Unlocking the Power of Custom Buttons in the Block Editor: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you tired of the same old boring buttons in the WordPress block editor? Do you want to add a personal touch to your website’s user interface? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how to create a custom button in the block editor inserter button, also known as the “Add block” button. By the end of this article, you’ll be a master of custom button creation, and your website will be the envy of all your friends.

What You’ll Need

To get started, you’ll need a few things:

• A WordPress website with the block editor enabled
• A basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• A code editor or IDE of your choice
• A willingness to learn and experiment

Understanding the Block Editor Inserter Button

The block editor inserter button is the “Add block” button you see in the top left corner of the WordPress block editor. It’s responsible for allowing users to add new blocks to their pages and posts. By default, this button is a simple text button with the label “Add block”. But with a little bit of code, we can customize it to do just about anything we want.

How the Inserter Button Works

The inserter button is a JavaScript component that’s built into the WordPress block editor. It’s responsible for rendering the button and handling the clicks. When you click the button, it triggers a series of events that ultimately lead to a new block being added to the page.

// The inserter button component
const InserterButton = () => {
  return (
     {
        // Handle the click event
      }}
    >
      Add block
    
  );
};

Creating a Custom Button

Now that we have a basic understanding of the inserter button, let’s create a custom button that says “Add awesome block” instead of “Add block”. We’ll use JavaScript and CSS to achieve this.

Step 1: Create a New JavaScript File

Create a new file in your theme’s directory called `custom-button.js`. This file will contain the JavaScript code for our custom button.

// custom-button.js
const { registerPlugin } = wp.plugins;
const { createHigherOrderComponent } = wp.compose;

const customButton = () => {
  return {
    inserter: {
      render: () => {
        return (
          
            Add awesome block
          
        );
      },
    },
  };
};

registerPlugin('custom-button', {
  icon: 'smiley',
  render: customButton,
});

Step 2: Enqueue the JavaScript File

We need to enqueue our `custom-button.js` file in WordPress so that it gets loaded in the block editor. Add the following code to your theme’s `functions.php` file:

// functions.php
function custom_button_enqueue_scripts() {
  wp_enqueue_script(
    'custom-button',
    get_template_directory_uri() . '/custom-button.js',
    array('wp-plugins', 'wp-compose')
  );
}
add_action('enqueue_block_editor_assets', 'custom_button_enqueue_scripts');

Step 3: Add CSS Styles (Optional)

If you want to add custom CSS styles to your button, create a new file called `custom-button.css` in your theme’s directory. Add the following code:

/* custom-button.css */
.wp-block-editor-inserter__button {
  background-color: #007bff;
  color: #ffffff;
  border: none;
  padding: 10px 20px;
  font-size: 16px;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.wp-block-editor-inserter__button:hover {
  background-color: #0069d9;
}

Step 4: Enqueue the CSS File (Optional)

If you created a `custom-button.css` file, you need to enqueue it in WordPress. Add the following code to your theme’s `functions.php` file:

// functions.php
function custom_button_enqueue_styles() {
  wp_enqueue_style(
    'custom-button',
    get_template_directory_uri() . '/custom-button.css'
  );
}
add_action('enqueue_block_editor_assets', 'custom_button_enqueue_styles');

Adding Functionality to the Custom Button

Now that we have a custom button, let’s add some functionality to it. We’ll make it insert a custom block when clicked.

Step 1: Create a Custom Block

Create a new file in your theme’s directory called `custom-block.js`. This file will contain the JavaScript code for our custom block.

// custom-block.js
const { registerBlockType } = wp.blocks;

registerBlockType('custom/awesome-block', {
  title: 'Awesome Block',
  icon: 'smiley',
  category: 'common',
  edit: () => {
    return 
This is an awesome block!
;
  },
  save: () => {
    return 
This is an awesome block!
;
  },
});

Step 2: Enqueue the Custom Block File

We need to enqueue our `custom-block.js` file in WordPress so that it gets loaded in the block editor. Add the following code to your theme’s `functions.php` file:

// functions.php
function custom_block_enqueue_scripts() {
  wp_enqueue_script(
    'custom-block',
    get_template_directory_uri() . '/custom-block.js',
    array('wp-blocks')
  );
}
add_action('enqueue_block_editor_assets', 'custom_block_enqueue_scripts');

Step 3: Update the Custom Button to Insert the Custom Block

Update the `custom-button.js` file to insert the custom block when the button is clicked:

// custom-button.js
const { registerPlugin } = wp.plugins;
const { createHigherOrderComponent } = wp.compose;
const { insertBlock } = wp.data;

const customButton = () => {
  return {
    inserter: {
      render: () => {
        return (
           {
              insertBlock('custom/awesome-block');
            }}
          >
            Add awesome block
          
        );
      },
    },
  };
};

registerPlugin('custom-button', {
  icon: 'smiley',
  render: customButton,
});

Conclusion

And that’s it! You now have a custom button in the block editor inserter button that inserts a custom block when clicked. Pat yourself on the back, you’ve earned it. Remember to experiment and have fun with customizing the WordPress block editor. The possibilities are endless!

Files Created	Files Updated
custom-button.js	functions.php
custom-button.css (optional)	functions.php (optional)
custom-block.js	functions.php

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Make sure you’re running the latest version of WordPress and the block editor.
2. Check that you’ve enqueued the JavaScript and CSS files correctly.
3. Verify that the custom button is rendering correctly in the block editor.
4. Test the custom button’s functionality by clicking it and inserting the custom block.

By following this guide, you should now have a custom button in the block editor inserter button that does exactly what you want it to do. Happy coding!

Here are 5 Questions and Answers about “Custom button in the block editor inserter button ("Add block" button)” using a creative voice and tone:

Frequently Asked Questions

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