Category: Wordpress

WordPress has just released a significant update—WordPress 6.5—and it’s packed with new features, performance enhancements, and tools that make managing websites easier and more efficient than ever.

Whether you’re a blogger, developer, designer, or business owner, this latest version brings improvements that can genuinely enhance your workflow and website performance. Here’s a clear and concise breakdown of what’s new and why it matters.

1. A Simpler Way to Manage Fonts: Introducing the Font Library

One of the standout features in WordPress 6.5 is the brand-new Font Library. You can now upload and manage fonts directly from within WordPress—no plugins, no code.

Need a bespoke font to match your brand? You can:

• Upload your own fonts
  
• Choose from a curated list of Google Fonts
  

The update also introduces improved typography tools, giving you more creative control over how your content appears. It’s never been easier to create a website that looks and feels uniquely yours.

2. Improved Page Building in the Block Editor (Gutenberg)

The block editor has come a long way, and WordPress 6.5 brings even more refinements to make page building smoother and more intuitive—especially for non-coders. Key improvements include:

• Enhanced drag-and-drop functionality
  
• Easier selection of nested blocks
  
• A tidier, more consistent toolbar
  
• New controls for spacing, borders, and shadows
  

These updates streamline the design process, helping you build visually impressive pages with less effort.

3. Custom Fields Now Integrated with the Site Editor

Great news for developers and advanced users: Custom Fields can now be used directly within the Site Editor. This means you can insert dynamic content (like bespoke product data or team member profiles) right into your templates—no need for third-party plugins or complex workarounds.

This feature adds a new level of flexibility and control, making it easier to build and maintain content-rich, dynamic websites.

4. Faster Load Times and Enhanced Performance

Speed matters—for both your users and your SEO. WordPress 6.5 brings a host of under-the-bonnet improvements, including:

• Faster editor load times
  
• Quicker template rendering
  
• More efficient handling of revisions and database queries
  

The result? A smoother experience for you and your visitors, with improved site responsiveness and faster page load times across the board.

5. Accessibility and Security Improvements

Inclusivity and safety are front and centre in this release. WordPress 6.5 introduces over 60 accessibility enhancements, helping to ensure your site is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities.

At the same time, multiple security upgrades have been rolled out to protect against new and emerging threats—helping to keep your website and your users’ data secure.

Final Thoughts from Kiwi Commerce

WordPress 6.5 isn’t just another version—it’s a significant step forward for website builders of all skill levels. With better tools for design, dynamic content management, speed optimisation, and accessibility, this update offers real value.

Before updating your site, we always recommend:

• Backing up your website
  
• Testing the update on a staging environment first
  

If you’re unsure where to start or need help taking advantage of the latest features, our team at Kiwi Commerce is here to support you.

Need a hand upgrading to WordPress 6.5 or tailoring your site to benefit from the latest tools? Let’s talk.

Introduction
Headless WordPress is gaining significant traction as developers seek greater flexibility and performance for their web projects. By decoupling the front-end from the back-end, you can leverage modern frameworks such as React, Next.js, or Vue.js, while still benefiting from WordPress as a robust content management system (CMS). At Kiwi Commerce, we understand the importance of staying ahead of the curve, and in this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of transitioning to a headless WordPress setup.

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What is Headless WordPress?

A traditional WordPress site integrates both the backend (WordPress admin) and frontend (theme and templates). In a headless setup, WordPress functions solely as a CMS, while a separate front-end application fetches content through the WordPress REST API or GraphQL.

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Why Go Headless?

• Improved Performance: Static site generation and server-side rendering (SSR) enhance speed and reduce load times.
• Better Security: With the front-end detached, attackers have fewer entry points.
• Flexibility: You can utilise modern front-end frameworks to craft a fully customised user experience.
• Scalability: Headless architecture enables content delivery across multiple platforms, including web, mobile apps, and IoT devices.

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How to Move to Headless WordPress

1. Set Up a WordPress Backend

Ensure your existing WordPress installation is up to date and optimised. While you will still use the WordPress admin panel to manage content, you won’t need a traditional theme.

2. Enable the WordPress REST API or GraphQL

WordPress offers a built-in REST API, but you can also enhance data fetching efficiency with plugins such as WPGraphQL.

3. Choose a Front-End Framework

Popular choices include:

• Next.js (React-based, with SSR and static generation support)
• Gatsby.js (Optimised for static sites and performance)
• Nuxt.js (Vue.js alternative with SSR support)
• SvelteKit (Lightweight, modern approach)

4. Fetch Content from WordPress

Using REST API:

javascript

fetch(‘https://yourdomain.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts’)

  .then(response => response.json())

  .then(data => console.log(data));

Using GraphQL:

graphql

query {

  posts {

    nodes {

      title

      content

    }

  }

}

5. Deploy Your Front-End

Host your front-end on platforms such as Vercel, Netlify, or AWS. Be sure to optimise for performance and SEO.

6. Handle Authentication and User Roles

For interactive websites requiring logins and user management, consider solutions like JWT authentication or OAuth to manage authentication between WordPress and your front-end.

7. Optimise for SEO

Leverage static site generation (SSG) or SSR to ensure your content is properly indexed by search engines. Implement meta tags, Open Graph, and structured data for improved SEO.

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Challenges and Considerations

• Plugin Compatibility: Not all WordPress plugins work seamlessly in a headless environment, so compatibility should be assessed before migration.
• Caching & Performance: Implement caching strategies and use CDNs to optimise load times and performance.
• Learning Curve: Adopting modern front-end frameworks and API consumption requires a certain level of expertise and experience.

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Conclusion

Migrating to headless WordPress can significantly enhance your website’s performance, security, and scalability. At Kiwi Commerce, we are committed to helping businesses build modern, scalable solutions that meet today’s digital challenges. By planning your migration carefully and selecting the appropriate tools, you can build a future-proof web experience that aligns with modern user expectations.

Are you ready to take the leap into headless WordPress? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

At Kiwi Commerce, we understand that website migrations can seem daunting, especially when it involves moving your WordPress site to a new host. Whether you’re looking for better performance, more features, or simply a more reliable hosting provider, a smooth migration is crucial to ensure that your site remains live and your data stays intact.

In this blog, we’ll guide you through the steps to migrate your WordPress site to a new host, ensuring no data is lost during the process. With the right preparation, migrating your site can be straightforward and hassle-free.

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Why Migrate Your WordPress Site?

There are many reasons you might consider migrating your WordPress site to a new host, including:

• Improved Performance: A faster server can drastically improve your site’s speed and overall performance.
• Better Customer Support: Switching to a hosting provider that offers excellent customer service can help solve issues more efficiently.
• Cost Efficiency: Some hosting providers offer better value for money, especially as your site grows.
• Additional Features: New hosting options might come with added features such as increased storage, enhanced security, or better scalability.

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Preparing for the Migration

Before you begin the migration process, it’s essential to take a few preparatory steps. This ensures that everything runs smoothly and reduces the risk of data loss.

1. Back Up Your WordPress Site The first step in any migration process is backing up your WordPress site. This step is crucial to avoid losing data in case something goes wrong during the migration.
   You can back up your WordPress site manually by copying the files and exporting your database, or you can use a WordPress backup plugin. Some popular options include:
   • UpdraftPlus
   • BackWPup
   • All-in-One WP Migration
2. Choose Your New Hosting Provider Take time to choose the right hosting provider. Make sure the new host supports WordPress and offers good uptime, security features, and fast loading speeds. Popular options include:
   • SiteGround
   • Bluehost
   • Kinsta
3. Create a List of Your Current Plugins and Themes Make a note of all the plugins and themes you currently have installed on your WordPress site. This ensures that you’ll be able to reinstall them on your new host, maintaining the same functionality and design as before.
4. Check for PHP Version Compatibility Verify that your new hosting environment supports the PHP version required by your WordPress site and its plugins. Most modern hosts offer the latest PHP versions, but it’s always good to double-check.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating Your WordPress Site

Once you’ve backed up your data and prepared everything, it’s time to migrate your site. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Export Your WordPress Database

The database contains all the content of your site, including posts, pages, comments, and settings. To export it:

• Log in to your current hosting provider’s control panel (often cPanel).
• Go to phpMyAdmin and select your WordPress database.
• Click Export, then choose Quick and SQL as the export method.
• Download the .sql file to your computer.

2. Download Your WordPress Files

Your WordPress files (themes, plugins, media, etc.) need to be transferred to your new host. You can download these files using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or a cPanel File Manager.

• Using FTP: Connect to your old hosting account with an FTP client (like FileZilla), then download all the files from the root directory of your WordPress installation.
• Using cPanel: If you’re using cPanel, go to File Manager, navigate to your WordPress directory, and compress the entire folder into a zip file. Then, download the zip file to your computer.

3. Set Up Your New Hosting Account

On your new hosting provider, create a new hosting account if you haven’t already. Install a fresh WordPress instance using the hosting provider’s auto-install tool (if available).

You should now have a clean WordPress installation on your new host, with the default themes and settings. Once this is done, you can start transferring your site data.

4. Upload WordPress Files to the New Host

• Use FTP or File Manager on your new hosting provider to upload the WordPress files you downloaded earlier to the root directory of your new hosting account.
• Ensure that all your files are in the correct location to avoid any errors when accessing your site.

5. Import the WordPress Database

Once your files are in place, the next step is to import your old WordPress database to the new host:

• Access phpMyAdmin on your new hosting account and select your new WordPress database.
• Click Import, select the .sql file you downloaded earlier, and click Go.
• This will upload all your site’s content to the new database.

6. Update wp-config.php File

The wp-config.php file contains the settings for connecting your WordPress site to the database. You will need to update this file to point to your new database.

• In your WordPress files, locate the wp-config.php file.
• Update the following lines with the details of your new database:

php

Copy code

define( ‘DB_NAME’, ‘new_database_name’ );

define( ‘DB_USER’, ‘new_database_user’ );

define( ‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘new_database_password’ );

define( ‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’ );

7. Check Site URL and Permalinks

After migrating, your site’s URL may still point to the old host. To fix this, log in to your WordPress admin dashboard on the new host and go to Settings > General. Ensure that both the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) reflect the correct domain name.

Next, navigate to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to flush your rewrite rules. This ensures that your links are working correctly.

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Testing Your Site After Migration

Before pointing your domain to the new host, it’s essential to test everything thoroughly:

• Check that all pages, posts, images, and links are working correctly.
• Test the functionality of your forms, shopping carts, and any interactive elements.
• Ensure all plugins and themes are functioning as expected.
• Use tools like Google Search Console and Pingdom to check for errors and measure site speed.

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Pointing Your Domain to the New Host

Once you’re confident everything is working perfectly, it’s time to update your DNS settings to point to your new hosting provider. Log in to your domain registrar and update the A record or Nameservers to match those provided by your new hosting provider.

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, so your site may be temporarily unavailable during this time. However, once the changes have fully propagated, your site will be live on the new host.

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Conclusion

Migrating your WordPress site to a new host doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With proper preparation and careful attention to detail, you can ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime and no data loss. At Kiwi Commerce, we understand the importance of a seamless migration, and our team of experts is always here to help with any step of the process.

If you’re looking to migrate your WordPress site but are unsure where to start, or if you need professional assistance to ensure the migration is done correctly, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help you make your WordPress hosting transition a success!