SmartCloud Flow – Block‑based Forms & Workflow Automation vs Spectra Gutenberg Blocks – Website Builder for the Block Editor

SmartCloud Flow is a block-based forms and workflow plugin for WordPress. It combines a modern Gutenberg editor experience with a React/Mantine runtime for forms, a native -based light-DOM modal block, and an optional AWS backend, so site owners can design forms and supporting UI in WordPress while choosing where submissions should be posted and, in Pro, running submissions, templates, workflows, and integrations in their own AWS account. Flow is part of the WP Suite product family by Smart Cloud Solutions, Inc. WP Suite keeps WordPress as the CMS and editing layer, while optional connected features can extend selected workflows into modular AWS-backed services for identity, AI, APIs, workflows, protected routes, and static delivery. The free Flow features described here do not require a WP Suite account, subscription, or AWS backend unless you explicitly configure an external service or upgrade-only backend feature. Free mode Flow does not require a hosted SaaS backend or a WP Suite connection to render forms. In Free mode, each form can post directly from the browser to a URL you define per form. That endpoint may be: your own custom endpoint, a WordPress-side endpoint you implement yourself, or the Flow backend submission endpoint, if you later deploy it. Pro mode Pro becomes available after connecting your WordPress site to a WP Suite workspace. It is designed to work especially well with the separately deployed WP Suite Flow Backend in your own AWS account. A typical Pro setup is: deploy the Flow backend to AWS, add the published backend API base URL to Gatey as a separate API, choose the desired protection mode for that API (IAM or COGNITO, matching the backend deployment), then select that API in SmartCloud → Flow Settings → API Settings. This lets Flow use Gatey-aware authenticated API access, while keeping the backend in your own AWS account. Key features Gutenberg form builder — Build forms with a dedicated Form block, layout/container blocks, and rich field blocks. Single React runtime per form — Front-end forms run as one mounted React tree. Light-DOM modal block — Wrap any Gutenberg content in a native dialog with class and data-attribute triggers, hash opening, default header/body/actions slots, action-role aware buttons, and a stable browser API on WpSuite.plugins.flow.modals. Light-DOM gallery block — Build a Mantine-free gallery/lightbox from core Image blocks with previous/next controls, optional thumbnails, optional captions/counter, and modal-aware start positions driven by outer trigger classes. Rich display & content blocks — Use styled content primitives such as blockquotes, marks, badges, code blocks, spoilers, lists, tables, timelines, and overflow lists alongside inputs. API-backed options & request controls — Load select, radio, checkbox-group, and tags options from API/autocomplete endpoints with configurable methods, headers, parameters, selected-value mapping, and runtime interpolation. Conditional logic & validation — Show/hide, enable/disable, require/optional, and other rule-based field behavior. Theme overrides & design tokens — Theme both interactive controls and display/content blocks inside the Shadow DOM with Mantine variables and stable --flow-* CSS tokens. Shortcodes & Elementor support — Reuse forms or content roots via shortcode and Elementor integrations. Flexible submission target model — Submit directly from the browser to a per-form endpoint URL with configurable HTTP methods, optional request headers, and runtime interpolation. Runtime events & host-page integration — Listen for submit, draft, wizard, modal, and API-loading error events from outer-page JavaScript. Pro: backend-aware operation — Connect Flow to the AWS-hosted Flow backend for durable submissions, admin tooling, templates, workflows, and webhook-driven automation. Pro: backend form sync — Optionally sync Gutenberg-defined forms into canonical backend form definitions stored in AWS. Pro: admin application — Manage submissions, templates, workflows, and backend/API settings from WordPress admin. Pro: workflow automation — Event-driven automation for emails, webhooks, status changes, and related operational flows. Pro: security & ownership — Deploy into your own AWS account and choose auth modes such as IAM or COGNITO. You can find continuously expanding documentation at: https://wpsuite.io/docs/ This plugin is not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon Web Services or the WordPress Foundation. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Free and Pro Usage Notice Flow works in Free mode without registration or subscription. In Free mode: forms are rendered in the browser, submissions are posted directly to the endpoint URL configured for the form, no WP Suite connection is required. Flow does not inherently store submissions in WordPress. If you want submissions handled inside WordPress, you need to implement and expose your own receiving endpoint there. Pro features are optional and become available after connecting your WordPress site to a WP Suite workspace. The main Pro scenario is to use the separately deployed WP Suite Flow Backend in your own AWS account. In that setup: you publish the backend API, register that API in Gatey, choose its protection mode (IAM or COGNITO), and select that API in SmartCloud → Flow Settings → API Settings. This simplifies secure communication between the WordPress-side Flow plugin and the AWS-hosted backend. Machine-readable resources Plugin manifest: https://wpsuite.io/.well-known/ai-plugin.json OpenAPI spec (backend): https://wpsuite.io/.well-known/openapi.yaml External Services This plugin may integrate with the following external services, depending on configuration: Google reCAPTCHA v3 (optional) What it is & what it’s used for: Client-side bot detection. If enabled, Flow can request reCAPTCHA tokens in the browser to protect submissions. What data is sent & when: The browser may contact Google to retrieve a token. That token may then be included in submission requests. How to configure: Enter your reCAPTCHA site key/secret in the relevant Flow or shared WP Suite settings. Links: About reCAPTCHA: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/about/ Google Terms: https://policies.google.com/terms Google Privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy Customer-configured submission endpoint / Flow backend endpoint What it is & what it’s used for: The endpoint URL configured for a form submission. In Free mode this may be any URL you control. In Pro, it is commonly the AWS-hosted Flow backend. What data is sent & when: Form field values and, depending on your implementation, related submission metadata. For Pro backend flows, uploaded file references, template variables, and workflow/event metadata may also be sent. Where it goes: Requests are sent directly from the browser to the configured endpoint URL, either through direct fetch calls or, in Pro, through a Gatey-integrated authenticated API flow. How it’s called: Standard HTTPS requests. Authentication depends on your configuration and may be none, IAM, or Cognito-based. WP Suite platform connection (optional; workspace linking and shared features) When it applies: When you connect the site to a WP Suite workspace to enable Pro features and shared admin capabilities. What it’s used for: Workspace linking, shared admin capabilities, license/subscription handling, and related WP Suite platform features. What data may be sent: Minimal site/workspace identifiers and authentication/session data required for linking and management. Where it goes: Secure HTTPS requests to WPSuite.io services such as wpsuite.io and api.wpsuite.io. Links: WPSuite.io Privacy Policy: https://wpsuite.io/privacy-policy WPSuite.io Terms of Use: https://wpsuite.io/terms-of-use Amazon Cognito (optional; authentication for protected APIs) When it applies: When your Flow backend API or related WP Suite services are protected with Cognito and the site uses Cognito-based authentication. What it’s used for: User authentication and token-based authorization for protected API calls. Links: AWS Service Terms: https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/ AWS Privacy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/ Stripe (optional; subscription/purchase flow) When it applies: Only when the user opens the optional WP Suite subscription / purchase flow in the shared admin component. What it’s used for: Displaying hosted pricing/subscription UI for optional paid features. What data may be sent: Browser/session data required by Stripe to render the hosted purchase UI and process the purchase flow. Links: Terms: https://stripe.com/legal/consumer Privacy: https://stripe.com/privacy Trademark Notice Amazon Web Services, AWS, Amazon EventBridge, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon SES, and Amazon Cognito are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Google reCAPTCHA is a trademark of Google LLC. WordPress is a trademark of the WordPress Foundation. SmartCloud Flow is an independent project and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Amazon Web Services, Google, or the WordPress Foundation. Source & Build Public (free) source code: All code that ships in the public (free) version of Flow is available here: https://github.com/smartcloudsol/flow Build & distribution: Flow is shipped to WordPress.org as a pre-built distribution. Build steps and developer notes are maintained in the GitHub repository documentation. Shared WP Suite components: Some admin UI modules may originate from shared WP Suite components to support workspace linking, license validation, and subscription management across WP Suite plugins. Pro-only features (source availability): Flow Pro includes additional functionality such as backend-powered submissions management, templates, workflows, and webhook dispatching. The code that enables these paid features is distributed to Pro users but is not published in the public repository.

SPECTRA WEBSITE BUILDER – BEST GUTENBERG BLOCKS PLUGIN TO EXTEND THE WORDPRESS BLOCK EDITOR WITH PAGE EDITING FEATURES, 30+ FREE CUSTOMIZABLE BLOCKS, COMING SOON MODE, POPUP BUILDER ★★★★★ Most helpful links Spectra – Free Page Builder | WordPress Builder Plugin A Better Way to Build WordPress Websites with Gutenberg | Introducing Spectra Spectra Flexbox Controls CRASH COURSE Spectra Page Builder For WordPress Gets These 10 Things Right – Never Seen Before Feature Reveal! DESIGN BEAUTIFUL FAST LOADING WEBSITES DIRECTLY ON THE WORDPRESS BLOCK EDITOR (GUTENBERG EDITOR) WITHOUT CODING Try the live demo of Spectra Our mission is to empower web designers like you with an end-to-end solution for building stunning websites. We aim to simplify the website creation process by providing a versatile toolkit within a single plugin, eliminating the need to install multiple plugins for various functionalities. With Spectra, we strive to make it extremely easy to use for beginners and feature-rich for experienced designers. Spectra equips designers with a wide range of pre-designed website templates, allowing them to effortlessly create professional websites tailored to their unique requirements. Beyond just aesthetics, we are committed to optimizing website performance. Spectra offers efficient code and performance-focused features, ensuring that the websites built with our plugin are not only visually appealing but also deliver exceptional speed and smooth functionality. By providing an all-in-one solution for building websites, we aim to streamline their workflow and enhance their productivity. We continuously innovate and improve Spectra, integrating cutting-edge technologies and staying ahead of the evolving web design landscape. We empower our users to build websites that captivate, engage, and impress their clients or themselves. HERE’S THE IMPORTANT THING ⭐ Finally, a website builder which allows you to design beautiful and professional-looking websites using the power of the default block editor of WordPress. With utmost attention, the developers have ensured that Spectra is easy to use and provides everything you need to design a fully functional website. Guess what! 🤩 Users of page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder absolutely LOVE Spectra because of 3 reasons – The code of Spectra is extremely optimized for performance and speed Spectra designs and features make you look like an expert web designer There’s zero learning curve as Spectra works on top of the default WordPress block editor. Introducing Spectra – the ultimate solution to revolutionize your web design experience. With Spectra, you can power up the block editor with advanced and powerful blocks that simplify the entire process. Say goodbye to the hassle of coding and say hello to effortless website creation. Spectra provides a wide range of unique and creative blocks on top of the default WordPress page editor, enabling you to build and design pages or posts without writing a single line of code. It offers an easy-to-use interface, customization options, and a library of pre-built website templates to help you build awesome websites in minutes. Whether you need to launch an online store or promote your services, Spectra empowers you to build pixel-perfect websites that captivate your audience. Don’t let coding complexities hold you back – unlock the potential of block editor with Spectra and build faster, better-performing websites today! SOME POWERFUL FEATURES OF SPECTRA 💪 Layouts – Easily move, resize, and hide different sections, rows, columns, and blocks using convenient layout navigation to make your page designing process faster. Designs powered by Starter Templates – Thinking about switching from Elementor templates to a more performance-friendly alternative? Spectra gives you the same level of design flexibility – without the bloat. Spectra offers hundreds of designs to choose from. Wireframes – Before diving into the design process, it’s crucial to create a structure for your website. With Spectra’s Wireframe Blocks, you can quickly create page or website mockups, improving work efficiency and saving time. Block patterns – Import and customize pre-designed block patterns for various sections on your website. Spectra provides a collection of these patterns that can be easily tailored to your preferences. Advanced block presets – Not sure how to design blocks optimally? No worries! Our team of expert designers has created highly converting and visually appealing presets for you to use. Spectra Copy Paste – If you’ve customized a block with specific fonts, colors, spacings, borders, shadows, and animations, you can effortlessly replicate the same design on another block using Spectra Copy Paste feature. Container – Create stunning layouts using the Container block, powered by flexbox technology. Global styling support – Spectra allows you to set the default content width for your website with just a single click. You can also inherit button styles from your theme, maintain consistent container padding throughout your site, and set a default gap between rows and columns. Popup Builder – Grab your audience’s attention or share important notices by designing beautiful popups using our intuitive popup builder. Coming soon mode – Is your website still under construction? Not ready for public viewing yet? Enable the coming soon mode, and only the selected page will be visible to those not logged in. Animations – Add a touch of life and interactivity to your website with Spectra’s wide range of animations. Choose from fade, slide, zoom, flip, zoom in, zoom out, and more. Free users have access to a selection of animations that can be easily applied to any block. Load Google Fonts locally – Optimize your website’s speed and ensure GDPR compliance by enabling this option to download and save Google fonts on your server. INCLUDES 30+ ESSENTIAL BLOCKS 🔥 Core Blocks – Spectra offers essential blocks that every website and landing page needs. You’ll find blocks like Container, Heading, Image, Icon, Buttons, Info Box, Call To Action, and Countdown, which are crucial for crafting your pages. Creative Blocks – Unleash your creativity with Spectra’s creative blocks. These include Star Ratings, Countdown, Marketing Button, Icon List, Image Gallery, and even support for Lottie Animations. Let your imagination run wild and make your designs truly stand out. Content Blocks – Showcase your content beautifully with Spectra’s content blocks. From Sliders and Image blocks to Content Timelines, Google Maps, Inline Notices, Tabs, Taxonomy Lists, Price Lists, and more, these blocks offer diverse options to present your content in an engaging manner. And if you’re using Spectra Pro, you’ll even have access to the powerful Loop Builder. Post Blocks – Enhance your blog posts with Spectra’s Post Blocks. Add a Counter, Modal Popup, Post Carousel, Post Grid, or Post Timeline to make your blog visually appealing and user-friendly. Social Blocks – Spectra provides blocks that help you showcase your social status. You’ll find blocks like Instagram Feed, Blockquote, Social Share, Team, and Testimonials, which allow you to highlight social proof and engage with your audience effectively. Form Blocks – Create interactive forms easily with Spectra’s Form Blocks. Whether it’s a contact form, newsletter signup, or suggestion form, you can collect valuable leads. You can even enable reCAPTCHA to ensure form security. With Spectra Pro, you can even enable user registration or login forms. SEO Blocks – Boost your website’s search engine optimization with Spectra’s SEO Blocks. These blocks, such as FAQ, How-To, Review, and Table of Contents, are designed to improve your site’s visibility and enhance the user experience. Dynamic Content – Take control of your website’s archive feed with Spectra’s Dynamic Content blocks. You can customize the feed based on dynamic parameters like date, name, category, page, posts, and more, giving you flexibility and customization options. WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM SPECTRA? 📈 Web designers – Want to enhance your website-building process without getting stuck in coding? Spectra’s got your back! With its advanced blocks, you can create stunning layouts and customize elements like a pro, all without writing a single line of code. Small business owners – Building a professional website for your business just got easier with Spectra. Choose from the pre-built WordPress Templates and customize them to match your branding and content. Say goodbye to costly web development and hello to a beautiful online presence. Bloggers – Spice up your blog posts with Spectra’s eye-catching elements. Add images, engaging call-to-actions, content timelines, and social sharing blocks to make your content pop. It’s time to captivate your readers and take your blog to the next level. SEO Specialists – Spectra has schema markup blocks like FAQ, How-To, Review, and Table of Content to boost your website rankings and improve search engine representation. Plus, its lightweight and optimized code ensures your site performs at its best. Get ready to conquer the search results! eCommerce store owners – Spectra helps you create visually stunning product listings, showcase star ratings and reviews, and display pricing information that will make your customers click that “buy” button. Get ready to take your online store to new heights. Marketers – Spectra is your secret weapon for creating effective landing pages and promotional materials. Use attention-grabbing blocks like call-to-actions, marketing buttons, and testimonials to drive conversions and engage your target audience. Your campaigns just got a whole lot better. Freelancers – We’ve got something special for you! Streamline your workflow and save time with Spectra. Quickly build websites for your clients using the pre-built website templates and customize them to meet their requirements. It’s the ultimate toolkit for freelancers. Podcasters and YouTubers – With Spectra, you can enhance your website or blog with ease. Add a podcast player, embed videos, showcase a content timeline, and create engaging content using the various blocks offered. Let your creativity flow and captivate your audience. Non-profit organizations – Create visually appealing websites to showcase your cause, share inspiring success stories, and collect donations. Spectra’s image blocks, forms, testimonials, and social sharing options will help you engage your audience and promote your mission effectively. Restaurant owners – Spectra’s ready-to-use Starter Templates cater specifically to restaurants. Show off your menus, feature customer testimonials, and even integrate a reservation form using the forms block. It’s the secret ingredient to a mouth-watering online presence. Beginner WordPress users – Spectra’s user-friendly interface, pre-designed WordPress Templates, and comprehensive tutorials make website creation a breeze. No coding skills are needed! You can create professional-looking websites and amaze everyone with your online presence. Anyone thinking of moving away from traditional page builders like Elementor and Divi Builder in favor of WordPress Block Editor (also known as Gutenberg) for a better page-building experience without the need for traditional page builders like Elementor and Divi. SOME OF THE WORDPRESS THEMES & PLUGINS SPECTRA SUPPORTS 🔗 Spectra works with any theme, including: Spectra One Astra Blocksy Flatsome GeneratePress Hestia Kadence Neve Spectra is compatible with all plugins, including: Easy Digital Downloads FluentCRM FluentForm GiveWP Gravity Forms LearnDash LifterLMS MemberPress PrestoPlayer Restrict Content Pro SureCart SureMembers The Events Calendar TutorLMS Wishlist Member WooCommerce Yoast SEO And many more Note: Spectra does not offer Elementor Templates. SUPPORT THAT CARES! ⛑️ We understand the need for a quality product backed by dedicated support that cares. We are here to listen to all your queries and help you make the most out of our plugin. Need help? We are just a click away! CONNECT WITH OUR TEAM AND COMMUNITY 🌐 Facebook Group: Web Creators by Astra Facebook: Spectra Twitter / X: Spectra WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLUGIN? 🙋 You may now contribute to the plugin on Github: Spectra on Github Credits Our external packages use Rating Star Component that are distributed under the terms of the ISC. While Slick, Lottie and Striptags is distributed under the terms of the MIT. Additionally, we incorporate FontAwesome v6 under the CC BY 4.0 License, and dnd kit licensed under the MIT License.