I’ve just found my favourite website slider – Gutenslider.

It blends seamlessly into the WordPress Block Editor, allowing easy update using a familiar interface. And it includes all of the display options I have needed in recent years, for client websites.

Clients frequently ask me to add a slider to their website, often at the top of the home page, to highlight their most important services or products. They want to highlight more than one thing, they’re not happy with just one image or headline. Or they want some movement, to attract and maintain interest when someone arrives at the page.

Sometimes the slider is used in a different location. It could be a series of their clients’ logos, moving slowly across the page, or it could be a set of case studies, or testimonials.

There are many slider plugins. A few are simple to use; some are very complex and others would allow you to build an entire website, all managed within the “slider”. In most cases, you build the slider in one area of the WordPress admin, and then add some kind of tag or code into your page, where the slider will appear when the page is viewed.

Enter Gutenslider

Gutenslider offers a simple new block, for use within the WordPress Block Editor. You edit and update your slider directly within the page where it is wanted, using the standard block editor interface – no need to learn a whole new set of tools and options, just to get a slider.

The free version supports the main requirements for a slider:-

• a main image or background colour
• optional text, positioned where you want
• autoplay on or off
• slider controls
• height management
• slide or fade transition

Most client sliders which I have built could be managed with the free version.

The Pro version introduces:-

• video slides
• more transition options
• slide spacing
• more slider control options
• multiple slides per view
• full screen slides
• and more…

No Need for a Page Builder

There are many optional page builders for use on WordPress websites, and most of these have some version of a slider as one of their elements. However the WordPress Block Editor (aka Gutenberg) is finally maturing to the point where it is versatile and reliable and can be used to build and maintain some very attractive websites.

No need to install and use a page builder to achieve great website layouts.

And no need to install and use a page builder just to have access to an in-page slider.

Easy to Use and Versatile

Keeping the editing interface clean and simple, keeping the site lean and lightweight, are key aims when I am developing a website.

I have often had to make use of page builders, and sophisticated (heavyweight?) plugins, to achieve desired effects, in particular when a slider of some kind was requested.

With the coming of Gutenslider, I can achieve most slide-building requests with this one additional block, create attention-grabbing slides, and keep the editing experience clean and simple.