# Custom Handler Schema Reference
This guide is for plugin developers who want to add FrontEdit support for a
custom Gutenberg block. It documents the public schema contract used by custom
handler plugins.
Custom handlers are experimental. Build and test them on a staging site before
using them on production content.
## Compatibility requirement
FrontEdit saves edits by parsing and serializing the native Gutenberg block:
```js
wp.blocks.parse( rawBlockContent );
wp.blocks.serialize( blocks );
```
Before writing a handler for a non-core block, confirm that its provider has
already registered the block on the editable frontend page. This registration
must include the block's client-side attributes and its matching `save`
implementation.
```js
wp.blocks.getBlockType( 'your-namespace/your-block' );
```
The command must return a block definition. If it returns `undefined`, do not
add a FrontEdit handler yet. An editor-only provider script is not compatible
with FrontEdit and must not be enqueued from a custom handler. Loading an
editor-only bundle on the frontend can cause fatal errors, missing browser
dependencies, or serialized content that loses provider settings.
Core WordPress blocks are registered by FrontEdit. For a custom or third-party
block, the block provider is responsible for the compatible frontend
registration surface.
## Create a custom handler plugin
Copy the `templates/frontedit-live-block-editor-custom-handlers` folder shipped
with FrontEdit into `wp-content/plugins`, rename it, and activate it. Its
bootstrap registers a PHP handler file through the
`mwpsfe_external_handler_files` filter.
Handler classes use the `MWPSFE` namespace and extend FrontEdit's public
abstract handler classes. Give every PHP class a unique name. A handler ID that
matches a built-in ID intentionally replaces that built-in registration.
An edit handler normally extends `MWPSFE_Abstract_Text_Edit_Handler` and
implements `MWPSFE_Schema_Handler_Interface`. Pair it with a comment handler
only when you want the block to support FrontEdit comments.
## Minimal edit handler
```php
class My_Plugin_Handler_Notice extends MWPSFE_Abstract_Text_Edit_Handler implements MWPSFE_Schema_Handler_Interface {
public function id() { return 'my_plugin_notice'; }
public function title() { return 'Edit Notice'; }
public function element_type() { return 'Notice'; }
public function element_type_code() { return 'my-plugin-notice'; }
public function description() { return 'Edit this notice.'; }
public function call_to_action() { return 'Click to edit this notice.'; }
public function get_supported_blocks() { return array( 'my-plugin/notice' ); }
public function get_schema_definition() {
return array(
'version' => 1,
'block' => array(
'name' => 'my-plugin/notice',
'type' => 'text',
),
'components' => array(
array(
'id' => 'content',
'label' => 'Content',
'type' => 'text',
'selector' => '.my-plugin-notice__content',
'default' => true,
'required' => true,
'placeholder' => 'Add content',
'bindings' => array(
array( 'path' => 'content', 'source' => 'html' ),
),
'editor' => array(
'enterMode' => 'never',
'formats' => array( array( 'undo', 'redo' ), array( 'bold', 'italic' ) ),
'operations' => $this->normalize_editor_operations(
array(
$this->get_editor_text_rewrite_operation( 'content' ),
$this->get_editor_inline_format_change_operation( 'content', array( 'bold', 'italic' ) ),
)
),
),
),
),
);
}
}
```
## Schema shape
Every schema has these required keys:
```php
array(
'version' => 1,
'block' => array( 'name' => 'namespace/block', 'type' => 'text' ),
'components' => array(),
)
```
`block.type` is `text` or `media`. A schema may contain both text and file
components when a block supports both kinds of editing.
### Optional pristine-default identity declaration
Only use this declaration when a block is Gutenberg's native default writing
surface and you know its exact untouched serialization:
```php
'identity' => array(
'pristineDefaultInnerHTML' => '
',
),
```
It tells FrontEdit to defer the *first* UUID assignment only while the block
has no UUID or shadow UUID, no other block attributes or inner blocks, and its
trimmed parsed `innerHTML` exactly matches the declared markup. This is not a
general empty-content setting. Once an element has an identifier, FrontEdit
will retain it—even if its content is later emptied—so existing history remains
attached to that element.
### Components
A component describes one editable part of the rendered block.
| Key | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | Yes | Unique component ID within the schema. |
| `label` | Yes | Editor-facing label. |
| `type` | Yes | `text` or `file`. |
| `selector` | Yes | CSS selector relative to the rendered block root. Use `:scope` for the root. |
| `default` | No | Selects the component opened by default. |
| `required` | No | Blocks saving an empty text component. |
| `placeholder` | No | Editor-only placeholder text. |
| `bindings` | Text components | Maps the edited DOM value to block attributes. |
| `editor` | No | Toolbar, operations, and keyboard behavior. |
| `missingUI` | No | Describes an optional text node that may be absent from saved markup. |
Text bindings use an attribute `path` and `source`. Use `source: 'html'` for
rich text markup and `source: 'text'` for plain text. Attribute paths can be
nested, for example `style.typography.textAlign`.
### Optional text components
Use `missingUI` when a provider omits an optional text node until it has content.
```php
'missingUI' => array(
'mode' => 'ghost',
'mountSelector' => ':scope',
'placement' => 'append', // append or prepend
'tag' => 'p',
'attributes' => array( 'class' => 'my-plugin-notice__description' ),
'when' => array( 'path' => 'showDescription', 'equals' => true ),
'placementWhen' => array(
'path' => 'descriptionPosition',
'equals' => 'above',
'placement' => 'prepend',
),
),
```
`when` controls whether the ghost appears. `placementWhen` optionally changes
its placement when an attribute matches. Both conditions use a scalar `equals`
value.
### File components
Use `type: 'file'` for a media replacement surface. In addition to the standard
component keys, it requires a `target` object:
```php
'target' => array(
'selector' => ':self', // or a selector relative to the component root
'attribute' => 'src',
'mediaType' => 'image',
),
```
`mediaType` is one of `image`, `audio`, `video`, `file`, `image_or_video`, or
`icon`. The target attribute is normally `src` or `href`. File and text
components may be combined in one schema; FrontEdit switches at component scope
but still serializes the complete block.
### Repeated components
Use `repeat` for a component that occurs in a table, list, or another repeated
structure. Grid mode declares `rowSelector` and `cellSelector`; FrontEdit then
resolves `{row}` and `{column}` placeholders in binding paths.
```php
'repeat' => array(
'rowSelector' => 'tbody tr',
'cellSelector' => 'td',
),
```
Nested tree mode uses `mode: 'tree_path'`, `itemSelector`, and an optional
`pathKey` (default `path`). Use it for one block that owns nested repeated text
surfaces, such as a list.
### Binding sources
Bindings require `path` and `source`. A path uses dot notation and may include
repeat placeholders. Supported sources are:
- `html` - rich inner HTML, including supported inline formatting.
- `plaintext` - trimmed text without markup.
- `textAlignment` - the active text alignment value.
- `url` and `id` - media URL or attachment ID.
- `media_type` - derives `image` or `video` from a pending media change.
- `list_block` - rebuilds a complete nested list block from the live DOM.
Media `url` bindings may set `resolved: true` to use WordPress-resolved
attachment data. Set `value` to `width` or `height` when that resolved field is
needed instead of the URL.
### Editor formats and operations
`editor.formats` controls the toolbar. Supported tokens include `undo`, `redo`,
`align`, `textAlignment`, `headingLevels`, `bold`, `italic`, `strikethrough`,
`link`, `buttonLink`, `orderedList`, `unorderedList`, `indent`, and `outdent`.
Nest tokens in an array to group them.
`enterMode` may be `auto`, `always`, `never`, or `linebreak`.
`linkUIMode: 'manual'` suppresses automatic link UI while a user edits an
existing anchor; omit it for the default `auto` behavior. `tabMode` can use
`none`, `indent`, `outdent`, `nextComponent`, or `previousComponent` for its
`tab` and `shiftTab` values.
`editor.options.preserveNewlines` converts ` ` elements to literal newlines
before saving. `newlinesToBR` does the opposite. Use only when the native block
uses that representation.
Use the protected helper methods on the abstract edit handler to declare the
matching operations. Common helpers are:
- `get_editor_text_rewrite_operation( $component_id )`
- `get_editor_inline_format_change_operation( $component_id, $formats )`
- `get_editor_inline_attribute_change_operation( $component_id, 'link', $capabilities )`
- `get_editor_block_attribute_change_operation( $operation_id, $component_id, $capability )`
Pass the completed array through `normalize_editor_operations()`.
### Attribute capabilities
Declare block attributes used by toolbar operations under
`editor.attributeCapabilities`.
```php
'headingLevels' => array(
'attribute' => 'level',
'values' => array( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ),
'unsetValue' => 2,
),
'textAlignment' => array(
'attribute' => 'style.typography.textAlign',
'values' => array( 'left', 'center', 'right', 'justify' ),
'unsetValue' => 'left',
),
```
`headingLevels` is the canonical token for a heading-level or element-tag menu.
For blocks whose values are tags, use values such as `h1`, `p`, and `div`, plus
`tagChange: true`. The corresponding block-attribute operation will update both
the declared attribute and the editable element tag.
For a text-alignment capability, `preview: 'inline_style'` applies the preview
through `style.textAlign` on the resolved format target. Use it only when the
block's native frontend styling does not use WordPress
`has-text-align-*` classes.
`editor.formatTargets` can direct a toolbar operation to a selector or an
object with `scope` (`component`, `block`, or `column`), `selector`, and an
optional column `contextKey`. For example, use
`array( 'align' => 'block' )` when block alignment belongs on the wrapper
rather than the editable text node.
### Inline formatting
For standard text formatting, obtain the supported format declarations with:
```php
$inline_format_capabilities = $this->get_inline_format_capabilities(
array( 'bold', 'italic', 'strikethrough', 'link' )
);
```
Attach that value to `editor.inlineFormatCapabilities` and create matching
inline-format and link operations.
## Validation checklist
Before publishing a handler, verify all of the following on the frontend:
1. `wp.blocks.getBlockType( blockName )` returns the provider block definition.
2. Parsing then serializing an unchanged saved block preserves the block and its
unrelated attributes.
3. Each text, media, attribute, and inline-format operation saves correctly.
4. Optional components materialize only under their declared conditions.
5. A provider update has not changed the saved markup, attributes, or `save`
behavior your handler relies on.
If any compatibility check fails, disable or defer the handler rather than
editing rendered HTML directly. FrontEdit custom handlers always use Gutenberg's
native block serialization path.
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“Avinra Travels made our Sri Lankan adventure absolutely magical! From the ancient temples of Anuradhapura to the pristine beaches of Mirissa, every moment was perfectly curated. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the beauty of his homeland.
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United Kingdom
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