WordPress 4.0 has been out for a little while now. If you have yet to update, it's time to do so. Here are some of the changes you will notice when you update to the newer version of WordPress.
<h2>Better International Support</h2>
One of the additions to WordPress 4.0 is the ability to use more languages. You can now choose from a number of different languages without needing to manually upload the translation files.
<h2>A Better Media Library</h2>
The media library allows users to upload and use pictures and video on their WordPress website. It's now new and improved in WordPress 4.0. You can now see your uploads in a nice grid layout and you can scroll forever. This is much faster and makes it much easier to work within the media library.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7251" src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/MediaLibrary.png" alt="Media Library" width="765" height="323" />

If you click on an item in your media library, it will open in a popup window. This allows you to add a title, ALT tag, caption and description. You will also be able to use the arrow keys to browse your images and the esc key to close the popup window.
<h2>Embedded Previews</h2>
The post editor has been upgraded to show previews of YouTube videos within the visual editor. This allows you to see how it will look when you put it into a post instead of just seeing the space it will take up. This also works for Tweets now.
<h2>Improvements to the Post Editor</h2>
One of the first things you will realize is that the post editor doesn't scroll like it used to. There is no longer a scroll bar in the post editor, but multiple scroll bars on the page. This can make it a bit harder with longer articles, but the post editor will automatically adjust for you as you write.

Another improvement is the sticky menu bar. This allows the menu bar and the add media button to stay visible when you scroll to edit other parts of the post.
<h2>New Plugin Menu</h2>
The plugin menu has been changed quite a bit. You will notice it looks much different. This was one of the most anticipated changes for WordPress 4.0.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7252" src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Plugin.png" alt="Plugins" width="802" height="434" />

Within the "Add New" menu, you will find that the search function is quite different. This new search will allow you to switch between the popular, featured, and favorites much faster. IT also displays a picture of the plugin and more details with a popup window.
<h2>Customized Panels for Themes</h2>
Another change, which came to the Theme customizers, which was new in the WordPress 3.9 update, is the panels you can use now. You can add and manage widgets from the customizer screen and set all of this up to fit your needs with the theme.
<h2>Developer Updates</h2>
Developers are very happy to find out a new API has been added to make customizing WordPress websites easier. It's much like the widgets grouped in their own panel and allows developers to work on the options they need in their own panels. This supports panels, contexts and a new set of controls for plugins and themes.

Another improvement found under the hood is the query ordering, which makes it possible to do many new things. Developers will also find this very useful.
<h2>Overall Thoughts on WordPress 4.0</h2>
WordPress has updated itself a number of times, for many different reasons. WordPress 4.0 comes with many new tools and some changes that may take some getting used to. As with any update, there will be a few minor bugs to work out, but overall, this update has made WordPress an even better CMS.

If you have yet to update to WordPress 4.0, it's time to do so. Every single new version of WordPress is released for a reason. It's very important to update whenever a new version of WordPress comes out. Sometimes the updates include new security, while other times, like this new update, they come with powerful features making it much easier to build and maintain a WordPress website and blog.

Even if you're not sure you want to deal with the new changes, it's necessary to update. The new post editor alone, makes it work the time and there are plenty of other features you may find very helpful.