Plugins Screen: introduce plugin types

[jeherve]

The Plugin Block Directory is a new feature coming in WordPress 5.5 that allows specially-written Block Plugins to be instantly and seamlessly installed in the editor, without ever leaving the page.

-- ​https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2020/07/11/you-can-now-add-your-own-plugins-to-the-block-directory/

WordPress 5.5 will make it easier for folks to install block plugins, as they edit their posts and pages. As a result, and as the block directory becomes more and more popular, I assume the average number of plugins installed on a WordPress site will increase. On the Plugins screen UI we know, we'll see a mix of "regular" plugins as well as block plugins.

I wonder if we should consider making some changes to the Plugins Screen UI to clearly separate the 2 plugin types.

• This would help site owners quickly skim through their plugin list.
• It would help them understand how a specific plugin was added to the site.
• It may help them manage their plugin autoupdates (one could imagine a scenario where you'd want block plugins, including little PHP, to be automatically updated while "regular" plugins would require a manual update).

[TimothyBlynJacobs]

Related: ​https://make.wordpress.org/design/2019/12/19/block-directory-in-wp-admin-v1/