The Divi Theme for WordPress is one of the top themes in use today. But things have sure been quite for the past year. So what exactly is going on with Divi? Is it a relic of the past destined to fade away like other popular WordPress themes over the years? NOT A CHANCE!
Elegant Themes, the company behind the Divi theme, has indeed been quiet lately. However, recent articles and videos from the company reveal that this silence is the result of a major shift in focus towards the development of Divi 5.0, a significant update that promises to redefine the theme’s capabilities and future trajectory.
Well over a year ago, Elegant Themes began transitioning its development team to focus on Divi 5.0, a multi-year project aimed at laying a new foundation for the theme. This transition has led to a slowdown in feature development for the current version of Divi, as team members involved in feature development have been redirected to the Divi 5.0 project.
Divi 5.0, also known as the “Foundation Update,” represents a complete rewrite of Divi’s core technologies. It is being built from the ground up, incorporating the knowledge and experience gained from nearly a decade of developing Divi. The update is designed to improve performance, stability, scalability, and extendability. Oh and let’s not forget speed! Early looks at the new Divi Builder UI have been impressive to say the least. To say that this new UI is faster is an immense understatement.
Performance and Scalability Improvements
One of the key focuses of Divi 5.0 is on performance and scalability. The update aims to improve the speed and responsiveness of the Visual Builder, reduce front-end page load times, and enhance Divi’s ability to handle large and complex design elements. These improvements are expected to make the Visual Builder faster and more efficient, ensuring a smoother user experience.
Another huge change in Divi 5.0 is the migration away from shortcodes towards a more modern storage format for page and post content. This change is expected to streamline the processing of Divi pages, reduce bugs related to shortcode complexity, and align Divi with the future direction of WordPress. Shortcodes have long been a thorn in the side of Divi and the source of some derogatory discussion among the development community. This particular improvement is sure to be well received by the Divi faithful.
Empowering the Community with the New Builder API
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Divi 5.0 is the introduction of a new Builder API. This API will allow developers to customize and extend Divi’s functionality in ways that were not possible before. Developers will be able to create new modules, settings, and features, opening up a world of possibilities for enhancing Divi’s capabilities. This new API demonstrates Elegant Themes’ focus on empowering the community of developers by elevating them to “1st party developers.” This move aims to align the interests of the development community with Elegant Themes’ goals, creating a symbiotic relationship that fosters innovation and growth.
Release Timeline
While Elegant Themes has not announced a release date for Divi 5.0, we anticipate the first public beta release in June 2024 and the first stable release by September. The focus on Divi 5.0 has led to a slowdown in feature development for the current version of Divi however, Elegant Themes has assured users that they will continue to release new tools and resources that integrate with Divi, adding value to the membership and improving the web design workflow.
Conclusion
While the Divi project has been quiet over the past year, there is a growing buzz as of late surrounding the upcoming release of Divi 5.0. Elegant Themes’ dedication to redefining the theme’s core technologies with a focus on performance, stability, scalability, and extendability is evident.
With Divi 5.0, users can expect not just a theme update, but a transformational experience. The update represents a significant investment in the future of Divi, aimed at propelling it forward into the next decade of web design. Once released, Divi 5.0 is poised to deliver a faster, more stable, and more customizable theme that aligns perfectly with the evolving landscape of WordPress development.
As the development of Divi 5.0 progresses, we can all look forward to a new era of Divi that empowers creativity, innovation, and seamless web design experiences. The future of Divi is bright, and the excitement surrounding Divi 5.0 is a testament to the enduring appeal and evolution of this iconic theme.