October Update
This month was action-packed. In 1.6, we introduced Filters, which brings professional-grade web design to everyone. And in 1.7, we added a bunch of creator tools that make Universe more powerful. Here’s the full report:
Filters
Now, when creating a site, you’ll get 14 beautiful filters to choose from. But these aren’t just image filters, they’re whole web designs: they intelligently adjust layout, typography, and color based on who you are and what kind of site you want to create. You can learn more about them here.
In 1.7, we took it a step further and added 3 fun new filters with animations and illustrations:
Our product rhythm swings between accessibility and power. After releasing filters, we spent the rest of the month making the editor more powerful. Here’s what’s new:
Code Block
One of our most-requested features is the ability to embed code from around the internet into your Universe site. The Code Block lets you do that and more: you can now create your own block from scratch using HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
Our grid-based editor is inherently modular, and it shines here. Think of your block as a tiny, variable-sized webpage. It can run anything a browser can render, effectively blowing open what’s possible on your site. We even built a tool to help visualize how your code will react to the grid.
Along with the new block, we included a Code Gallery, where you can discover cool snippets from others. And if you code something great, you can submit whatever you create right in the app.
This feature is for hackers. We’re taking the lid off what can be done with the grid, and we’re excited to see where it goes.
Creator Tools
This release also brings other awesome new creative tools. You can now give your photos effects. These are similar to photo filters, but they include cool single-color treatments, blurs, and trippy tonal effects. And finally, you can now make your social and contact block icons any color you like.
This was a really strong month for us—we’re in a groove. It’s exciting to be able to ship tools quickly and see what you all do with them immediately. Lots more to come.
