feat: Bundled editor supports plugins #209

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T17:32:16Z

Load plugin assets within the default, bundled editor.

Why?

This results in several improvements:

Reduce the number of assets retrieved from the site, improving performance through reduced network activity.
Enable important patches applied to external modules.
- Fix CMM-880 - fix "Browse All" within quick inserter
- Fix CMM-895 - fix broken text entry after swiping outside of block canvas
- Fix CMM-902 - enable populating the Patterns tab within the block inserter
Enable exploratory private API usage to allow planning public APIs.
Enable private module access necessary for the native iOS inserter feature.
Fix CMM-583 - relying upon local @wordpress modules avoids WordPress core block limitations
Fix CMM-897 - no longer loading preferences file from remote site
Prepare for project simplification by negating the need for a separate "remote" editor variant (src/remote.html); related code will be removed at a later time in a separate PR.

How?

Bundle all necessary @wordpress module and expose them via window.wp globals, much like the WP Admin environment.
Leverage feat: Filter editor assets endpoint with exclude parameter Automattic/jetpack#45715 to fetch only plugin assets.

Testing Instructions

Tip

Use the prototype builds for testing:

Important

To test the end result of these changes, Automattic/jetpack#45715 must be applied to your site. Otherwise, plugins will not load.

With feat: Filter editor assets endpoint with exclude parameter Automattic/jetpack#45715 applied, verify the editor loads with plugins.
Without feat: Filter editor assets endpoint with exclude parameter Automattic/jetpack#45715 applies, verify the editor loads (plugins will not be available).
Smoke test various editor functionality—text editing, media uploads, etc.
Verify the bugs referenced in the "Why?" section are, in fact, fixed.

Accessibility Testing Instructions

N/A, no navigation changes.

Screenshots or screencast

bundled-editor-plugins-native-inserter.mov

We will expose these modules as globals for plugins.

Mirror the WP Admin post editor environment. Plugins often leverage these globals.

Styles are absent entirely if these are removed.

The previous logic excluded all assets when the `disallowedPackages` parameter was empty.

Now that the bundled editor loads plugins, the associated native logic must always be available. Additionally, we should not invoke the logic if site configuration is unavailable.

We must relocated this logic now that we initialize the editor before loading remote assets.

These are included in the GBK bundle.

The remote editor is deprecated now that the bundled editor supports plugins.

These are included in the GBK bundle.

These private module paths are used to access private APIs. Replacing them is not possible, as the APIs are inherently not accessible on the public globals. Long term, the plan is to replace the internal module path usage with public APIs once available.

Several `@wordpress` modules include strings requiring localization. These strings are set on module load, which means we cannot load the module until after we configure localization.

Attempting to utilize `window.wp` globals before they are defined causes editor load failures. These changes avoid such references by executing code in a specific sequence and simplifying the top-level error message UI.

The `remote.html` reference was erroneously copied from the `vite.config.remote.js` file.

They are not externally provided, the bundled editor includes these modules. The external designation was a mistake from copying over the `vite.config.remote.js` configuration, where the modules are externally provided.

Transforming these files fails, but also should not be done. The transform is intended to first-party code, ensuring all `@wordpress` module imports use globals instead.

Copilot

Pull Request Overview

This PR implements bundled WordPress modules to reduce reliance on remote assets and enable consistent editor loading. The changes introduce a Vite plugin that externalizes @wordpress imports to global variables (mimicking Gutenberg's webpack plugin), preloads core WordPress modules via new utility files, and adjusts the editor initialization flow to load these globals before other modules.

Adds a custom Vite plugin (wordPressExternals) that transforms WordPress imports into global variable references
Introduces wordpress-i18n.js and wordpress-globals.js to pre-load WordPress modules onto window.wp
Updates the editor initialization flow to sequence module loading and enable plugin support conditionally

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 13 out of 14 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
vite.config.js	Adds the `wordPressExternals` Vite plugin and imports for dependency externalization
src/utils/wordpress-i18n.js	Pre-loads i18n and hooks modules onto `window.wp`
src/utils/wordpress-globals.js	Initializes all WordPress modules and external dependencies as globals
src/utils/bundled-editor.jsx	Refactors initialization flow to load globals sequentially and support plugins
src/utils/bridge.js	Adds `exclude=core,gutenberg` param to editor assets endpoint
src/index.html	Loads `wordpress-i18n.js` before main script
src/components/editor-load-error/style.scss	Updates error message styling
src/components/editor-load-error/index.jsx	Converts error component to return HTML string instead of JSX
package.json	Adds `@wordpress/data-controls` and `@wordpress/preferences-persistence` dependencies
package-lock.json	Updates lockfile with new dependencies and version changes
ios/Sources/GutenbergKit/Sources/EditorViewController.swift	Simplifies editor loading logic and adds `plugins` config param
ios/Sources/GutenbergKit/Sources/Cache/EditorAssetsLibrary.swift	Adds `exclude=core,gutenberg` param to manifest loading
android/Gutenberg/src/main/java/org/wordpress/gutenberg/GutenbergView.kt	Simplifies editor URL logic and adds `plugins` config param
src/utils/editor-loader.js	Fixes potential regex error with empty disallowed packages

💡 Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.

src/components/editor-load-error/style.scss

Co-authored-by: Copilot <[email protected]>

We expose these a globals, so the project needs to declare them as dependencies.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T18:55:25Z

ios/Sources/GutenbergKit/Sources/Cache/EditorAssetsLibrary.swift

+        // The GutenbergKit bundle includes the required `@wordpress` modules
+        let excludeParam = URLQueryItem(name: "exclude", value: "core,gutenberg")


This leverages the query parameter introduced in Automattic/jetpack#45715. We exclude "core" and Gutenberg so that only third-party plugin assets are returned.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T18:57:00Z

src/components/editor-load-error/index.jsx

+ * Simple error message avoids `@wordpress` components to avoid
+ * complex dependency management during editor initialization.


This simple error message is used within the editor entry file if an error occurs during the sequence to load and initialize foundational @wordpress modules. Libraries like react or @wordpress/components may not be available depending on the error, so we use string templates instead.

Long term, we should broadcast the editor load failure to the native host app and allow it to control how an error is presented to the user.

we should broadcast the editor load failure to the native host app and allow it to control how an error is presented to the user

That sounds great. And thanks for addressing it. It already helped me see an error due to the new dependencies.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T18:59:34Z

src/utils/bundled-editor.jsx

+		.then( configureLocale )
+		.then( loadRemainingGlobals )
+		.then( initializeApiFetchWrapper )
 		.then( initializeEditor )
+		.then( loadPluginsIfEnabled )


This sequence is fairly similar to the one it's replacing and the one found in the to-be-deprecated src/utils/remote-editor.jsx. The important piece to understand is that a specific loading sequence is required to ensure dependencies are in place before the logic attempts to reference them.

Load i18n modules (within index.html).

Configure i18n.

Load remaining @wordpress modules (depend upon i18n configuration).

Load plugins (depend upon @wordpress modules).

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T19:00:53Z

src/utils/editor-loader.js

+	const excludedScriptIDs = disallowedPackages.length
+		? new RegExp(
+				disallowedPackages
+					.map( ( script ) => `wp-${ script }-js` )
+					.join( '|' )
+		  )
+		: null;


This fixes a hidden bug where an empty disallowedPackages value resulted in disallowing all packages due to the empty regex created. Falling back to null avoids this.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T19:01:29Z

src/utils/wordpress-globals.js

We expose all the relevant @wordpress modules as window.wp globals to mimic the WP Admin environment. This allows plugins to rely upon them as they do in the WP Admin environment.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T19:02:20Z

src/utils/wordpress-i18n.js

As noted elsewhere, we must load and configure i18n before the rest of the @wordpress modules load. This is due to top-level localization strings found in the @wordpress modules. See wordpress-mobile/gutenberg-mobile#4329.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T19:03:27Z

vite.config.js

Much of this is copied from the vite.config.remote.js file, with a few adjustments noted inline.

dcalhoun · 2025-10-31T19:04:48Z

vite.config.js

+			// Skip transforming node_modules files
+			if ( id.includes( 'node_modules' ) ) {
+				return null;
+			}


The previous remote editor variant prevented transforming node_modules by externalizing them via the external Rollup configuration. Because now bundle @wordpress modules, we no longer mark them as external. To avoid transforming node_modules, we add new guard logic here.

kean

Tested with my WoA site – worked great, blocks from Jetpack worked.

kean · 2025-11-03T19:04:49Z

package.json

 		"clsx": "^2.1.1",
+		"lodash": "^4.17.21",
+		"moment": "^2.30.1",
+		"react": "^18.3.1",


Just checking – are these dependencies updates part of the change?
Is lodash something that plugins and react might need?

These dependencies were added as GutenbergKit now explicitly exposes them as globals for plugins.

Yes, plugins may leverage the lodash global. In my testing, the Jetpack plugin does.

kean · 2025-11-03T19:05:23Z

src/components/editor-load-error/index.jsx

+ * Simple error message avoids `@wordpress` components to avoid
+ * complex dependency management during editor initialization.


we should broadcast the editor load failure to the native host app and allow it to control how an error is presented to the user

That sounds great. And thanks for addressing it. It already helped me see an error due to the new dependencies.

This fixes incorrect sequencing where the VideoPress extension of the Video block was not registered.

Some third-party code expects this foundational library that is available in the WP Admin context.

dcalhoun added 22 commits October 31, 2025 07:59

build: Add commonly used @wordpress modules

03d3370

We will expose these modules as globals for plugins.

feat: Expose @wordpress modules as window.wp globals

842fe17

Mirror the WP Admin post editor environment. Plugins often leverage these globals.

build: Bundled editor leverages remote Vite config

a683c9b

fix: Preserve CSS side-effect imports

7dbc498

Styles are absent entirely if these are removed.

feat: Bundled editor loads plugin assets

8850636

feat: Demo app always uses bundled editor

756634e

fix: Allow all assets when disallowedPackages is empty

f48c272

The previous logic excluded all assets when the `disallowedPackages` parameter was empty.

fix: Ensure iOS editor assets logic is always available

b55b838

Now that the bundled editor loads plugins, the associated native logic must always be available. Additionally, we should not invoke the logic if site configuration is unavailable.

fix: Unregister disallowed block types

5f9b8dc

We must relocated this logic now that we initialize the editor before loading remote assets.

feat: Exclude core and Gutenberg assets

deb2257

These are included in the GBK bundle.

refactor: Simplify editor URL selection

0beeba1

The remote editor is deprecated now that the bundled editor supports plugins.

feat: Exclude core and Gutenberg assets (Android)

8e6eae2

These are included in the GBK bundle.

fix: Conditionally load plugin assets

c853b42

fix: Configure i18n before loading dependent @wordpress modules

9788308

Several `@wordpress` modules include strings requiring localization. These strings are set on module load, which means we cannot load the module until after we configure localization.

fix: Defer references to @wordpress modules

9911292

Attempting to utilize `window.wp` globals before they are defined causes editor load failures. These changes avoid such references by executing code in a specific sequence and simplifying the top-level error message UI.

build: Ensure index.html entry is created

f6c4b49

The `remote.html` reference was erroneously copied from the `vite.config.remote.js` file.

refactor: Correct import grouping

6c8b0e1

build: Stop marking @wordpress modules as external

185ffda

They are not externally provided, the bundled editor includes these modules. The external designation was a mistake from copying over the `vite.config.remote.js` configuration, where the modules are externally provided.

build: Skip transforming node_modules files

0b9ffbe

Transforming these files fails, but also should not be done. The transform is intended to first-party code, ensuring all `@wordpress` module imports use globals instead.

refactor: Revert unnecessary code relocation

150770c

refactor: Revert unnecessary import relocation

5ed122a

dcalhoun added the [Type] Enhancement A suggestion for improvement. label Oct 31, 2025

dcalhoun requested a review from Copilot October 31, 2025 17:32

Copilot AI reviewed Oct 31, 2025

View reviewed changes

src/components/editor-load-error/style.scss Outdated Show resolved Hide resolved

fix: Apply correct font weight to error heading

90e3b07

Co-authored-by: Copilot <[email protected]>

This was referenced Oct 31, 2025

build: Integrate the latest GutenbergKit changes wordpress-mobile/WordPress-iOS#24965

Open

build: Integrate the latest GutenbergKit changes wordpress-mobile/WordPress-Android#22331

Open

build: Add missing @wordpress modules and dependencies

3b1af54

We expose these a globals, so the project needs to declare them as dependencies.

dcalhoun commented Oct 31, 2025

View reviewed changes

dcalhoun mentioned this pull request Oct 31, 2025

feat: Filter editor assets endpoint with exclude parameter Automattic/jetpack#45715

Open

3 tasks

dcalhoun marked this pull request as ready for review October 31, 2025 19:16

dcalhoun requested review from jkmassel and kean October 31, 2025 19:38

dcalhoun mentioned this pull request Nov 3, 2025

refactor: Remove remote editor variant #210

Draft

fix: Reinstate VideoPress bridge initialization

215af3a

kean approved these changes Nov 3, 2025

View reviewed changes

dcalhoun added 3 commits November 4, 2025 08:44

fix: Initialize editor after plugins loading

e5c03e1

This fixes incorrect sequencing where the VideoPress extension of the Video block was not registered.

build: Add jquery dependency

5d0c795

feat: Expose jQuery for plugins

50f8125

Some third-party code expects this foundational library that is available in the WP Admin context.

		// The GutenbergKit bundle includes the required `@wordpress` modules
		let excludeParam = URLQueryItem(name: "exclude", value: "core,gutenberg")

		* Simple error message avoids `@wordpress` components to avoid
		* complex dependency management during editor initialization.

feat: Bundled editor supports plugins #209

Are you sure you want to change the base?

feat: Bundled editor supports plugins #209

Uh oh!

Conversation

dcalhoun commented Oct 31, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

What?

Why?

How?

Testing Instructions

Accessibility Testing Instructions

Screenshots or screencast

Uh oh!

Copilot AI left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Pull Request Overview

Reviewed Changes

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

kean left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

3 participants

dcalhoun commented Oct 31, 2025 •

edited

Loading