BlockBuilder 5.5 brings Smart Editing functionality to all DNN themes, not only EasyDNN Themes

Our team is continuously working on improving the experience of creating and editing content in DNN. The new BlockBuilder 5.5 introduces a range of new features and improvements that make working with content faster, easier and safer.

Until now, BlockBuilder worked exclusively with our EasyDNN themes, but it now also includes useful functionality that works with any DNN theme.

What does BlockBuilder 5.5 enable if you are not using one of our DNN themes?

BlockBuilder 5.5 now allows you to:

• Import content from the DNN HTML module into a BlockBuilder module
• Use Smart Editing in BlockBuilder for content imported from the HTML module
• Automatically convert JPEG and PNG files into WebP format, improving website performance when you replace the DNN HTML module with BlockBuilder
• Benefit from generally improved image handling compared to the DNN HTML module
• Translate content imported from the HTML module into other languages using AI tools

What is Smart Editing in BlockBuilder?

Smart Editing is a new way of editing content in BlockBuilder. It allows users to edit elements directly on the page, without opening a complex HTML editor or manually searching through code.

The idea is simple: the user clicks the element they want to change, and BlockBuilder recognizes what that element is and offers the right editing options. This can be a heading, text, list, card, accordion item, tab, image, button or a repeating element inside a grid.

Instead of requiring users to understand HTML structure, classes, wrapper elements and relationships between elements, Smart Editing provides a visual, easier and safer editing experience. When users edit HTML manually, they can easily delete an important part of the structure by accident and break the design.

Smart Editing solves this problem by allowing users to edit content while preserving the block structure.

This means users can quickly change text, add a new card, replace an image or delete an item, while BlockBuilder ensures that the HTML remains valid and that the block continues to work correctly.

Smart Editing makes BlockBuilder feel much more natural to use. Instead of forcing users to choose between a full HTML editor and limited content editing, it now provides the best of both approaches: users can edit elements directly on the page, but in a controlled and safe way.

This means faster changes, fewer mistakes and a better workflow for everyone, from developers who create blocks to end users who maintain websites every day.

Smart Editing is especially important for modern websites where content often consists of repeating elements such as cards, lists, tabs, accordions and galleries. In this environment, options such as duplicating, moving, deleting and restoring elements are not just extra features. They are an essential part of a good page builder experience.

It is also important to note that BlockBuilder includes a full HTML editor, where you can edit everything just as you would in the DNN HTML module.

Would you like to edit your DNN website as easily as shown in the video?

Importing content from the DNN HTML module

This option allows you to easily import content added in the DNN HTML module into a BlockBuilder module and replace the DNN HTML editor with BlockBuilder.

BlockBuilder 5.5 makes it possible to save a custom block in just a few steps, allowing you to reuse the same block in other BlockBuilder modules and on other pages, without manually copying HTML from one DNN HTML module to another.

You can now simply add a BlockBuilder module, drag the block onto the page and edit the content.

Improved image handling

BlockBuilder 5.5 introduces the following image handling improvements:

• A WebP image provider has been added, allowing JPEG and PNG images to be converted into WebP format
• You can now add images from the server
• You can now add images from Pexels stock
• You can now generate AI images
• You can now rename image file names
• An image resize option has been added

The existing DNN HTML module does not support the WebP file format. By replacing the DNN HTML module with BlockBuilder, you can significantly improve your website performance because BlockBuilder converts JPEG and PNG files into WebP format.

Watch this video to see how you can replace the standard DNN HTML editor with BlockBuilder and make website editing much easier and faster.

How to buy BlockBuilder 5.5

BlockBuilder is included with our themes as part of the EasyDNN Theme Collection, or in our complete collection that includes all our modules, themes and tools, the EasyDNN Theme & Module Collection.

BlockBuilder cannot be purchased separately.

Does BlockBuilder work with themes other than EDS themes?

BlockBuilder now works with all DNN themes, as explained in this article. However, it is important to note that not all functionality available with our EasyDNN themes is also available for themes that are not EasyDNN themes.

For themes that are not EDS themes, predefined Bootstrap blocks are available. When using EDS themes, in addition to the basic Bootstrap blocks, all blocks defined within the themes are also available.

AI functionality such as the page builder is also not available in themes that are not EDS themes.

Why use BlockBuilder as a replacement for the DNN HTML module?

BlockBuilder includes all the functionality of the DNN HTML module, while adding many more features for faster, easier and safer content editing.

By converting HTML content into custom blocks and using Smart Editing functionality, BlockBuilder allows users without technical knowledge to edit content quickly and easily, without manually editing HTML.

BlockBuilder represents a completely new level of creating and editing websites in DNN. Working with content becomes easier, faster and frustration free.

Want to learn more about BlockBuilder? Read our overview of BlockBuilder 5 and watch the video to see what BlockBuilder can do.