As we work on the next generation of WordPress donation forms, we want you to help us shape the path.
Take a look at what we have planned for GiveWP 3.0 and then scroll to the bottom to watch the replay of our Town Hall with Matt and Jason!
What is GiveWP 3.0?
GiveWP 3.0 is the next major version update of our WordPress donation plugin. We’ve been working on it for a long time and we’re excited to see if finally come together.
In this version, we have a few key features planned that will make all of our users happy.
Visual Form Builder
First, the way you build donation forms in GiveWP is going to change. We will have a visual form builder that works in the same way your posts and pages work (if you’re using the block editor.)
One of our developers, Kyle Johnson, wrote about how we’re using Gutenberg as a base in one of our last articles about GiveWP 3.0.
Design Mode
While building forms is one function, designing them is another. That’s why we’re including “design mode” to give you a way to tweak the appearance of your forms with a live preview inside the form builder.
Form Designs
In GiveWP 2.7, we introduced “form templates.” In this next version, we’re changing this to “form designs.”
These are essentially “skins” that you can use on forms to give them a certain appearance while working the same.
Custom Form CSS
You will also have the ability to provide custom CSS right in the Builder that will be applied everywhere this form is used. It’s guaranteed not to conflict with plugins or themes. You also get to live preview your changes as you play around with the CSS.
Feature Parity
As we build, we’re planning for GiveWP 3.0 to have all the same key features of past versions. We’re working on bringing all of the existing features of GiveWP into the Next Gen builder and forms — form goals, recurring, payment gateways, etc.
Preparing with a Feature Plugin
When we first announced our journey to build GiveWP 3.0, it was well underway but still far from ready to be tested. The time is coming soon where you can use the new GiveWP donation forms on a test website. We’re going to release a “feature plugin” around the end of this quarter.
What is a Feature Plugin?
A feature plugin will provide you with the ability to test the new features of GiveWP 3.0 with a plugin alongside your regular GiveWP core plugin. (but not on a live website!)
The plugin we plan on releasing to wordpress.org as a beta version for ease of testing and sharing feedback. This isn’t meant to be a beta for GiveWP 3.0, but simply the Form Builder itself.
A lot of features and gateways still need to be ported over for 3.0 that will not be included in the feature plugin. That is why it is important that you test the feature plugin on a local or staging website, never on a live website.
Sign up to join our journey by attending the town hall or on our “Join the Journey” page to get notified when it’s ready.
Watch Now: Town Hall
Matt Cromwell and Jason Adams (with special appearances from GiveWP devs) walk you through the next big innovation at GiveWP: the visual form builder. Not only do Matt and Jason show off how GiveWP is using Gutenberg as a foundation to create a new form system, they also spend quite a bit of time answering great questions and receiving valuable feedback from the folks who joined the stream.
Make sure to give it a watch and Join Our Journey as we continue developing the next generation of WordPress donation forms in GiveWP 3.0.
About the Author
