Design Differences in 2.0
UW Theme 2.0 brings refreshed layouts and updated styling across campus websites. While the UW look and feel remains familiar, you may notice a few visual differences that align more closely with current UW brand standards and WordPress best practices.
This page highlights some of the key design changes from UW Theme Classic to UW Theme 2.0.
On this page
Additional Resources
Alternating Content
In UW Theme Classic, alternating content boxes stacked tightly on top of one another, which sometimes made long pages feel dense and continuous.
In UW Theme 2.0, there’s no longer a dedicated Alternating Content element. Instead, you can create this style using pre-made patterns that the theme provides. These updated patterns include more space between each row of alternating content. This subtle design change helps
- Improve readability and scanning on longer pages.
- Give each row room to breathe while keeping a consistent rhythm.
- Visually connect each image-and-text pair so they feel like grouped sections, rather than one long block of content.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Creating Alternating Content in UW Theme 2.0
In UW Theme 2.0, alternating content layouts are created using patterns rather than a block. You can find these layouts under the Featured pattern category, which includes some pre-made designs for alternating images and text. Visit the patterns overview for more information.
Breadcrumbs
In UW Theme Classic, breadcrumbs appeared below the hero area at the top of a page.
In UW Theme 2.0, they’ve been moved to appear directly below the main navigation and above the hero area.
This change began as a technical limitation of the block editor but follows a common design pattern on the web. Grouping breadcrumbs closer to the main navigation keeps navigational elements together, which may improve wayfinding and make it easier for users to understand where they are within a site’s structure.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Group of Links
In UW Theme Classic, groups of links sometimes used a card-like background and included only one arrow style.
In UW Theme 2.0, the design adds more spacing, introduces additional arrow style and color options, and removes the card styling for a simpler, more consistent look.
New in 2.0, the UW Group of Links block provides:
- an option to display links in up to three columns, when the container is wide enough.
- updated arrow styles that can be turned on or off.
- subtle hover animations for clearer interaction feedback.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Group of Links as Buttons
Unlike UW Theme Classic, the Group of Links block in UW Theme 2.0 does not include an option to style links as buttons. You can use the Buttons block to create a group of buttons instead. We recommend checking the pattern library first to see if there’s already a layout that meets your needs and saves time.
UW Card Style
In UW Theme Classic, users could turn on the UW Card Style option for certain blocks. This added a red bottom border and light shadow to create a card-like appearance. Users could also turn on an optional drop shadow to create a raised card effect.
In UW Theme 2.0, this works differently. The red border has been removed for a cleaner, more contemporary look, and cards are now created using WordPress Core blocks (blocks not made by the UW Theme team) and patterns. Drop shadows can be applied to container blocks as needed, giving users more flexibility and consistency across layouts.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Creating cards in UW Theme 2.0
Start by browsing the Cards patterns category in to find a layout that fits your content. These patterns use standard WordPress blocks and include consistent spacing, link styling, and shadow options built in.
Hero Area
In UW Theme Classic, the hero area was a fixed section that allowed a single image with optional text over it. When multiple images were added, the hero automatically became a carousel.
In UW Theme 2.0, the hero area has been replaced with a more flexible system of banner patterns and a separate UW Hero Carousel block.
One variation, called Hero Content Inset, placed an image and text inside a card-style box over the hero image. This option is no longer available in UW Theme 2.0. The design was simplified to better align with the updated UW Theme 2.0 style and to reduce the complexity that can come with layering multiple images together.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Creating hero content in UW Theme 2.0
Browse the Banners patterns category for a wide variety of hero and banner styles, ranging from simple image banners to layouts with text overlays, buttons, and alignment options. You can also use the UW Hero Carousel block to feature multiple rotating images at the top of a page.
Image & Content Carousel
In UW Theme Classic, the Image and Content Carousel displayed a sliding panel with an image on one side and text on the other, set against a red background.
In UW Theme 2.0, this block has been redesigned and renamed as the UW Story Slider to better communicate its purpose—telling a sequential story where each image supports or enhances the accompanying content.
The new design removes the red background in favor of a cleaner, more balanced layout that so that imagery and content can really shine. Optional preview slides let users see what’s coming next or revisit previous slides, creating a more engaging and connected storytelling experience.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Image Gallery
In UW Theme Classic, the Image Gallery displayed photos in a simple grid layout with tight spacing and captions shown below each image. In UW Theme 2.0, galleries now use the WordPress Core Gallery block, which has a different visual design.
In the Core Gallery block, captions display above each image instead of below and feature larger thumbnails. If a caption is added for the entire gallery, it appears beneath the full set of images rather than under individual photos. These updates come directly from WordPress Core, giving users a familiar editing experience while maintaining a clean look within the UW Theme.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
List Spacing
In UW Theme Classic, the spacing between list items was wider by default, with an optional tightly spaced style available.
In UW Theme 2.0, lists are created using the WordPress Core List block, which uses a more compact default style for easier reading and cleaner alignment with surrounding text.
Users can still adjust spacing by selecting the More Space option in the block settings, which increases vertical spacing between list items.
List block with default space
- Aliquam tincidunt mauris eu risus.
- Vestibulum auctor dapibus neque.
- Nunc dignissim risus id metus.
- Cras ornare tristique elit.
- Vivamus vestibulum ntulla nec ante.
List block with “More Space” applied
- Aliquam tincidunt mauris eu risus.
- Vestibulum auctor dapibus neque.
- Nunc dignissim risus id metus.
- Cras ornare tristique elit.
- Vivamus vestibulum ntulla nec ante.
People Listing
In UW Theme Classic, this feature was called the Faculty/Staff Listing. In UW Theme 2.0, it has been renamed the UW People Listing block and expanded to include a wider range of layout options, including card and list views, as well as multiple column configurations.
In UW Theme Classic, the advanced search filter displayed the heading Filter Results. This visible heading has been removed in UW Theme 2.0 for a cleaner layout. Each filter input includes its own label for clarity, and the filter section continues to provide the same functionality as before.
UW Theme Classic
UW Theme 2.0
Quote Styles
In UW Theme Classic, two quote styles were available: Stylized Quote and Blockquote. In UW Theme 2.0, these have been renamed and refreshed as Pull Quote and Block Quote, both available through the UW Quote block.
The Pull Quote now uses larger default text with a red accent line and quote icon, while the Block Quote features a more minimal style with italics and a gray left border. The red border previously used in the Blockquote has been removed to draw more focus to the quote itself and discourage using this style to emphasize regular text, which can cause confusion and accessibility issues for screen reader users.
UW Theme Classic
Stylized Quote
Block Quote
UW Theme Classic
Enjoy every minute of being at Wisconsin because it goes by fast. It will be the greatest four years of your life.
Pull Quote
Enjoy every minute of being at Wisconsin because it goes by fast. It will be the greatest four years of your life.
Block Quote
Red Mini Bar
In UW Theme Classic, all page titles (H1) and section headings (H2) automatically displayed the red mini bar above them. Other heading levels did not include this feature.
In UW Theme 2.0, only page titles (H1s) display the red mini bar by default. For all other headings, the mini bar can be toggled on by selecting Mini Bar in the WordPress Core Heading block settings. This gives users more flexibility and consistency when styling different sections of a page.
This style works best on H1s and H2s for clear hierarchy and emphasis. Visit best practices for headings and page titles for more guidance.