GenerateBlocks 1.5 – Dynamic Data, Query Loop & Image Block

If you are in the WordPress industry from some time, chances are you’ve already heard about GenerateBlocks. It is a block-based WordPress plugin that enhances your editing capabilities on Gutenberg editor. Recently, in June 2022, this plugin got updated to GenerateBlocks 1.5 version.

It follows a freemium model. Meaning, there is a free and premium version of the plugin.

This plugin was first released on Feb 2020 with 4 major blocks; Container Block, Grid Block, Headline Block, and Button Block. Giving you the capability of making almost anything on your site. But there were some limitations regarding user flexibility.

With GenerateBlocks 1.5, you get a powerful feature called Dynamic Data and 2 new blocks; Query Loop Block and Image Block.

To learn about all blocks, customization options and additional features in GenerateBlocks pro, take a quick peek at our GenerateBlocks Review.

What’s New In GenerateBlocks 1.5

GenerateBlocks 1.5 has reached an active install of 100,000 as per WordPress official site.

As per their download data (at the time of writing), there had been more than 4500 installs in a week. That is a big number, indicating us the plugin’s power, features long awaited by users and flexibility offered while creating designs.

It brings in dynamic data feature with advanced layouts in the free version. Plus, the plugin can be used with any WordPress theme.

Note:- The new features under GenerateBlocks 1.5 also works with the free version of GeneratePress.

GenerateBlocks Dynamic Data

Dynamic Data allows you to return dynamic content depending on factors (parameters) set by the user. With GenerateBlocks 1.5 dynamic data is an inbuilt feature that works with Container Block, Headline Block, Image Block and Button Block.

Earlier, the Container Block offered limited Dynamic Content functionality. You had to set a background image to the container to enable dynamic feature. This was mostly used while creating hero sections of category pages.

New Dynamic Data Features For Container Block

But now, you get more features like selecting Current Post, Post Types, etc.

There isn’t much of a difference regarding Dynamic Options for Headline Block and Button Block. With the old version of GenerateBlocks, you used to get Dynamic Options to input Dynamic Text, where I’d generally select Title, followed by link type- single post of current post, whenever creating a hero section for single blog post.

For buttons, especially the Read More buttons on custom category pages, I’d select Dynamic Text TypeTitle and Link TypeSingle Post. A website visitor clicking on that Read More button would get redirected to that single blog post.

More Options Under Dynamic Data For Headline Block

In addition, to all the features that you used to get with Dynamic Options, Headline & Button blocks come with more Dynamic Data features in the newer version of the plugin.

The earlier version of GenerateBlocks never had a separate Image Block. But, with GenerateBlocks 1.5 you get an Image Block with Dynamic Data feature.

Now you can enable Dynamic Data with featured images, apply post meta, and dynamically call author avatars. Very helpful in creating author boxes and/or displaying a section of your office team with employee avatar.

GenerateBlocks 1.5 Query Loop Block

This is the most awaited block, users now have the power to create almost anything on thier website with Query Loop Block.

A couple of things that you can create using this block are;

  1. Related Posts in GeneratePress
  2. Latest Post using GenerateBlocks
  3. A 3-column Magazine style Post Grid
  4. Custom Blog Layout using Query Loop and Content Templates
  5. Featured Posts on Sidebar
  6. Custom Category Page with Featured Article Sticky

Although, if you have GenerateBlocks Pro, you can add even more customization options like Box Shadows, Overlays, Hover Zoom, etc.

When you select the Query Loop block, by default, you get an option to select post type and 10 posts per page.

generateblocks query loop block default settings

But, you also have the flexibility to build your own custom query loop by clicking on Add Parameter.

GenerateBlocks offers multiple parameters to start with like Pages and Offset for pagination and display of posts, respectively. Authors, Taxonomies, Exclude authors, Exclude Taxonomies, Include Posts, Exclude Posts, Sticky Posts to stick the featured post, etc.

For example, here I have selected the first custom parameter as Categories with WordPress as a category. Followed by, second parameter as Author with my name, and third parameter of Date After Jan 1st 2022.

generateblocks custom query loop

This custom query loop will show Posts from WordPress Category written by Author Ankur Purecha after the Date 1st of January 2022.

Areas in which GenerateBlocks Query Loop block is better than the core (Gutenberg) Query block are;

  1. You get more styling options with GenerateBlocks
  2. With GenerateBlocks Pro 1.3 you also get an added feature to exclude showing current post in related post section
  3. The intelligent grid easily lets you customize for desktop, tablet and mobile devices.
  4. A ton of query parameters to make your own custom query loop
  5. Easy to design templates with memory component for spacing, colors, and fonts

GenerateBlocks 1.5 Image Block

The Image Block in GenerateBlocks is like a bonus you get with this plugin.

When you talk about the core Gutenberg image block, there isn’t much you can do with respect to the actual image customization.

However, here with Image Block in GenerateBlocks, you can select an appropriate object-fit property, set your own Spacing (padding, margins, etc.), apply Dynamic Data to return featured images, author thumbnails, post meta, etc.


Conclusion

With this update, GenerateBlocks 1.5 is a contribution to the entire WordPress community. Giving users the power to design anything on their site. The free version of this plugin does not have a collection of templates, but it is enough for you to start with.

However, GenerateBlocks Pro has a vast pattern library of 230 pre-made templates, from hero section to testimonials, featured/sticky posts sections, blog post layouts, multiple designs of query loops, and a lot more.

In the end, power to perform, user flexibility, and excellent performance is what users look for in a WordPress block-based plugin, and GenerateBlocks comes out with flying colors.

Black Friday Deal – Grab GenerateBlocks Pro for $30

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I am in love with WordPress, building websites, doing SEO, and all that kind of stuff. I generally write about WordPress, Blogging, and SEO on BloggingIdol.

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