Headway 1.6.1 is now available. The newest version of the most flexible visual blog designer around for WordPress is faster and has many improvement and some new features based on user suggestions and feedback.
- All Headway features in the WordPress admin have been moved from the Appearance module to Headway’s own module.
- Administration panels have been redesigned.
- Skins and Leafs API. If you’re a developer, please refer the documentation on how to use the new APIs.
- You can now add a background image to your site with a simple image uploader.
- Ability to import and export design settings via Styles in the Templates panel in the visual editor.
- Default leaf sets. You can now set a default leaf set that will be applied to every new page you make.
- Ability to reset leafs on page.
- Faster and easier saving in the visual editor.
- Many speed improvements. CSS is auto-cached and the amount of queries have been reduced tenfold.
- Ability to load your choice of JavaScript libraries in the Headway Configuration panel.
- SEO: Automatic page and post slug cleanup.
- Live CSS Editor. Edit your CSS and see the changes right before your eyes.
- Compatible with WordPress 3.0 and its new menu editor.
- Improved image thumbnails.
- Headway boxes on blog writing pages have been redesigned and improved.
- All-new video tutorials being added to the documentation: every feature explained visually with examples.
Here’s an example of the new documentation videos:
And here’s another showing how to set up the cool image rotator leaf:
More videos are on the way for every Headway feature. If you haven’t downloaded Headway yet, watching these is a good way to see what it can do.
For Developers & Designers: Skins & Leafs API
The most exciting new development is the skins & leafs API. This allows you to create custom and portable designs and leafs. Yes, other themes have skins, but nobody else has Headway’s leaf system and an API to let you develop custom leafs within Headway’s architecture (learn more here).
What’s the point? Let’s say you develop a lot of sites for specific industry like real estate or the financial sector. You need to have the same kind of content box on many of your clients’ sites. Instead of reinventing the wheel, you create a custom leaf you can use on all your sites.
Even better, there is nothing in Headway’s terms of service that prevents entrepreneurial developers from selling custom leafs & skins, as well as giving them away. In fact, we encourage it. 
Time to Make Headway
If you’re already a Headway owner, log in and download 1.6.1. If you’re new to Headway, you can learn more and get it at Headway Themes.
