The Classic Editor is the older WordPress editing experience, built around a single text box similar to a word processor. It was the default way to write posts and pages before the block editor replaced it in WordPress 5.0.
Rather than assembling content out of individual blocks, you typed and formatted everything in one continuous field, using a toolbar much like older versions of Microsoft Word.
Why Some People Still Use It
Some long-time WordPress users simply prefer its simplicity, especially if their workflow doesn’t need complex layouts. Others rely on older plugins or themes that were built specifically around the Classic Editor and haven’t been updated for blocks.
Bringing It Back
If you’d rather use the Classic Editor, a free plugin maintained by WordPress restores it, and WordPress has committed to supporting that plugin for the foreseeable future. It’s a straightforward install with no complicated setup involved.
That said, most new themes and features are now designed with the block editor in mind, so sticking with the Classic Editor long-term can mean missing out on some newer WordPress capabilities.