PostTitle: Empty heading tag rendered for posts without titles

[SainathPoojary]

Description

The Query Loop Block's Post Title component renders an empty <h2> tag for posts without titles, unlike other blocks like Latest Posts which show "(no title)". Additionally, when "Make title a link" is enabled, unexpected spacing appears around the heading tag. This creates inconsistency with WordPress core behavior and affects the layout.

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

1. Create a new post
2. Add a Query Loop Block
3. Select Post Title in the pattern or add it separately
4. Make sure your query includes at least one post without a title
5. Observe the editor - empty <h2> tag is rendered for posts without titles
6. Enable "Make title a link" in block settings
7. Notice unexpected spacing appears around the heading tag
8. Compare with Latest Posts block where "(no title)" is displayed

Screenshots, screen recording, code snippet

2025-02-05.12-44-15.mp4

Environment info

• WordPress: 6.8-alpha-59711
• PHP: 8.2.27
• Server: Apache/2.4.62 (Debian)
• Database: mysqli (Server: 11.4.4-MariaDB-ubu2404 / Client: mysqlnd 8.2.27)
• Browser: Chrome 132.0.0.0
• OS: macOS
• Theme: Twenty Twenty-Five 1.0
• MU Plugins: None activated
• Plugins: Gutenberg 20.2.0-rc.1

Please confirm that you have searched existing issues in the repo.

• Yes

Please confirm that you have tested with all plugins deactivated except Gutenberg.

• Yes

Please confirm which theme type you used for testing.

• Block
• Classic
• Hybrid (e.g. classic with theme.json)
• Not sure

[Mamaduka]

These seem to be edge cases. It would be rare for WP installations to have published posts without titles. The Latest Posts widget block is old; I don't think it should be used to derive best practices.

The Post Title block can also be used outside of the Query block, in templates like Single post/page. The block here should reflect the actual state of the post-title property. Having a fallback changes that.

cc @afercia, @carolinan

[carolinan]

Posts maybe: does the same thing happen for other post types?

[afercia]

Although they seem edge cases, for no reason WordPress should ever render empty headings on the front end. There is also the risk it renders empty links, which is even worse.

[carolinan]

Related: #59996

[Mamaduka]

The block renders nothing when the title is empty on the front end. I think the issue is more about rendering empty values when the block is used in the Query loop.

gutenberg/packages/block-library/src/post-title/index.php

Lines 28 to 32 in fa5a02e

	$title = get_the_title();
	if ( ! $title ) {
	return '';
	}

[afercia]

Oh ok thanks. The fact the 'empty' block behavior is not standardized across blocks is really confusing though.