Language Attribute for Container Blocks and Pages/Posts

This plugin aims to ensure that any language change in a page’s content is indicated to assistive technologies at the container block level, helping a website comply with WCAG guidelines. This feature is available on the core block editor only at a text formatting level after code from Jb Audras plugin “Lang Attribute for the Block Editor” was merged into core. The objective of this plugin is to provide the same functionality at a container block level (Group - including all its variants, Columns, Cover, and other specific block types) so that the language applies to all child elements, no matter the kind of content inside. The plugin also supports setting the language at the page or post level, both on the blocks and the classic editor. When an entire page is written in a different language than the website’s default, you can override the HTML lang and dir attributes for that specific page directly from the Document Settings sidebar, without needing to wrap everything in a container block. For even broader coverage, the plugin supports setting the language at the template level in the Site Editor (Appearance → Editor → Templates). A language set on a template is automatically applied to all pages and posts using that template, unless a specific language is set at the individual post or page level — in which case the post-level setting takes precedence. This plugin is heavily inspired by the Jb Audras plugin (including this readme file). The development started at WordCamp Europe 2025 Contributor Day, by Marco Almeida from Naked Cat Plugins / Webdados, and the help from Ryan Welcher on the code side and Amber Hinds on the accessibility compliance side. For more context: this plugin helps you to make your website compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) success criteria:

• 3.1.1 – Language of Page: The default human language of each web page can be programmatically determined. Use the template-level setting when all posts or pages sharing a template are in the same language, or the page-level setting when an entire page or post is written in a language other than the website or template default.
• 3.1.2 – Language of Parts: The human language of each passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined. Use the block-level setting when only specific sections within a page are in a different language.

The purpose of these success criteria is to ensure that user agents can correctly present content written in multiple languages. Keep in mind that you should set the lang and dir attributes only on a container block or page if the content is written in a language different from the one set globally on your website. As per Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: This enables user agents and assistive technologies to present content according to the presentation and pronunciation rules of that language. This applies to graphical browsers, screen readers, braille displays, and other voice browsers. Both assistive technologies and conventional user agents can render text more accurately if the language of each passage of text is identified. Screen readers can use the language’s pronunciation rules. Visual browsers can display characters and scripts appropriately. This is especially important when switching between languages that read from left to right and languages that read from right to left, or when text is rendered in a language that uses a different alphabet. Users with disabilities who know all the languages used in the Web page will be better able to understand the content when each passage is rendered appropriately. That’s not just good for accessibility. It’s also great for SEO. Search engines like Google can better understand your content when languages are clearly defined. That means improved indexing and potentially better rankings. Banner photo by Hannah Wright.

3.1 - 2026-06-04

• [NEW] Add a template language option in the Site Editor templates, used as the default page/post language when no page/post language is set
• [FIX] Load editor styles with enqueue_block_assets to avoid iframe style warnings
• [DEV] Tested up to 7.1-alpha-62456

3.0 - 2026-03-09

• [NEW] Plugin renamed from “Language Attribute for Container Blocks” to “Language Attribute for Container Blocks and Pages/Posts”
• [NEW] Set the page/post language at the document level: a new “Page Language” panel in the Document Settings sidebar allows overriding the HTML lang and dir attributes for a specific page or post, independently of the website’s default language
• [TWEAK] Rename “Language Settings” sidebar block panel to “Block Language”
• [FIX] Gist URL for changing the highlight color using plain CSS
• [DEV] Tested up to 7.0-beta3-61865

2.2 - 2025-10-20

• [DEV] Implement deployment actions on GitHub
• [DEV] Update phpcs rules file

2.1 - 2025-08-09

• [NEW] Support for the Content block type
• [FIX] Apply the attribute to the correct Group block tag when it’s not a DIV

2.0 - 2025-08-01

• [NEW] Support for new block types: Navigation, Submenu, and Page List
• [DEV] Code refactoring: everything now happens inside a class instead of the main plugin file
• [DEV] Allow changing the highlight color using the nakedcatplugins_lang_attr_highlight_color filter
• [TWEAK] Better information and screenshot about the highlighting feature for website Administrators and Editors, in the readme.txt file
• [TWEAK] Make evident that the language shown as a placeholder is the default website language when a custom language is not set for a block

1.2 - 2025-07-25

• [NEW] Show visual outline around blocks that have a language attribute set - For easy identification, only for Administrators and Editors, and if enabled in Settings > Writing

1.1

• [NEW] Add support for the Cover block
• [DEV] Patchstack mVDP disclaimer on the readme file

1.0

• First release