Explore interplay between Blueprints and Assembler

This is an issue to publicly capture the exploration how Blueprints and Assembler can align and interact. Blueprints are files used to create WordPress sites with specific settings, themes, plugins, content, and anything else that can be configured in WordPress. Assembler is a way for users to declare pages and settings for their site by selecting patterns, fonts, and styles.

Note: The Assembler discussed here is incidentally an Automattic-internal prototype for a simple way to create an outline of site structure and styles, but we can still conceptually consider how something like Assembler can inform the design of Blueprints v2.

We began this discussion with considering how Assembler could speak in terms of a Blueprint. I imagined using Assembler as a utility to create a Blueprint or input for a Blueprint. One can imagine that conceptually, but in practice, it turned out to be a bit more difficult.

The Assembler is implemented using block editor primitives and saves changes to WordPress as it progresses through its flow. Because Assembler makes changes to WordPress, we can collect those changes at the end of its flow and incorporate those in a Blueprint, but when we asked whether Assembler could reasonably be made to function without saving changes to WordPress, the answer was No due to the way block editor primitives work. In addition, some folks see Blueprints as a way to create different initial sites before Assembler further configures them.

We started by thinking Assembler would create steps for Blueprints. Others imagined Blueprints simply as a way to preset a site before it is modified by Assembler. Both are practical possibilities.

What should we focus on to get the most out of this exploration?

• If Blueprints are just a way to prep a site for Assembler, then AFAICT, there is not very much to learn from their interaction because Assembler simply continues a site where a Blueprint left off. There is no direct interaction.
• If we use Assembler to create content for a Blueprint, there is more of a relationship between the two, and we can consider how the design of Blueprints v2 might incorporate that kind of input.

What are good next steps? What can we prototype?

@adamziel @bgrgicak @mcsf @youknowriad @akirk