To Use TOC Block Or TOC Plugin? That is the question .

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In recent times, Google, other search engines, and the SEO world have increased their attention and narrative on the subject of page load speed in order to improve website user's experience. Apparently, WordPress has been losing its lead in this area.

It might not seem like it to the new user, but the block editor is one way in which WP is improving its performance.

One of the areas that impact page load speed is the design of plugins. Apparently, in general, blocks create more efficient code than is rendered by most plugins. Over time some plugins will become redundant as blocks are created that replace them. There will always be useful plugins but some functionality will likely be replaced by new blocks.

During the second half of 2020, with this realisation I went through my plugins and discovered that WordPress had a block for creating a Table of Contents. A TOC Block. I'd been using a plugin for this so created a test site on a siterubix subdomain to experiment and learn (I was still using the classic editor on my own site at the time). After a week of playing at "try out the blocks", I jumped down from sitting on the fence and switched to the block editor on my own site. However ...

The WP TOC Block didn't do what I wanted ... I asked the community for ideas and Phil (@Feigner) suggested trying Kadence Blocks because he had been looking at theme options and in the process remembered seeing a set of blocks, built by Kadence Themes, that included a TOC block.

So I tried it ... and liked it ...

Over time various members have been asking how to create a Table Of Contents ... so I've created a video training to show how to use the Kadence TOC Block. The training can also serve as an introduction to the WP Block editor for those who haven't tried it out yet.

If you're uncomfortably sitting on the fence between classic and block editor, or simply haven't taken a look yet ... here's an opportunity to take a look at a practical solution for a common problem ...

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/richardgb/training

:-)
Richard

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Recent Comments

12

Thanks for this post. I have been looking at a TOC, and will be trying out both the Kadence and the Block version. It is something I need for my site.

I will check out the training - it is still open as a tab - that I have not reviewed yet.

Alex

Hi Alex
Thanks for taking a look!
:-)
Richard

I read somewhere that the classic will be done away with in the future. That's why I went ahead and got used to the Block editor.

That’s right Siobhan although they have now said it will be available until at least the end of 2022.
:-)
Richard

Good to know. I'm just getting used to the block editor, so will have to check it out.

It's good to hear you're biting the bullet, Fran!
I know that many are finding it's hard to commit to the change.
:-)
Richard

That's good information, thanks for sharing.

Myra

You're welcome, Myra!
:-)
Rihard

I tried using the block editor and had a couple blogs using it then had technical issues with my site and WA support had me change my posts back to classic as the way to I had to fix fix it. I was liking the block editor too.

Hi Tim ... thanks for making this point.
Of course, I don't know for certain ... but that sounds like an incompatibility between a plugin and the block editor. There are a few of those ... if that's the case the plugin developers will have to fix it over time.
:-)
Richard

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