WordPress Navigation Links: Clearer Status Indicators

Hey guys! Let's dive into a crucial area for WordPress Gutenberg users: improving the clarity of linked entity statuses within Navigation blocks. When you're adding links to your navigation, especially to posts, it's super important to know whether those posts are live, drafts, or private. This article discusses why this matters and how we can make the whole process way less confusing.

The Problem: Status Confusion with Navigation Links

Navigation links in WordPress Gutenberg can point to various entities like posts, pages, and taxonomies. When linking to posts, the issue arises because the post status (e.g., draft, private, published) isn't always obvious. The main problem? Getting a clear, visual confirmation that the linked entity is actually "Published" and live on your site. This lack of clarity causes confusion, and here's why it matters:

• Default Behavior: By default, non-published posts show up in the editor, which is awesome when you're working, but they are hidden from the front end of your site, which is problematic when you expect them to show up.
• User Experience: Users like a quick visual confirmation that the content they're linking to is active and visible to their audience. It's all about that peace of mind, right? In a recent user test, many participants got tripped up, wondering if their linked pages were actually live. They wished for a clear indicator to take away the guesswork.

Without a visual cue, users might think they've successfully linked to a live page, only to find it's not visible on the front end. This can lead to frustration and wasted time troubleshooting. It's kind of like building a bridge that leads to nowhere – not ideal!

The Solution: Clear Status Indicators

So, how do we fix this? The proposed solution is straightforward: add a clear post status indicator for any Navigation links that point to Post entities. This indicator should be visible in two key places:

• Within the Link UI: This should be integrated into the link interface itself, ideally as part of ongoing improvements to the link management features in Gutenberg.
• In the Block Sidebar Controls: This ensures the status is always visible, even when you're not actively editing the link.

Think of it like a traffic light: green for published, yellow for draft, and maybe red for private. A quick glance tells you everything you need to know. This approach not only reduces confusion but also enhances the overall user experience, making it easier for everyone to build and manage their navigation menus.

Diving Deeper: The Draft Suffix

Currently, WordPress adds a "(Draft)" suffix to links within the canvas when they're not yet published. The question is: is this enough? And more importantly, is it consistent? If we keep this suffix, it needs to be applied consistently across the board, including the Editable List View in the sidebar. Consistency is key here, guys. We want to make sure the experience is predictable and reliable, no matter where you're looking.

Consistency is a cornerstone of good UI design. When elements behave predictably across different parts of the interface, users can quickly learn and apply that knowledge elsewhere. If the "(Draft)" suffix is only shown in some places but not others, it creates a disjointed experience that can lead to mistakes and frustration. Imagine if street signs changed their meaning depending on which neighborhood you were in – chaos, right?

Replication: Creating a Draft Page

Want to see the problem in action? It's easy to replicate. You can create a Page in "draft" status directly from the Navigation block. This is where the confusion often starts. Users create a page, link to it, but then wonder why it's not showing up on the front end. It all comes back to that missing status indicator.

Screenshot: creating a page via Nav block

Step-by-Step Replication:

1. Open the Gutenberg Editor: Start by opening a page or post in the WordPress Gutenberg editor.
2. Add a Navigation Block: Insert a Navigation block into your content.
3. Create a New Page: Within the Navigation block, create a new page. This new page will default to a "Draft" status.
4. Link to the Draft Page: Link to the newly created draft page from your navigation menu.
5. Observe the Lack of Clear Status: Notice that the status of the linked page (i.e., that it's a draft) isn't immediately clear, either in the link UI or the block sidebar controls.
6. View on the Front End: Publish the page containing the Navigation block, and then view it on the front end of your site. You'll see that the draft page doesn't appear in the navigation menu.

This simple exercise demonstrates the importance of having a clear status indicator. Without it, users are left guessing, which isn't a great experience.

Benefits of Clear Status Indicators

Implementing clear status indicators for linked entities in the Navigation block brings numerous benefits:

• Reduced Confusion: Users can instantly understand the status of linked content, minimizing uncertainty and potential errors.
• Improved Workflow: A clear visual indication streamlines the content creation and linking process, allowing users to work more efficiently.
• Enhanced User Experience: A more intuitive and informative interface leads to a more satisfying user experience overall.
• Fewer Support Requests: By addressing the status ambiguity, developers and support teams can expect to receive fewer inquiries related to navigation link visibility.

Conclusion: Let's Make Navigation Easier!

In summary, enhancing the clarity of linked entity statuses in WordPress Gutenberg's Navigation block is a must. By adding clear indicators in the Link UI and sidebar controls, we can eliminate confusion and create a smoother, more intuitive experience for everyone. Let's make WordPress navigation easier and more user-friendly, one status indicator at a time!