Fine Tuning Your Site: Custom Blocks With ACF ⚠️

building a website can be like crafting a beautiful piece of art.

You have the canvas which is your WordPress site and then you’re adding your own unique brushstrokes with plugins themes and custom code.

But sometimes even with all those tools you want to go deeper to truly have the power to shape every aspect of your site.

That’s where Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) comes in.

Think of ACF as the artist’s palette.

It gives you the tools to create custom fields that go beyond the standard WordPress post and page attributes.

You can add fields for images text colors dates even relationships between different posts.

Imagine you’re designing a portfolio website.

You might want to add a “featured project” field to each post and with ACF you can create a beautiful visual layout for that field complete with a featured image and a short description.

Mastering the Art of Custom Blocks

Now the block editor has revolutionized the way we build websites.

It’s intuitive it’s flexible and it allows for a level of visual control that we never had before.

But there’s a catch – it also presents a new challenge for developers like us.

Sometimes the block editor doesn’t offer the precise level of customization we need.

That’s where ACF steps in once again but this time we’re going to dive into the fascinating world of custom blocks.

Custom Blocks: Unleashing the Power of ACF

Custom blocks are like specialized tools within your artist’s palette.

They let you create unique content blocks that fit your specific design needs.

The best part? You can design these blocks completely from scratch utilizing ACF to add fields that capture the unique information you need for each block.

Let’s imagine you’re building a blog post about a new product.

You want to include a section that highlights the key features in a visually appealing way.

You could create a custom block using ACF that allows you to add the following:

• A title for the section: This might be a bold headline that clearly introduces the features.
• An icon for each feature: Adding a unique icon for each feature can help visually organize the information and make it more engaging.
• A brief description of each feature: This gives users a concise understanding of the functionality.
• A call-to-action button: This could be a link to learn more or a button to purchase the product.

You can then style this custom block to perfectly match the design of your theme.

It’s like having a customized brush specifically designed for that specific part of your artistic masterpiece.

Diving Deeper: Building Custom Blocks With ACF

Here’s the real magic of ACF and custom blocks.

ACF provides you with a framework that lets you build complex interactive and highly customized blocks.

You’re not limited to simple text and images; you can add fields for:

• Image galleries: For showcasing a series of images in a visually engaging way.
• Video embeds: For incorporating video content directly into your block.
• Custom post types: For creating relationships between your custom blocks and specific post types.
• Repeater fields: For creating flexible layouts that can contain multiple instances of the same field.
• Flexible content fields: For giving users the flexibility to choose which content elements appear in a block.

Examples of Custom Blocks You Can Build with ACF

The possibilities are endless but let’s explore a few specific examples of custom blocks you could build with ACF.

These examples will give you a clear picture of the power you gain when you combine ACF with the block editor:

1. A Feature Block:

This block is ideal for showcasing the benefits or features of a product or service.

You could use it to highlight key aspects of your business or to promote specific products or services.

ACF Fields:

• Title: A text field for the headline of the block.
• Image: An image field to add a visually appealing image to the block.
• Description: A text editor field to provide a detailed description of the feature.
• Button: A button field to add a call-to-action link.

Customization:

• You could use the ACF UI to customize the appearance of the block including colors fonts and layout.
• You could use CSS to fine-tune the styling of the block to match your theme’s design.

2. A Call-to-Action Block:

This block is great for capturing user attention and encouraging them to take action whether it’s signing up for your newsletter downloading a whitepaper or purchasing a product.

ACF Fields:

• Title: A text field for the headline of the block.
• Button Text: A text field to customize the button text.
• Button URL: A URL field to specify the target URL for the button.
• Background Color: A color picker field to choose a background color for the block.

Customization:

• Use the ACF UI to customize the button style (size color etc.)
• Use CSS to fine-tune the block’s overall appearance and layout.

3. A Team Member Block:

Showcase your team members in a professional and engaging way.

ACF Fields:

• Name: A text field for the team member’s name.
• Role: A text field for the team member’s role.
• Image: An image field to add a professional headshot.
• Social Media Links: A repeater field to add links to the team member’s social media profiles.

Customization:

• Use the ACF UI to customize the layout of the block displaying the name role image and social media links in the way that best suits your design.
• Use CSS to fine-tune the styling to match your theme.

4. A Testimonial Block:

Create a compelling section featuring customer testimonials to build trust and credibility.

ACF Fields:

• Testimonial: A text editor field to add the testimonial text.
• Author: A text field to specify the author of the testimonial.
• Author Title: A text field to add the author’s job title or role.
• Author Image: An image field to add a headshot of the author.

Customization:

• Use the ACF UI to customize the display of the testimonial author name and author image.
• Use CSS to fine-tune the block’s appearance and layout.

5. A Product Block:

This block is perfect for showcasing products or services in a visually appealing and informative way.

ACF Fields:

• Product Image: An image field to add a product image.
• Product Title: A text field for the product name.
• Product Price: A number field to display the product’s price.
• Product Description: A text editor field to provide a detailed description of the product.
• Product URL: A URL field to link to the product page.

Customization:

• Use the ACF UI to customize the layout of the block displaying the product image title price and description in the way that best suits your design.
• Use CSS to fine-tune the block’s appearance and layout.

The Power of ACF and Custom Blocks: A Real-World Example

Let’s bring these ideas to life with a concrete example.

Let’s say you’re building a website for a restaurant.

You want to showcase your menu items in a visually appealing and interactive way.

Here’s how you could use ACF and custom blocks to achieve this:

1. Create a Custom Block:

First you’ll create a custom block named “Menu Item.”

2. Add ACF Fields:

• Dish Name: A text field to input the name of the dish.
• Image: An image field to upload a picture of the dish.
• Description: A text editor field to add a detailed description of the dish.
• Price: A number field to display the price of the dish.
• Category: A taxonomy field (like a dropdown or checkboxes) to categorize the dish (Appetizers Main Courses Desserts).

3. Build the Block Layout:

You’ll use the ACF UI to design the layout of this “Menu Item” block.

You can choose to display the image name description price and category in a variety of arrangements.

4. Style the Block:

Use CSS to make the block visually appealing and consistent with the overall design of your restaurant website.

5. Add the Block to Your Pages:

Now when you create a menu page on your restaurant website you can easily add your “Menu Item” block.

You can then add your dish information and the block will dynamically display it based on the layout you designed.

Beyond the Basics: More Advanced Techniques

As you become more familiar with ACF and custom blocks you’ll discover even more advanced techniques to create truly unique website experiences.

• Dynamic Content: Use conditional logic to display different content based on user input or other website parameters. For example you could create a custom block that dynamically shows different menu options depending on whether the user is logged in.
• Interactive Elements: Incorporate elements like interactive maps sliders and animations to enhance user engagement and provide a richer website experience.
• Complex Data Structures: Use ACF’s repeater fields and flexible content fields to create complex data structures that allow for highly customizable blocks.

ACF and Custom Blocks: A Powerful Partnership

ACF and custom blocks are a match made in website development heaven.

Together they empower you to create highly customized websites that deliver a seamless and engaging user experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a website builder just starting out ACF offers a powerful toolkit for building websites that truly stand out.

Just remember: like any great artist you need to practice your craft.

Start by building simple custom blocks and gradually work your way up to more complex designs.

The beauty of ACF is that it provides a framework that grows with your skills and allows you to unlock new levels of creativity as you become more experienced.