Jetpack – WordPress’ popular “modular” plugin – released a major update on May 20th, and with it came a slew of major design changes and a few additions to the plugin, dubbed “Jetpack 3.0”. Those familiar with Jetpack will recognize a lot of the same great functions you know and love – just wrapped in a nice, pretty shell.  Let’s dive in and see just what’s changed, and what’s been added, to the new version of one of WordPress’ most popular plugins – Jetpack 3.0.

Jetpack 3.0 Redesign

Right out of the gate, going to the Jetpack 3.0 “Dashboard” shows you just what’s changed.  Gone are the “cards” of the previous version, replaced with an extensive look at what’s been added and changed.  Clicking on the “settings” tab then takes you to the meat and potatoes – the various modules that Jetpack 3.0 adds to your site.  As a bonus, all of the modules are now separated into categories on the right side, letting you dive down into the various types of functionality you want Jetpack 3.0 to add.  You can also view only the un-used modules to see at-a-glance if there’s anything you’d like to add to your site.

The modules function almost like mini-plugins.  Clicking on one will reveal a description, and the option to install it.

And… that’s it.  Really.  Jetpack 3.0’s biggest change was the layout and user-experience, and I believe that it’s been one that has been well needed.  Jetpack offers so much functionality that it was easy to get “lost” in the various modules.  This takes that problem and – with the help of some great filtering tools – negates that down to near nothing.

New Modules in Jetpack 3.0

There’s only one major new module that’s been added to Jetpack 3.0 – the “Site Verification” module.  Developers (and site owners) know it can be a hassle to prove ownership to the various sites that request it – Google, Bing, and Pinterest to name a few.  By enabling this module, new input boxes are added to the Tools > Available Tools section to allow you to quickly paste in meta verification tags.

Full Jetpack 3.0 Changelog

There’s nearly 30 other changes that have been made to the back-end of Jetpack 3.0 – in functionality, user experience, or other areas.  You can view a full changelog at the plugin’s WordPress.org page.

So, if you’ve used Jetpack – or use it already – make a point to go and download the newest version.  The new design is worth it, but the extra headache saved from having to verify site meta tags makes it an instant download by itself – especially if you’re not “code savvy”.