Dashboard: show ghost widgets visually & allow easy removal#78502
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simison
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simison
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May 21, 2026
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simison
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May 21, 2026
| /** | ||
| * WordPress dependencies | ||
| */ | ||
| import { Icon as WCIcon, Spinner } from '@wordpress/components'; |
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Using Icon from @wordpress/ui was already done in #78440, but then I accidentally reverted it in rebase of another PR.
So this just returns it back to the previous state; could do a separate PR, but it seems fine here too.
simison
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May 21, 2026
| aria-hidden="true" | ||
| > | ||
| <WCIcon icon={ widgetType.icon } /> | ||
| <Icon icon={ widgetType.icon } /> |
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I need to still stop "no widget" showing when we're only loading widgets: 
Screen.Recording.2026-05-21.at.13.51.06.mov |
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Size Change: 0 B Total Size: 8.18 MB ℹ️ View Unchanged
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Solved by showing a loading spinner until widgets resolve: Screen.Recording.2026-05-21.at.13.57.36.movcc @jameskoster WDYT if, instead of a spinner, we show a pulsating placeholder? |
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Flaky tests detected in ae99b76. 🔍 Workflow run URL: https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/actions/runs/26511253653
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I like skeleton loaders, but until we have the primitives for that in the design system I'd lean towards using the spinner as a recognised pattern across WP. |
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@jameskoster we have the Animate in Keeping spinners works fine too |
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TIL about |
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Removed the "remove" button to simplify this technically: 
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retrofox
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May 26, 2026
retrofox
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May 26, 2026
FAIL routes/dashboard/widget-dashboard/test/staging.test.tsx
● WidgetDashboard staging layer › grid settings staging › publishes both layout and settings on commit
expect(jest.fn()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(expected)
Expected number of calls: 1
Received number of calls: 0
364 |
365 | expect( onLayoutChange ).toHaveBeenCalledTimes( 1 );
> 366 | expect( onGridSettingsChange ).toHaveBeenCalledTimes( 1 );
| ^
367 | expect( onGridSettingsChange.mock.calls[ 0 ][ 0 ] ).toMatchObject( {
368 | model: 'masonry',
369 | } );
at Object.toHaveBeenCalledTimes (routes/dashboard/widget-dashboard/test/staging.test.tsx:366:35)
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Thanks @retrofox ! Good for a final review |
retrofox
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May 27, 2026
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LGTM. Thanks for addressing the feedback 🚢!
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What?
Part of #77616
When the dashboard layout has saved widgets which are no longer available (e.g. plugin disabled/removed), indicate their place with a message & easy way to remove them.
Previously, widgets rendered
nulland appeared as unexplained "ghost widgets".Now they render a "missing widget" placeholder:
Why?
Improved UX and clarity.
How?
Testing Instructions
Testing Instructions for Keyboard
Screenshots or screencast
Before
Customize mode
Regular mode
After
Customize mode
Regular mode
Use of AI Tools