It’s been four years since Full Site Editing (FSE) became a real WordPress feature, and the ecosystem has finally settled into a clear pattern. Whether you’re buying a theme or building one, here’s where things actually stand in 2026.

The three theme camps today

1. Classic themes with builder dependencies

The largest installed base. These themes ship with Elementor, Beaver Builder, WPBakery or Divi. Pros: massive market familiarity, huge template libraries. Cons: builder lock-in, page weight, and a slow death now that block editor catches up.

2. Pure block themes (FSE)

Themes built entirely around the WordPress block editor and template files in /templates/ and /parts/. Pros: native, fast, no extra plugin dependencies. Cons: smaller template library, learning curve for users coming from page builders.

3. Hybrid themes

Where most well-engineered themes have landed. The site structure uses FSE templates, but content pages use the block editor with custom blocks. No page builder, no PHP loops in templates. This is where we build.

What “Gutenberg-ready” actually should mean

When a theme claims “Gutenberg-ready”, check whether it ships:

• A proper theme.json with palette, spacing, typography defined.
• Block style variations registered through PHP, not pasted inline.
• Custom block patterns for the theme’s design system.
• Compatibility tested with at least WordPress 6.4 → 6.7.

The plugin question

One important nuance for 2026: many sites use the block editor for posts but still rely on plugins like Advanced Custom Fields, WP Forms, WooCommerce blocks. A good theme registers its own blocks and styles popular third-party blocks. Both matter.

“A theme that only works inside its bundled page builder is not a WordPress theme. It is a website-as-a-service with rent baked into your stack.”

Should you migrate an old site?

If you’re running a classic theme today and asking yourself whether to switch — our answer:

• Don’t migrate just to migrate. If your current site is fast, secure and the editor doesn’t slow your team down, leave it.
• Migrate when you’re already redesigning. Bundle the editor switch with a design refresh.
• Migrate away from a page builder if you’re paying ongoing license fees for it. Saving $250/year in license fees adds up over 5 years.

Our position

All HDNETRO themes built after January 2026 are hybrid: FSE templates for site structure, block editor for content, registered patterns and block styles for the theme’s specific design. We do not bundle Elementor, Divi, WPBakery, Beaver Builder or any other commercial page builder. If you love your existing builder — we won’t fight you, but we’re not the right shop for you.