PRC Block Area Modules

Canonical docs: docs/plugins/prc-block-area-modules/

Provides an editorially curated system for populating named zones in a block theme with reusable block content. Rather than using static template parts, editors assign a block_module post (a freeform block-editor document) to a named block_area taxonomy term, optionally scoped by taxonomy (e.g., topic category or region). The correct module is resolved server-side at render time.

What it does

• Registers the block_module custom post type — full block-editor documents that serve as slot content.
• Registers the block_area hierarchical taxonomy, used to tag modules to named zones (e.g., topic-lede, featured-banner).
• Provides the prc-platform/block-area block, which resolves and renders the matching block_module at request time based on blockAreaSlug + optional taxonomy term. Supports direct ref override to pin a specific module.
• Supports inheritTermFromTemplate so a single block area placed in a taxonomy archive template automatically scopes to the current term.
• Provides the prc-platform/block-area-context-provider block (dev/layout use), which wraps block areas and query blocks. It pre-fetches the _story_item_ids from all enclosed block modules and injects them as post__not_in into sibling query blocks, preventing story repetition on the same page.
• On pre_get_posts, automatically excludes topic-lede story items from the main query on category archives.
• Caches resolved _story_item_ids per block-area/category combination (1 hour TTL, object cache). Cache is busted on block_module save.
• Stores an indexed list of prc-block/story-item post IDs (_story_item_ids meta) on each block_module at save time.
• Ships four block variations: Topic Block Area (by category), Regions Countries Block Area (by regions-countries), Collections Block Area (by collection), and Newsletter List Block Area (by prc_newsletter_list).
• Block area editor UI includes a setup wizard (for first-time configuration) and an InnerBlocksAsSyncedContent view of the resolved module with inspector controls for re-pointing the area.
• Non-menu block areas are suppressed on paged requests (is_paged()). The Interactivity API store (prc-platform/block-area) mirrors this behavior on the frontend.

Key files

Filters / hooks

Data model

block_module (post type)
  └── block_area (taxonomy)          – which zone this module fills
  └── category / regions-countries / collection / prc_newsletter_list (taxonomies) – optional scoping term
  └── _story_item_ids (post meta)    – indexed array of prc-block/story-item postIds

A prc-platform/block-area block resolves to the single block_module post that matches:

1. block_area term slug == blockAreaSlug
2. (optional) scoping taxonomy term == taxonomyTermSlug or current queried term when inheritTermFromTemplate is true
3. Or directly via ref (post ID), bypassing taxonomy lookup entirely

Usage notes

• Template usage: Place prc-platform/block-area in a block theme template. Set blockAreaSlug to the zone name (e.g., topic-lede), taxonomyName to category, regions-countries, collection, or prc_newsletter_list, and enable inheritTermFromTemplate so the block resolves automatically per archive term.
• Repetition prevention: Wrap block areas and downstream query blocks inside prc-platform/block-area-context-provider. The provider ensures posts already displayed in a module's story items are excluded from sibling query loops.
• Cache invalidation: Object cache entries are keyed by md5(json([blockAreaSlug, categorySlug])) under the prc_block_area_module_story_item_ids group. Cache TTL is 1 hour. Saving a block_module deletes its specific cache entry.
• Paged suppression: Block areas without menu in their slug return no content on paged requests (?paged=2, etc.), both server-side and via the Interactivity API store.

Dependencies

• Requires: prc-platform-core
• PHP: 8.2+
• WordPress: 6.7+
• JS runtime: @wordpress/interactivity, @prc/components (InnerBlocksAsSyncedContent)

Build

npm run build -w @prc/block-area-modules