WordPress 7.0: Notes Feature Enhancements & Iterations

Following the groundwork laid in #66377, this document outlines the iteration and tracking of enhancements, tasks, and bug fixes related to the Notes feature, specifically planned for WordPress 7.0. This initiative aims to build upon the existing Notes functionality, addressing key areas scoped out of the 6.9 release to provide a more robust and versatile note-taking experience within the WordPress ecosystem.

As highlighted during the planning phase for WordPress 6.9 (see https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/66377#issuecomment-3120384455), several features were earmarked for future development in the 7.0 cycle. These include extending Notes to specific content within blocks, enabling notes across multiple blocks, enriching notes with rich text formatting, introducing an "Edit mode" tool, enhancing notifications, implementing an "apply suggestions" feature, and carefully considering the integration of Notes with real-time collaboration features. These enhancements are crucial for making Notes a truly collaborative and efficient tool for content creation and management within WordPress.

Key Areas of Focus for WordPress 7.0 Notes

Support for Notes on Specific Content Within a Block

One of the primary goals for the 7.0 cycle is to enable users to attach notes to specific portions of text or elements within a block (#59445). Currently, notes can only be associated with an entire block, which limits their precision and usefulness. By allowing notes to be anchored to specific content within a block, users can provide more targeted feedback and collaborate more effectively. Imagine being able to highlight a particular sentence in a paragraph and attach a note directly to it, rather than having to reference the entire paragraph in the note. This level of granularity will significantly improve the clarity and efficiency of the note-taking process.

This feature will require careful consideration of the user interface and how notes are displayed and managed within the block editor. It will also involve technical challenges in terms of accurately identifying and referencing specific content within a block. The implementation should be intuitive and seamless, allowing users to easily add, view, and respond to notes attached to specific content. Ultimately, this enhancement will make Notes a more powerful and versatile tool for content collaboration and review.

Support for Notes on Content Across Multiple Blocks

Another key area of focus is extending the functionality of Notes to span across multiple blocks. Currently, notes are confined to individual blocks, which can be restrictive when dealing with content that flows seamlessly across multiple blocks, such as text spanning several paragraph blocks. Enabling notes to encompass content across multiple blocks will provide a more holistic and contextual approach to note-taking.

For example, consider a scenario where a user wants to provide feedback on a phrase or sentence that extends from one paragraph block to the next. With the current limitations, they would have to create separate notes for each block, which can be cumbersome and disjointed. By allowing notes to span multiple blocks, users can provide a single, unified note that captures the entire context of the content. This enhancement will require careful consideration of how notes are displayed and managed when they span multiple blocks. The implementation should ensure that the note remains anchored to the correct content, even if the blocks are reordered or modified. This improvement will significantly enhance the user experience and make Notes a more practical tool for collaborative content creation.

Add Support for Rich Text to Notes

Enhancing the formatting capabilities of Notes is also a high priority for the WordPress 7.0 cycle. Currently, notes are limited to plain text, which can be restrictive when trying to convey complex ideas or provide detailed feedback. Adding support for rich text formatting, such as emoji, images, user mentions, and basic text styling (e.g., bold, italic), will significantly enhance the expressiveness and clarity of notes.

Imagine being able to insert an emoji to convey the tone of your note, or to include a screenshot to illustrate a point. User mentions would allow you to directly address specific individuals in your notes, while basic text styling would enable you to emphasize key words or phrases. This feature will make Notes a more engaging and informative tool for collaboration and communication. The implementation should be seamless and intuitive, allowing users to easily format their notes without disrupting their workflow. By adding rich text support to Notes, we can empower users to communicate more effectively and enhance the overall note-taking experience.

Introducing a New "Edit Mode" Tool for Exposing Notes Features

To improve the discoverability and usability of Notes features, the introduction of a new "Edit mode" tool is planned. This tool would provide a dedicated interface for managing and interacting with notes, making it easier for users to access and utilize the full range of Notes functionalities. The "Edit mode" could include features such as a dedicated sidebar for viewing and managing notes, tools for adding and editing notes, and options for filtering and sorting notes.

By consolidating all Notes-related features into a single, dedicated interface, users can more easily find and use the tools they need to collaborate effectively. The "Edit mode" could also provide contextual guidance and tips to help users make the most of the Notes feature. The design of the "Edit mode" should be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring that it enhances rather than hinders the note-taking process. This enhancement will make Notes a more accessible and user-friendly tool for content collaboration.

Sending Notifications for Notes

Enhancing the notification system for Notes is crucial for ensuring that users are promptly informed of new notes, replies, and updates. While initial notification capabilities were introduced in #73030, further improvements are planned for the 7.0 cycle, beginning with #72184. These improvements could include more granular control over notification preferences, support for different notification channels (e.g., email, in-app notifications), and the ability to customize notification messages.

By providing users with more control over how they receive notifications, we can ensure that they are always aware of important updates without being overwhelmed by irrelevant information. The notification system should be reliable and timely, ensuring that users are promptly notified of new activity related to their notes. Effective notifications are essential for fostering collaboration and ensuring that users are actively engaged in the note-taking process. This enhancement will improve the responsiveness and efficiency of the Notes feature.

Add "Apply Suggestions" Feature to Notes

To streamline the process of incorporating feedback and suggestions from notes into the main content, the addition of an "apply suggestions" feature is being considered. This feature would allow users to directly apply suggested changes from a note to the content with a single click, eliminating the need to manually copy and paste the changes. This would significantly improve the efficiency of the content review and editing process.

For example, if a note suggests a change to a sentence, the user could simply click the "apply suggestion" button to automatically incorporate the change into the content. The feature could also provide options for previewing the changes before applying them, and for reverting the changes if necessary. The implementation of the "apply suggestions" feature should be seamless and intuitive, ensuring that it enhances rather than disrupts the user's workflow. This enhancement will make Notes a more practical and efficient tool for collaborative content editing.

Consideration for How Notes Interacts with Real-time Collaboration

The integration of Notes with real-time collaboration features is an important consideration for the WordPress 7.0 cycle. As WordPress moves towards more collaborative content creation workflows, it is essential to ensure that Notes seamlessly integrates with real-time collaboration tools. This could involve features such as real-time note updates, synchronized note positioning, and shared note visibility.

By ensuring that Notes is fully integrated with real-time collaboration, we can create a more seamless and collaborative content creation experience. Users can work together in real-time on the same content, adding and responding to notes as they go. This will foster better communication and collaboration, and ultimately lead to higher quality content. The integration of Notes with real-time collaboration is crucial for positioning WordPress as a leading platform for collaborative content creation.

Designs

Multi user editing

(sample for the consideration for how Notes interacts with Real-time Collaboration)

Inline selection with onselect button

(sample for adding a Note on specific content within a block)

These planned enhancements for Notes in WordPress 7.0 represent a significant step forward in making WordPress a more collaborative and efficient platform for content creation and management. By addressing key areas such as content specificity, rich text support, user interface improvements, and real-time collaboration, the Notes feature will become an invaluable tool for WordPress users.

For further information on WordPress development and collaboration, you can visit the WordPress Foundation website.