-Five is a lightweight, modern theme that serves as a fantastic foundation for exploring the full potential of FSE.
The flexibility and control were eye-opening. With site-wide patterns and templates, I could craft a cohesive design without relying on pre-built constraints or third-party tools. While not every detail felt intuitive, the results were worth the effort.
Final Thoughts
WordPress FSE has come a long way since its initial release. Building spiritswithoutspirits.com with only the default tools was a testament to how much the platform has matured. If you’ve been hesitant to embrace FSE, now is a great time to dive in. With themes like Twenty Twenty-Five and the powerful Site Editor, WordPress is empowering designers to reimagine what’s possible—no plugins required.