Navigation 6.3 Priorities

[getdave]

This issue captures the current priorities for Navigation which we are aiming to include in WordPress 6.3. There's also a longer backlog used to more exhaustively track open issues, bugs, and pending tasks at #38275.

Main tasks

• Nav block use slug to reference Navigation Menu #45512
• Improvements to fallback mechanics

Secondary tasks

• LinkControl Refresh #50891
• Add ability to set link text at creation time for Navigation links #50179
• Remove link action of Link UI for draft pages created from Nav block does not correctly remove link #50180
• Improve ability to find and insert link to Homepage within Link UI within Nav block #50171
• Link UI too open as to what it considers a valid URL #38497
• LinkControl: Only suggest either "Add new page" or "Add link" #50178
• Automatically insert a Page List block on insertion of Submenu block #42598
• Add Post Type Archive variation to core/navigation-link block #31452

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Browse Mode

In addition the following tasks from Browse Mode are related to Navigation and will be worked on by contributors.

#50396 (comment)

[getdave]

Update 17th May 2023

• The intended scope of work for the Nav block in WP 6.3 has been refined and confirmed (see this Issue).
• Contributors have shipped improvements to the fallback mechanics for the block. This is now normalised in a dedicated class on the PHP side and accessible from the front end via the REST API. These changes improve the UX of the block by always ensuring a Navigation Menu is pre-created meaning there is no "transition" state in the block when it moves from uncontrolled to controlled.
• Contributors have been improving performance by preloading the key Navigation-related network calls in the Site Editor.
• Contributors have been engaging in ongoing discussions to refine the scope and purpose of Navigation in the Browse Mode sidebar.
• Work is underway to improve the Link creation interface to improve its utility for the Navigation block (and the editor in general).

[getdave]

Update 7th June 2023

• Contributors are largely focused on adding a Navigation section to the Browse Mode sidebar.
• The sidebar now lists all Navigations and allows basic modifications.
• Work is in progress on a focus mode for Navigation Menus.
• Work on the block itself has been focused largely on improving the LinkControl component in order to provide greater utility to the Navigation block (as well as other contexts).
• Bug fixes and improvements to test coverage continue to receive attention.

[getdave]

Update 16th June

• Contributors have focused heavily on Navigation in Browse mode as a means to enhance the overall experience of Navigation in WordPress in ways that could not be solved via the block. There has been a lot of progress.
• Focus Mode for Navigation Menus has now merged.
• If a Navigation Menu exists in a Template Part it now displays in the Browse Mode sidebar.

[getdave]

Update 4th July

• Contributors are heavily focused on triaging bugs identified during WP 6.3 Beta cycle.
• Navigation on Browse Mode in Site View will be included in WP 6.3 - you can learn more in this overview video.
• Contributors are also assessing feedback and thinking about tasks to prioritise for the 6.4 cycle.
• We continue to work on test coverage.

[getdave]

Update 27th July

• A quiet time whilst contributors are (temporarily) focused elsewhere.
• Contributors have been working on some last minute critical bug fixes for 6.3.
• Some thought is going into what's next for WP 6.4.

[getdave]

As this Issue was regarding 6.3 I think we can close it. The tasks still remain tracked in #38275.