Gutenberg is the name of the project that introduced the modern block editor to WordPress, replacing the older Classic Editor starting with WordPress 5.0.
The name comes from Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press — a nod to how the project aimed to revolutionize the way people publish content, much like the printing press did centuries ago.
More Than Just an Editor
While most people associate Gutenberg with writing posts, the project has expanded well beyond that. It now also powers the Site Editor, which lets you visually customize your entire theme — headers, footers, templates, and global styles — not just individual posts.
Why It Was Controversial at First
When Gutenberg launched, it was a major shift from how WordPress had worked for years, and many long-time users found the adjustment difficult at first. Over time, the tools matured, and today block-based editing is the standard way most people build WordPress sites.