Layout: Add a disable-layout-styles theme supports flag to opt out of all layout styles

docs/how-to-guides/themes/theme-support.md

@@ -305,6 +305,18 @@ add_theme_support( 'disable-custom-gradients' );
 
 When set, users will be restricted to the default gradients provided in the block editor or the gradients provided via the `editor-gradient-presets` theme support setting.
 
+### Disabling base layout styles
+
+_**Note:** Since WordPress 6.1._
+
+Themes can opt out of generated block layout styles that provide default structural styles for core blocks including Group, Columns, Buttons, and Social Icons. By using the following code, these themes commit to providing their own structural styling, as using this feature will result in core blocks displaying incorrectly in both the editor and site frontend:
+
+```php
+add_theme_support( 'disable-layout-styles' );
+```
+
+For themes looking to customize `blockGap` styles or block spacing, see [the developer docs on Global Settings & Styles](/docs/how-to-guides/themes/theme-json/#what-is-blockgap-and-how-can-i-use-it).
+
 ### Supporting custom line heights
 
 Some blocks like paragraph and headings support customizing the line height. Themes can enable support for this feature with the following code:

lib/block-supports/layout.php

@@ -226,30 +226,35 @@ function gutenberg_render_layout_support_flag( $block_content, $block ) {
 		$class_names[] = sanitize_title( $layout_classname );
 	}
 
-	$gap_value = _wp_array_get( $block, array( 'attrs', 'style', 'spacing', 'blockGap' ) );
-	// Skip if gap value contains unsupported characters.
-	// Regex for CSS value borrowed from `safecss_filter_attr`, and used here
-	// because we only want to match against the value, not the CSS attribute.
-	if ( is_array( $gap_value ) ) {
-		foreach ( $gap_value as $key => $value ) {
-			$gap_value[ $key ] = $value && preg_match( '%[\\\(&=}]|/\*%', $value ) ? null : $value;
+	// Only generate Layout styles if the theme has not opted-out.
+	// Attribute-based Layout classnames are output in all cases.
+	if ( ! current_theme_supports( 'disable-layout-styles' ) ) {
+
+		$gap_value = _wp_array_get( $block, array( 'attrs', 'style', 'spacing', 'blockGap' ) );
+		// Skip if gap value contains unsupported characters.
+		// Regex for CSS value borrowed from `safecss_filter_attr`, and used here
+		// because we only want to match against the value, not the CSS attribute.
+		if ( is_array( $gap_value ) ) {
+			foreach ( $gap_value as $key => $value ) {
+				$gap_value[ $key ] = $value && preg_match( '%[\\\(&=}]|/\*%', $value ) ? null : $value;
+			}
+		} else {
+			$gap_value = $gap_value && preg_match( '%[\\\(&=}]|/\*%', $gap_value ) ? null : $gap_value;
 		}
-	} else {
-		$gap_value = $gap_value && preg_match( '%[\\\(&=}]|/\*%', $gap_value ) ? null : $gap_value;
-	}
 
-	$fallback_gap_value = _wp_array_get( $block_type->supports, array( 'spacing', 'blockGap', '__experimentalDefault' ), '0.5em' );
-	$block_spacing      = _wp_array_get( $block, array( 'attrs', 'style', 'spacing' ), null );
+		$fallback_gap_value = _wp_array_get( $block_type->supports, array( 'spacing', 'blockGap', '__experimentalDefault' ), '0.5em' );
+		$block_spacing      = _wp_array_get( $block, array( 'attrs', 'style', 'spacing' ), null );
 
-	// If a block's block.json skips serialization for spacing or spacing.blockGap,
-	// don't apply the user-defined value to the styles.
-	$should_skip_gap_serialization = gutenberg_should_skip_block_supports_serialization( $block_type, 'spacing', 'blockGap' );
-	$style                         = gutenberg_get_layout_style( ".$block_classname.$container_class", $used_layout, $has_block_gap_support, $gap_value, $should_skip_gap_serialization, $fallback_gap_value, $block_spacing );
+		// If a block's block.json skips serialization for spacing or spacing.blockGap,
+		// don't apply the user-defined value to the styles.
+		$should_skip_gap_serialization = gutenberg_should_skip_block_supports_serialization( $block_type, 'spacing', 'blockGap' );
+		$style                         = gutenberg_get_layout_style( ".$block_classname.$container_class", $used_layout, $has_block_gap_support, $gap_value, $should_skip_gap_serialization, $fallback_gap_value, $block_spacing );
 
-	// Only add container class and enqueue block support styles if unique styles were generated.
-	if ( ! empty( $style ) ) {
-		$class_names[] = $container_class;
-		wp_enqueue_block_support_styles( $style );
+		// Only add container class and enqueue block support styles if unique styles were generated.
+		if ( ! empty( $style ) ) {
+			$class_names[] = $container_class;
+			wp_enqueue_block_support_styles( $style );
+		}
 	}
 
 	// This assumes the hook only applies to blocks with a single wrapper.

lib/compat/wordpress-6.1/block-editor-settings.php

@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ function gutenberg_get_block_editor_settings( $settings ) {
 	}
 
 	$settings['localAutosaveInterval'] = 15;
+	$settings['disableLayoutStyles']   = current_theme_supports( 'disable-layout-styles' );
 
 	return $settings;
 }

lib/compat/wordpress-6.1/class-wp-theme-json-6-1.php

@@ -1252,6 +1252,11 @@ protected function get_layout_styles( $block_metadata ) {
 		$block_rules = '';
 		$block_type  = null;
 
+		// Skip outputting layout styles if explicitly disabled.
+		if ( current_theme_supports( 'disable-layout-styles' ) ) {
+			return $block_rules;
+		}
+
 		if ( isset( $block_metadata['name'] ) ) {
 			$block_type = WP_Block_Type_Registry::get_instance()->get_registered( $block_metadata['name'] );
 			if ( ! block_has_support( $block_type, array( '__experimentalLayout' ), false ) ) {

lib/compat/wordpress-6.1/theme.php

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Temporary compatibility shims for features present in Gutenberg.
+ * This file should be removed when WordPress 6.1.0 becomes the lowest
+ * supported version by this plugin.
+ *
+ * @package gutenberg
+ */
+
+/**
+ * This function runs in addition to the core `create_initial_theme_features`.
+ * The 6.1 release needs to update the core function to include the body of this function.
+ *
+ * Creates the initial theme features when the 'setup_theme' action is fired.
+ *
+ * See {@see 'setup_theme'}.
+ *
+ * @since 5.5.0
+ * @since 6.0.1 The `block-templates` feature was added.
+ * @since 6.1.0 The `disable-layout-styles` feature was added.
+ */
+function gutenberg_create_initial_theme_features() {
+	register_theme_feature(
+		'disable-layout-styles',
+		array(
+			'description'  => __( 'Whether the theme disables generated layout styles.', 'gutenberg' ),
+			'show_in_rest' => true,
+		)
+	);
+}
+add_action( 'setup_theme', 'gutenberg_create_initial_theme_features', 0 );

lib/experimental/class-wp-rest-block-editor-settings-controller.php

@@ -204,6 +204,12 @@ public function get_item_schema() {
 					'context'     => array( 'post-editor', 'site-editor', 'widgets-editor' ),
 				),
 
+				'disableLayoutStyles'                    => array(
+					'description' => __( 'Disables output of layout styles.', 'gutenberg' ),
+					'type'        => 'boolean',
+					'context'     => array( 'post-editor', 'site-editor', 'widgets-editor' ),
+				),
+
 				'enableCustomLineHeight'                 => array(
 					'description' => __( 'Enables custom line height.', 'gutenberg' ),
 					'type'        => 'boolean',

lib/load.php

@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ function gutenberg_is_experiment_enabled( $name ) {
 require __DIR__ . '/compat/wordpress-6.1/date-settings.php';
 require __DIR__ . '/compat/wordpress-6.1/block-patterns.php';
 require __DIR__ . '/compat/wordpress-6.1/edit-form-blocks.php';
+require __DIR__ . '/compat/wordpress-6.1/theme.php';
 
 // Experimental features.
 remove_action( 'plugins_loaded', '_wp_theme_json_webfonts_handler' ); // Turns off WP 6.0's stopgap handler for Webfonts API.

packages/block-editor/src/hooks/layout.js

@@ -264,10 +264,16 @@ export const withInspectorControls = createHigherOrderComponent(
 export const withLayoutStyles = createHigherOrderComponent(
 	( BlockListBlock ) => ( props ) => {
 		const { name, attributes } = props;
-		const shouldRenderLayoutStyles = hasBlockSupport(
+		const hasLayoutBlockSupport = hasBlockSupport(
 			name,
 			layoutBlockSupportKey
 		);
+		const disableLayoutStyles = useSelect( ( select ) => {
+			const { getSettings } = select( blockEditorStore );
+			return !! getSettings().disableLayoutStyles;
+		} );
+		const shouldRenderLayoutStyles =
+			hasLayoutBlockSupport && ! disableLayoutStyles;
 		const id = useInstanceId( BlockListBlock );
 		const defaultThemeLayout = useSetting( 'layout' ) || {};
 		const element = useContext( BlockList.__unstableElementContext );
@@ -277,7 +283,7 @@ export const withLayoutStyles = createHigherOrderComponent(
 		const usedLayout = layout?.inherit
 			? defaultThemeLayout
 			: layout || defaultBlockLayout || {};
-		const layoutClasses = shouldRenderLayoutStyles
+		const layoutClasses = hasLayoutBlockSupport
 			? useLayoutClasses( usedLayout, defaultThemeLayout?.definitions )
 			: null;
 		const selector = `.${ getBlockDefaultClassName(

packages/edit-post/src/components/visual-editor/index.js

@@ -118,13 +118,15 @@ export default function VisualEditor( { styles } ) {
 		( select ) => select( editPostStore ).hasMetaBoxes(),
 		[]
 	);
-	const { themeSupportsLayout, assets } = useSelect( ( select ) => {
-		const _settings = select( blockEditorStore ).getSettings();
-		return {
-			themeSupportsLayout: _settings.supportsLayout,
-			assets: _settings.__unstableResolvedAssets,
-		};
-	}, [] );
+	const { themeHasDisabledLayoutStyles, themeSupportsLayout, assets } =
+		useSelect( ( select ) => {
+			const _settings = select( blockEditorStore ).getSettings();
+			return {
+				themeHasDisabledLayoutStyles: _settings.disableLayoutStyles,
+				themeSupportsLayout: _settings.supportsLayout,
+				assets: _settings.__unstableResolvedAssets,
+			};
+		}, [] );
 	const { clearSelectedBlock } = useDispatch( blockEditorStore );
 	const { setIsEditingTemplate } = useDispatch( editPostStore );
 	const desktopCanvasStyles = {
@@ -241,13 +243,17 @@ export default function VisualEditor( { styles } ) {
 						assets={ assets }
 						style={ { paddingBottom } }
 					>
-						{ themeSupportsLayout && ! isTemplateMode && (
-							<LayoutStyle
-								selector=".edit-post-visual-editor__post-title-wrapper, .block-editor-block-list__layout.is-root-container"
-								layout={ defaultLayout }
-								layoutDefinitions={ defaultLayout?.definitions }
-							/>
-						) }
+						{ themeSupportsLayout &&
+							! themeHasDisabledLayoutStyles &&
+							! isTemplateMode && (
+								<LayoutStyle
+									selector=".edit-post-visual-editor__post-title-wrapper, .block-editor-block-list__layout.is-root-container"
+									layout={ defaultLayout }
+									layoutDefinitions={
+										defaultLayout?.definitions
+									}
+								/>
+							) }
 						{ ! isTemplateMode && (
 							<div
 								className="edit-post-visual-editor__post-title-wrapper"

packages/edit-site/src/components/global-styles/use-global-styles-output.js

@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ import {
 	__EXPERIMENTAL_ELEMENTS as ELEMENTS,
 	getBlockTypes,
 } from '@wordpress/blocks';
+import { useSelect } from '@wordpress/data';
 import { useEffect, useState, useContext } from '@wordpress/element';
 import { getCSSRules } from '@wordpress/style-engine';
 import {
 	__unstablePresetDuotoneFilter as PresetDuotoneFilter,
 	__experimentalGetGapCSSValue as getGapCSSValue,
+	store as blockEditorStore,
 } from '@wordpress/block-editor';
 
 /**
@@ -536,7 +538,8 @@ export const toStyles = (
 	tree,
 	blockSelectors,
 	hasBlockGapSupport,
-	hasFallbackGapSupport
+	hasFallbackGapSupport,
+	disableLayoutStyles = false
 ) => {
 	const nodesWithStyles = getNodesWithStyles( tree, blockSelectors );
 	const nodesWithSettings = getNodesWithSettings( tree, blockSelectors );
@@ -612,7 +615,10 @@ export const toStyles = (
 			}
 
 			// Process blockGap and layout styles.
-			if ( ROOT_BLOCK_SELECTOR === selector || hasLayoutSupport ) {
+			if (
+				! disableLayoutStyles &&
+				( ROOT_BLOCK_SELECTOR === selector || hasLayoutSupport )
+			) {
 				ruleset += getLayoutStyles( {
 					tree,
 					style: styles,
@@ -769,6 +775,10 @@ export function useGlobalStylesOutput() {
 	const [ blockGap ] = useSetting( 'spacing.blockGap' );
 	const hasBlockGapSupport = blockGap !== null;
 	const hasFallbackGapSupport = ! hasBlockGapSupport; // This setting isn't useful yet: it exists as a placeholder for a future explicit fallback styles support.
+	const disableLayoutStyles = useSelect( ( select ) => {
+		const { getSettings } = select( blockEditorStore );
+		return !! getSettings().disableLayoutStyles;
+	} );
 
 	useEffect( () => {
 		if ( ! mergedConfig?.styles || ! mergedConfig?.settings ) {
@@ -784,7 +794,8 @@ export function useGlobalStylesOutput() {
 			mergedConfig,
 			blockSelectors,
 			hasBlockGapSupport,
-			hasFallbackGapSupport
+			hasFallbackGapSupport,
+			disableLayoutStyles
 		);
 		const filters = toSvgFilters( mergedConfig, blockSelectors );
 		setStylesheets( [
@@ -799,7 +810,12 @@ export function useGlobalStylesOutput() {
 		] );
 		setSettings( mergedConfig.settings );
 		setSvgFilters( filters );
-	}, [ hasBlockGapSupport, hasFallbackGapSupport, mergedConfig ] );
+	}, [
+		hasBlockGapSupport,
+		hasFallbackGapSupport,
+		mergedConfig,
+		disableLayoutStyles,
+	] );
 
 	return [ stylesheets, settings, svgFilters, hasBlockGapSupport ];
 }

packages/editor/src/components/provider/use-block-editor-settings.js

@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ function useBlockEditorSettings( settings, hasTemplate ) {
 				'disableCustomColors',
 				'disableCustomFontSizes',
 				'disableCustomGradients',
+				'disableLayoutStyles',
 				'enableCustomLineHeight',
 				'enableCustomSpacing',
 				'enableCustomUnits',

phpunit/class-wp-theme-json-test.php

@@ -103,6 +103,37 @@ public function test_get_stylesheet_generates_base_fallback_gap_layout_styles( $
 		);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @dataProvider data_get_layout_definitions
+	 *
+	 * @param array $layout_definitions Layout definitions as stored in core theme.json.
+	 */
+	public function test_get_stylesheet_skips_layout_styles( $layout_definitions ) {
+		add_theme_support( 'disable-layout-styles' );
+		$theme_json = new WP_Theme_JSON_Gutenberg(
+			array(
+				'version'  => WP_Theme_JSON_Gutenberg::LATEST_SCHEMA,
+				'settings' => array(
+					'layout'  => array(
+						'definitions' => $layout_definitions,
+					),
+					'spacing' => array(
+						'blockGap' => null,
+					),
+				),
+			),
+			'default'
+		);
+		$stylesheet = $theme_json->get_stylesheet( array( 'base-layout-styles' ) );
+		remove_theme_support( 'disable-layout-styles' );
+
+		// All Layout styles should be skipped.
+		$this->assertEquals(
+			'',
+			$stylesheet
+		);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Data provider.
 	 *