Table of Contents block does not include links when inserted on a template

[jp-imagines]

Quick summary

The Table of Contents block should automatically create an ordered list of links to headers on the current content. When inserted on a template in the site editor, the headings are shown in a list of plain text instead.

Steps to reproduce

1. Start on a site with a block theme active.
2. Open the site editor (Appearance > Editor) and create a new template or edit an existing template.
3. Add a Table of Contents block to the template.
4. Add one or more Heading blocks to the template (after the Table of Contents). See that the headings appear in the Table of Contents list, but are not linked.
5. View a post or page which uses the chosen template to see the Table of Contents appears on the live site without links as well.
6. For comparison, add a Table of Contents block to a single post or page (repeating steps 3-4).

What you expected to happen

Table of Contents block's list items should automatically include links to the corresponding headings.

What actually happened

On templates, the list is plain text (<span>) instead of links (<a>).

Impact

Some (< 50%)

Available workarounds?

No but the platform is still usable

Platform (Simple and/or Atomic)

Simple

Logs or notes

Unclear if this is an intentional decision, considering Table of Contents are probably intended to be used for individual pieces of content instead of templates. However, for some templates (e.g. Front Page, Blog Home, or custom templates created for a specific post or page), it can make sense to include a linked Table of Contents as the template is more like a post/page than a multi-use template in those cases.

Initial report: 7830208-zd-a8c

[github-actions]

Support References

This comment is automatically generated. Please do not edit it.

• 7830208-zen

[liviopv]

📌 REPRODUCTION RESULTS

• Replicable outside of Dotcom – Yes

📌 FINDINGS/SCREENSHOTS/VIDEO
Reproduced, it doesn't seem like TOC is designed to work inside templates at the moment:

📌 ACTIONS

• Triaged

Issues in core:

• Table of Contents: add support for third party heading blocks or a way for third party blocks to indicate headings WordPress/gutenberg#54646
• Table of Contents: prevent headings of template from rendering in list in Site Editor WordPress/gutenberg#54385
• Table of Contents: support usage outside of Post Content WordPress/gutenberg#41173

📌 Message to Author
@jp-imagines we might see some developments in the TOC block in the next release cycle, but it is currently not designed to be used within templates, only in Post/Page Content. Please inform the user that they will need to manually add to each post/page for now.

[molszewska]

I'd like to add to that, that whenever a change is made to a page, it breaks the already existing Table of Contents and removes links from it. Removing the block and re-adding it is a temporary workaround.

[mrfoxtalbot]

I can no longer reproduce this. If I add the TOC block to a template, it shows headings from outside the content (in this case, from the footer):

I think we can close this specific issue as "no longer relevant" but I checked the three related core issues and they are still open and relevant:

• Table of Contents: support usage outside of Post Content WordPress/gutenberg#41173
• Table of Contents: prevent headings of template from rendering in list in Site Editor WordPress/gutenberg#54385
• Table of Contents: add support for third party heading blocks or a way for third party blocks to indicate headings WordPress/gutenberg#54646