As a Divi user, you are probably aware of the excitement about the release of Divi 5. This update is a massive overhaul to the code structure and interface, bringing many major improvements and a new foundation for future features. However, in their excitement and curiosity, many users are jumping at the idea of switching to Divi 5 right away, even though it is only in an “alpha” stage, unaware of the critical steps still needed before it’s ready for live production sites.
Recently, I noticed Nick Roach, the owner of Elegant Themes, shared an insightful comment in the Divi Theme Users group on Facebook. His message is clear: the Divi 5 release is a careful process, and users should adopt it at their own pace. I’d like to take a moment to highlight Nick’s points and offer my own thoughts on when you can confidently start using Divi 5.
NOTE: This post was published on October 17, 2024. Everything is subject to change and become outdated, but the advice will remain valid.
▶️ Please watch the video above to get all the exciting details! 👆
Nick Roach’s Insights on Divi 5’s Release Timeline
In a recent Facebook discussion, Nick Roach shared some valuable information about Divi 5’s progress, particularly regarding its current state in the Public Alpha phase and the timeline moving forward. Here’s what Nick had to say:
Nick’s explanation is detailed and offers some key insights for anyone following the Divi 5 release:
- No rush for a final release date: The priority is making Divi 5 stable, especially when it comes to backward compatibility, and giving users the option to transition smoothly.
- Public Alpha and Beta phases: Users currently have the opportunity to test Divi 5, provide feedback to their support team, and adopt it when they feel ready.
- Estimated timelines: Divi 5 could be suitable for new projects in about a month and ready for migrating existing sites in two months—depending on your specific needs and the third-party modules you rely on.
My Perspective On The Divi 5 Timeline
Wait To Use Divi 5 For New Websites
Nick estimates that within a month (Nov-Dec 2024), Divi 5 should be stable enough for new projects. This timeline makes sense for those who want to dive into the new features without the pressure of migrating an existing live website. However, even at that time, there may still be a few bugs here and there, so I’d recommend starting with smaller, non-critical projects where you have room to experiment (and after creating a backup). Keep in mind, an Alpha version of any software is meant for testing only, and your feedback will be key to improving the experience.
Be Cautious When Testing Divi 5 On Existing Websites
For those eager to migrate their existing Divi 4 websites to Divi 5, patience is essential. Nick suggests waiting at least two months before doing so, and I would strongly encourage this as well. Existing sites are likely built with custom features, plugins, and third-party modules that need time to catch up. Remember to use a staging site or create a backup before migrating and testing Divi 5 on existing websites.
Third-Party Plugins: A Key Consideration
As a developer who has created many Divi plugins, I understand how important this transition is for both users and developers. If you’re like many Divi users, you probably have a set of third-party plugins that are core to your workflow. Nick rightly points out that third-party developers like us need time to update our plugins for Divi 5 compatibility, which is critical for ensuring a smooth migration.
While Divi 4 modules will still function in Divi 5’s backward compatibility mode, it’s important to note that this is a temporary and less-than-ideal solution and will most likely have bugs during the Alpha phase. I personally recommend waiting for official communication and updates from developers like us before switching over or expecting things to work seamlessly. If you switch too early and your favorite plugins aren’t ready, or if the backward compatibility system has issues, you may encounter disruptions to your workflow.
If your site relies heavily on custom or third-party modules, prioritizing their updates is essential before migrating to Divi 5. Many developers, including us, are currently deep in the process of converting our plugins for the Divi 5 framework. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time, as this is a significant and costly task. As of October 2024, we are still awaiting some necessary hooks and filters from Elegant Themes to complete this process.
This reminder is simply to highlight that even with the best intentions, the workload on Elegant Themes and third-party developers alike is substantial, and it’s unrealistic to expect full plugin support during the Divi 5 Public Alpha phase.
Help Test Our Plugins With Divi 5.0
We’re excited to announce that several of our plugins are ready for testing with Divi 5.0, and we’d love your help! As one of our valued customers, your input is incredibly important in helping us ensure that every feature and setting works flawlessly.
While we’ve already tested the plugins ourselves, having more eyes on them will give us the confidence that they’re as polished as possible. If you’re interested in trying out these plugins and providing feedback, we’d greatly appreciate it!
To get started, simply fill out this form. We can’t wait to hear from you!
For more detailed information about our progress and plugin compatibility, please visit our Divi 5 page.
A Gradual Adoption Process
One of the great benefits of Divi 5’s Public Alpha and Public Beta phases is that they give you an opportunity to test the new system without fully committing to it. If you want to try out Divi 5 now, I recommend doing so in a staging environment or on new projects that don’t depend on third-party tools just yet.
This is also a good time to report any bugs you come across. The more feedback users provide, the more polished Divi 5 will become by the time it’s officially released. As Nick said, Divi 5 will improve every two weeks when they release updates to the Alpha and Beta versions, so adopting it should be a gradual process. This kind of rolling release allows users to transition at their own pace. You may not want to start using Divi 5 on all your projects right away, and that’s okay. There is absolutely no need to rush—it’s important to let the product mature before using it for critical projects.
Conclusion: Adopt Divi 5 When The Time Is Right
Divi 5 is an exciting step forward, but it’s important to adopt it on your terms. As Nick mentioned, bugs are currently the biggest hurdle, and many third-party developers, including myself, are working hard to ensure that our plugins are fully compatible. So take your time, test things out, and enjoy the journey as Divi 5 continues to evolve. When the time is right, you’ll know that you’re ready to start using it for new projects or migrating existing sites.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the bi-weekly updates from Elegant Themes and enjoy the steady progress!
Check out these other resources about Divi 5:
Clearing Up The Confusion About Shortcodes In Divi 5
In this tutorial, I will clear up the confusion about Divi 5 shortcodes going away and clarify what’s changing and what will still work as before.
How To Use Responsive Design Settings In Divi 5
In this tutorial, I will show you how to use responsive design settings in Divi 5 and compare it with Divi 4 to highlight the major differences.
How To Use The New Divi 5.0 Interface
In this tutorial, I will give you an overview of the new Divi 5 interface, point out the changes, and share some tips about using it.
💭 I would also love to hear your thoughts on all the changes, so let’s discuss it in the comments!
Hey Nelson. In this latest Divi 5 blog post on Elegant (https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/divi-resources/divi-5-update-public-alpha-version-7) Nick says in the comments that we can use Divi 5 on new sites???? Did we miss some sort of announcement? This would be pretty big news. He is still recommending to wait on migration, but new sites are a green light? Can you weigh in on this? Thanks.
His quote..
“After multiple months of bug fixing, Divi 5 is ready to be used for building new websites. You can choose to use Divi 4 or Divi 5 based on your needs. We don’t recommend migrating existing websites. While the migration system is working well in our tests, it hasn’t been used on a wide enough variety of websites.”
Hi Mark,
Everything here in this post would still be my recommendation, since the community still needs time to work on plugins.
Hi Nelson.
Good thoughts.
I have +300 sites on DIVI and will for sure wait at least, if not more, 6 months after they recommend start using it on old projects. Based on my 12 years of experience with DIDI I honestly expect tons of bugs, and stuff missing/crashing also after they say GO!
Yes, I tend to not rush to update things either. I truly don’t think there is any need to rush to Divi 5.
It is really hard to use Devi builder if you are not a developer but it provides great user experience.
Thanks for sharing!
Your blog post formatting is showing up wrong in crome.
Hello, can you share any more details? I am not aware of any issue, sorry!