If you’re a fan of WordPress, and you build sites professionally, you’ve almost certainly encountered Divi; Elegant Themes’ flagship theme and builder. We’ve covered the release of several versions, and so we were eager to try out the latest version to be announced: Divi 2.7.

In a nutshell, Divi 2.7 comes with an advanced theme builder for WordPress, that not only enables you to customize content, but uses the same user-friendly dashboard to customize the look of your site without having to switch themes. It allows for unlimited layout possibilities, and boasts fluid content areas so that Divi produces fully responsive sites, meaning your designs will look great on any device.

Divi Leads

Divi 2.7 introduces A/B testing in the form of Divi Leads, which is a logical extension of the popular Divi Builder. Thanks to this feature you will be able to test and measure any design modification that you do on a website. A/B testing, also known as split testing—occasionally erroneously presented as AI design—has been a hot-topic for some time. The premise is that by alternating design alternatives and measuring which version solicits the greater response, you can optimize your design for conversions. The value of A/B testing is often debated, and certainly the technique is heavily dependent on achieving what is known as ‘statistical significance’, but if you’re designing for large volumes of traffic, or update your design infrequently, then built-in A/B testing should give you greater insight into your users.

Enhanced portability

Several versions ago, Elegant Themes introduced Divi Library to the feature set. Divi Library made it possible to save, and export Divi designs, even to other sites. New in version 2.7 is an enhanced export and import process, allowing you to transfer very specific configurations from one site to another. This is a godsend for professional WordPress designers who can now develop prototype themes to be used as the basis for new client projects, fast-tracking new site development. Anyone migrating servers will also find the enhancements invaluable.

Supercharged Divi Builder

At the heart of Divi is Divi Builder, a plugin that allows you to insert, remove, and edit content blocks; meaning that even non-coders can create unique designs without touching a line of code. Until now, Divi Builder allowed you to edit settings for different modules. New in Divi 2.7 are page-wide settings, enabling you to customize whole pages in a few clicks, supercharging your workflow. Divi Builder still operates with a familiar drag and drop process, but that doesn’t mean it’s basic. Anything that can be set in CSS can be set in the advanced features of every Divi Builder module. They can be accessed via panels, but many options can also be accessed with a right-click, a huge time-saver for power-users.

Designing in Divi

In addition to the new features, Divi 2.7 retains the features that made earlier versions popular. Numerous pre-made layouts are included that serve as a jumping off point for your own designs. The dashboard has unlimited undos and redos via its history feature, allowing you to try out ideas, without the risk of losing your current design. A couple of versions ago, Elegant Themes introduced global settings to Divi, enabling you to link elements and then update them site-wide from a single location. And for those building themes for clients, the Divi Role Editor is invaluable; just like user roles in WordPress, it allows you to grant clients access to content editing, without letting them loose on your carefully crafted design.

Conclusion

We see many resources for WordPress released, some good, some bad. What distinguishes the two is usually how committed the developers are to supporting the product long-term. It’s been several years since Divi first burst onto the scene, and in that time, the number of new features released demonstrates Elegant Themes’ commitment to the product. Is Divi 2.7 perfect? No, it’s hard to see how a single product could be perfect for every designer. However, Divi 2.7 is a fully rounded, mature product, with a diverse set of features. What’s more, based on its track record, there’s more to come… If you’re a designer working in WordPress, Divi 2.7 could be the theme builder you always wanted. To try out Divi 2.7 for yourself, just sign up for Elegant Themes membership; not only will you get full access to Divi 2.7, but the whole of Elegant Themes’ theme collection! [-- This is a sponsored post on behalf of Elegant Themes --]