Contributors on the upcoming WordPress 4.3 release are moving full speed ahead with plans to improve the experience of using the customizer. They’re also exploring ways to re-architect it to make way for feature plugins that would bring in additional functionality.
WordPress core contributors have continually demonstrated a commitment to improving the customizer to make it better for everyone, and the Theme Developer Handbook was recently updated with a comprehensive guide to using the Customizer API. Plugin developers are also finding new ways to extend the customizer to support the increasing number of users who depend on it for live previews.
Customizer Theme Resizer is a new plugin that is immensely useful for previewing your site on various mobile devices while adjusting options in the customizer. The plugin was created by Japanese web developer Tatsuki Ohta, who has 10 other extensions listed in the official directory. It allows you to review your design for responsiveness without having to leave the customizer panel.
Customizer Theme Resizer offers nine preset mobile phone/tablet display options, or you can manually add your own screen dimensions. You can also easily switch between portrait or landscape mode.
The plugin works seamlessly within the customizer, so you can set it to iPhone 6, for example, and live preview any of your design choices on that device. This is especially helpful when uploading a site logo or a header image if you want to see how those images resize down for devices. It keeps you from having to go back and forth while making adjustments and testing responsiveness on your phone or simulator.
I tested the plugin and found that it works as advertised. You can see a quick overview of how it works in the video below:
As a result of the WordPress.org Theme Review Team’s decision to enforce the use of the customizer for theme options, more themes will be moving to support the customizer ahead of the deadline to comply. The Customizer Theme Resizer plugin is a handy tool to use in conjunction with any theme that supports the customizer. Install the Customizer Theme Resizer plugin from WordPress.org the next time you want to live preview the mobile-friendliness of your design adjustments.
I imagine we’ll see this adopter (or something similar) in the core customizer functionality. Excellent little plugin here. Thanks for sharing!