Reflections on My 2 Weeks Writing for The Tavern
What did I learn during my 2 weeks of writing for The Tavern? Why was it so scary to push the “Publish” button? How would I improve The Tavern? I reflect on these questions and more!
Opinion
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Surprising Tech Trends in WordPress and Beyond
WordPress constitutes 46% of websites, showing stable usage but with a significant portion using outdated software. Competitors like Wix and Squarespace are gaining ground, while PHP and Mailchimp experience decreases in usage.
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Automattic Doubles Down on the Developer Community
As the WordPress ecosystem evolves, Automattic is changing its relationship with the developer community.
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Which WP Theme is Best? Fun With Theme Download Stats
The article delves into the popularity of WP.org themes, employing a lighthearted approach and original metrics such as “usage rate” and “enthusiasm gap” to assess user preferences and enthusiasm for different WP themes.
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Gutenberg’s Project Leadership Sits Down with Outreach Program to Discuss Problems with the Site Editor
What do you get when you put a handful of outspoken WordPress developers, agencies, product owners, and community advocates on a video call with the Lead Architect and Product Managers of the entire Gutenberg project? Hopefully progress.
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A Farewell from Justin Tadlock
Around three years ago, I was at a crossroads. I had spent nearly my entire adult life and most of my professional career within the WordPress space. However, the responsibilities of being a solo theme/plugin shop owner were like a boulder upon my shoulders that I could no longer hold up. After 11 years in…
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Gutenberg 13.2 Adds Persistent User Preferences and a Visualizer for Margin and Padding Controls
Gutenberg 13.2 was released earlier today. While much of the developer community is gearing up for the WordPress 6.0 release in two weeks, work continues steadily on the plugin, driving future updates. The latest release is not as hefty on enhancements as previous updates but includes around four dozen bug fixes. Despite a heavy focus…
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Catch FSE Is a Bold, Business-Friendly WordPress Block Theme
And another theme shop hops on the block bandwagon. Catch Themes’ first block-based theme, Catch FSE, landed on WordPress.org over the weekend. The company is one of the most prolific authors in the official WordPress theme directory, touting a total of 109 themes. There are only a few others with such an impressive body of…
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WordPress 6.0 To Ship New Block Locking Feature
WordPress 6.0 has several new features that should make any extender happy about building on top of the platform. However, one of the more advanced tools is the ability to lock blocks, which can be used to prevent specific blocks from being moved or removed. The upcoming release includes a new “Lock” setting in the…
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FSE Outreach #14: Building Recipe Posts With Lists and Quotes
Round #14 of the FSE Outreach program is now open to the public. Anne McCarthy, who oversees the program, calls for testers to build a recipe post using existing tools like the template editor and some new and experimental blocks. Those who want to leave feedback can do so until May 18. The program always…
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WordPress Should Support Featured Images for Categories, Users, and More
One of the features that I have long wanted for WordPress has been on my mind lately. It is not a new idea, and it has been implemented in some form or fashion by plugin and theme authors in the past. However, it has never been standardized. WordPress needs featured images for more than just…
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The Image Filters Plugin Adds Over 20 Filters, Including Vintage, Pastel Pink, and More
Kevin Batdorf released the Image Filters plugin for WordPress yesterday. It is a block that allows users to select from curated list of filters and apply it to their images. Batdorf is the creator of one of my favorite “fun” plugins for WordPress: Wavy Divider. It allows users to create wavy and jagged divider sections…
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Gutenberg Hub Launches an Online Page Builder App Using WordPress Patterns
I have been raving about the power of patterns for what feels like forever at this point. And, just when I start wondering what this feature will look like next, someone surprises me with a new idea. Often that person is Munir Kamal. He mentioned that he would share a “little” page-generation app that ties…
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Gutenberg 13.1 Ships a Batch of Improvements and Implements a New Border Design Component
Gutenberg 13.1 landed in the WordPress plugin directory earlier today. Not quite as heavy on the feature list as its predecessor, the update focuses more on improvements and bug fixes. The highlight of the release is the overhauled border design component. One notable bug that theme authors should watch out for is missing styles in…
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A Look at Twenty Twenty-Two’s Upcoming Global Style Variations
It is no secret that I have been excited about global style variations. The upcoming feature will allow theme designers to bundle multiple design presets. In turn, end-users can cycle through them, selecting their preferred look without changing their active theme. I have been writing about the feature since November 2021, holding out some hope…