Generate a custom Gutenberg block plugin
Writing a Gutenberg block from scratch means wiring up a build toolchain, learning the block API, and understanding which attributes need server-side rendering. It is doable but it takes an afternoon even for someone who has done it before.
A generated plugin skips that afternoon. Describe the block — fields, controls, how it should render — and the plugin ships with esbuild/wp-scripts set up, the edit/save functions written, and optional dynamic rendering via render_callback.
Why generate it instead of installing an existing plugin?
Generic block builders like Kadence Blocks or GenerateBlocks are great but add their full block library to the editor, including blocks you will never use. ACF Blocks simplifies authoring but ties you to ACF Pro (€49/year).
A one-off block plugin adds exactly one block. It registers only its own assets, follows the official @wordpress/create-block conventions, and is easy to hand off to another developer because it looks like every other block tutorial on the official docs.
The sweet spot: an internal marketing team needs a "pricing row" block tailored to your brand. You generate it, commit it, and editors pick it up on the next page load. No plugin store accounts, no licence management.
Example prompt
This is the kind of description that generates this plugin. You can start from it and tweak whatever you need before hitting generate.
Plugin name: Acme Pricing Row
Register block acme/pricing-row with attributes:
- title (string)
- price (string)
- price_period (string, default "/ month")
- features (array of strings)
- cta_label (string)
- cta_url (string)
- highlighted (bool)
Edit component:
- Inspector controls: TextControl for title, price, period, cta label/url; ToggleControl for highlighted.
- In-content: editable title, editable price, editable features as InnerBlocks of type "acme/pricing-feature" OR as a simple repeater.
Save: return null (use dynamic render) so we can theme server-side.
Server render_callback: outputs a <div class="acme-pricing-row is-highlighted"> with the styled markup matching the theme.
Build: @wordpress/scripts. Asset registration via block.json.
Output a single stylesheet loaded only on pages that use the block.What the generated plugin typically includes
- block.json registering attributes, categories and assets
- edit.js with InspectorControls and editable content areas
- Dynamic render via PHP render_callback for theme consistency
- Scoped stylesheet loaded only when the block is used
- Optional InnerBlocks for nested content
- @wordpress/scripts build config committed
Attributes, controls, and rendering style come from your prompt. For a block library of 5+ related blocks, describe them together and we ship them under a single plugin with shared utilities.
Frequently asked questions
Will this work on FSE themes?
Yes. The block is registered via block.json so it appears everywhere blocks are supported: pages, posts, templates, template parts.
Can I edit the output PHP directly?
Yes. The render_callback is a readable function; common edits are safe.