Gutenberg is the default site editor on WordPress. After a shaky initial launch, it was re-designed and re-introduced as a ‘full-site editor’ in 2022. Guttenberg is a block-based editor that lets users customize ALL website elements - not just individual and pages.
Hence, Guttenberg users are twice as efficient at developing high-quality WordPress sites. This is why businesses still employ or hire freelance WordPress developers who possess this skill. But, Guttenberg has a relatively low adoption rate (60% as per the last WP report).
Most users – including professional developers who apply to your job posts – are still ‘theme customizers.’ Only a small % WP devs know how to maximize Guttenberg’s capabilities. The next time you hire WordPress developers in India – you need to seek them out.
Here’s how and why.
The Great Skill Divide
There is a gaping skill divide in the WordPress talent pool. A huge number of developers learned the platform years ago. Since then they have never updated their skills.
They are still experts in the WordPress of 2010s.
They can modify themes, install plugins, and make content updates. But they struggle with the core technologies that define modern WordPress development:
· Gutenberg: The block editor isn’t just a new editor. It is a full-blown, React-based development environment. Only experts use it to build custom, structured website experiences.
· Headless Architecture: This approach decouples the WordPress backend from the frontend. It uses the WP REST API or GraphQL to serve content to modern JavaScript frameworks like Next.js or Nuxt.js.
The elite developers - the true dedicated WordPress experts India for hire - have embraced this shift. They build faster, more secure, and more flexible websites.
Finding them requires a specific vetting process.
Hiring for the Block Editor (Gutenberg)
To verify mastery of the Block Editor – don’t just ask developers if they are familiar with Gutenberg. Ask them to walk through how they’d build a custom ‘Testimonial Carousel’ block from scratch.
A modern developer is able to talk about JSX, component state, and block attributes with confidence. They detail
· Setting up the build process with @wordpress/scripts
· Defining the block’s attributes in block.json
· Writing the React component for the editor interface
· Creating the render.php template for the frontend
This proves they do not just use blocks. They understand and can extend the system. To further verify their expertise, ask them to explain the purpose of the block.json file.
Ask how they would handle block attributes and when they would choose to use server-side rendering for a block.
Hiring for Headless
Your developers need to have deep knowledge of APIs and modern frontend frameworks. Test their understanding of the WP REST API and GraphQL.
Ask them scenario-based questions:
· ‘Describe how you would set up a headless WordPress instance to serve content to a Next.js frontend’
· ‘What are the key considerations for security and performance?’
An expert immediately talks about authentication methods like JWT or app passwords. They discuss the importance of proper CORS configuration. They bring up caching strategies at multiple levels - from the API response to the frontend data fetching.
The best dedicated WordPress experts India for hire talk WPGraphQL. They explain how GraphQL is preferable for complex sites because it reduces the number of API calls.
Here’s another great scenario-based test question to ask the candidates before you finally hire WordPress developers in India:
‘A client wants a marketing site on Next.js with a blog powered by WordPress. Diagram the high-level architecture.’ Components to look for in this diagram are:
· WordPress hosted on a secure, separate subdomain
· Next.js frontend deployed on Vercel/Netlify
· Authentication for previews via JWT tokens
· Caching strategy at the CDN level for the API responses
· Deployment pipeline that triggers frontend rebuilds on content updates
This will show if they can actually architect solutions for your business - not just code tasks.
Vetting for the Performance Mindset
Elite developers build for performance from the start. Lastly, make sure your candidates have that mindset:
· Check if they are comfortable working with performance-centric starter themes (like GeneratePress, Kadence)
· Check if they know about WP_Query optimization
· Ask if they can use the Transients API to cache expensive query results
· Ask them if they create automated workflows for handling image uploads in WebP/AVIF
Conclusion
Hire WordPress developers with legacy skills. You’ll end up with a legacy site full of technical debt.
Follow this guide and you’ll end up with a catalog of future-proof, high-performing, easy-to-maintain, and profitable WordPress assets. Choose growth over legacy anchors!