Query Loop improvements v2

[priethor]

Supersedes #30910

Since the Query Loop block landed back in WordPress 5.8 and even before, numerous feedback and feature requests have been received.

The Query Loop block is such a powerful site-building tool that striking a balance between functionality and usability is critical. Therefore, ensuring optimal insertion flows and editing experience should be prioritized and considered when adding new features.

Also, leveraging block variations to consolidate similar blocks into the Query Loop will increase code reusability while improving those blocks.

High priority

Consolidating block variations

• Refine the Posts List block #32268
• Consolidating the Query Loop block, Latest Posts block and Post Lists block  #32332
• Dynamically generate Query variations for registered post types #40941
• [Query Loop]: Improve block variations in blocks with pattern setup flow #42533

Insertion workflows

• Improving intuition of the 'Query' pattern category #43427 ⚠️
• Do not allow placement of Query Loop inside Post Content #40944 (depends on Refine the Posts List block #32268 and Dynamically generate Query variations for registered post types #40941)
• Hide the Query Loop block from the inserter #37081

Editing experience

• Query Loop block: improve setup state #33202
• Display block placeholder treatments consistently when editing templates in the site editor #37883
• Highlight equivalent blocks in query #30529
• Query Loop does not include private posts #38688
• Query Block: select from a list for categories #31112
• Query block: Toolbar control revisions #25198
• Improve the Query Loop block display settings labels. #65524
• Query Loop: Make users aware that Query Loop might be overriding "Posts per page" setting #64527

Bugs

• Query in front-page template should respect homepage settings #42554 ⚠️

Normal priority

Layouts

• Query Loop: Add "Stack On Mobile" toggle for Grid View #34145
• [Query Block] Add a Masonry layout option #39280
• Display Posts in Carousel (Query Loop?) #25501
• Display Posts in Slider (Query Loop?) #25502
• Display Posts in Sortable Table #25503
• Display Posts as Inline List #25505

Design & Styling

• Query Loop block: Add the following panels - Dimensions and Border #39380
• Make .wp-block-post stylable via theme.json #39599

WP_Query parity, functionality enhancements and other settings

• Missing Query block functionality #24934
• Sticky Posts not sticking #38979
• [Query Block] Add a Masonry layout option #39280
• Query Loop block does not display search results in order of relevance #39285
• Query Loop Block: Adding Multiple Query Loop Blocks with the option to not repeat posts already shown by previous Query Loop on same page #40903
• Make Query block respect perPage option when sticky posts exist #41184
• Query block: is not respecting perPage attribute in inherited context #40996
• Add Random to Order by options in Query Loop Block #40481
• Query loop addition: sibling post/page (omit current post-id) #39192
• Query terms by slug #36785
• Add applyFilters to the Query Block query. #34201
• Add ability to omit the current post from a Query Loop's posts #42810

Performance

• Feature: "Query Loop Block" - "Eager Load" option for "Post" & "Post Meta / Images" (SQL N+1 Query Problem) #41075

[annezazu]

Is there any chance the following can be added under editing experience #25198 Based on FSE Outreach program feedback over the last few years, it's clear that more needs to be done to reimagine the various division of settings and the language used #31158. This feels similar to the work done recently to improve the layout controls #41893 For example, it's long been confusing for folks that to control the number of posts that show, you have to change a setting in the block toolbar rather than the sidebar where you pick which posts to display.

[padams]

It would be wonderful if we could add the attachment post type as an option (or really any custom post type or taxonomy for that matter).

[ntsekouras]

It would be wonderful if we could add the attachment post type as an option (or really any custom post type or taxonomy for that matter).

👋 @padams - Query Loop supports custom post types and taxonomies for filtering for a while now. Were you referring to something different than filtering?

Regarding the attachment option, it is explicitly removed from the available options right now as it's a probably rare use case and would add more cognitive load to most users. Is this something you find useful and missing?

[padams]

👋 @padams - Query Loop supports custom post types and taxonomies for filtering for a while now. Were you referring to something different than filtering?

Right. Just not image taxonomies...

Regarding the attachment option, it is explicitly removed from the available options right now as it's a probably rare use case and would add more cognitive load to most users. Is this something you find useful and missing?

Yes. My primary use case for WordPress is a searchable image archive. Being able to do a simple loop of the "latest images" or a loop that pulls the images for a specific custom taxonomy term would eliminate the need for a lot of plugins and custom php templates.

The killer combo IMHO would be for the gallery block to use the query block as a sort of inner block. That would give unprecedented control over galleries and keep the attachment stuff in its lane.

Right now plug-in developers have essentially recreate the gallery block just to change the query it uses.

[t0mtaylor]

Not sure if this can be looked at also?

change the url of the Pagination block from /?query-8-page=2/ to /page/2/

https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-change-the-url-of-the-pagination-block-from-query-8-page2-to-page-2/

[ntsekouras]

change the url of the Pagination block from /?query-8-page=2/ to /page/2/

This is because we support multiple Query Loop blocks in the same page. So the ones that inherit the query from template do use the above format. But with multiple blocks we can have urls like this: /page/2/?query-10-page=2, as we preserve pagination for all the blocks.

[t0mtaylor]

change the url of the Pagination block from /?query-8-page=2/ to /page/2/

This is because we support multiple Query Loop blocks in the same page. So the ones that inherit the query from template do use the above format. But with multiple blocks we can have urls like this: /page/2/?query-10-page=2, as we preserve pagination for all the blocks.

Ah I see! Thanks @ntsekouras

What about if there is only one query loop block on the page? could we enforce an option so it is percieved as a friendly rewrite url? /page/2/

Does the latest version already support /page/2/?query-10-page=2 the friendly url stem even though it has the additional query string (as mentioned about multiple query loops per page)? If so what are the settings or functions.php snippet to do this?

You can add the rewrite url into the functions.php file, but how do you they update the url behaviour of the pagination links, next and previous, of the query loop block?

add_action( 'init', function() { add_rewrite_rule( '^read-pg/([0-9]+)[/]?$', 'index.php?query-8-page=$matches[1]', 'top' ); } );

[ntsekouras]

What about if there is only one query loop block on the page? could we enforce an option so it is percieved as a friendly rewrite url? /page/2/

I'm not really sure if we could, as the WP core handling for paging could mess with the actual query and the pagination. I don't have much experience with the url rewriting..