Terminology

To get you started on your journey, we’ve simplified the terminology for our Conditional Blocks WordPress plugin. This terminology page will help you learn more about the various technical terms throughout our website, plugin pages, documentation, posts, and user-friendly support.

WordPress & Blocks

WordPress is the world’s leading CMS (content management system) for creating websites. WordPress makes it easy to manage your content using an admin dashboard and content editor also known as the WordPress Editor.

The WordPress editor uses a concept known as “Blocks”.  Each block represents a unique piece of content, such as a paragraph block, image block etc. We’ve also covered how to use Advanced WordPress blocks.

Note: You may see references to the word “Gutenberg’. Gutenberg is the code/development name for the WordPress block editor.

Conditional Blocks

Conditional Blocks is the name of our plugin, and it also refers to the function of controlling the visibility of WordPress blocks.

Let’s break down the common terms.

Condition

A condition refers to a visibility rule. Generally, visibility rules have multiple parameters that can be configured to meet a desired use-case.

There are multiple condition types available such as the Date Range condition, User Role conditions, WooCommerce-related conditions, and many more.

Condition Parameters 

Condition Parameters are used to fine-tune the criteria needed for the block to be shown or hidden.

An example would be the User Role condition. The condition requires you to set one parameter, which is the specific User Roles that should be able to view the block content.

Condition Builder

The Condition Builder is the tool/interface that allows you to add conditions to a block, configure the parameters, and combine multiple conditions. 

Multiple conditions can easily be linked together to create unique and complex visibility rules easily.

Condition Set

A Condition Set refers to multiple conditions that have been grouped together. Each condition in a set will be checked together to ensure all parameters are met. Otherwise, the block will not be visible.

A single set (AND Logic)

A condition set behaves with “AND” logic when chaining multiple conditions together within the set.

Example: Condition 1 AND Condition 2 must be true for the WordPress Block to be visible.

Multiple sets (OR Logic)

Chaining multiple sets together will provide you the flexibility of “OR” logic. 

Example: Set A OR Set B must be true for the WordPress Block to be visible.


Development Terminology

We’ve streamlined our development terminology to help 3rd party developers create new and exciting conditions to use within the Conditional Blocks WordPress plugin. 

Conditions API

Check out our integration guide to learn how to create custom conditions with Conditional Blocks.

The Conditions API refers to the available code and hooks for developers to integrate/interact with Conditional Blocks.

Condition Type

Each condition is registered using a unique type.  Conditional Blocks tracks which conditions are attached to WordPress Blocks using hidden data known as “attributes”. The condition data are stored inside the attribute data, therefore it should not change. The condition “type” is referenced multiple times throughout the code’s lifecycle.

The Condition “type” is used to trigger a unique “Condition Check” which checks if all condition parameters have been successfully met. You can see more about how to register Condition Types and Condition Checks in the custom conditions guide.

Condition Category

Conditions are categorised for organisation purposes within our website and the Condition Builder. The purpose of categories is to help users find related and specific Condition Types quickly.

Example of Condition Categories:

Third-party developers can also register their own categories.

Condition Check

The Conditional Check refers to the function that is used to check if the parameters of a condition are successfully met.

The Condition Check will run during the initial page load for each visitor to determine which blocks they are allowed to see.

Block Action

The Block Action is a common parameter that’s found in most conditions. The block action allows the user to choose what should happen if all the parameters are met.

Example: If all block-hiding parameters are met, then the block should not be visible.

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