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Pattern Wrangler – Manage Block Patterns and Pattern Categories

Pattern Wrangler – Manage Block Patterns and Pattern Categories

Description

Pattern Wrangler, a pattern manager, helps curate a bloated pattern library, and makes managing a complicated WordPress block pattern library a breeze. If you manage dozens of layouts, are in love with reusable blocks (or synced patterns), you will love this plugin.

This handy plugin is designed for both classic and modern themes, block themes (including FSE – Full-site editing), and is compatible with page builders through its shortcode support and PHP code snippets. Pattern Wrangler allows you to manage a complicated and heavy library for your clients, controlling down to the block pattern and category what the client sees in the block editor when building layouts.

The plugin features several pattern builder helpers, such as duplicating a pattern, deleting reusable blocks, copying theme templates to a synced pattern, version control snapshots (similar to pattern revisions), and much more. This not only helps you manage patterns, but build them as well.

Here are the major features:

Available features include:

Available features on the Pattern Categories screen include:

Quick Links

All Features and Documentation | Sponsor Us | Pattern Wrangler Home

Source code is available on GitHub. Code contributions and sponsorships appreciated.

Requirements and Compatibility

Requires WordPress 6.8 or higher. 6.9 is recommended.

This plugin is fully compatible with most themes, including block themes and the Full-Site Editor. It is ideal for hybrid setups (blocks + classic) and/or page builders. A common use-case is if you need to use a block plugin in a non-block layout. You can create a new pattern, configure the block, and use the built-in shortcode to display it. If you need to use the pattern in a template, you can use the built-in PHP function, which is available for all unsynced and synced patterns. If you’re on a network, the built-in shortcodes and PHP functions work network-wide, so you can have a synced pattern from Site A show up on Site B.

This plugin has been tested almost exclusively with the Ollie theme, which is a phenomenal block theme. All the 202x themes have also been tested, as well as Blocksy, Astra, and GeneratePress.

If you have any issues with the previews, please be patient in your support requests, and also specific as to which themes or plugins may be involved.

Integrations

This plugin integrates well with the following:

If you have an idea for other integrations, please leave a support thread.

Help This Plugin Grow

❤️ Please help spread the word about this plugin through your kind review and by telling others about this plugin.

Screenshots

Blocks

This plugin provides 1 block.

Pattern Inserter Paste in a pattern and it will be inserted for you.

Installation

  1. Upload the plugin files to the /wp-content/plugins/pattern-wrangler directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly.
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress.
  3. Find the Patterns menu item, and begin creating.

FAQ

What is Pattern Wrangler used for?

Pattern Wrangler is often used to curate the client experience when adding layouts via the block editor or full-site editor. It can be used to enable/disable various pattern types, as well as allow you to individually enable or disable a specific pattern, whether registered or local.

By doing this, you can trim a pattern library that is in the hundreds down to a more manageable number that are actively being used.

Others have used this plugin to disable the pattern library completely. An excessive library can slow down the block editor. With Multisite support, you can even disable patterns network-wide.

How can I view the old wp_block post type screen?

You can still visit it by adding override=1: https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=wp_block&override=1

Can I disable the new Grid View screen?

Yes. In the Pattern Wrangler settings, toggle the Enhanced option to off, save, and refresh. The original WordPress block pattern screen will display.

Can I embed Patterns in page builders like Elementor?

Yes! You can use the [wp_block slug="pattern-slug"] shortcode to output block layouts anywhere in your theme or other blocks. The Pattern must be a local pattern (i.e., reusable block or unsynced pattern).

Does this work with Block Themes?

Yes, Pattern Wrangler sits outside of the Full-site Editor in a top-level menu item. This screen allows you to configure both local and registered items together, curating what is shown inside FSE.

Does this plugin work on WordPress.(com)?

No, this plugin works best with self-hosted installs (normal installs).

This plugin uses newer APIs (DataViews) that WordPress.com doesn’t allow a custom version of, and the one that ships with Core isn’t at the latest version, so the plugin can’t get rid of the dependency.

The preview for a pattern isn’t working or is formatted wrong.

I’ve done my best for previews in 2.0, and I know the finished result isn’t perfect. The preview feature took several months of solo-developer time, and I’ve put my best foot forward. I know there will be preview bugs, but with patience, I’m sure we can fix the quirks together.

If you can, please be detailed in any support requests as to which plugin or theme might be causing the pattern issue. I don’t advise pasting pattern code on .org, so the best way to reach me is via my support form, which you can find in the Pattern Wrangler admin settings.

That being said, some layouts are unsalvageable, and should just be disabled or deleted if not being used.

Reviews

31 de diciembre de 2025 1 reply
This 2.0+ version of Pattern Wrangler is fantastic. I consider this a «must install» plugin for websites that heavily rely on Local and Synced Patterns. For years, I’ve use a collection of snippets to add features to the WordPress Pattern Library. This plugin essentially wraps all the features I’ve been adding via snippets into a nice package with a better user interface.
18 de noviembre de 2024
This plugin is excellent when you build websites for clients. I was looking for something like this for a long long time. Great job!
19 de septiembre de 2024
This is exactly what I was looking for. I was surprised to see that the WordPress importer does not allow you to export all of your patterns at once via a xml file. Having to export them in bulk and import them individually into a new site is not ideal. This plugin allows you to import one xml file and saves you a ton of time. The option to hide core patterns is another great feature as well. Thank you!
22 de abril de 2024
This plugin is a miracle. I’m migrating a site that had a lot of messed-up settings that I wasn’t able to remedy (pages called post etc) from the bad site to a new one I set up. But I’d already created most of the pages on the original site and was happy with them. How to get all that content across? While I was trying to figure this out, I received an email from the developer announcing the creation of this plugin. Oh my goodness! Create pattern from content on old site, export as JSON, import JSON to patterns on new site, add pattern to page, bam! Images and everything came across perfectly. What a timesaver. I’m a happy user of GBHacks as well, but this is next level.
Read all 4 reviews

Contributors & Developers

“Pattern Wrangler – Manage Block Patterns and Pattern Categories” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

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Interested in development?

Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.

Changelog

2.5.1

2.5.0

2.4.6

2.4.5

2.4.0

2.3.5

2.3.1

2.3.0

2.2.2

2.2.1

2.2.0

2.1.3

2.1.2

2.1.1

2.1.0

2.0.5

2.0.2

2.0.0

1.2.0

1.1.2

1.1.1

1.1.0

1.0.10

1.0.9

1.0.7

1.0.3

1.0.1

1.0.0

Meta

Ratings

5 out of 5 stars.

Contributors

Support

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