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";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:1:{s:7:"version";s:3:"2.0";}}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:1:{s:7:"channel";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:61:"
	
	
	
	




















































";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16:"WordPress Planet";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:8:"language";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2:"en";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"WordPress Planet - http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"item";a:50:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:107:"WPTavern: State of the Woo 2023: WooCommerce Highlights AI-Powered Future and Continued Core Blockification";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=150044";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:117:"https://wptavern.com/state-of-the-woo-2023-woocommerce-highlights-ai-powered-future-and-continued-core-blockification";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5792:"<p><a href="https://woosesh.com/">WooSesh 2023</a>, the virtual conference for WooCommerce store builders, kicked off today with the State of the Woo address. This year’s theme is “Next Generation Commerce,&#8221; featuring advances across the e-commerce industry, as well as WooCommerce core and the wider ecosystem of tools and payment integrations. </p>



<p>WooCommerce CEO Paul Maiorana began the presentation with a few stats on Woo&#8217;s growth in 2023:</p>



<ul>
<li>4.4M+ live websites currently using WooCommerce (<a href="https://storeleads.app/">StoreLeads.app</a> Woo usage)</li>



<li>33% of the top 1 million online store are powered by Woo </li>



<li>8.9% of the internet is powered by Woo (<a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-woocommerce">W3Techs</a>)</li>



<li>270M+ Woo downloads to date (WooCommerce internal data)</li>



<li>908 products in the Marketplace</li>



<li>66 languages supported</li>
</ul>



<p>Maiorana highlighted a few e-commerce trends the company is watching, including the expansion of chatbots, on-site search, and AR. WooCommerce is seeing more merchants attracting non-local buyers through cross-boarder selling strategies, with high-growth stores focused on expanding across countries, languages, channels, and payment methods. Maiorana said customers are now expecting seamless experiences across devices and store must be fast, smooth, and intuitive from screen to screen.</p>



<p>Maiorana also shared insights from <a href="https://woocommerce.com/partner-program/">WooExperts</a>, officially endorsed WooCommerce agencies, who are seeing an increase in merchants embracing multi-channel selling, diversified payment options, and immersive buying experience that leverage AI, AR, virtual try-ons, and 3D images.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<img width="2100" height="1178" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-10-at-12.13.52-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-150047" />



<p>The State of the Woo featured several milestones WooCommerce logged this year. WooCommerce Payments is now available in 38 countries. WooPay, the gateway&#8217;s opt-in single-click cross-site checkout experience, is out of beta. WooCommerce has also continued expanding its payment integrations covering more geographies and localized payment methods. The company recently launched <a href="https://woocommerce.com/products/tiktok-for-woocommerce/">TikTok for WooCommerce</a> as a new integration to help merchants improve conversion by selling directly via TikTok Shop.</p>



<p>WooExperts onboarded 88 new agencies, who are ambassadors for Woo, building enterprise projects at scale. They are also invited to collaborate with WooCommerce on technical planning.</p>



<p>WooCommerce core has crossed several important milestones in 2023, including making High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS), more commonly known as custom order tables, the default on <a href="https://developer.woocommerce.com/2023/10/10/woocommerce-8-2-0-released/">version 8.2</a>. This major overhaul delivers significant performance gains and makes databases more scalable.</p>



<p>The full blockification of WooCommerce core is on the way <a href="https://developer.woocommerce.com/roadmap/block-based-product-creation-experience/">a new product management experience using the Blocks API</a>. It was auto-enabled for a subset of new stores in 7.9, released in July, and will be enabled for more stores as soon as WooCommerce adds variable product management support.</p>



<p>Block-based order confirmation is next on the roadmap, and block-based cart and checkout will soon be the default, as WooCommerce is working closely with partners to increase extension support.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Woo Express: More AI-Powered Features Coming Soon</h3>



<img width="2440" height="1242" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-10-at-12.32.27-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-150061" />



<p>During today&#8217;s WooSesh keynote, WooCommerce also highlighted a few milestones for Woo Express, the all-in-one WooCommerce plan hosted on WordPress.com. The product launched in 2023 as &#8220;Woo&#8217;s biggest bet ever.&#8221; It kicked off in September 2022, launched free trials in April 2023, and had 1,000 paying customers as of July 2023.</p>



<p>The team demonstrated the new onboarding flow and store personalization experience. Woo Express&#8217; current priorities are making store setup easier with an AI-driven assistant to guide merchants through setup and growing stores, along with offering smart recommendations to drive more revenue, based on store analytics. The product defaults to a block-based theme, cart, and checkout. It includes the Woo AI plugin for early feedback.</p>



<p>Woo Express is currently only available on WordPress.com, but WooCommerce representatives said what its features will also be surfaced in Woo core. The product is being used as a proving ground for the next phases of product development.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<img width="2056" height="1132" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-10-at-12.31.30-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-150059" />



<p><a href="https://woosesh.com/">WooSesh</a> will be live again tomorrow with more sessions on using AI tools for support, creating effective landing pages, using Amazon Pay, shipping trends, case studies, and more. Registration is free but the sessions must be viewed live. The sessions will be recorded and published to <a href="https://wpsessions.com/?utm_source=WooSesh">WPSessions</a> after the live event has ended, available with a subscription.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 11 Oct 2023 03:39:20 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:40:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.4 Beta 3";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=16101";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/wordpress-6-4-beta-3/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7126:"<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 is now available for testing!</p>



<p><strong>This beta version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended that you evaluate Beta 3 on a test server and site.</p>



<p>You can test WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 in three ways:</p>



<ol>
<li><strong>Plugin</strong>: Install and activate the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install (select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</li>



<li><strong>Direct download</strong>: Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.4-beta3.zip">Beta 3 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</li>



<li><strong>Command line</strong>: Use the following <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command:<br /><code>wp core update --version=6.4-beta3</code></li>
</ol>



<p>The current target for the final release of WordPress 6.4 is <strong>November 7, 2023</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-4/">6.4 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-4/">6.4-related posts</a> in the coming weeks for more information.</p>



<p>The WordPress 6.4 release is brought to you by an <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/06/05/wordpress-6-4-development-cycle/"><strong>underrepresented gender release squad</strong></a> to welcome the participation and partnership of those who identify as gender-underrepresented in the WordPress open source project.</p>



<p><strong>Want to know what&#8217;s new in WordPress 6.4?</strong> <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">Read the Beta 1 announcement</a> for details.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get involved in testing</h2>



<p>Your help testing WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 is key to ensuring its quality. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.4.</p>



<p>If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">Alpha/Beta area</a> of the support forums or directly to <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">WordPress Trac</a> if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major">known bugs</a>.</p>



<p>Learn more about Gutenberg updates debuting in WordPress 6.4 by reviewing prior editions of <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/gutenberg-new/">What’s New in Gutenberg</a> posts for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-2-12-july/">16.2</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/26/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-3-26-july/">16.3</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/10/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-4-9-august/">16.4</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/23/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-5-23-august/">16.5</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/06/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-6-06-september/">16.6</a>, and <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">16.7</a>.</p>



<p>Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/">#core-test channel</a> on <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Vulnerability bounty doubles during Beta 3</h3>



<p>Between Beta 1 and the final release candidate (RC) for each new WordPress version, the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/security/2023/09/26/bug-bounty-for-wordpress-6-4-beta/">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities</a> is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href="https://hackerone.com/wordpress">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/security/">security white paper</a>.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Update on the Font Library</h2>



<p><strong>The Font Library feature, initially planned for WordPress 6.4, is now set to release in 6.5</strong>. WordPress is committed to delivering the best possible experience. This decision allows time to address enhancement opportunities, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/10/03/help-test-the-font-library/">test</a>, and get enough feedback to meet WordPress&#8217;s quality standards. Thanks for your support as contributors work towards an exceptional Font Library experience.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Beta 3 highlights</h2>



<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 contains more than 60 updates since the Beta 2 release, including <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=10%2F04%2F2023..10%2F10%2F2023&milestone=6.4&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">29 tickets for WordPress core</a>.</p>



<p>Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 2 using these links:</p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.4">GitHub commits for 6.4</a></li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=10%2F04%2F2023..10%2F10%2F2023&milestone=6.4&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">Closed Trac tickets since Beta 2</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/twentytwentyfour/commits/">GitHub commits for Twenty Twenty-Four</a></li>
</ul>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Beta 3 haiku</h2>



<p>Beta 3 arrives<br />Testing where progress derives<br />Iterate, it thrives</p>



<p><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: </em><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meher</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmartinezduque/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>rmartinezduque</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>cbringmann</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sereedmedia/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>sereedmedia</a> and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/michelleames/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>michelleames</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:37:31 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:10:"Meher Bala";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:93:"Do The Woo Community: Breaking Down YMIR and a Lot of Other Things in Carl Alexander’s Mind";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76836";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:89:"https://dothewoo.io/breaking-down-ymir-and-a-lot-of-other-things-in-carl-alexanders-mind/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:457:"<p>When you dive deep into Carl's mind to learn more about what he built for WordPress, the end result is today's show.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/breaking-down-ymir-and-a-lot-of-other-things-in-carl-alexanders-mind/">Breaking Down YMIR and a Lot of Other Things in Carl Alexander&#8217;s Mind</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 10 Oct 2023 11:15:55 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:83:"WPTavern: WordPress Reverts Live Preview Button on Plugins After Developer Backlash";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149982";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:94:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-reverts-live-preview-button-on-plugins-after-developer-backlash";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7858:"<img width="2036" height="1438" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-09-15-at-6.29.19-pm.png" alt="" class="wp-image-150011" />



<p>Last week WordPress meta contributors <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/12931">implemented a &#8220;Live Preview&#8221; button</a> for plugins in the official directory, with the intention of allowing users to safely test any plugin in one click. The button went live across all of WordPress.org&#8217;s 59,000+ plugins but took plugin developers by surprise as it was pushed through without any communication or input from stakeholders. </p>



<p>The implementation was premature and failed to take into consideration the many different types of plugins that appear to be broken due to inadequate support in the Playground testing environment. </p>



<p>Five weeks ago, Automattic-sponsored Meta team contributor Steve Dufresne <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/timeline?from=2023-09-07T00%3A29%3A45Z&precision=second">commented</a> on the ticket, &#8220;Adding that it&#8217;s likely still the case (someone else can confirm), not all plugins work in the Playground so we should build in an opt-out mechanism.&#8221;</p>



<p>This suggestion was roundly ignored by other participants on the ticket and the Playground previews went live. It became immediately apparent that this was done without thorough testing as many plugin authors reported the previews created an unfavorable, broken experience for users. </p>



<p>&#8220;Who decided to release Preview without posting on <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/">make.wordpress.org/plugins/</a> with some advanced warning to plugin devs?&#8221; WordPress developer Alan Fuller asked, starting a <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02QB8GMM/p1696523391533419">discussion</a> in the #meta Slack channel. &#8220;Was that a #meta decision? Can it be reverted and due notice given?&#8221;</p>



<p>Retired Plugins team rep Mika Epstein identified three major use cases that were missed, which she estimates will impact 30-40% of plugins not working in the Playground environment: </p>



<ol>
<li>It won’t work for add-on plugins (ie. anything for Woo) because we have no way to identify plugin dependancies, and the sandbox won’t know to install the ‘parent’ plugin</li>



<li>It won’t work (well) for anything that requires a lot of customization (WooCommerce itself)</li>



<li>It won’t work AT ALL for anything that’s a server integration (Memcached, Redis, etc).</li>



<li>Multisite</li>
</ol>



<p>Participants noted that DEBUG is also set to True, allowing unrelated warnings and notices to be displayed to the visitor.</p>



<p>&#8220;It stinks to work really hard on a plugin and then have some preview show up that makes it look totally broken when it&#8217;s not,&#8221; WordPress developer Ben Sibley said.</p>



<p>&#8220;This feature is a neat idea, but it needs a lot more work. We&#8217;ve gone decades without live previews; why was there suddenly a rush to launch this today when it&#8217;s demonstrably unreliable?</p>



<p>&#8220;As others have stated, this should be rolled back immediately and switched to an opt-in feature. Once it&#8217;s rolled back, work on giving plugin devs information about how the preview works so we can decide if it&#8217;s right for us or not. There is no rush to release this without proper communication and testing!&#8221;</p>



<p>Newsletter Glue co-founder Lesley Sim requested the feature be opt-in, contending that the average user won&#8217;t have patience if something appears broken and will assume there is a problem with the plugin, not the directory or the playground.</p>



<p>&#8220;So it ends up reflecting badly on the plugin developer, which can be really stressful for them if it means a loss in (potential) revenue/installs (yes, I understand that many people think this shouldn&#8217;t be a key concern, but it is the reality for many small plugin devs) or if they have additional support burden as a result of this feature, which is completely out of their hands,&#8221; Sim said.</p>



<p>After others echoed these concerns, Automattic-sponsored contributor Alex Shiels, who implemented the feature, <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/timeline?from=2023-10-06T02%3A26%3A06Z&precision=second">said</a> he didn&#8217;t expect it would be controversial and <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02QB8GMM/p1696571100525509?thread_ts=1696523391.533419&cid=C02QB8GMM">said</a> he was &#8220;over-optimistic about how smoothly it would work.&#8221; He deployed a commit that <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/12933">added an opt-out toggle</a> so plugin committers could disable the Live Preview button.</p>



<p>&#8220;The reason I didn’t communicate prior to deploy is, there was discussion on the ticket for a month prior; and because Playground has been live for several months now,&#8221; Shiels said. &#8220;Every published plugin in the directory has already been available for running in the Playground since well before this ticket. All I did was make it easy to get there with a single click. Apologies for catching you all off-guard.&#8221;</p>



<p>Others requested WordPress.org implement a customizable Demo link url in the readme file, instead of turning Playground previews on for all plugins, along with many more suggestions for making the environment better for showcasing  plugins.</p>



<p>After continued pushback urging Shiels to make the feature opt-in instead of opt-out, he <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/12934">removed the button</a> on Friday, October 6. </p>



<p>&#8220;I do want to emphasize that a lot of the worry and concern wasn’t about the fact that a plugin was broken in Playground,&#8221; plugin developer Aurooba Ahmed said. &#8220;Most of us know if our plugin works in playground or not, it was that a very apparent feature was pushed to the plugin repo that affects how users evaluate plugins, without discussion and feedback from enough of the key stakeholder audiences.</p>



<p>&#8220;I look forward to seeing how the feature is iterated upon (because ultimately it’s a fantastic concept) so that it can be useful in all the right ways for all stakeholders.&#8221;</p>



<p>In the meantime, users who enjoy having quick access to Playground may want to check out the Chrome browser extension created by LUBUS, a development agency. It <a href="https://wptavern.com/new-chrome-browser-extension-enables-one-click-plugin-and-theme-testing-with-wordpress-playground">adds a Playground” button to theme and plugin pages</a> on WordPress.org so users can test drive extensions with one click.</p>



<p>When adding the opt-out toggle, Shiels commented on the ticket that plugins broken in Playground were broken before the ticket was opened and will remain that way even if the plugin does not opt into the Live Preview button.</p>



<p>&#8220;I know the Playground team is hard at work on addressing bugs and compatibility issues there,&#8221; Shiels said. &#8220;And I intend to further improve the Live Preview support in the plugin directory to make things better for users and plugin developers alike. Many of your concerns can be addressed using <a href="https://wordpress.github.io/wordpress-playground/blueprints-api/index">Blueprints</a> which will allow configuring and installing dependencies, importing demo content, and other neat things. I&#8217;ll work on making Blueprint support available as soon as I&#8217;ve confirmed some engineering details with the Playground team.&#8221;</p>



<p>There is more work to be done before this feature is ready for rollout. The live preview button is currently disabled while contributors iron out compatibility issues.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 10 Oct 2023 03:18:51 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:152:"Gutenberg Times: Font Library punted, WordPress 6.4 sneak peek, Design tools for Artists, create block package, and so much more – Weekend Edition 271";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=25863";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:155:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/font-library-punted-wordpress-6-4-sneak-peek-design-tools-for-artists-create-block-package-and-so-much-more-weekend-edition-271/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:17557:"<p>Howdy, </p>



<p>Seems Summer break is over for many developers, designers, and site builders, and they came back inspired to write and share their learning with the rest of the community.  There is a ton of material in today&#8217;s weekend edition for every level of WordPress users. Dig in.  And if you still us browser bookmarks bookmark it. </p>



<p>Have a wonderful weekend!!</p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>






<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-sortabrilliant-guidepost"><ul><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </a></li></ul></div>
</div></div>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>



<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/wordpress-6-4-beta-2/"><strong>WordPress 6.4 Beta</strong> <strong>2</strong></a> was released this week, and again, two calls for testing will help you familiarize yourself with new features, and also help the underrepresented gender release squad to make it the best version it could be. </p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/10/03/help-test-the-font-library/">Help Test the Font Library</a> (for 6.5)</li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">Help Test WordPress 6.4</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/18/fse-program-testing-call-26-final-touches/">FSE Program Testing Call #26: Final touches</a></li>
</ul>



<p>Before everyone headed into the weekend, core contributors and release squad discussed the state of the Font Library and concluded, in the words of Tonya Mork, core tech lead 6.4, &#8220;The feature is not ready yet.&#8221; and &#8220;It needs more time. &#8221; Release lead, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, decided to punt the Font Management feature to WordPress 6.5. </p>



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding </strong>at the WPTavern has the details for you: <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-6-4-font-library-feature-punted-to-6-5-release"><strong>WordPress 6.4 Font Library Feature Punted to 6.5 Release</strong></a></p>



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<p>Listening to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/episode-63-a-wordpress-6-4-sneak-peek/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>WP Briefing: Episode 63: A WordPress 6.4 Sneak Peek</strong></a> you can join WordPress Executive Director, <strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy</strong>, as she offers an exclusive preview of the upcoming WordPress 6.4 release, accompanied by special guest <strong>Sarah Norris</strong>, one of the Editor Tech leads for this release. Don&#8217;t miss this opportunity for an insider&#8217;s look!</p>



<p>Reminder: <strong>Nick Diego, Justin Tadlock</strong> and <strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> invite you to their <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/296105065/"><strong>Hallway Hangout: What&#8217;s new for developers in WordPress 6.4</strong></a> on October 12th, 2023 at 18:00 UTC. They will cover, among other things, Block Hooks and the Default theme Twenty-Twenty-Four. </p>



<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p class="is-style-no-vertical-margin"><strong>🎙️ </strong> Latest episode:  <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-90-new-testing-call-for-the-fse-program-gutenberg-16-7-and-wordpress-6-4/">Gutenberg Changelog #90 – New Testing Call for the FSE Program, Gutenberg 16.7 and WordPress 6.4</a> with Tammie Lister as special guest, hosted by Birgit Pauli-Haack</p>
</div></div>



<p><strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> invites you to join her for a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/10/02/hallway-hangout-working-session-consolidating-modes/"><strong>Hallway Hangout: Working session on consolidating various navigation modes</strong></a> on November 15, 2023, at 15:00 UTC. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Vicente Canales</strong> is released <strong><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v16.8.0-rc.1">16.8 RC1 is available for testing</a>.</strong> Mainly the release contains fixes and improvements that were necessary after WordPress 6.4 beta testing. Out of 160 PRs, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pulls?page=2&q=is%3Apr+milestone%3A%22Gutenberg+16.8%22+is%3Aclosed+I+just+cherry-picked+this+PR">49 were back ported</a> to the WordPress 6.4 Beta branches.  many bug fixes that came from WordPress 6.4 Beta testing or improved code quality. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>



<p>In the 10-minute tutorial, <a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/templates/"><strong>Using Page Templates</strong></a>, <strong>Wes Theron</strong> teaches you what templates are, how you can expand them to create full-page layouts with header, sidebar, and footer areas. You will learn how to use, edit and add templates to customize your site by giving your posts and pages their own unique look and feel.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding</strong> researched <a href="https://wptavern.com/why-nasa-chose-wordpress-for-revamping-its-flagship-website"><strong>Why NASA Chose WordPress for Revamping Its Flagship Website </strong></a> and identified 3 major reasons: Ample access to resources, a a plugin ecosystem around real time content analysis, and, as expected, ease of use of the content authoring environment. &#8220;The block editor’s flexibility for authoring landing pages and breaking free of a rigid templating system was one of the most important factors in NASA’s selection of WordPress as a CMS.&#8221; she wrote. </p>



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<p>In their post <a href="https://block-museum.com/2023/10/03/get-creative-with-wordpress-6-4s-design-tools/"><strong>Get Creative with WordPress 6.4’s Design Tools</strong></a>, <strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> summarized the upcoming changes to Design Tools for artists who would like to submit new Block patterns to the Block Museum of Art. The new Font Library vertical text orientation, and background image for Group block enrich the block artist&#8217;s toolbox, together with the core blocks enhance support for more design tools. Of those, the stretch alignment for column blocks is probably the most interesting one. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TylerMoore/"><strong>Tyler Moore</strong></a>, WordPress YouTuber with 450+K Subscribers , published his first Block Theme in the WordPress repository. Meet <strong><a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/variations/">Variations</a> &#8211;</strong> &#8220;a block theme and hopefully the last theme you will even have to install. It comes with many templates and block patterns to make creating a website easy.&#8221; he wrote. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>In his video, <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZW8wREJT6A">WordPress Block Themes are amazing</a>,</strong> <strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> showed how to create custom post layouts, custom post archives, and display custom fields using Block Themes  (oh and snazzy CSS Grids with the query loop block),as he announced in <a href="https://twitter.com/pootlepress/status/1709832407338135553">his tweet.</a> </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Mike McAlister</strong> reported <a href="https://olliewp.com/the-ollie-block-theme-is-now-available-on-wordpress-org/"><strong>the Ollie block theme is now available on WordPress.org!</strong></a> It sports 50 beautiful pattern designs, 7 full-page pattern layouts,&nbsp;and a fully customizable design system with Global Styles. <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/ollie/">Download Ollie here</a></p>



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding</strong> at the WPTavern, accompanied McAllister on his contributor odyssey to get his theme approved. She wrote several articles (<a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-previews-new-onboarding-wizard-in-development">here</a>, <a href="https://wptavern.com/contentious-review-process-leads-ollie-theme-to-remove-innovative-onboarding-features-amid-stagnating-block-theme-adoption">here</a>, <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-faces-pushback-from-wordpress-theme-review-team">here</a> and <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-now-available-on-wordpress-org">here</a>) to give context and background with comments from the wider community. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>On <strong>October 17, 2023, at 20:00 UTC</strong>, <strong>Wes Theron</strong> will host an online live tutorial on <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/296575670/"><strong>Using the Query Loop block and Category templates</strong></a>. This will cover the heart of a website that is how to display archive pages and category summary pages. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong><a href="https://memberpress.com/blog/author/syble/">Syble Harrison</a> </strong>celebrates the release of MemberPress version 1.11.7. It comes with&nbsp;<a href="https://memberpress.com/blog/gutenberg-membership-blocks/"><strong>Gutenberg Membership Blocks</strong></a>&nbsp;and all MemberPress widgets now also work as Gutenberg membership blocks. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</h2>



<p>Let <strong>Ganesh Dahal </strong>take you on a journey <strong><a href="https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2023/09/exploring-enhanced-patterns-system-wordpress/">Exploring Enhanced Patterns In WordPress 6.3</a></strong> on Smashing Magazine.  Synched patterns (former <em>Reusable blocks)</em> and block patterns give users &#8220;the ability to&nbsp;write content once and synch it&nbsp;across pages and posts and modular components to&nbsp;enforce a consistent visual experience&nbsp;throughout a site.&#8221; Dahal wrote. Don&#8217;t forget to replace &#8220;reusable blocks&#8221; with &#8220;synched patterns&#8221;. One of the curses of a fast-moving development project. Features names sometimes change. </p>




<p><strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2022&#8221;</a>&nbsp;</strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2021 on. Updated by yours truly.  <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/"><em>The index 2020 is here</em></a></p>




<p><strong><a href="https://johannes-wp.com/">Johannes</a></strong> is a wireframe and UX kit that wants to help you with your  next WordPress design project. Built by the WordPress VIP partner <a href="https://twitter.com/be_api"><strong>Be API </strong></a>in France, the tool consists of a library of ready-to-use components in Figma, Hero and other samples templates, styles, and pattern variations. Johannes uses Figma features, including components, auto-layout and variants.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </h2>



<p>In <strong><a href="https://href.li/?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtmdYbHKDL0">Developer Hours: Building better blocks with the create-block package</a>,</strong> <strong>Nick Diego </strong>and <strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> covered the official scaffolding tool for custom block development. Besides the fundamentals, participants learned about other features such as external project templates and variants for dynamic blocks or blocks using the interactivity API.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you&#8217;d like to participate in a live online tutorial, <strong>Jonathan Bossenger</strong> will hold a session on the same topic on October 12th, 2023 at 14:00 UTC. You can RSVP on Meetup.com <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/296580191/"><strong>The WordPress Create Block tool</strong></a></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Gabriel Rose</strong>, developer at 10up, created the Microsoft VS Code extension: <a href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=GabrielRose.wordpress-theme-json-css-autosuggest"><strong>WordPress theme.json CSS Autosuggest</strong></a> that provides autocomplete for your WordPress theme.json tokens in your CSS.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Mark Wilkinson</strong> of Highrise Digital and co-host of the <em><a href="https://wpcafe.show/">WP Café podcast</a></em>, shared his approach and code to make the <a href="https://markwilkinson.dev/code-snippets/wordpress-search-block-to-only-search-in-a-custom-post-type/"><strong>WordPress search block to only search in a custom post type</strong></a>. Once implemented, users can use patterns to add the feature to their site.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Ronald Huereca</strong> wrote a tutorial on <a href="https://dlxplugins.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-permanent-unique-id-for-your-wordpress-block/"><strong>How to Create a Permanent Unique ID for Your WordPress Block</strong></a>. Maybe that&#8217;s something you were always wondering about. The tutorial is reach on  code examples and gives you step-by-step instructions to follow along. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>Next in his series <em>Block Developer Cook Book recipes</em>, <strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> tackles the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asCNlHxtemE"><strong>Formats API</strong></a> in his latest video. &#8220;Uncover the secrets of the Format API to flavor your text, just like a master chef creates unique sauces.&#8221; her wrote in the description. </p>




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s master branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>




<p class="has-text-align-center has-small-font-size"><em>Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? Don&#8217;t hesitate to send <a href="mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com">them via email</a> or send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph</em>. </p>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-small-font-size">For questions to be answered on the <a href="http://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast">Gutenberg Changelog</a>, send them to <a href="mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />




<p>Featured Image: Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan by Bigul Malayi</p>



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<p class="has-text-align-left"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>



<form class="wp-block-newsletterglue-form ngl-form ngl-portrait" action="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/" method="post"><div class="ngl-form-container"><div class="ngl-form-field"><label class="ngl-form-label" for="ngl_email"><br />Type in your Email address to subscribe.</label><div class="ngl-form-input"><input type="email" class="ngl-form-input-text" name="ngl_email" id="ngl_email" /></div></div><button type="submit" class="ngl-form-button">Subscribe</button><p class="ngl-form-text">We hate spam, too and won&#8217;t give your email address to anyone except Mailchimp to send out our Weekend Edition</p></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay"><div class="ngl-message-svg-wrap"></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay-text">Thanks for subscribing.</div></div><input type="hidden" name="ngl_list_id" id="ngl_list_id" value="26f81bd8ae" /><input type="hidden" name="ngl_double_optin" id="ngl_double_optin" value="yes" /></form>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide" />";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 07 Oct 2023 11:21:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Birgit Pauli-Haack";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:52:"WPTavern: Ollie Theme Now Available on WordPress.org";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149955";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:63:"https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-now-available-on-wordpress-org";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4011:"<p>The free <a href="https://olliewp.com/">Ollie block theme</a>, created by Mike McAlister and Patrick Posner, is now available for <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/ollie/">download on WordPress.org</a>. A <a href="https://wptavern.com/contentious-review-process-leads-ollie-theme-to-remove-innovative-onboarding-features-amid-stagnating-block-theme-adoption">contentious review process</a> led the team to remove the onboarding features, despite having gotten the green light from WordPress&#8217; leadership who advocated for moving forward with the experiment. The version of Ollie available on WordPress.org is simply the theme without the guided onboarding experience that reduces the amount of time it takes to get through the first 30-40 minutes of setting up the theme.</p>



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<img width="1144" height="858" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ollie-wporg.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-149959" />



<p>McAlister explained why the team reached this surprising decision in a 10-minute <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemcalister/status/1708929134490005759">video</a> earlier this week, as well as in the theme&#8217;s launch <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/ollie/">post</a>:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>In a surprising twist of events, WordPress leadership actually <em>wanted</em> to give it a shot as an experiment! While it was awesome to see that kind of support, by this point it had become clear that it was too controversial to try this right now.</p>



<p>There were valid concerns that without a system or understanding in place at the directory level, this could set a precedent with unknown outcomes and potentially burden volunteers with longer theme review queues. We don’t want that, and the idea that a feature of Ollie would burden anyone is <em>the antithesis</em> of our aim of helping users through this exciting era of modern WordPress.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Ollie&#8217;s creators are working on putting the onboarding into a plugin in order to &#8220;deliver our original vision, free of constraints.&#8221; It will be available on GitHub and they <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemcalister/status/1710050878042821071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1710050878042821071%7Ctwgr%5Eb107394162dfda43307002c16128506f013147ff%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwptavern.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D149955action%3Dedit">plan to submit it to WordPress.org</a>, but the severe backlog may prevent it from being live in the directory for a few months.</p>



<p>The theme on WordPress.org has more hurdles to getting started with a new website. Users will need to know how to navigate the Site Editor to edit templates and place patterns. After installing the theme, it&#8217;s painfully clear how much simpler the onboarding wizard would make everything. Ollie comes with seven full-page pattern layouts, which helps if you want to build a site similar to the demo. It also packages seven style variations and an astonishing 50 custom block patterns for building nearly any kind of website.</p>



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<img width="2842" height="1296" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-06-at-9.22.42-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149968" />



<p>With different combinations of patterns, Ollie is suitable for personal websites, agencies, portfolios, nonprofit organizations, blogs, and businesses of various kinds. Although this version doesn&#8217;t deliver on the &#8220;40-hour head start&#8221; that the onboarding offers, it&#8217;s still a very well designed theme with meticulous attention to detail and an abundance of customizable patterns.</p>



<p>Check out the <a href="https://demo.olliewp.com/">Ollie demo</a> to see the theme in action and <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/ollie/">install/download it from WordPress.org</a> to take it for a test drive.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 07 Oct 2023 03:00:49 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"WPTavern: Why NASA Chose WordPress for Revamping Its Flagship Website";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149753";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"https://wptavern.com/why-nasa-chose-wordpress-for-revamping-its-flagship-website";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7984:"<img width="2836" height="1306" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-06-at-3.48.43-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149947" />



<p>NASA has removed the beta label from the new <a href="https://t.co/EnLX4Rmld4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nasa.gov</a> website, which was launched on WordPress, replacing Drupal as the CMS. After a lengthy process, which required 18 months of active web development, data migration, and content building, NASA has emerged with modernized flagship and science websites, showcasing the innovation and discoveries that have defined the agency for more than 65 years.</p>



<p>The multi-million dollar project began a few years ago when a combination of the IDEA Act and Drupal 7 EOL provided an opportunity for NASA to reconsider the CMS they were using for nasa.gov. <a href="https://lonerockpoint.com/">Lone Rock Point</a>, a WordPress.com VIP Gold Agency Partner, led the project, which began with  a year of UX design and an evaluation of various enterprise CMS&#8217;s that would ultimately end up supporting 456 CMS users, 68,698 migrated pages, and 3,023 new landing pages. As part of the project, NASA&#8217;s website infrastructure was migrated from an Amazon Web Services environment to WordPress.com VIP.</p>



<p>&#8220;In earlier discovery phases of the project, content authors were were vocal that they were interested in a CMS that allowed them to break free of templates that were perceived to be rigid,&#8221; Lone Rock Point President J.J. Toothman said. &#8220;The block based authoring approach of Gutenberg is delivering on that and user testing showed that WordPress could provide that. Now that the site is live, the different types of landing pages being created with block based approach further validates that.&#8221;</p>



<p>NASA evaluated both proprietary and open source solutions, and Toothman said they took a high level look at over a hundred CMS platforms. They narrowed it down to four CMS&#8217;s &#8211; two were commercial and two were open source (WordPress and Drupal). The team completed high level prototyping and user evaluation on all four of the finalists, and used this data in the CMS selection process.</p>



<p>Toothman outlined a few of the factors that set WordPress apart from the others:</p>



<ul>
<li>Access to resources. Simply put, there’s a huge community around WordPress. That community is extending WordPress in innovative ways; sharing knowledge and training for WordPress; and continuously building up WordPress skills amongst the community. That makes it easier for an organization like NASA to acquire support. There’s options for that. What was found with commercial CMS solutions is that, more often than not, NASA would have to go back to the original CMS vendor to find resources. That’s limited flexibility, which is undesirable for them.</li>



<li>A plugin ecosystem that delivered real time content analysis capabilities within the WordPress admin environment in the ares of SEO and accessibility. The fact that content could be analyzed by the author before it was published was significant.</li>



<li>Ease of use of the content authoring environment</li>
</ul>



<p>&#8220;It’s a big win for open source,&#8221; Toothman said. &#8220;There were a number of CMS capabilities that would have been more time consuming to implement without previous work by others in the WordPress community.&#8221;</p>



<p>He cited the  integration that the NASA WordPress site has with NASA’s image library at <a href="http://images.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">images.nasa.gov</a> as one example. Content authors in the CMS can search for images in the library and include them in their content via an augmentation that was made to the WordPress media library. Human Made did some previous work with commercial digital asset management solutions that NASA was able to leverage for the <a href="http://images.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">images.nasa.gov</a> integration.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">NASA Goes All In on WordPress&#8217; Block Editor</h3>



<p>The block editor&#8217;s flexibility for authoring landing pages and breaking free of a rigid templating system was one of the most important factors in NASA&#8217;s selection of WordPress as a CMS. As part of the project, Lone Rock Point created 55 custom editor blocks to help NASA website authors share discoveries and tell their stories.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<img width="1692" height="1080" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/tabbed-content-block.gif" alt="" class="wp-image-149949" />NASA&#8217;s Tabbed Content block &#8211; source: <a href="https://lonerockpoint.com/2023/10/nasa-flagship-wordpress-site-launch/">Lone Rock Point</a>



<p>&#8220;There’s over 400 content authoring/editor users in NASA’s WordPress CMS,&#8221; Toothman said. &#8220;With that many users, there’s a lot of variance in pre-existing familiarity to WordPress and Gutenberg. It was challenging. The learning curve was more significant than expected and change management was a big part of this project. </p>



<p>&#8220;Some took the block editor quickly, others needed more support. It wasn’t just learning the mechanics of a new CMS, but learning about the storytelling options available via the new design system and the block editor. We built a lot of custom of blocks to bring the design system to live in WordPress, while also attempting to adhere to the intention of those design system components.&#8221;</p>



<p>Toothman and his team found strategic ways of helping new block editor users become familiar with the authoring tools. They created hands-on training and working sessions to build pages in real time alongside users and created an online knowledge base.</p>



<p>&#8220;To encourage the user community as they learned the new CMS, we created weekly blogs and newsletters that featured screenshots of pages in progress,&#8221; Toothman said. &#8220;Seeing their peers’ work and out-of-the-box use of the custom blocks, users were inspired to try different things and ask more questions. Our content team held weekly office hours for managing editors to answer questions users may have, hold live demonstrations, and collect feedback to produce more user resources. </p>



<p>&#8220;By creating an environment that invites discussion, collaboration, and creativity, the content team was able to enforce content quality control standards on a massive scale while delivering a high-quality end-user experience.&#8221;</p>



<p>Toothman said he was surprised and delighted by the creative ways authors utilized certain blocks.</p>



<p>&#8220;Content authors figured out ways to use some of the custom Gutenberg editor blocks as design layout options and broke free of the content intention they were originally designed for,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>NASA will be open sourcing some of its custom blocks and other pieces of the project to give back to the WordPress community as part of the roadmap. The completed project stands as a high-profile testament to the agency&#8217;s confidence in the block editor and the wider ecosystem of available tools. It also highlights WordPress as a reliable CMS with exemplary adaptability for enterprise-level projects with complex publishing requirements.</p>



<p>&#8220;For years, myself and many of us in the WordPress community have been mythbusting the perception from customer stakeholders in 2 areas: (a) WordPress isn’t enterprise. It’s just a blogging platform. (B) WordPress is not a secure CMS,&#8221; Toothman said.</p>



<p>&#8220;While I don’t expect NASA choosing WordPress to wipe out those pre-existing perceptions, it is further evidence to support the fact that WordPress is enterprise class, and that it can meet security benchmarks.&#8221;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 06 Oct 2023 20:17:37 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"Do The Woo Community: Thoughts on WordPress News, Resources and Paid Exposure";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76771";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:75:"https://dothewoo.io/thoughts-on-wordpress-news-resources-and-paid-exposure/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:421:"<p>How to get exposure from your WordPress product or service? There are many options, but also a lot of competition.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/thoughts-on-wordpress-news-resources-and-paid-exposure/">Thoughts on WordPress News, Resources and Paid Exposure</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 06 Oct 2023 11:52:09 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:66:"WPTavern: WordPress 6.4 Font Library Feature Punted to 6.5 Release";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149884";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-6-4-font-library-feature-punted-to-6-5-release";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5306:"<p>The WordPress 6.4 release squad has decided to <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW/p1696525101347939">punt the planned Font Library feature to 6.5</a> after core maintainers found major gaps in the Font APIs that cannot be resolved in time for the upcoming release.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am currently reviewing the font APIs <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/5285" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PR</a>,&#8221; WordPress REST API co-maintainer Jonny Harris said. &#8220;I must say, I am very worried about the PR in its current state. The code simply doesn&#8217;t follow the WP core code style and doesn&#8217;t feel WordPress.&#8221; He listed a number of problems he found with the feature:</p>



<ul>
<li>Limited developer API. We need functions like <code>wp_insert_font</code> / <code>wp_create_font</code> etc.</li>



<li>Lack of filter or actions</li>



<li>No way to unregister font collections</li>



<li>Capabilities. Creating new fonts should have capabilies and not simply map to&nbsp;<code>edit_theme_options</code></li>



<li>Confusing API structure.&nbsp; Collection should have embedded font objects</li>



<li>What happens to fonts when collections are unregistered?</li>



<li>If fonts are stored as post object, can I query to get all fonts from a collection?</li>



<li>Are fonts deleted when the user is deleted?</li>



<li>No way to filter where a font is stored</li>
</ul>



<p>&#8220;With time very limited in this release, it feels like actioning the above, feel like it is going too hard to achieve in this release,&#8221; Harris said.</p>



<p>&#8220;I think this feature needs some more time to bake.&#8221;</p>



<p>Harris said none of the REST API maintainers were involved in the early stages of the Font Library feature and they are currently &#8220;playing catch up.&#8221; The team was attempting to patch the existing design, but Harris said if a redesign of the API is planned, he would like to understand the requirements for the feature before drawing up a design.</p>



<p>Punting a flagship feature is never an easy decision, but it&#8217;s far more preferable than shipping poorly designed API&#8217;s that don&#8217;t allow users to modify and disable the feature to fit their needs.</p>



<p>&#8220;No is temporary but yes is forever,&#8221; WordPress core committer Aaron Jorbin said. &#8220;Once the code is merged into core for release, it’s something that needs to be maintained for our extenders forever. To me, the concerns I see being raised about how people will extend the feature are enough to punt the feature.&#8221;</p>



<p>The Font Library feature was put forward late in the release cycle, landing in <a href="https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-16-7-introduces-font-management">Gutenberg 16.7</a> last week, with very little time for testing.</p>



<p>&#8220;Features have landed after beta 1 in the past,&#8221; WordPress core committer Jonathan Desrosiers said. &#8220;But my preference is to <em>not</em> land something with this much outstanding feedback. We&#8217;d be making last minute changes and merging for public release with very little actual testing. Sure, everyone here would test as best they can. But &#8216;in the wild&#8217; WordPress testing is much different and always uncovers some strange use cases or issues that we can&#8217;t foresee.&#8221;</p>



<p>Contributors briefly considered delaying the release date to allow the feature more time but the consensus was for punting to 6.5, with the decision anchored in <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/philosophy/">WordPress&#8217; philosophy</a> of &#8220;deadlines are not arbitrary.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;Changing a scheduled release date to leave room for finalizing a feature—no matter its priority—should not be considered,&#8221; WordPress core committer Joe McGill said. &#8220;This would not be the first time that we really hoped to have a feature shipped in a release but delayed it to the next release. It seems to me that a lot of effort has gone into preparing this feature for release and the consensus is that folks need more time to get it into a state that is ready to ship in a major WordPress release, which I know is disappointing, but also speaks to the care and quality folks want to ensure we put into these releases. If it&#8217;s not ready, it&#8217;s not ready. Let&#8217;s delay it — meanwhile we are still getting valuable user feedback via the Gutenberg plugin, which is a good thing.&#8221;</p>



<p>WordPress 6.4 release lead Josepha Haden Chomphosy made the difficult <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW/p1696522535253159">decision to punt the feature</a> based on contributor feedback. The removal of the Font Library does not affect other key features anticipated to land in the release. Jessica Lyschik, 6.4 default theme co-lead, <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW/p1696525030439049">confirmed</a> the Font Library isn&#8217;t a requirement for Twenty Twenty-Four. The theme will ship with preselected fonts that get loaded from the theme assets, just like previous default themes.</p>



<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 is scheduled for October 10, 2023. This will be the last scheduled beta before RC1. </p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 06 Oct 2023 02:41:15 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:9;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:93:"Do The Woo Community: The Contributor Orientation Tool with Milana Cap and Aleksandar Predić";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76765";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:87:"https://dothewoo.io/contributor-orientation-tool-with-milana-cap-and-aleksandar-predic/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:471:"<p>The Contributor Orientation Tool on WordPress.org. How this tool came to be, how it has evolved and its future for helping contributors.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/contributor-orientation-tool-with-milana-cap-and-aleksandar-predic/">The Contributor Orientation Tool with Milana Cap and Aleksandar Predić</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:34:02 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:10;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:79:"WPTavern: #93 – Piermario Orecchioni on How and Why WordPress Gets Translated";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"https://wptavern.com/?post_type=podcast&p=149789";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:93:"https://wptavern.com/podcast/93-piermario-orecchioni-on-how-and-why-wordpress-gets-translated";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:45768:"Transcript<div>
<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>



<p>Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, how and why wordPress gets translated.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;d like to subscribe to the podcast, you can do that by searching for WP Tavern in your podcast player of choice, or by going to WPTavern.com forward slash feed forward slash podcast. And you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>



<p>If you have a topic that you&#8217;d like us to feature on the podcast, I&#8217;m keen to hear from you and hopefully get you, or your idea, featured on the show. Head to WPTavern.com forward slash contact forward slash jukebox and use the form there.</p>



<p>So on the podcast today we have Piermario Orecchioni.</p>



<p>Piermario a freelance web designer resides in Italy, and is deeply involved in the global WordPress community. His journey with WordPress began in early 2017, when he created his wordpress.org account. Among his many contributions Piermario has focused primarily on the Polyglots team, which, if you didn&#8217;t know, deals with translations. His dedication and involvement in this aspect of the WordPress community have been important to him, and he shares more about his experiences with the team and how they work.</p>



<p>Piermario begins by questioning the moral and legal obligations of making websites available in multiple languages. Is it simply a nice thing to do, or are they legal reasons behind it? He sheds light on the importance of language localisation, especially when WordPress is used on government websites to provide user centric experiences.</p>



<p>But translating websites comes with its own set of challenges, and we discuss the difficulties in translating and reviewing strings in WordPress, where slight changes can lead to a large number of strings needing translations. He emphasizes the need for maintaining consistency, and standards in translations by having a glossary in each language.</p>



<p>We then talk about Piermario&#8217;s journey as a contributor to the Polyglots team. He highlights recent improvements in the translation process, thanks to the GlotPress translation platform.</p>



<p>We get into how the project is always on the lookout for new contributors, and discuss how they can become editors for specific projects, if their translations meet the required quality standards.</p>



<p>We delve into the intricacies of language variations and the importance of localised translations. Piermario reiterates that coding expertise is not necessary for this work. Even newcomers with a curious mind and a willingness to help can contribute meaningfully. He paints a picture of how the work of translation is both accessible and beneficial, where short portions of text can be tackled in small amounts of time.</p>



<p>We end with a discussion of the ongoing projects being translated, such as Learn and Openverse, which aims to reach a larger audience and make WordPress education accessible in multiple languages.</p>



<p>Piermario shares insights into the Italian WordPress community, and the process of translating plugins and themes.</p>



<p>So if you&#8217;re looking to help out translating WordPress, or just interested in hearing about a way that you can contribute, this episode is for you.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re interested in finding out more, you can find all of the links in the show notes by heading to WPTavern.com forward slash podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>



<p>And so without further delay, I bring you Piermario Orecchioni.</p>



<p>I am joined on the podcast today by Piermario Orecchioni. Hello!</p>



<p>[00:04:31] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Hey. Hi Nathan. How are you doing?</p>



<p>[00:04:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah really nice. Thank you for joining me on the podcast today. We&#8217;re going to stray into a subject which, I confess, as I often do on these episodes, it&#8217;s an area that I don&#8217;t really know a great deal about. So hopefully Piermario will be able to school me all about this.</p>



<p>I was introduced to Piermario, I don&#8217;t know if he knows this, but it was Courtney Robertson that pointed me in your direction because she thought it would be fascinating on the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast to have an episode all about Polyglots and the Polyglot team. So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re going to do today. That is the endeavor.</p>



<p>Before we do that though, Piermario, I wonder if you wouldn&#8217;t mind just giving us two or three minutes of your time explaining, who you are, where you live, what your involvement is with WordPress. And I guess, importantly what your relationship is with Polyglots, translations, and the team that&#8217;s helping with that endeavor.</p>



<p>[00:05:28] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah. First of all, thanks again for having me, and thanks to the ever amazing Courtney for just making my name.</p>



<p>In the everyday life I am a freelance web designer and besides that I&#8217;m part of the Italian and international WordPress community.</p>



<p>I started contributing in, I think early 2017, was the time when I started my wordpress.org account. And I&#8217;ve been mainly contributing to the Polyglots team for reasons that we&#8217;ll cover soon.</p>



<p>Over the course of the years I picked into other teams, like there&#8217;s a lot to be done in WordPress. Being not a native English speaker, so having access to bits and parts of WordPress that are not always translated. Everything must undergo some form of translation to allow people like me, and poeple that don&#8217;t speak English, to use it in a more comfortable way. So that&#8217;s what kept me going, and it&#8217;s still why I contribute to this day.</p>



<p>[00:06:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh thank you. That&#8217;s really nice. I should probably stress at the beginning that maybe there&#8217;s a line to be drawn between translating the front end of a website, and translating the backend, WordPress itself. The software that may download from .org.</p>



<p>We&#8217;re probably, if you&#8217;re a WordPress user for any length of time, you&#8217;re probably aware that there&#8217;s a bunch of third party plugins which will handle the translations of say text on your homepage, or any other page or post from one language to another, and you&#8217;ve probably come across some of those. There&#8217;s a variety of them in the ecosystem.</p>



<p>But this is not that. Polyglots is more about the backend. Translating WordPress. At least I think that&#8217;s the case.</p>



<p>[00:07:27] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Well actually Polyglots, and the whole Polyglots team, is responsible, if we want to use a big word. But it actually touches all the WordPress ecosystem and touch points, because we translate WordPress Core. We translate and localise, which sometimes it&#8217;s a more appropriate term. Like the bundle teams, like every standard team that comes with a new release of WordPress. We also do that.</p>



<p>We translate and contribute to plugins, like all the plugins that exist in some language and must be translated, go somehow, somewhere through a polyglots. A polyglots that localised it. Localises that plugin into their own language.</p>



<p>We also translate what we call Rosetta. That&#8217;s kind of an internal lingo. But Rosetta is just like the stone. It&#8217;s basically every localised version of wordpress.org, like the Italian wordpress.org, Spanish wordpress.org. So we&#8217;re basically everywhere the WordPress ecosystem needs a translation.</p>



<p>[00:08:44] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah now that you say that it makes so much sense. I for some reason hadn&#8217;t managed to parse that. But of course the wordpress.org website needs translating, and of course there needs to be attention given over to plugins and things like that. So yeah, that&#8217;s great. Thank you for clarifying that. It does seem like there&#8217;s a lot of work to be done, and we&#8217;ll touch upon that in a moment.</p>



<p>Slight aside, for somebody that is an English speaker the word polyglots is quite an unusual one. I mean, I can imagine it&#8217;s broken up into two parts. Poly I guess meaning multiple, more than one. But do you have any indication of what the glots bit means? I&#8217;m guessing it&#8217;s got something to do with language, but in all my years I&#8217;ve never just heard that word in an isolated environment. I&#8217;ve never heard anybody talk about a glot.</p>



<p>[00:09:31] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah, a glot is, now I didn&#8217;t do my homework. It definitely means language but I don&#8217;t remember if it&#8217;s Latin or Greek. I would guess Latin.</p>



<p>[00:09:42] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well that&#8217;s the meaning anyway. If we collide those two bits, multiple languages is really kind of what it means.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s talk about the actual endeavor of doing this work then. And although it seems like a fairly basic question, this question could go in multiple directions. So I&#8217;ll just ask the question, then I&#8217;ll give you some more context on that.</p>



<p>Why do we need there to be translations in our website? So that&#8217;s the basic question, and then I&#8217;ll pad it out a little bit more. What I mean by that is, is it just kind of like a morally decent thing to do to have something like WordPress, which is obviously downloaded across the globe millions of times. Is it just a nice, good thing to do to make it available to as many languages as possible?</p>



<p>Or perhaps there is something a bit more pressing. In other words maybe there&#8217;s legal things which come into play. I don&#8217;t know if you have any insight into either of those things, but obviously it is a nice thing to do. But I also wonder if as a piece of software which is shipping, albeit an open source piece of software, I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s any legal compulsion to have it translated.</p>



<p>[00:10:49] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> I don&#8217;t think there is a legal obligation or some sort of legal requirement to have WordPress translated. Obviously if you use WordPress on a government website, the plugins or components you&#8217;re using should be localised into the language users will be using because that&#8217;s just user centricity 101.</p>



<p>I think that the simple reason why WordPress must, and wants to be, translated into possibly any language in the world is that we like to make this tool available to anybody, anywhere for whatever reason. The more we make WordPress available in somebody&#8217;s native language, the higher the chance that they will use it, and they could start something.</p>



<p>I think it&#8217;s just one of the few left idealistic things of the web. Do things for the common good, and having WordPress in your language definitely is quite something. And I was just digging a little bit into the Polyglots pages yesterday on the WordPress site, and one of the bits I found is that, as of June 2020, roughly 55% of all WordPress websites running were not running in English.</p>



<p>[00:12:17] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s a big statistic, isn&#8217;t it? Yeah I did not know that number. That&#8217;s extraordinary.</p>



<p>[00:12:22] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> I might even argue it&#8217;s even higher by now because in three years we improved and we have way more translation available by now. But it&#8217;s true that English is the international language, but it&#8217;s also true that there&#8217;s a lot of people that does not English, or are not fluent enough to go into a backend of a site and deal with that, if that&#8217;s not in their language. So with the translation we remove this barrier and we make WordPress available to everybody.</p>



<p>[00:12:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So let&#8217;s dig into the work of the team, the Polyglots team, the people who are translating. I noticed incidentally that you use the word locale a little bit. And so I guess these terms are interchangeable, if anybody&#8217;s listening and not quite sure what that word might mean.</p>



<p>So let&#8217;s start, let&#8217;s begin with the number of languages that WordPress has been translated into. Again, sorry I&#8217;m putting you on the spot. I haven&#8217;t actually primed you to know these facts, but I&#8217;m curious as to which languages seek attention, and indeed if there&#8217;s any kind of order there.</p>



<p>So you mentioned English, obviously that&#8217;s a very large language. I&#8217;m guessing you could pick the names of a dozen or more other equally large languages where you know there&#8217;s millions and millions of people. But I guess as you go slowly down that order the languages have less people, and I do wonder, are there any which are just being implemented for the first time? Or ones that you tackle later? Ones that you give more importance to? So yeah, just that question to begin.</p>



<p>[00:14:01] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> I think that the importance is relative and it&#8217;s given by the amount of people that contributes to that language. And just as I was saying, in the bit I saw yesterday, this page which most likely was last updated in 2020, speaks about 172 languages.</p>



<p>But, I found there&#8217;s another interesting link which is make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams, which lists all the locale. And I&#8217;m going to get into that a little bit right after this. And that lists, as of today, 208 locale. A locale is, it&#8217;s kind of a polyglots lingo, but it&#8217;s basically, let&#8217;s say the combination of a language code, a regional code, and peculiarities that make even a variation of a language different.</p>



<p>For example, even if we take English, we have American English, we have British English, we have Australian and so on. Or Spanish, there&#8217;s the Spanish spoken in Spain but then there&#8217;s the whole of South America. So even the translation of WordPress is not in one single version of Spanish, but it&#8217;s localised. So it&#8217;s made closer and we strive to make it as familiar as possible to every local speaker.</p>



<p>I translate only in Italian, but all the contributors that work on every language can pick their very specific language. Because there&#8217;s obviously have like hundreds of millions of speakers. But in the locale list you&#8217;ll find languages or dialects with like one contributor. So somebody who just started translating WordPress in their own dialect or regional language. Great. It&#8217;s a lot of work, but it&#8217;s possible. So we have the tools to make that happen.</p>



<p>[00:16:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s absolutely fascinating. I run up against this, actually. Curiously, because I&#8217;m British, there&#8217;s quite a few differences in the way that the translations that I have to do, the transcriptions for this podcast. And there are some words which are spelt in American English differently. So typically, for example, they use a zed or a zee character at the end of a word, like customise might have a Z or a Z at the end. Whereas in British English we&#8217;d replace that with an S. And I&#8217;m always confused as to how I should translate things for this podcast, because I never know, should I just stick with what I would use? Or should I try to think more about broader audience?</p>



<p>In the end I settled on just having it done in the way that I would spell it, because then I can spot those mistakes more or less automatically. Whereas if it&#8217;s looking for a spelling error in American English I may not be able to pick that up. But thank you for clarifying that. So we now know difference between locales, and the fact that that obviously complicates the job of translating WordPress even more.</p>



<p>Who does this work? And, is there a base language which it&#8217;s built upon? So as an example, is WordPress originally created in, let&#8217;s say, American English? And then the translation team, they get their hands on it and they begin from that baseline of that language to make the translations where necessary.</p>



<p>Perhaps it&#8217;s not done that way. So yeah just tell us how it&#8217;s done, what the process is and who is doing it? And I don&#8217;t mean names I mean, who are the people? Bunch of volunteers I&#8217;m guessing just like much else in WordPress.</p>



<p>[00:17:49] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah I think it all starts with the American English version. Since 2010, I did my homework here, we do have a platform which is called, we call it Translate but it&#8217;s actually based on a system called GlotPress which is developed and maintained by the WordPress community.</p>



<p>Anybody can go to translate.wordpress.org and pick and choose basically. So if you go there you can start by choosing the language you want to translate, or help with. And then once you pick the language you can pick what you would like to help with. So you can suggest translations into the WordPress Core, a plugin, a theme, or really anything that&#8217;s available. For example, other projects that we translate are like Open Verse which has been growing fast over this last years.</p>



<p>New, very interesting things like Learn WordPress. That&#8217;s all in the process of being translated and made available to a larger audience, because even Learn WordPress, it&#8217;s kind of new at least in the form it has now. But it could potentially open the doors of WordPress education to everybody virtually in any language, and make WordPress education available for free to anybody. So there&#8217;s a lot of work being done on that as well.</p>



<p>[00:19:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s really fascinating, because as a consumer of WordPress news, I love it when these new initiatives come along. So you know Open Verse is a perfect point, and the new revamped, revitalized efforts into Learn and all of that. I&#8217;m just looking at it and thinking oh that&#8217;s brilliant, look there&#8217;s loads of new resources.</p>



<p>And of course completely forgetting the part that you&#8217;ve got to play, your team, the team has got to play in order to make that available to everybody else. So it kind of seems like this is a hamster wheel which just gets faster and faster all the time. I&#8217;m guessing there&#8217;s never less translations to be done, there&#8217;s only more translations to be done as new ideas and new initiatives and new projects come with the growth of WordPress.</p>



<p>[00:20:12] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah, yeah. There&#8217;s always new translations or even projects. The project that personally I really hold close to my heart is the Italian localisation of the Gutenberg plugin, because it&#8217;s really one of the first project where in the Italian community somebody gave me the responsibility to kind of take care of that.</p>



<p>So even to this day, but for some time, I was really focused on maintaining and you know helping people come on board to help translate Gutenberg, and have it as close to a hundred percent of translated strings.</p>



<p>Our unit of thinking is string. We could go into that like super quickly. But basically anything you use in WordPress that you find on translate.wordpress.org is conveniently listed as endless, or less endless, series of strings that must be translated to have a hundred percent of the English content of that specific project or plugin, or anything translated into your language.</p>



<p>So even projects like Gutenberg that, yay, a hundred percent. So we have like three minutes to celebrate because Gutenberg comes out every two weeks. So every two weeks, the strings are added or different or wait, there&#8217;s parts of the full site editing experience that now are called differently. Like we&#8217;ve seen now I didn&#8217;t prepare any examples, but I mean even going to what&#8217;s current, like 6.3 has synced patterns.</p>



<p>[00:22:03] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Right. Reusable blocks became synced patterns.</p>



<p>[00:22:05] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> We&#8217;re kind of starting to, let&#8217;s translate and do our best every time we translate. But let&#8217;s also, especially when it&#8217;s something so fluid and so fast moving as the whole new block themes, full site editing effort. Let&#8217;s just make the best we can do because it might change in weeks or months, or when we find a better way to communicate that or market that.</p>



<p>[00:22:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s really interesting. So I&#8217;ve learned a couple of things. We have this expression by the way in the UK and the expression goes, it&#8217;s like painting the Forth Bridge. There&#8217;s this very long bridge in Scotland, and there is a team of people who paint it. And because of its great length it takes them you know multiple years to get from one end to the other. And you can guess what happens. As soon as they the end they just start right over again at the far end that they, you know, a couple of years ago began. And so this process of painting never ends, and thus it is with the project that you are talking about.</p>



<p>But also what I learned there was that the translations are sort of grouped into blocks. And I don&#8217;t mean blocks as in a WordPress block, I mean groups of things. So Gutenberg, that is an object if you like, that needs translating. And you can achieve a hundred percent of that, albeit that&#8217;s an example which is constantly changing and probably never quite stays at a hundred percent for particularly long because it&#8217;s constantly in flux.</p>



<p>So I&#8217;m guessing that there are other groups like that. And I&#8217;m wondering if some of those things receive more importance. So as an example, something like Gutenberg which has become really the bedrock of WordPress, I&#8217;m guessing that when a new version of WordPress comes out, let&#8217;s go with a new version of WordPress rather than the plugin itself for Gutenberg. When a new version of WordPress comes out, 6.3.</p>



<p>Do you have to sort of drop the translations temporarily of other things, so that you can make sure that that ships perfectly? Or at least as perfectly as you can. Do you have some sort of system of saying, okay this is the important thing for this week or this month, and some of these things may have to wait? Is there an overarching authority that makes all that happen? Or is it really just left to the contributors to decide what they&#8217;re going to do and when they&#8217;re going to do it?</p>



<p>[00:24:23] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> It&#8217;s really left to the community but we set ourselves with priorities, like when a new major version of WordPress is about to be released, lets focus on that. We do not forget Gutenberg for a few weeks, but we just focus on getting all the strings for the new version translated. Usually after a few release candidates there&#8217;s like a string freeze. At that point nothing is moving. At that moment we just check what&#8217;s left to translate and what needs our attention.</p>



<p>In a way the beauty of this is that the WordPress Core and Gutenberg are so tightly related that they&#8217;re constantly above I would say 90, 95%. Like we hardly drop, as I&#8217;m talking about Italian localisation, but we hardly drop below 98% of translated strings. Sometimes we have like 50 new strings, or a hundred strings that need to be translated or reviewed because something has been slightly changed or synced pattern.</p>



<p>[00:25:38] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s a good example at the moment, isn&#8217;t it? Because can you imagine how many times the word, in English, reusable blocks would appear on all of the .org properties? I mean I&#8217;m guessing it&#8217;s multiple thousands. The idea of going back and changing that in, not just WordPress Core but also in, like you say, the Learn materials and the documentation for WordPress. It&#8217;s a big search and replace, isn&#8217;t it?</p>



<p>[00:26:02] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Well in a way it could be, but we do have a few tools. We have many tools but two of the tools that are really our bread and butter as Polyglots team is the, like every locale, every language has it&#8217;s own glossary which is the reference for translating WordPress into your language. Because the Polyglots team of each country is also responsible for choosing what&#8217;s the standard translation for an English term.</p>



<p>In Italy we do have this tendency to gleefully adopt English terms, which is fine by me in some cases, because I speak English. But not everybody is as tech savvy or has a specific knowledge of English that allows them to make sense of any English term you want to squeeze into a plugin translation or something, so we have to set boundaries.</p>



<p>For example, one we always use when we onboard new contributors to the Italian community, is that the Italian translation of a post, like blog post, it&#8217;s articolo. It&#8217;s like article. Which kind of makes sense, but at the same time we do recognise that&#8217;s kind of weird in a world where any social media bit you publish is a post. So people are now familiar with the word post. So why don&#8217;t we just use it in WordPress? Because somebody years ago decided that we go with articolo and until, perhaps there&#8217;ll be in x time, a real reason to drop that translation that we set as standard, we&#8217;ll go with that.</p>



<p>But having a glossary also allows you to create much more consistent translations. So I like to say, we like to say, that polyglots, it&#8217;s really probably or maybe just because we want to float our boat. It&#8217;s probably the easiest team to get involved with if you want to help in the WordPress community, because you don&#8217;t necessarily need to know coding. You don&#8217;t necessarily need to be an expert.</p>



<p>Even in WordPress you could be a regular new user. Just have curiosity and will to help, and you can start pretty much anywhere. And when somebody&#8217;s new and it&#8217;s starting, all the entries that are in the glossary are already highlighted so that we help somebody suggesting new translation to stay consistent, and use the same terms that we already used over and over in tens, hundreds, thousands of strings all around the WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<p>[00:29:09] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I guess also, unlike many of the other teams, the enterprise of the work is fairly obvious in that you know that what you&#8217;ve got to do is look at one language, translate it into the other language, as best as you can, and rinse and repeat. So the enterprise is fairly straightforward.</p>



<p>And I&#8217;m also guessing that it&#8217;s fairly atomised. What I mean by that is there&#8217;s going to be portions of text which are relatively short. So it&#8217;s the kind of thing that you could dip in and out of. Whereas maybe some of the other teams, the approach would have to be much more, you know this thing is going to take hours and hours and hours. With translations, I could be wrong forgive me if I am, but it feels like if you had the inclination you could dip in for several minutes and still achieve something valuable, but it would only have consumed a few minutes of your day which most people could probably find.</p>



<p>[00:30:08] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Absolutely. Like I always keep some projects handy instead of playing wordle for the day. I open a plugin or something I&#8217;m curious about, or I want to help make available in Italian, and just punch in a few strings. But it&#8217;s really for everybody, like this is the message. It&#8217;s really for everybody and there&#8217;s no way you can break the internet by contributing because there&#8217;s like levels of contributors in the Polyglots team.</p>



<p>[00:30:41] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I was going to ask this. I thought this was an important point.</p>



<p>[00:30:44] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> So it&#8217;s safe, and can be really, you can take it as a game. Because if you have a wordpress.org account you can go, log in on translate.wordpress.org, pick a project and start suggesting translation for any project.</p>



<p>So in that case you&#8217;ll be contributing to a translation, but at that point you are not an editor for that specific project. So basically if somebody who just discovered that they can do this thing suggests a translation, an editor, and we have two main categories of levels of editors, they can review the translation and approve it. And now that bit of WordPress is yours. Like you contributed to WordPress and it&#8217;s the best feeling.</p>



<p>And usually, this is just a silly thing, but when a major version is coming out if you participate in translating the new strings for the new Core version, like 6.3 just few weeks ago. If your translation is approved you also get the warm fuzzy feeling of having your name in the WordPress translation credits.</p>



<p>[00:32:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s nice. I was curious about that because obviously the capacity to go in with your wordpress.org account and then just, well for want of a better word, and I hope it doesn&#8217;t happen all that often, but just to cause mayhem. Unless there was some sort of editorial hierarchical approach, where things entered a pending queue and then somebody with presumably more backstory in the translation team. So the longer you&#8217;ve been there, the more kudos you&#8217;ve built up, if you know what I mean, presumably the more responsibility you get.</p>



<p>I would imagine that that&#8217;s probably really required. You need people who are going to get a notification or something to say okay things have been amended, go back, have a look. And so they may not be involved in doing all the translations, but they&#8217;re presumably the ones that get to say actually that one looks fine, move on. That one looks fine. Hold on a minute there&#8217;s something weird there, let&#8217;s not publish that one. Something seems to be weird. Let&#8217;s just reverse it and go back to what we had previously. So there&#8217;s those processes going on.</p>



<p>[00:33:13] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah It&#8217;s actually something we&#8217;re continuously trying to improve because in a nutshell, there&#8217;s like regular contributor, like somebody that comes in and for example, right now one of the things we are working on is the Italian translation of the new Italian WordPress website. Because if you go to the Italian website today it does not look like the English version, because the theme was not made available yet. But it&#8217;s about to be available once the translation is completed.</p>



<p>So when I started with other contributors to translate that weeks ago, many strings were just version numbers. Like the page where WordPress versions are listed is version numbers, dates, and jazz musicians. So you don&#8217;t need to have like a specific knowledge of either English or jazz history or anything else to know that you can help with that bit of the translation.</p>



<p>So when it comes to other projects obviously there&#8217;s like hundreds, and possibly thousands, I would leave the possibly out because there&#8217;s thousands of plugins in the WordPress plugin repo. So everybody wants to be translated in other languages.</p>



<p>So at the top, let&#8217;s say with many quotes, at the top of the editor&#8217;s pyramid in the Polyglots team, that&#8217;s what we call GTEs, General Translation Editors, of which I&#8217;m one for the Italian team. Basically we have the power slash responsibility to proof and edit any string on any project related to WordPress. We can approve somebody&#8217;s suggested translation. We can edit a translation if something&#8217;s wrong or improper terms have been used in some way.</p>



<p>But one of the improvements we&#8217;ve been doing, thanks to the team that develops GlotPress, and the whole platform that powers the translations, is that for probably less than a year we now have like a feedback tool. When somebody suggests a translation, as an editor you now have a field where you can ask the person to make some changes. Like, can you please change this because? Like check the glossary. You know, you can give them a hint on how to improve their translation.</p>



<p>As new contributors get better at translating, and we see that their contributions are of course always welcome but the quality is good. If you want and if you show that your translation meets the standard we&#8217;re aiming for, you can become an editor for a specific project, which is usually a plugin or a theme.</p>



<p>So we have lots of people that are either developers that have a plugin that they want to translate into Italian. So they want to become editors for that project and that is called, that position let&#8217;s say, it&#8217;s called PTE like Project Translation Editor.</p>



<p>If you are a PTE you can approve all the strings for that specific project. So we love when somebody comes in and adopts their favorite plugin or theme that is not yet translated into their own language.</p>



<p>I think it&#8217;s a beautiful way of contributing. There&#8217;s several people I admire in the WordPress community. But people like Rich Tabor, Anders Noren who have been putting out for years themes for free for the community. Having those themes translated right away, or almost right away, when they&#8217;re released, I think it&#8217;s also our way of giving back, because I think it&#8217;s just a beautiful thing and it makes us community.</p>



<p>[00:37:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> There&#8217;s a little bit of quid pro quo there, isn&#8217;t there? Which I guess you based upon the endeavors that you&#8217;ve put in in the past.</p>



<p>I have a curious question in that, and again forgive me because of my English, as in British, proclivity. So I speak English, I confess in terms of any other language I have no skills whatsoever, so it may very well be that this team is kind of out of the question for me because I couldn&#8217;t manage to translate anything. But it makes me wonder, is it possible to pollinate languages outside of English into other languages?</p>



<p>So let&#8217;s say, for example that the Italian translations, like you&#8217;ve just said it sounds like your auspices and the team that you are working with, that those translations in many cases are done fairly rapidly. Which means that the Italian strings and translations could be looked at fairly swiftly as complete. Now if I don&#8217;t speak English but I do speak Italian and Japanese for example, is it possible to go in that direction? There has to be no single language which you are feeding from. Can you go from one language to another without having to have, let&#8217;s say, English in the mix?</p>



<p>[00:38:51] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Yeah I would say so. It&#8217;s something I&#8217;ve hardly done, but sometimes I have the same curiosity so I just didn&#8217;t follow what happened next after I suggested a string in like Spanish or French. Or I translated Louis Armstrong&#8217;s name into Norwegian let&#8217;s say .</p>



<p>I didn&#8217;t follow up to see if that string was approved, because if for Core versions the approved strings go into a big bucket and you get like a credit in the WordPress credit page of your localised version. But if you go check any plugin and check the translation for a specific language you can see who translated that plugin.</p>



<p>So somebody translated one string, somebody 200, and so on. So I think it&#8217;s quite possible that you can suggest a string in a language that is not yours, and if it&#8217;s correct that can be approved. I just didn&#8217;t follow what happened after that, but it&#8217;s possible.</p>



<p>[00:39:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah thank you. Just before we round it out I guess would be good to talk about the team itself and how you think about that. And then maybe move on to talking about how you can become involved. So I&#8217;ve got a few questions around that.</p>



<p>The first one is, are there enough people doing this work to make it so that you know you&#8217;re all just having a very nice time of it? There&#8217;s a few things to be done each day, or is it more a case, I guess you can speak to the Italian I don&#8217;t what it&#8217;s like elsewhere, but maybe as a part of the team you&#8217;ve heard discussions around this.</p>



<p>Are there enough people or does the team feel undersubscribed? Are you on the lookout constantly for new people? And are there any languages that you know of in particular or locales that you know of in particular that are crying out for help?</p>



<p>[00:40:44] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Well every language in any part of the world could use some help, definitely. We always have room for new people, and we&#8217;re very happy when folks join us so that we can do more in less time. And we&#8217;re happy when somebody joins and stays and is happy and gets rewarded by having their translations approved, and seeing that something is in your own language because you helped. That&#8217;s always great.</p>



<p>Sometimes I think we tend to think about WordPress as this huge, giant project that will be there no matter what, and is translated into my language because it has to be. Like, how can it be not available in Italian or so? But then when you go and see the numbers, I think the active general translation editors for Italian are about 15 people.</p>



<p>We have hundreds of contributors that range from somebody who translated two strings two years ago, to somebody that needs a plugin, like a specific plugin, localised because their business needs it. So they become editors and they contribute even just to that.</p>



<p>But there&#8217;s always room for new people in, and there&#8217;s like grunt work and weekly meetings where we hold Slack meetings, as all the WordPress community does. And having more people on board means that somebody else can host a weekly meeting. Otherwise it&#8217;s like 2, 3, 4 of us that rotate and do that. And it&#8217;s a pleasure, but sometimes you have life in your way.</p>



<p>We always make space for WordPress because we love the project, and it means so much to us. And to answer your question, the team itself, I think I can even speak beyond the Italian team, because like at Work Camp Europe I had the chance to meet other Polyglots from other countries, and the vibe is really good. Like it&#8217;s a non-competitive team. Anybody&#8217;s welcome, and in the Italian community we&#8217;re really kind of family. Like we have WhatsApp chats to check on each other, like we really develop friendly relationships. That&#8217;s part of what keeps us going, because you feel like part of a group that is nice to be around.</p>



<p>[00:43:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah that&#8217;s really nice to hear. It does strike me as a very, well I mean this may sound obvious, but it&#8217;s a very communicative team, because you are basically dealing in communication. So it&#8217;s really nice to hear that.</p>



<p>Just before we wrap up, you&#8217;ve said that there&#8217;s always a need for people to do this work. And you did, I think, mention it earlier but maybe it&#8217;s a good idea to mention it again. Where&#8217;s the best place to go to get involved? For somebody that&#8217;s never touched on this before, where would you direct them?</p>



<p>[00:43:51] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> The go-to place is always make.wordpress.org or wordpress.org. Somewhere in the navigation there&#8217;s either a make menu item or a get involved menu item. So just go there and pick your team. I would suggest Polyglots.</p>



<p>But really, every team, there&#8217;s like photography team. It&#8217;s something that did not really exist until a few years ago, and you can contribute to WordPress moderating photography or send in your photography so that everybody could use nice, copyright free, pictures. There&#8217;s really a space for everybody to help in every way. We like to be open and welcoming in WordPress. That&#8217;s really what we love.</p>



<p>[00:44:43] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Thank you. And finally, last question. If people wanted to get in touch with you. You may have a social media platform that you prefer to use or email address or a website, whatever it may be. Where do we get in touch with you?</p>



<p>[00:44:57] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> I&#8217;m on Slack as @Piermario. So on the WordPress Slack anybody can message me on the Italian, and the international Slack just with @ my name. I would say on what&#8217;s left of Twitter, I do have a weird handle because Piermario was taken. So my Twitter handle or X handle is succoallapera, which means pear juice, because I&#8217;m an avid pear juice drinker. And I would say that&#8217;s about it.</p>



<p>One day I will keep updating piermario.com, which I&#8217;m slowly rebuilding and using. Even as a kind of sandbox or block theme playground. But I have more ideas and drafts than actually published posts for now, but one day it&#8217;ll be more lively.</p>



<p>[00:45:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Piermario, thank you so much for chatting to us on the podcast about this really intriguing subject. I&#8217;ve learned a lot. Thank you very much for joining us.</p>



<p>[00:46:06] <strong>Piermario Orecchioni:</strong> Thank you so much and thanks again for having me.</p>
</div>



<p>On the podcast today we have <a href="https://twitter.com/succoallapera">Piermario Orecchioni</a>.</p>



<p>Piermario Orecchioni, a freelance web designer, resides in Italy and is deeply involved in the global WordPress community. His journey with WordPress began in early 2017 when he created his wordpress.org account. Among his many contributions, Piermario has focused primarily on the Polyglots team, which, if you didn’t know, deals with translations. His dedication and involvement in this aspect of the WordPress community have been important to him, and he shares more about his experiences with the team and how they work.</p>



<p>Piermario begins by questioning the moral and legal obligations of making websites available in multiple languages. Is it simply a nice thing to do, or are there legal reasons behind it? He sheds light on the importance of language localisation, especially when WordPress is used on government websites, to provide user-centric experiences.</p>



<p>But translating websites comes with its own set of challenges, and we discuss the difficulties in translating and reviewing strings in WordPress, where slight changes can lead to a large number of strings needing translations. He emphasises the need for maintaining consistency and standards in&nbsp; translations by having a glossary in each language.</p>



<p>We then talk about Piermario&#8217;s journey as a contributor to the Polyglots team. He highlights recent improvements in the translation process, thanks to the Glotpress translation platform.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We get into how the project is always on the lookout for new contributors, and discuss how they can become editors for specific projects if their translations meet the required quality standards.</p>



<p>We delve into the intricacies of language variations and the importance of localised translations.</p>



<p>Piermario reiterates that coding expertise is not necessary to this work; even newcomers with a curious mind and a willingness to help can contribute meaningfully. He paints a picture of how the work of translation is both accessible and beneficial, where short portions of text that can be tackled in small amounts of time.</p>



<p>We end with a discussion on the ongoing projects being translated, such as Learn WordPress and Openverse, which aim to reach a larger audience and make WordPress education accessible in multiple languages. Piermario shares insights into the Italian WordPress community and the process of translating plugins and themes.</p>



<p>So if you’re looking to help out translating WordPress, or are just interesting in hearing about a way you can contribute, this episode is for you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Useful links.</h2>



<p><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/">Polyglots team</a></p>



<p><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/for-locale-managers/rosetta-for-the-community/">Rosetta</a></p>



<p><a href="https://translate.wordpress.com/glotpress/">GlotPress</a></p>



<p><a href="https://translate.wordpress.org/">Translating WordPress</a></p>



<p><a href="https://openverse.org/">Openverse</a></p>



<p><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/">Learn WordPress</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.piermario.com/">Piermario&#8217;s website</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Nathan Wrigley";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:11;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:72:"Akismet: Lead Magnet Checklist: 12 Proven Steps &amp; Inspiring Examples";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"http://akismet.com/?p=281108";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"https://akismet.com/blog/lead-magnet-checklist/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:32781:"<p>Lead magnets are like the golden ticket to Willy Wonka&#8217;s Chocolate Factory. They&#8217;re the irresistible tease that offers specific value to a prospect. And, in exchange, they hand over their contact information. In other words, they generate&nbsp;leads. </p>



<p>But creating an effective lead magnet is not just about slapping together a quick guide or checklist. It requires careful planning, an in-depth understanding of your target audience, and a keen eye for what makes your offer&nbsp;irresistible.</p>



<p>And that&#8217;s where our lead magnet checklist will come in&nbsp;handy.</p>



<p>We&#8217;ll walk you through 12 proven steps to create lead magnets that not only generate leads but also convert them into loyal customers. Then we&#8217;ll share some inspiring lead magnet examples to help you visualize the&nbsp;process.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s dive&nbsp;in.</p>



<span id="more-281108"></span>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Clearly define your target&nbsp;audience</h2>



<p>The cornerstone of a successful lead magnet is a well-defined target audience. It&#8217;s not about appealing to everyone, but rather understanding and catering to a specific demographic that aligns with your&nbsp;offer.</p>



<p>Start by identifying their challenges. What are the issues they&#8217;re grappling&nbsp;with?</p>



<p>A study by <a href="https://www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salesforce</a> found that 56% of customers expect offers to be personalized and tailored to their needs, considering these qualities a must to win their&nbsp;business.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So by fully understanding these pain points, you can tailor your lead magnets to offer a solution, making them more enticing to your&nbsp;audience.</p>



<p>But you should pay attention to your customers&#8217; <em>interests</em> as well. What are they passionate about? What type of content do they engage with? Aligning your lead magnet with these interests can enhance its&nbsp;reception.</p>



<p>Specificity is key here. As Seth Godin famously said, &#8220;Everyone is not your customer.&#8221; The more precise you are when defining your target market, the more effective your lead magnet offer will&nbsp;be.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Example of a defined target&nbsp;audience</h3>



<p>For instance, if you&#8217;re a WordPress security services company, your target audience is likely to be WordPress site owners worried about security. They might fear hacking, data loss, or website downtime and be interested in website management, digital security trends, and WordPress&nbsp;tips.</p>



<p>A lead magnet offering a comprehensive guide to securing a WordPress site would likely resonate with this&nbsp;audience.</p>



<p>Understanding your audience is pivotal in creating a high converting lead magnet. So, invest time in research and truly get to know&nbsp;them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Ensure your lead magnet solves a&nbsp;problem</h2>



<p>The second step in our lead magnet checklist is to ensure it solves a real problem for your target audience —&nbsp;rather than just offering free&nbsp;stuff.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Customers usually realize they have a problem before they actively start looking for a vendor to solve it. So, your early touchpoints shouldn’t be all about selling your company or listing product&nbsp;features.</p>



<p>Instead, your lead magnet format should be designed to address these problems directly. It should offer a solution that is not only valuable, but also immediately actionable. The more effectively your lead magnets can solve a problem, the more likely your audience is to exchange their contact information for&nbsp;them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Example of a lead magnet that solves a&nbsp;problem</h3>



<p>For instance, if you’re a marketer promoting website design services, your offer might be an easy-to-follow guide on creating a high-converting website. Not only does it solve a real problem for your target audience, but also provides an actionable solution they can implement right&nbsp;away.</p>



<p>However, it&#8217;s not enough to just solve a problem. Your lead magnet should do so in a way that positions your product or service as the ultimate solution. This is where the concept of the &#8220;tripwire&#8221; comes&nbsp;in.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.activecampaign.com/glossary/tripwire-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tripwire</a> is a low-cost offer that gets customers in the door, which can then lead to more significant sales down the line. Solving a problem with your lead magnet can set up a tripwire, showing your audience that you can provide value and solve their problems, which can then lead to them becoming paying&nbsp;customers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Offer information that’s not readily available&nbsp;elsewhere</h2>



<p>In a world where information is just a Google search away, it&#8217;s vital to offer something unique to your audience. Your lead magnet should provide information that isn&#8217;t readily available elsewhere or presents it in a unique, more accessible, or more comprehensive&nbsp;way.</p>



<p>According to a <a href="https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2018/10/research-b2b-audience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study by the Content Marketing Institute</a>, 96% of highly successful content marketers stated that their audience considers their organization as a reliable and trustworthy source. They established this trust by creating unique and excellent quality content that is not available&nbsp;elsewhere.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How to develop a reliable and trustworthy&nbsp;reputation</h3>



<p>To build up such a reputation, you could offer an in-depth guide on a niche topic, a comprehensive case study with unique insights, or a proprietary tool or template that you&#8217;ve created. This exclusive content not only attracts your audience but also positions your brand as an industry&nbsp;expert.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Create a strong, enticing&nbsp;headline</h2>



<p>The headline of your lead magnet is often the first thing your audience sees, and it can make or break their decision to engage&nbsp;further.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Copyblogger</a>, on average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This underscores the importance of a compelling&nbsp;headline.</p>



<p>Your headline should be clear, concise, and communicate the value of your lead magnet. It should tell your audience exactly what they&#8217;ll get and why it&#8217;s beneficial to them. A strong headline often includes a powerful action verb, a clear benefit, and a sense of urgency or&nbsp;scarcity.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Pro-tip: </strong>Sometimes, what works on social media may also grab attention on your site. Draw from your most successful social media ads when working on copy for your next set of great lead&nbsp;magnets.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Example of a strong, enticing headline and effective lead&nbsp;magnet</h3>



<p>Take a look at this example from education brand <a href="https://heggerty.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer&nbsp;noopener">Heggerty</a>:</p>



<img width="1600" height="841" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-1.png" alt="Heggerty homepage" class="wp-image-281110" />



<p>Their website’s homepage features a compelling headline that’s simple, but captivating. It immediately summarizes what they can offer to their&nbsp;audience.</p>



<p>But they also have a great offer on their banner that promotes a free download of special summer curriculum. It’s a great way to further develop their relationship with key prospects —&nbsp;educators in need to quality language&nbsp;curriculum.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Remember the headline is where you make your first impression. So make it count by ensuring it&#8217;s compelling, clear, and communicates the value of your lead&nbsp;magnet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Encourage action with an irresistible&nbsp;CTA</h2>



<p>A call to action (CTA) is the final nudge that propels the audience towards a desired action. It&#8217;s the climax of your content, the point where the audience decides to either engage further or move on. So it&#8217;s essential to get this right and make your CTA as irresistible as&nbsp;possible.</p>



<p>There are multiple things you can do to craft an effective CTA. Let&#8217;s take a&nbsp;look.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Be explicit and&nbsp;precise</h3>



<p>Your CTA should be unambiguous and precise about the next steps. Instead of a generic &#8220;Learn more,&#8221; opt for specific phrases like &#8220;Download our free guide now&#8221; or &#8220;Start your free trial today.&#8221; This clarity can guide your audience towards the desired&nbsp;action.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Instill a sense of&nbsp;urgency</h3>



<p>A sense of urgency can prompt your audience to act immediately rather than delay. Phrases like &#8220;Limited time offer&#8221; or &#8220;Only a few spots left&#8221; can induce a fear of missing out (FOMO), encouraging immediate&nbsp;action.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Employ persuasive&nbsp;language</h3>



<p>The language of your CTA should be compelling. Use powerful command verbs like &#8220;Discover,&#8221; &#8220;Join,&#8221; or &#8220;Start&#8221; to persuade your audience to take&nbsp;action.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ensure it stands&nbsp;out</h3>



<p>Your CTA should be visually prominent. Use contrasting colors, large fonts, and sufficient white space around your CTA to make it stand out on the&nbsp;page.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Highlight the value&nbsp;proposition</h3>



<p>Your audience is more likely to respond to your CTA if they perceive it as valuable. Emphasize the benefits they&#8217;ll receive by taking the desired&nbsp;action.</p>



<p>The effectiveness of a CTA can significantly influence the success of your content marketing strategy, so spend time crafting and testing different CTAs to see what works best for your&nbsp;audience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Use bullet points to outline key benefits or&nbsp;features</h2>



<p>Bullet points are a powerful tool in your lead magnet garage. They allow you to succinctly and clearly communicate the key benefits or features of your&nbsp;offer.</p>



<p>But you&#8217;ll definitely want to keep them concise. Bullet points should be short and to the point. Avoid long, complex sentences. Your audience should be able to quickly scan the list and understand the value of your&nbsp;offer.</p>



<p>And don&#8217;t use bullet points to lay out all the features of your offer. Focus on benefits instead. While features are important, what your audience really cares about is how your offer will benefit them. For example, instead of saying &#8220;Our eBook has 100 recipes,&#8221; say &#8220;Discover 100 meals that save time and impress&nbsp;guests.&#8221;</p>



<p>Making use of action words is a must as well. Just as with your CTA, start your bullet points with action verbs to make them more engaging and persuasive. So phrases like &#8220;Boost your website traffic,&#8221; or &#8220;Transform your marketing strategy,&#8221; are good&nbsp;options.</p>



<p>Vague promises won&#8217;t convince your audience to take you up on the offer. So be specific about what it includes. For example: &#8220;Learn the 5-step process to double your website traffic in 30&nbsp;days.&#8221;</p>



<p>Finally, think about what makes your offer different from others. Highlight this in your bullet points to show your audience why your lead magnet is worth their&nbsp;time.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The goal of bullet points when promoting a lead&nbsp;magnet</h3>



<p>Your goal here is to quickly communicate the value of your lead magnet and convince your audience to commit. So, make your bullet points clear, compelling, and focused on the benefits your audience will&nbsp;receive.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Include social proof to build&nbsp;credibility</h2>



<p>When people see others doing something, they assume it&#8217;s the right thing to do and follow suit. This is called social proof. Even for a good lead magnet that’s already performing well, having social proof can make it more credible and&nbsp;appealing.</p>



<p>You can incorporate social proof into most lead magnets in a number of ways,&nbsp;including:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Testimonials</strong>. Include testimonials from satisfied customers who have benefited from your offer. Make sure these are specific and highlight the value of your lead magnet. For example, &#8220;This guide helped me double my website traffic in just 30 days!&#8221;</li>



<li><strong>Case studies</strong>. If applicable, include case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of your offer. Case studies provide concrete evidence of your claims and can be very persuasive.</li>



<li><strong>Endorsements</strong>. If your lead magnet has been endorsed or reviewed positively by industry experts, influencers, or reputable sources, be sure to highlight this.</li>



<li><strong>User statistics</strong>. If you have impressive user statistics, such as a large number of downloads, subscribers, or active users, include these in your lead magnet. This shows that your offer is popular and trusted by many.</li>



<li><strong>Certifications or awards</strong>. If your offer or your company has received any certifications or awards, these can serve as strong social proof.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">An example of social proof when promoting a lead&nbsp;magnet</h3>



<p>A great example of a few of these social proof tactics come from <a href="https://jayclouse.com">Jay Clouse&#8217;s&nbsp;website</a>.</p>



<img width="1000" height="518" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-2.png" alt="Jay Clouse website showcasing social proof" class="wp-image-281111" />



<p>The home page includes some impressive user statistics, &#8220;Join 22,000+ creators&#8230;&#8221; as well as endorsements, &#8220;Called &#8216;Exceptional&#8217; by Weber, and &#8216;Delightful&#8217; by&nbsp;ConvertKit.&#8221;</p>



<p>Social proof helps your audience see that others have found value in your offer, making them more likely to see its value, too. So, don&#8217;t be shy about showcasing your achievements and positive&nbsp;feedback.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Create a sense of urgency or limited-time&nbsp;availability</h2>



<p>Creating a sense of urgency or limited availability is a powerful psychological trigger that can significantly increase the conversion rate of your lead&nbsp;magnet.</p>



<p>The simplest way to do this is to set up a limited-time offer. When you make your lead magnet available for a limited time, your audience may feel that they need to act quickly, or they&#8217;ll miss&nbsp;out.</p>



<p>But you could opt for a limited quantity method instead. Both ways create a sense of exclusivity and&nbsp;urgency.</p>



<p>Another option is to display a countdown timer to put the pressure on. A countdown timer visually represents the limited availability of your offer, creating a sense of urgency. You can use a countdown timer on your landing page or in your email&nbsp;marketing.</p>



<p>And you can&#8217;t forget about the appeal of seasonal offers. If your lead magnet is tied to a specific season or event, this can naturally create a sense of urgency. For example, a &#8220;Holiday Marketing Guide&#8221; would naturally be limited to the holiday&nbsp;season.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Scarcity is important, but authenticity is&nbsp;key</h3>



<p>Creating urgency can encourage your audience to act quickly. However, it&#8217;s important to be genuine and not create false urgency, as this can damage your credibility. Always follow through on your promises and make sure your offer delivers value — no matter how long it&#8217;s&nbsp;available.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. Add an explainer video to engage&nbsp;users</h2>



<p>Video content continues to dominate. According to research conducted by <a href="https://wyzowl.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/pdfs/Wyzowl-Video-Survey-2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wyzowl</a>, consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. Adding an explainer video to your lead magnet can increase engagement and help your conversion&nbsp;rate.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s how you can maximize your&nbsp;video:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Keep it short and sweet</strong>. Your explainer video should be concise and to the point. Aim for a length of 1 to 2 minutes. Remember, the goal is to pique interest and encourage the viewer to download your lead magnet, not to provide a comprehensive overview.</li>



<li><strong>Focus on benefits</strong>. Just like written content, your video should focus on the benefits of your offer, not just the features. What problem does your lead magnet solve? How will it improve the viewer&#8217;s life or business?</li>



<li><strong>Include a clear call to action</strong>. At the end of your video, include a clear and compelling call to action. Encourage viewers to download your lead magnet and tell them exactly how to do it.</li>



<li><strong>Make it professional</strong>. While you don&#8217;t need a Hollywood-level production, your video should be professional and high-quality. Poor audio or video quality can detract from your message and harm your credibility.</li>



<li><strong>Optimize for mobile</strong>. Many of your viewers will be watching on mobile devices, so make sure your video is optimized for mobile viewing.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why explainer videos are effective for promoting lead&nbsp;magnets</h3>



<p>An explainer video is an opportunity to engage your audience differently and provide them with a quick, visual overview of your offer. Make it engaging, informative, and fun, and as long as it&#8217;s on-brand, you really can&#8217;t go wrong&nbsp;here.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Offer a sneak peek preview to entice&nbsp;users</h2>



<p>Giving your audience a sneak peek of your lead magnet&#8217;s content can be a powerful way to entice them to sign up. It&#8217;s like letting them take a test drive before they commit to the full&nbsp;product.</p>



<p>You can make the most of your sneak peek preview by implementing the&nbsp;following:&nbsp;</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Choose a high-value section</strong>. You don’t have to start at the beginning. Choose a section of your lead magnet that provides high value and showcases the quality of your content. This could be a particularly insightful chapter, a useful checklist, or a compelling case study.</li>



<li><strong>Make it accessible</strong>. Provide this sneak peek in an easily accessible format. This could be a downloadable PDF, a video walkthrough, or even a blog post behind a membership wall.</li>



<li><strong>Highlight the value</strong>. Make sure it&#8217;s clear to your audience what value they&#8217;re getting from this sneak peek. What will they learn? How will it benefit them?</li>



<li><strong>Include a call to action</strong>. At the end of your sneak peek, include a clear call to action encouraging your audience to sign up for the full lead magnet. Remind them of the additional value they&#8217;ll get by signing up.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Example of a sneak preview that promotes a lead&nbsp;magnet</h3>



<p>You can implement this in a number of ways, but one option is to tease the free preview as a sidebar or slide-in element. On the <a href="https://angerman.online/product/healing-anger-transforming-anger-into-growth-ebook/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moose Anger Management website</a>, they offer a free preview of an eBook about &#8220;healing&nbsp;anger&#8221;.</p>



<img width="1000" height="516" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-3.png" alt="sneak preview lead capture example" class="wp-image-281112" />



<p>When someone clicks the red button on the left hand side of the screen, an opt-in form slides into view where they can input their name and email address to review the free&nbsp;download.</p>



<p>A sneak peek gives your audience a risk-free way to experience the value of your lead magnet. If they like what they see, they&#8217;ll be much more likely to sign up for the full&nbsp;offer.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">11. Keep your opt-in form short and&nbsp;simple</h2>



<p>The opt-in form is the gateway between your audience and your lead magnet. If it&#8217;s too long or complicated, you risk losing potential&nbsp;leads.</p>



<p>To do keep your forms short and sweet, you&nbsp;can:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Ask only for the essentials</strong>. The more information you ask for, the less likely people are to complete your form. Stick to the essentials, like name and email address. If you need more information for your marketing efforts, consider asking for it after they&#8217;ve signed up.</li>



<li><strong>Keep your messaging to-the-point</strong>. Make sure it&#8217;s clear what your audience is signing up for. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon.</li>



<li><strong>Make it fast to complete</strong>. The quicker your form is to complete, the more likely people are to do it. Use pre-filled fields, dropdown menus, and checkboxes to make it as easy as possible.</li>



<li><strong>Test your form on mobile devices</strong>. Many of your audience members will be accessing your form on a mobile device. Make sure your form is easy to complete on a small screen.</li>



<li><strong>Include a privacy statement</strong>. Reassure your audience that their information is safe with you. Include a brief privacy statement or link to your full privacy policy.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why your opt-in forms should be&nbsp;short</h3>



<p>The goal of your opt-in form is to convert website visitors into leads. So by keeping it short, simple, and user-friendly, you&#8217;ll maximize your chances of&nbsp;success.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">12. Avoid using CAPTCHA in your opt-in&nbsp;form</h2>



<p>It’s common to see CAPTCHAs used on opt-in forms. They act as a security measure to distinguish human users from bots. And they serve a purpose in improving website security. But they also present several challenges that can negatively impact user experience and conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<p>For starters, <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/do-captcha-and-recaptcha-protect-wordpress-sites-from-bots/">CAPTCHA</a> can be challenging for those with visual impairments. Traditional CAPTCHA often involves identifying obscured text in an image, a task that is difficult for users who rely on screen readers to interpret web&nbsp;content.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Screen readers, being machines, are unable to decipher text in an image, making CAPTCHA inaccessible to these&nbsp;users.</p>



<p>A CAPTCHA can also create a <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/wordpress-captcha/">frustrating user experience</a>. The distorted characters used in CAPTCHA can be hard to decipher, leading to false positives where real humans are incorrectly identified as bots. This can be particularly challenging for people with certain cognitive disorders, such as&nbsp;dyslexia.</p>



<p>And that&#8217;s to say nothing of the fact that CAPTCHA can be easily bypassed with sophisticated bots, rendering the security measure ineffective. This means that, while it poses a challenge to human users, it may not effectively keep out the very bots it&#8217;s designed to&nbsp;deter.</p>



<p>Combine all this with potentially slower page load times, and you&#8217;re likely to drive prospective customers away with all the&nbsp;inconveniences.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">An alternative to the dreaded&nbsp;CAPTCHA</h3>



<p>But a powerful tool like <a href="https://akismet.com">Akismet</a> can solve all of these problems! Akismet is an AI-powered spam filtering service that provides automatic spam protection without interrupting the user experience.&nbsp;.</p>



<img width="1000" height="545" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-4.png" alt="Akismet homepage with information about the tool " class="wp-image-281113" />



<p>Akismet works by checking all form submissions against its global database of spam to prevent your site from accepting or publishing malicious content. It can effectively <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/best-anti-spam-wordpress-plugins-compared/">block spam submissions</a> without the need for CAPTCHA, thereby improving the user experience and potentially leading to higher conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<p>While CAPTCHA serves a purpose, its negative impact on user experience and conversion rates cannot be overlooked. And with a powerful alternative like Akismet that offers a more user-friendly solution, why wouldn&#8217;t you choose to use&nbsp;it?</p>



<p>Of all the tools that can improve your existing content to generate more leads, this may just be the most&nbsp;powerful.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Real-world examples of powerful lead&nbsp;magnets</h2>



<p>Do you need inspiration for creating an effective lead magnet? Below are some powerful lead magnet examples used by real-world&nbsp;businesses.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Gravy for the&nbsp;Brain</h3>



<img width="1000" height="735" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-5.png" alt="lead capture from Gravy for the Brain " class="wp-image-281154" />



<p>The <a href="https://usa.gravyforthebrain.com/business-book-download/">Gravy for the Brain</a> website is devoted to helping voice over artists establish careers for themselves through courses, webinars, and mentoring forums. They also offer a business eBook as one of their lead magnets to encourage people to sign up for additional&nbsp;tips.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. The Art of Aaron&nbsp;Blaise</h3>



<img width="1000" height="586" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-6.png" alt="lead capture from the Art of Aaron Blaise" class="wp-image-281155" />



<p>Another unique lead magnet idea comes from an offer on <a href="https://creatureartteacher.com/bears/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Art of Aaron Blaise</a>. Blaise is an artist who offers animation lessons, drawing tutorials, and digital painting courses. To encourage people to sign up for his email list, he currently offers a lead magnet consisting of a free &#8220;How to Draw Elephants&#8221; PDF and Photoshop sketching&nbsp;brushes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Digital&nbsp;Trombone</h3>



<img width="1000" height="571" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-7.png" alt="lead capture from Digital Trombone" class="wp-image-281156" />



<p>Great lead magnet ideas can be leveraged for every niche and specialty. Just take a look at the <a href="https://www.digitaltrombone.com/newsletter-sign-up-free-trombone-course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Digital Trombone</a> website. Trombone player and instructor, Anders Larson, offers a free 10-day trombone course when you sign up for his&nbsp;newsletter.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FAQs about lead&nbsp;magnets</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. What is a lead magnet, and why is it important for my&nbsp;business?</h3>



<p>A lead magnet is a valuable resource that businesses offer to potential customers in exchange for their contact information, typically an email address. This resource could be an eBook, a checklist, a webinar, or any other piece of content that provides&nbsp;value.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Lead magnets are great for businesses because they help build an email list of potential customers that you can nurture into paying customers. They also allow businesses to provide value upfront, establishing trust and&nbsp;credibility.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. What are the key components of an effective landing page for my lead&nbsp;magnet?</h3>



<p>An effective landing page for your lead magnet should have a compelling headline, a brief but persuasive description of the lead magnet, a clear and enticing call-to-action (CTA), and an easy-to-complete opt-in&nbsp;form.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It&#8217;s also beneficial to include social proof, such as testimonials or case studies, to build credibility. The page should also be visually appealing and easy to&nbsp;navigate.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. How can I optimize my opt-in form to maximize&nbsp;conversions?</h3>



<p>To maximize conversions, keep your opt-in form short and simple. It should absolutely be just one page. Ask for only the essential information, typically just an email address. Make sure your CTA is clear and compelling, encouraging users to submit their information. And avoid using CAPTCHA, as it can create a barrier for users and potentially decrease&nbsp;conversions.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. How can I add spam protection to my opt-in&nbsp;form?</h3>



<p>You can add spam protection to your opt-in form by using a service like Akismet —&nbsp;a <a href="https://akismet.com/features/">spam filtering service</a> that checks all form submissions against its global database of spam. It can effectively block spam submissions without the need for CAPTCHA, improving the user experience and potentially leading to higher conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<img width="1600" height="830" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/09/image-8.png" alt="Akismet landing page with the text " />



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. What is Akismet, and how can it help with form conversion&nbsp;rates?</h3>



<p>Akismet is a spam filtering service that skips the use of CAPTCHAs and can provide a more user-friendly solution to form security. It works by checking all form submissions against its global database of spam to prevent your site from accepting or publishing malicious&nbsp;content.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This can help prevent false positives and minimize user frustration, especially from those with visual or cognitive impairments, or who find CAPTCHAs&nbsp;confusing.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. What types of companies generally use&nbsp;Akismet?</h3>



<p>Akismet is trusted by a wide range of companies, from small businesses to <a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/">large enterprises</a>. It&#8217;s used by over 100 million sites worldwide, including trusted brands like Microsoft, <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/convertkit-customerstory/">ConvertKit</a>, and Bluehost. These companies rely on Akismet to protect their forms from spam, providing a better user experience and helping to maximize conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Akismet: Non-intrusive anti-spam for lead capture&nbsp;forms</h2>



<p>Lead magnets are a powerful tool for attracting quality leads and growing your email list. While there’s no such thing as a perfect lead magnet, following the tips in this article can get you pretty&nbsp;close.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the effectiveness of your lead magnets will be significantly influenced by the user experience you provide. From the clarity of your target audience definition to the strength of your headline, every detail&nbsp;matters.</p>



<p>One crucial aspect that often gets overlooked is the user experience of your opt-in form. CAPTCHA, while designed to protect your forms from spam, can often create barriers for genuine users, leading to frustration and lower conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s where Akismet can save the day. As a trusted spam filtering service used by over 100 million sites worldwide, Akismet offers a user-friendly solution to form security. It effectively blocks spam submissions without the need for CAPTCHA, providing a smoother user experience and higher conversion&nbsp;rates.</p>



<p>So, if you&#8217;re looking to optimize your lead magnet and maximize your conversion rates, <a href="https://akismet.com/pricing/">consider Akismet</a> for your form security. It&#8217;s a quick change that could make a big difference in your lead generation&nbsp;efforts.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 04 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Jen Swisher";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:12;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:133:"WPTavern: Contentious Review Process Leads Ollie Theme to Remove Innovative Onboarding Features, Amid Stagnating Block Theme Adoption";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149749";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:143:"https://wptavern.com/contentious-review-process-leads-ollie-theme-to-remove-innovative-onboarding-features-amid-stagnating-block-theme-adoption";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14629:"<p>Mike McAlister, creator of the <a href="https://olliewp.com/">free Ollie theme</a>, will be dropping the innovative onboarding features from the theme in favor of putting them into a separate plugin after <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-faces-pushback-from-wordpress-theme-review-team">facing pushback during the review</a> for inclusion in WordPress.org&#8217;s Themes Directory.</p>



<p>During what McAlister described as an &#8220;unnecessarily contentious&#8221; <a href="https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/149883">review process</a> that turned unproductive and combative at certain points, and where he even <a href="https://twitter.com/carolinapoena/status/1707128165808713756?s=20">became the target of subtweets</a> from a dissenting reviewer, his team decided it was not the right time to move forward with getting the whole experience approved as originally planned.</p>



<p>McAlister published his decision to WordPress&#8217; Theme Review Slack channel:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>We’re going to forgo putting the onboarding feature into the Ollie theme for .org.</p>



<p>While we appreciate the flexibility and open-mindedness to considering an exception for it, ultimately, it seems like it might not be the right time on the directory.</p>



<p>Maybe in the future the directory has a more defined path for experiments like this, but right now it has a potential to be a burden to reviewers and other theme developers. Not to mention a very lively (and sometimes unnecessarily contentious) discussion that distracts from the excitement and positivity around block themes and Ollie. We don’t want that! That’s a lot of energy we could be using to bring something like this to core one day.</p>



<p>Until then, we’re figuring out what the next steps are, but it looks like we’re going to continue with Ollie on the directory (sans onboarding) while we figure out how to deliver the onboarding experience via a plugin mechanism.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>McAlister&#8217;s decision comes as a surprise after he received the green light from WordPress project leader Matt Mullenweg, who encouraged Ollie&#8217;s approval as an experiment, and WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy, who <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RP4Y3K/p1696000530445789">attempted to embolden McAlister towards giving the experiment a chance</a>. He also found the support of several forward-thinking members of the Themes team and much of the wider community.</p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The rules are based on prior data, when something novel or new comes up that resonants with users we should be willing to try something else, even the opposite of what we did before, to make a new decision. Fine to allow 1-3 themes like this through and observe.</p>&mdash; Matt Mullenweg (@photomatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/photomatt/status/1707794756468896068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&#8220;I would not be a good steward of our community of users if I didn’t suggest that getting the whole thing into the repo so it’s easy to find and use is the best experience for them,&#8221; Chomphosy said.</p>



<p>&#8220;There’s some risk to adding it as-is to the repo. But the potential upside, I think, is pretty substantial.</p>



<p>&#8220;If we’re not wanting to include it because we are worried that in the future we won’t have the skills to review more of them, then that’s not exactly the theme’s problem. That’s something where we should equip our reviewers for the future as best we can.&#8221;</p>



<p>She also suggested another option where the theme moves forward without removing the onboarding while contributors work towards WordPress core creating a standard for providing better onboarding experiences. </p>



<p>&#8220;We get the theme in (including the onboarding) and in parallel start a feature plugin process to move the onboarding to be Core-first,&#8221; Chomphosy said.</p>



<p>&#8220;That’s bold, I realize. But also, I did tell the entire hosting community at Cloudfest that if they wanted to one thing to help WP succeed, it was &#8216;better onboarding&#8217; and if they wanted to do two things, the second was &#8216;better time to launch.”</p>



<p>Putting the onboarding solution into a plugin would reduce the long-term burden of maintenance and create a lower risk of failure from the theme, as Merlin WP themes onboarding wizard creator Rich Tabor <a href="https://twitter.com/richard_tabor/status/1707775941466837232">contends</a>, but nobody knows how long it will be before core can offer a standard solution. By then WordPress may have missed many opportunities to seamlessly onboard more block theme users. </p>



<p>Chomphosy&#8217;s suggestion of going ahead with the experiment in the theme while simultaneously working on a core solution allows theme authors to use training wheels to keep the momentum of block theme adoption going until a better, more elegant solution is available in core. </p>



<p>WordPress leadership&#8217;s public approval was critical in this instance after the unwelcoming experience McAlister had in trying to get his free theme approved for the directory. He cited other factors regarding negative perception that influenced his decision.</p>



<p>&#8220;There is a lot of subtle and not so subtle pressure from some higher visibility folks that feel strongly that this shouldn’t be in a theme,&#8221; McAlister said. &#8220;And I don’t want those relationships to degrade as a result of how this might play out.&#8221;</p>



<p>McAlister said he is still interested in bringing the onboarding experience to WordPress.org as a plugin, where it can be studied and experimented with, but isn&#8217;t sure how soon that can happen given the long delays in plugin reviews. The current queue has 1,247 plugins awaiting review, with wait time for an initial review at 103+ days.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Evolving Theme Reviews: WordPress.org Must Stop Alienating Innovators While Block Theme Adoption Is Stagnating</h3>



<p>Although WordPress leadership was quick to respond in support of experimentation, recalcitrant plugin reviewers, clinging to antiquated rules written for Classic Themes, had already driven Ollie&#8217;s innovation away with their chilly, unfriendly reception.</p>



<p>Mullenweg has historically communicated his support for experimenting with themes on multiple occasions, encouraging developers to do novel things with WordPress that may not fit within the guidelines. In 2015, he went so far as to <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RP4Y3K/p1432861605003292">say</a>, &#8220;I am completely okay with having something in the directory that breaks every guideline, as long as it’s interesting.&#8221;</p>



<p>A few months later in 2015, he <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RP4Y3K/p1438195918001732">recommended the review team</a> &#8220;try to think of it as a more general opening up to interesting things that might not fit the guidelines but are novel and warrant inclusion in our directory.&#8221; </p>



<p>At that time, Mullenweg encouraged the team to step back and examine the submission process and the directory in a new way that would encourage creativity among theme authors with fewer guidelines and restrictions.</p>



<p>A fundamental culture change is necessary for this team and long overdue. It should be a matter of urgency at this point, given the tone of reviewers in <a href="https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/149883">Ollie&#8217;s trac ticket</a>. Theme reviews should bend more towards enabling innovators instead of preserving familiar processes. The response to theme authors trying new things should be friendly and helpful, especially when those new things stand to greatly benefit users. The process should not be burdensome to creators who are trying to offer their work for free.</p>



<p>&#8220;As I mentioned earlier in the thread, another important note is that our vision for the onboarding — some of the features that people loved about it — were removed during this long review process,&#8221; McAlister said. &#8220;So even if it went live today, it doesn’t quite reach its maximum potential as is. And if we started adding some of those features back, I feel we’d be mired in more back and forth.&#8221;</p>



<p>This situation should be a wake up call for the review team, as WordPress&#8217; best product creators are watching to see how this plays out when considering where to distribute their best work.</p>



<p>A recent spreadsheet created by Munich-based digital agency owner Hendrik Luehrsen <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11X38e9w86XcgT4tybqfjKhrL0PIbDlIsUEJwLiKtJ7Q/edit#gid=931695972">tracks the usage of themes with the FSE tag</a>. It shows that WordPress block theme adoption is stagnating, if not in full decline. In September 2023, the total number of active installs for block themes declined for the first time since Luehrsen started tracking. The average installs by theme are also slowly and steadily declining. This could be related to the growth of the number of FSE themes available, as active installs would presumably be spread across more themes, but the number of FSE themes is growing at a glacial pace.</p>



<p>&#8220;I would say it’s too early to assume definitive decline,&#8221; Luehrsen said. &#8220;But we’re most certainly not growing the FSE usage.&#8221;</p>



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<img width="1978" height="536" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screen-Shot-2023-10-03-at-8.57.21-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149806" />



<p>&#8220;Having run a number of block theme training courses, I&#8217;m not at all surprised,&#8221; Pootlepress founder Jamie Marsland <a href="https://twitter.com/pootlepress/status/1707820106556867027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1707835806763622467%7Ctwgr%5E36cba479119394838ab431c2ac491926810ecd2b%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwptavern.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D149749action%3Dedit">said</a>. &#8220;Until Block Themes get easier to use for beginners, my guess is the numbers won&#8217;t change significantly. The dev team should try running a training course and see for themselves.&#8221;</p>



<p>Marsland recently <a href="https://www.pootlepress.com/2023/09/wordpress-block-themes-versus-classic-themes/">interviewed</a> McAlister, discussing some of the reasons for the slow uptake in block themes. Their adoption is hindered by a lack of effective marketing for their innovative features as well as the complexities involved in creating a block theme that fully supports everything a user can imagine doing with the block editor.  McAlister highlighted the necessity to create more user-friendly experiences and the importance of onboarding and better education for those using and making block themes.</p>



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<p>&#8220;I’m not kidding when I’m saying it’s in all our interests to start making sure this becomes better soon,&#8221; Joost de Valk <a href="https://twitter.com/jdevalk/status/1707835806763622467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1707835806763622467%7Ctwgr%5E36cba479119394838ab431c2ac491926810ecd2b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwptavern.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D149749action%3Dedit">said</a> in response to the latest figures from the spreadsheet tracking FSE usage. &#8220;WP stands to lose market share if we don’t get better soon.&#8221;</p>



<p>With block themes struggling to gain adoption, WordPress should be doing everything it can to enable any block theme that improves the user experience, especially in the absence of a core solution for onboarding. It&#8217;s important to remember that when major versions of WordPress are released, the only people who can take advantage of the latest and greatest editor features are those whose sites are using a block theme. After three years, WordPress.org block theme installs only account for 1.7 million sites out of an estimated <a href="https://colorlib.com/wp/wordpress-statistics/">810 million</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;As someone who has been trying to get block themes to be adopted by a wider audience from early, I feel onboarding/switching to block themes is a big hurdle for users still,&#8221; ElmaStudio co-creator Ellen Baer <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RP4Y3K/p1696321112372359?thread_ts=1696000530.445789&cid=C02RP4Y3K">said</a> in the conversation in the Theme Review Slack channel.</p>



<p>&#8220;I personally would love to see a core solution, a standarized way that all block theme users can get familiar with. I feel unfortunately while building the site editor experience this point has been missing and block theme authors are seeing the user struggling to get started.</p>



<p>&#8220;I feel a bit sad that a positive innovation that helps block themes and the site editor to gain more momentum (which is what we really need) is dragged into a discussion that seemed at least from the outside not to be a productive or positive one at times.&#8221;</p>



<p>McAlister&#8217;s attempt to improve WordPress.org theme users&#8217; onboarding experience was unsuccessful but he inadvertently highlighted some areas where the culture and process around theme reviews has stagnated and become counterproductive. This failure shed light on the need for a more dynamic, user-centric approach, as well as a reassessment of the current guidelines by which the team appears to be bizarrely and inextricably bound despite years of encouragement to experiment.</p>



<p>&#8220;There is a deep, deep desire for evolution of the theme directory,&#8221; McAlister said. &#8220;I think we’ve always known this, but after wading through weeks of commentary, it’s clear to me that we’ve neglected it far too long. The theme pages should be at least as good as the plugin pages, the theme demos aren’t selling the value of themes, etc.</p>



<p>&#8220;The hardline approach and the echos of longstanding esoteric debates need relaxing. Users largely don’t care about the theme vs plugin debate, they want to design and publish faster. That’s not to say we throw these things out, but we have to ask if they’re serving WordPress users in the ways we think they are.&#8221;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 04 Oct 2023 03:19:36 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:13;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:40:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.4 Beta 2";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=16065";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/wordpress-6-4-beta-2/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8146:"<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 2 is now available for testing!</p>



<p><strong>This beta version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended you evaluate Beta 2 on a test server and site.</p>



<p>You can test WordPress 6.4 Beta 2 in four ways:</p>



<ol>
<li><strong>Plugin</strong>: Install and activate the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install (select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</li>



<li><strong>Direct download</strong>: Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.4-beta2.zip">Beta 2 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</li>



<li><strong>Command line</strong>: Use the following <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command:<br /><code>wp core update --version=6.4-beta2</code></li>
</ol>



<p>The current target for the final release of WordPress 6.4 is <strong>November 7, 2023</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-4/">6.4 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-4/">6.4-related posts</a> in the coming weeks for more information.</p>



<p>The WordPress 6.4 release is brought to you by an <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/06/05/wordpress-6-4-development-cycle/">underrepresented gender release squad</a> to increase participation and partnership with those who identify as gender-underrepresented in the WordPress open source project.</p>



<p><strong>Want to know what&#8217;s new in WordPress 6.4?</strong> <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">Read the Beta 1 announcement</a> and tune into <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/episode-63-a-wordpress-6-4-sneak-peek/">Episode 63 of the WP Briefing podcast</a> for details.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to get involved with testing</h2>



<p>Your help testing the WordPress 6.4 Beta 2 version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">This guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.4.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/blob/a854e6e7a2a49a6b1ec5ef377c756a30e1c7ac5a/lib/experimental/fonts/font-library/README.md">Font Library feature</a>, currently available in <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">Gutenberg 16.7</a>, requires more testing and feedback to ensure it is ready for inclusion in the upcoming 6.4 release. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/10/03/help-test-the-font-library/">Check out this guide for detailed test instructions</a>.</p>



<p>If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">Alpha/Beta area</a> of the support forums or directly to <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">WordPress Trac</a> if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major">known bugs</a>.</p>



<p>Learn more about Gutenberg updates debuting in WordPress 6.4 by reviewing prior editions of <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/gutenberg-new/">What’s New in Gutenberg</a> posts for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-2-12-july/">16.2</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/26/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-3-26-july/">16.3</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/10/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-4-9-august/">16.4</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/23/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-5-23-august/">16.5</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/06/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-6-06-september/">16.6</a>, and <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">16.7</a>.</p>



<p>Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/">#core-test channel</a> on <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Vulnerability bounty doubles during Beta 2</h3>



<p>Between Beta 1 and the final release candidate (RC) for each new WordPress version, the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/security/2023/09/26/bug-bounty-for-wordpress-6-4-beta/">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities</a> is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href="https://hackerone.com/wordpress">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/security/">security white paper</a>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Beta 2 highlights</h2>



<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 2 contains more than 50 updates since the Beta 1 release, including <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=09%2F27%2F2023..10%2F03%2F2023&milestone=6.4&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">18 tickets for WordPress core</a>.</p>



<p>Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 1 using these links:</p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.4">GitHub commits for 6.4</a></li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=09%2F27%2F2023..10%2F03%2F2023&milestone=6.4&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">Closed Trac tickets since Beta 1</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/twentytwentyfour/commits/">GitHub commits for Twenty Twenty-Four</a></li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Note on Twenty Twenty-Four</h3>



<p>Please note that some images in the Twenty Twenty-Four theme may not load correctly. A fix is in the works! Learn more on this <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59526">Trac ticket</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Note on pattern management improvements in non-block themes</h3>



<p>While WordPress 6.4 will bring several exciting pattern advancements, improvements to pattern management in non-block themes will eventually be addressed in WordPress 6.5. The <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">Beta 1 announcement</a> has been updated to reflect this change accordingly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Beta 2 haiku</h2>



<p>Not the first, nor last<br />A second space to reflect<br />Both new and not new</p>



<p><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meher</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sereedmedia/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>sereedmedia</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmartinezduque/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>rmartinezduque</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>cbringmann</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/priethor/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>priethor</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>annezazu</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ironprogrammer/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>ironprogrammer</a>.</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 03 Oct 2023 17:25:17 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Reyes Martínez";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:14;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:90:"Do The Woo Community: An Inside Look at WordCamp Sponsorships with Jason Rouet and Jon Ang";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76749";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:89:"https://dothewoo.io/an-inside-look-at-wordcamp-sponsorships-from-jason-rouet-and-jon-ang/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:456:"<p>Jason and Jon open the blackbox to share their experiences and insights on flagship WordCamp Asia and Europe sponsorships.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/an-inside-look-at-wordcamp-sponsorships-from-jason-rouet-and-jon-ang/">An Inside Look at WordCamp Sponsorships with Jason Rouet and Jon Ang</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 03 Oct 2023 12:02:04 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:15;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:106:"WPTavern: WordPress Global Sponsorship Program Raises Costs for 2024 to Support Expanding In-Person Events";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149761";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:117:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-global-sponsorship-program-raises-costs-for-2024-to-support-expanding-in-person-events";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3363:"<p>WordPress&#8217; Community team has <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2023/09/28/proposed-2024-global-community-sponsorship-program/">proposed a draft for the 2024 Global Community Sponsorship Program</a>, with fees increased to cover the costs of the rapidly expanding number of in-person events.</p>



<p>The program supports the volunteer-organized local events so that they can provide free or low-cost access for attendees. It helps companies streamline their sponsorship contributions across multiple events with less administrative overhead than it would be to sponsor individual WordCamps. The program does not include flagship events such as WordCamps Europe, Asia, and US.</p>



<p>Fees have gone up since 2023 for all three sponsorship packages: Gold, Silver, and Bronze, which offer varying degrees of visibility at in-person WordPress events.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<table><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Gold</td><td>Silver</td><td>Bronze</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>$130,000</td><td>$95,000</td><td>$80,000</td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>$145,000</td><td>$115,000</td><td>$90,000</td></tr></tbody></table>



<p>The 2021 and 2022 programs <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-global-sponsorship-program-will-not-include-wordcamps-for-2022">did not include funding for WordCamps</a>, due to the unpredictability of hosting in-person events when the pandemic made conditions unfavorable in many places across the world. At that time many WordCamp and meetup organizers opted to continue with virtual events. </p>



<p>In 2023, WordPress events are ramping back up again. Automattic-sponsored community contributor Isotta Peira said the number of in-person events has increased by 60% compared to 2022, and they expect Next Gen events will keep the program growing into 2024. So far 15 pilot events have been confirmed for the new Next Gen format, with 11 of them happening in 2023.</p>



<p>&#8220;As a result of the Meetup Reactivation project that started in July 2022 and ended in June 2023, 270 dormant Meetups started hosting events again,&#8221; Peira said. &#8220;Today, we have 729 WordPress Chapter Meetups in 107 countries and over 500,000 members globally. In the first 7 months of 2023, the WordPress Community has held 27 WordCamps, and another 29 are scheduled before year-end.&#8221;</p>



<p>The proposal highlighted a few stats demonstrating the strong resurgence of community events: </p>



<ul>
<li>36 local WordCamps held in 2023 to date, with 25 more scheduled before year end</li>



<li>173% increase in WordCamps since last year: 60 WordCamps anticipated to be held in 2023, compared to 22 in 2022</li>



<li>729 meetup groups across 107 countries</li>



<li>507,796 meetup group members, program-wide</li>



<li>2,998 meetup events scheduled in 2023 to date, and over 340 more scheduled through the end of the year</li>
</ul>



<p>The uptick in events is the direct result of the Community team&#8217;s efforts in 2023 to reactivate dormant meetup groups, bring back in-person WordCamps, and evolve the WordCamp program to make room for new event types.</p>



<p>Companies that are interested to support WordPress&#8217; burgeoning events program can get on board for 2024 by emailing <a href="mailto:support@wordcamp.org">support@wordcamp.org</a> before November 30, 2023. </p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 03 Oct 2023 03:14:40 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:16;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 12.0.0-beta3";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:32:"https://buddypress.org/?p=331464";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:55:"https://buddypress.org/2023/10/buddypress-12-0-0-beta3/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3035:"<p>Hello BuddyPress contributors!</p>



<p>If you haven&#8217;t tested our two first beta releases (<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f449.png" alt="👉" class="wp-smiley" /> please read <a href="https://buddypress.org/2023/08/buddypress-12-0-0-beta1/">this post about beta1</a>), please consider testing this <strong>third and last</strong> beta release. Beta testing is the best way to make sure the final release will fit perfectly into your WordPress / BuddyPress specific configuration. 12.0 is introducing a very important change about how BuddyPress URLs are built, analyzed and routed and more than ever we need your help to reach this important milestone for the plugin.</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button is-style-outline"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.12.0.0-beta3.zip">Test BuddyPress 12.0.0-beta3</a></div>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s new since <a href="https://buddypress.org/2023/09/buddypress-12-0-0-beta2/">beta2</a>?</h2>



<p>We&#8217;ve fixed 4 bugs and improved the BuddyPress URLs settings screen help area.</p>



<p><strong>12.0.0 is slated to October 30</strong>, thanks in advance to all the contributors who will give us a hand to get there <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f60d.png" alt="😍" class="wp-smiley" />.</p>



<p>You can test <a href="https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.12.0.0-beta3.zip">BuddyPress 12.0.0-beta3</a> in 4 ways :</p>



<ul>
<li>Try the&nbsp;<a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/bp-beta-tester/">BP Beta Tester</a>&nbsp;plugin.</li>



<li><a href="https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.12.0.0-beta3.zip">Download the beta here (zip file)</a>.</li>



<li>Check out our SVN repository:&nbsp;<code>svn co https://buddypress.svn.wordpress.org/trunk/</code></li>



<li>Clone our read-only Git repository:&nbsp;<code>git clone git://buddypress.git.wordpress.org/</code></li>
</ul>



<p>If you find something weird, please report it on&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/newticket" target="_blank">BuddyPress Trac</a>, post a reply to&nbsp;<a href="https://buddypress.org/support/topic/lets-prepare-the-buddypress-12-0-0-next-major-release/">this support topic</a>&nbsp;or get in touch with us on our&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/buddypress" target="_blank">WordPress.org Slack channel</a>.</p>



<p>Happy testing <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f469-1f3fb-200d-1f4bb.png" alt="👩🏻‍💻" class="wp-smiley" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f9d1-1f3fe-200d-1f4bb.png" alt="🧑🏾‍💻" class="wp-smiley" /></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 03 Oct 2023 02:56:21 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:12:"Mathieu Viet";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:17;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:45:"Matt: Preserving Harvard’s Blogging History";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:22:"https://ma.tt/?p=99750";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:59:"https://ma.tt/2023/10/preserving-harvards-blogging-history/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3221:"<p>This month, <a href="https://automattic.com/">Automattic</a> had the privilege of working with the <a href="https://cyber.harvard.edu/">Berkman Klein Center for Internet &amp; Society (BKC)</a> to migrate their early 2000s blogging platform over to our <a href="https://pressable.com/a-quick-guide-to-wordpress-multisite-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pressable</a> infrastructure. (Pressable is a small host Automattic runs to develop our <a href="https://wp.cloud/">WP.cloud</a> infrastructure, it gets you all the performance and security of our high-end WP.com plans, but with a more plain-vanilla WP interface.)</p>



<p>The Harvard Blogs network that the Center launched back in 2003 was an important milestone in internet history. It provided a platform for over 1,500 high-impact bloggers—including Harvard students, faculty, fellows, staff, and alumni—to publish and engage in discussion.</p>



<p>We were alerted to BKC’s plans to decommission&nbsp;<a href="http://blogs.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blogs.harvard.edu</a>&nbsp;by none other than&nbsp;<a href="http://scripting.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dave Winer</a>, the pioneering developer behind blogging, RSS, and podcasting, and a Berkman Center fellow from 2003-2004. As BKC shared in&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.blogs.harvard.edu/blog/2023/03/02/blogs-harvard-edu-shutting-down/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">their announcement</a>, the network played a formative role for many now-influential bloggers and internet figures. It also contributed to the rise of podcasting and projects like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ushahidi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ushahidi</a>.</p>



<p>When we learned BKC planned to retire the Harvard Blogs platform, we wanted to ensure this valuable archive of early internet culture was preserved. We offered to host the network’s blogs indefinitely so they can remain publicly accessible for years to come.</p>



<p>The Harvard Blogs multisite consisted of around 1,500 blogs. To move it over, we systematically migrated the archive to our servers and then upgraded the network to the latest version of WordPress (we also updated a handful of plugins and themes and tested the updated versions against the original sites hosted by Harvard).</p>



<p>Much like our recent unveiling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://wordpress.com/blog/2023/08/25/introducing-the-100-year-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">100 Year Plan</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;WordPress.com, the preservation of the&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.blogs.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard Blogs archive</a>&nbsp;demonstrates Automattic’s commitment to protect vital pieces of internet history and culture for generations to come. By preserving these blogs, we hope to inspire future generations of online voices.</p>



<p>There was something really nice about the neighborhood of blogs the Harvard blog network provided that I hope they or another university tries again sometime. Harvard is now 387 years old, I hope these blogs last at least that much longer (that would be 2,410 AD!).</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:53:48 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4:"Matt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:18;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"Gravatar: New Gravatar Hovercards: Faster, Open-Source, and Everywhere";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=722";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:95:"https://blog.gravatar.com/2023/10/02/new-gravatar-hovercards-faster-open-source-and-everywhere/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2122:"<p>Hovercards offer a sleek, interactive way to showcase user profiles. With just a hover over the Gravatar image, a card displays essential information about the user. This eliminates the need to navigate away from the current page and encourages engagement.</p>



<img src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/gravatar-hover2.gif" alt="" class="wp-image-736" />



<p>A new open-sourced Gravatar Hovercards library is live for users of&nbsp;<a href="https://href.li/?https://WordPress.com">WordPress.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://href.li/?https://jetpack.com">Jetpack</a>, and is available to be implemented by anyone around the web. Here’s what’s new:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Leaner and faster:</strong>&nbsp;By pruning redundant code and harnessing modern web APIs, we’ve achieved greater efficiency and reduced file sizes by more than 200%.</li>



<li><strong>Improved UX:</strong>&nbsp;The hovercard design is more refined and will work better across sites with different styles and branding. The library now&nbsp;<a href="https://href.li/?https://github.com/gravatar/hovercards#placement-string--right">supports different placements</a>&nbsp;to cater to a variety of needs.</li>



<li><strong>Universal hovercards:</strong>&nbsp;The new library introduces the ability to attach hovercards to any element, not just the avatar image. For example, a site can @someone and show the hovercard on hover.</li>



<li><strong>Open to the world:</strong>&nbsp;Developers can integrate it into their sites via the&nbsp;<a href="https://href.li/?https://www.npmjs.com/package/@gravatar-com/hovercards">NPM package</a>.</li>
</ul>



<p></p>



<p>If you aren&#8217;t seeing hovercards on your WordPress site, go to <strong>Settings -&gt; Discussion</strong> and look for the setting to enable pop-up business cards. You will need to be hosted on WordPress.com or have the free Jetpack plugin installed. </p>



<p>We encourage you to explore Gravatar hovercards, and welcome your ideas and contributions via our <a href="https://href.li/?https://github.com/gravatar/hovercards">GitHub repo</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:55:42 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Ronnie Burt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:19;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"WordPress.org blog: WP Briefing: Episode 63: A WordPress 6.4 Sneak Peek";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:53:"https://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=16050";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:73:"https://wordpress.org/news/2023/10/episode-63-a-wordpress-6-4-sneak-peek/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:40977:"<p>Join WordPress Executive Director, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, as she offers an exclusive preview of the upcoming WordPress 6.4 release, accompanied by special guest Sarah Norris, one of the Editor Tech leads for this release. Don&#8217;t miss this opportunity for an insider&#8217;s look!</p>



<p><em><strong>Have a question you’d like answered? You can submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@wordpress.org">wpbriefing@wordpress.org</a>, either written or as a voice recording.</strong></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>



<p>Host: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a><br />Guest: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikachan/">Sarah Norris</a><br />Editor: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br />Logo: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br />Production: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a><br />Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>



<ul>
<li>TwentyTwentyFour <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/24/introducing-twenty-twenty-four/">Theme</a> 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/twentytwentyfour">Repo</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.figma.com/file/AlYr03vh4dVimwYwQkTdf6/Twenty-Twenty-Four?type=design&node-id=16-14852&mode=design">Figma File</a></li>
</ul>
</li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59166">Font Library</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/51132">Image Lightbox Github</a></li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59313">Block Hooks</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meetings/">Upcoming WordPress Meetings</a> for Contributors</li>



<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>
<ul>
<li>Find announcements for WordPress 6.4 Beta at:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW">#Core</a> Slack Channel</li>



<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/">WordPress.org/news/</a></li>
</ul>
</li>



<li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/project/2023/09/06/documentation-translation-localization/" target="_blank">Proposal: Documentation translation/localization</a></li>



<li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/20/seeking-proposals-for-interop-2024/" target="_blank">Seeking proposals for Interop 2024</a>&nbsp;&#8211; Interop 2024 is happening! WordPress developers, please contribute your proposals for 2024&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://github.com/web-platform-tests/interop/issues/new/choose" target="_blank">on GitHub</a>&nbsp;or as a comment on this post.</li>



<li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/project/2023/09/15/wordcamp-us-2023-qa/" target="_blank">WordCamp US 2023 Q&amp;A</a> &#8211; With a successful WCUS in the books, an extensive list of post-event questions and answers are available and inspired by the event&#8217;s community and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Fa0Q-brSeI" target="_blank">Q&amp;A</a>.</li>



<li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/2023/09/13/accessibility-office-hours/" target="_blank">Accessibility Office Hours</a>&nbsp;&#8211; In an effort to improve accessibility knowledge in the WordPress project,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/" target="_blank">the accessibility team</a>&nbsp;will hold Office Hours every Wednesday at 14:00 UTC</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>



<span id="more-16050"></span>



<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Hello everyone. And welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project some insight into the community that supports it. And get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!</p>



<p>[00:00:28] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:00:39] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I have with me today, Sarah Norris. She is the Core Tech Editor in the WordPress 6.4 release. Welcome, Sarah.</p>



<p>[00:00:47] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Oh, hi, and thanks for having me.</p>



<p>[00:00:50] <strong>Josepha:</strong> First, I should give everyone kind of a concept of what we&#8217;re doing.</p>



<p>So this is the WordPress 6.4 sneak peek episode of our podcast, which means that we&#8217;re going to talk a little bit about like the stuff that we are excited to get into the release stuff that we&#8217;re hoping is actually going to make it into the final release. But also, we&#8217;re going to talk a little bit about like stuff that we wish people knew.</p>



<p>That we were working on. Things that are going to be really cool for users or developers or plugin authors, theme authors, things like that, that otherwise people would miss because it&#8217;s just hard to see. And so before we get started on all of that, is this your first release where you&#8217;re part of a squad like this?</p>



<p>[00:01:31] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Ah, so, it&#8217;s actually my second. I was part of 6.1 as well. I led the default theme of 2023. But I am finding that the experience is a little bit different. So I&#8217;m still learning probably just as much.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:01:42] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. Well, and in 6.1 versus 6.4, for one, the themes are very different. Like the default themes are very different, but also the tasks involved with leading a default theme are very different from like leading things happening in the core editor in that Gutenberg plugin.</p>



<p>[00:02:01] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, there&#8217;s so many different tasks. Yeah, like, I guess maybe there&#8217;s such, there&#8217;s maybe just like a set of tasks for every part of the release squad. But they&#8217;re so different. And much more involved.</p>



<p>[00:02:12] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. And as of the time of this recording, we&#8217;re recording this on September 27th. It comes out a little bit later. But as of the time of this recording, like we just wrapped up beta 1 for WordPress 6.4 yesterday. But I understand that, like an hour ago, you wrapped up a final release of the Gutenberg plugin as well.</p>



<p>So you&#8217;re just kind of everywhere with us right now.</p>



<p>[00:02:36] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s exactly right. Yeah, we tried to make the beta 1 for 6.4 and the latest release of Gutenberg quite close together to make it easier to, to merge those latest changes for beta 1 of 6.4. So yes, that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so close together, and fingers crossed, they both went really smoothly, so I&#8217;m really happy about that.</p>



<p>[00:02:53] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Now we all sit around and watch the support queues and hope. That part, the sitting around and watching the support queues, is both my most favorite and least favorite sometimes part of releases. Like, it&#8217;s a little bit my most favorite because I get to talk to our support folks. I&#8217;m like, hey, is anything happening? But also, it&#8217;s my least favorite because it&#8217;s like the Schrödinger&#8217;s cat of releases. You&#8217;re like, as long as I don&#8217;t look at it, it could be all well or all bad, and I just don&#8217;t know.</p>



<p>[00:03:23] <strong>Sarah:</strong> I hear you. I&#8217;ve just been doing something similar with watching test releases.</p>



<p>[00:03:27] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Just waiting and waiting and waiting. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.</p>



<p>Well, let&#8217;s talk a little bit about 6.4. So WordPress 6.4 is our third major release of 2023, which is kind of a big deal for one because, like, three major releases a year is always exciting. But this particular one is, on the one hand, much larger from a feature standpoint than we kind of expected it to be, or so far, it looks like it&#8217;s going to be a bit larger than we expected.</p>



<p>But also, it is our second iteration of an underrepresented gender release squad. Which I am very excited about. It&#8217;s a way for us to kind of bring in a lot of voices that otherwise we don&#8217;t see in the space. And so we&#8217;re going to just kind of talk through both of those things today. But let&#8217;s start with first: what are the things that are going into the release that you personally are most excited about, that you are most interested in making sure that we get all the way to the end of the release cycle?</p>



<p>[00:04:27] <strong>Sarah:</strong> So, ones that I am particularly excited for. So, the first one on my list is the Font Library. This is looking really good to include as well. So it&#8217;s gonna do your way for users to manage fonts across their site regardless of their active themes. So similar how to how their media library works at the moment for images and other media.</p>



<p>[00:04:44] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And if I recall correctly when I was looking at the prototypes for that, like the early demos of it, that has a lot of local font management as well, which helps us with GDPR concerns that we have had with font management in the CMS for a while. One, is that still correct? And two, does it look like it&#8217;s going to make it into the release?</p>



<p>[00:05:04] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yes. Yeah. Both correct. Yes. Yeah. Very easy. Yeah, that&#8217;s exactly right. So yeah, all the fonts will be managed locally. So, including things like Google Fonts. And any of the popular libraries and the way it&#8217;s been built, as it calls its files like this, it&#8217;s been built with extensibility in mind. So yeah, hopefully, the possibility should be endless for any number of font collections to be added.</p>



<p>[00:05:23] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Yeah. I, I know, for folks who are listening to this later, hopefully not much later, but if you are listening to this between when beta 1 came out and between and beta 2 is coming out, we didn&#8217;t get as much of that into beta 1 as we expected, but beta 2 should have a good chunk of it in there.</p>



<p>So get out there and test that.</p>



<p>[00:05:43] <strong>Sarah:</strong> It&#8217;s also just been released with Gutenberg 16.7 as well. So, I guess for anyone that you just mentioned listening in between.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:05:51] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I&#8217;m one of those folks that has not; I don&#8217;t run trunk because I&#8217;m not that good with like preventing WordPress from falling apart. I&#8217;m not a developer, but I do run the nightlies and for the major releases for Core, and I run also the beta of Gutenberg. And so, I got both updates done this morning and started going in and looking at everything because I don&#8217;t run trunk. I didn&#8217;t have some of the weird edge cases that I saw reported over the last few weeks, which is probably good.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:06:21] <strong>Josepha:</strong> But also, if anyone&#8217;s running trunk and is running all of the nightlies of anything, let us know where the problems are because there are not a lot of you. It feels like, like, a thousand people in the particular combination. What else is in there that you are very excited to see?</p>



<p>[00:06:37] <strong>Sarah:</strong> I&#8217;m also looking forward to, so we have a new feature called Block Hook, and for anyone who follows Gutenberg, you might have heard it&#8217;s called Auto Inserting Blocks, but we&#8217;ve renamed it to Block Hook. And yes, this is another powerful feature that expands the extensibility of block themes. And so it allows plugins to automatically insert blocks into content relative to another block.</p>



<p>And so, a good example that we&#8217;ve been using is automatically adding a like button to the post content block. And so yeah, I think it&#8217;s a, it&#8217;s maybe a more developer-centric feature.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:07:09] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So, like, it detects what block you have and suggests bits and pieces that otherwise would make sense there that other people are usually using in those blocks.</p>



<p>[00:07:20] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah. Yeah. So you can add all through JSON as well. You can add a block that will automatically be added.</p>



<p>[00:07:25] <strong>Josepha:</strong> All right. Excellent. That was part of the Interactivity API, or is, is early parts of it rather, I guess.</p>



<p>[00:07:35] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yes, that&#8217;s right. Yeah. Yeah. It&#8217;s the start.</p>



<p>[00:07:39] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Another thing that is a part of the Interactivity API, which we&#8217;ve been working on, folks. I think everybody knows for like a year or two. The other part that is shipping in 6.4 is, I think, the Lightbox for images. Is that right?</p>



<p>[00:07:55] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yes, that&#8217;s right. Yes. And yeah, that&#8217;s due to be included with 6.4 as well.</p>



<p>[00:07:59] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I&#8217;m going to just tell us all a weird story. So, for maybe my entire life, like I understand what a lightbox is from a image and photography standpoint, but for the majority of my life, I thought that lightbox referred to those like big initial letters in old manuscripts. I don&#8217;t actually know what those are called if not lightboxes, but in my mind, that&#8217;s what they were.</p>



<p>[00:08:22] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And so when we first started talking about this, I was like, that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re shipping is like the drop capital letter, like the big one, but it&#8217;s not. In case anyone else also was confused about what a lightbox is, it&#8217;s the image-based concept of a lightbox.</p>



<p>[00:08:37] <strong>Sarah:</strong> I think it&#8217;s an important one because previously you would have to install, maybe a third-party plugin or, or build lightbox yourself so. It may sound like a, oh, it&#8217;s a tiny feature that&#8217;s been included, but it&#8217;s actually pretty awesome. You don&#8217;t have to include even more extra code.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:08:51] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Speaking of things that we have been working on for two years or so, I think that every sneak peek for the last year, the folks of WordPress have heard me say that I was super excited about navigation and how we&#8217;re managing it, but it turns out that is a very complicated thing. Like we know that, managing menus, managing navigation on a site is complicated from just like a philosophical standpoint. When our users of WordPress, when consumers of WordPress like go through that process, that is the hardest one to explain. And therefore, very hard to manage as well.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We have had like a requirement that you know three different admins in order to manage your menu, manage your navigation on your site, but we shipped some early components for it in 6.3 and in 6.4. I believe that we are planning; I&#8217;m crossing my fingers no one can see it, crossing my fingers. We&#8217;re planning on getting an updated treatment for the toolbar out. Is that correct?</p>



<p>[00:09:53] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yes, yeah, I was a little bit worried because I didn&#8217;t know too much in detail, but I did know about the toolbar. So, yes, yes, I believe that is planned to get into 6.4.</p>



<p>[00:10:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. So, and the point of that, because for folks who have not tried this out yet, the point of that is that the navigation is kind of, when you look at it, individual components, it&#8217;s like a bunch of little blocks together, and then we wrap it as like a collection that shows up as the navigation block, but because it&#8217;s a bunch of little blocks and each of the little blocks has their own like toolbar that goes with it, it took a lot of work to kind of figure out how to get all of those toolbars to have a primary expression with the navigation. Versus like every single thing that you put into your navigation has its own toolbar, and good luck to you.</p>



<p>[00:10:44] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s a really, really complicated problem, and I guess maybe it always has been, and hopefully we just keep improving and all the time, and we probably never will stop improving because it&#8217;s, yeah, it&#8217;s just such a complicated thing to edit, and I think particularly in an editor without using any code.</p>



<p>[00:11:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yes.</p>



<p>[00:11:01] <strong>Sarah:</strong> We&#8217;re getting there, it always, it always is getting better.</p>



<p>[00:11:04] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Before we move into the question of like things that you wish people knew about the release that maybe they&#8217;re not going to know, I do want to stop and talk about the default theme a little bit. Everyone loves the default theme at the end of the year. But every year, Matt and I talk about, like, what would it look like if we didn&#8217;t have a default theme.</p>



<p>What if we just were like, all themes are great. Just do whatever you want, which seems too difficult, frankly. But the way that this default theme is envisioned is so different. It&#8217;s got basically three different focuses. Do you know much about this year&#8217;s default theme?</p>



<p>[00:11:41] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, a little bit, so I, yeah, I know, I don&#8217;t know, I think it&#8217;s shaping up to be a really good starting point for so many different types of projects. So, I know that that is maybe the aim of every default theme. But we usually show off a lot of the features that are going into the release, like via the default theme.</p>



<p>I know we did that last time as well, but this time, we&#8217;re doing that stealth. But we&#8217;re also creating like a great baseline for so many different types of projects. And I think maybe in the past, we&#8217;ve maybe only hit like one type of project. And, like, this is a good example for this one very specific thing.</p>



<p>But yeah, this time, I know that that&#8217;s always like, especially working with other themers, they&#8217;re like, what&#8217;s the best base theme for this type of thing? And I&#8217;m hoping Twenty Twenty-Four is going to be the new answer for so many people.</p>



<p>[00:12:23] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, yeah, I looked at the early designs for that with the, because what it has, and these, we&#8217;ll put a link to this in the show notes to the repo about it and the Figma file and all those things. But what it has is like a really robust set of default patterns for anyone who&#8217;s wanting to have like a big commercial site with a lot of things that are required, a really complicated site. Then we have a suite of default patterns that are shipping so that artists and people who are focused primarily on visual assets on their site have the specific patterns and blocks and things required for that and then one that is specific to people who focus on the content in their site.</p>



<p>I am one of the people who specifically focuses on the content in the site. I was delighted to see that, but it kind of has three different levels of varying complexity based on what it is that people might, might want to have to, oh, not want to have to, might want to be able to do on their sites. And I think that&#8217;s kind of cool.</p>



<p>[00:13:31] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah. Yeah. It&#8217;s super cool. And I think while we&#8217;re still in the development cycle as well, for 6.4, this is a; the default theme is a great way to jump into contributing if people are looking for good ways to jump in.</p>



<p>[00:13:44] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, it runs in a separate repo. And so it has a little bit of a different process, but also it feels like a little bit of a faster process. It kind of runs independently of the release cycle that we have for either the plugin or core. And so it kind of goes a bit faster.</p>



<p>[00:14:03] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yes.</p>



<p>[00:14:05] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Excellent. So, then, obvious next question. What Is happening in this release that you wish people knew about?</p>



<p>[00:14:15] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yep. Okay. So, I think maybe things that are difficult to fit into the bigger categories that will be easy to shout about when we talk about the release when it&#8217;s been released. There&#8217;s a lot of accessibility enhancement that are going to be included. So there&#8217;s things like better button placements and upgraded spoken messages, especially in site health.</p>



<p>There&#8217;s also so many performance improvements that are scheduled to be included, so I know there was many performance improvements included in 6.3. We are continuing that for 6.4. There&#8217;s many more improvements to block themes and classic themes in the way the templates are loaded. And we&#8217;ve also got a we&#8217;re including a usage of the new defer and async loading strategies as well for script.</p>



<p>So these are sort of like, nitty-gritty detail sort of things that will be included that don&#8217;t sound too exciting but are actually really, really cool.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:15:07] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. I understand the whole like, this is not very exciting. This doesn&#8217;t sound interesting but trust me, it is like, sometimes it feels like half of my job is that I&#8217;m like, I know that nothing I&#8217;m about to say sounds cool, but trust me, it&#8217;s amazing. We&#8217;ve been working on it for a long time, and it&#8217;s cool.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s great. That&#8217;s great. And so. For those things, it sounds like a lot, this is going to particularly be of interest to folks who are developing for other people using WordPress. But also obviously a little bit of, of benefit, maybe invisible benefit, but still benefit for our end users as we go.</p>



<p>[00:15:46] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, yeah, that&#8217;s right, exactly.</p>



<p>[00:15:48] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So those are kind of the sneak peek items that we&#8217;ve got going into the release. As always, with this particular episode, we&#8217;re not promising that any of those things will 100 percent for sure get in there. There is part of being a release squad that kind of doesn&#8217;t really get talked about outside of WordPress but is probably worth mentioning, which is that the release squad has the really unpleasant job of saying no at the last second for things that are breaking something, things that are not actually a better user experience.</p>



<p>Like we have the uncomfortable job of saying like, no, it wasn&#8217;t good enough. Sorry, thank you. Come again in the next release cycle. And so, like, all of these things are things that are currently in and being tested, but in the event that we discover it breaks 10 percent of the sites that we have on WordPress, like, we&#8217;re gonna, we&#8217;re gonna pull it.</p>



<p>So, right now, that&#8217;s all in there, we hope, and if listening to me for a whole year get excited about the changes in navigation, and then also not getting them in didn&#8217;t teach you anything, just because I want it in doesn&#8217;t mean that I get to have it in either. So, but yeah, so that&#8217;s exciting. The other exciting thing about this release, we mentioned it a bit at the top of the discussion, is that it is a gender-upresented, gender-underrepresented release squad. Not upresented, because that is a, not a word. And so this is the second one. Did you participate in the first one?</p>



<p>[00:17:22] <strong>Sarah:</strong> No, I didn&#8217;t no. Yeah, but I have read all about it, especially in prep to this release as well.</p>



<p>[00:17:28] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Oh, did you learn anything from it that you brought into this one, or was it just like, I need to know what I&#8217;m getting into kind of reading a lot about it?&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:17:36] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, basically, yeah, I was trying to prep myself, ever since I was involved in 6.1, I&#8217;ve tried to be, I&#8217;ve tried to follow along closely with the releases. But sometimes, there&#8217;s just so much going on all the time. Sometimes it&#8217;s a little bit much. But yeah, I just wanted to see if there was any, any big differences.</p>



<p>There shouldn&#8217;t be, right? So yeah, it&#8217;s all good.</p>



<p>[00:17:54] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I think all of the differences were in that boring part where people don&#8217;t, they&#8217;re like, that sounds so un-fun, we&#8217;re going to just stop listening. But it was like, in the planning and preparation for it, and the way that we did all the training, like the initial one had like an 18 month period between like, we&#8217;re gonna do it, and now it&#8217;s done, where we did a lot of additional work to get everybody in there.</p>



<p>[00:18:18] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And this time, we were like, get in here! That&#8217;s all we did. So, how has your experience been on the release squad? I know that you did one before. You did one in 6.1, but is this particular squad any different compared to your last experience of it, or what you expected?</p>



<p>[00:18:35] <strong>Sarah:</strong> So, I would say everyone is equally as amazing as every release and, including the resource they&#8217;re involved with. I think that the biggest difference for me, and maybe this links to something you just said, is that I, I knew I was going to be involved in the release squad a lot earlier, especially compared to me for 6.1, but I think I&#8217;ve heard other people say that as well. So, I think that&#8217;s a great thing for this release. We all have had some time ahead of the release and including during this 6.3 release as well, so I was able to watch particular people in, not in a non-creepy way, and make sure I knew which, like what the processes were.</p>



<p>Yes, to try and get my head around when when I&#8217;d be doing it. And, and obviously, the big help was that I&#8217;d be doing it immediately after they&#8217;d just done it as well. And the previous release squad has been a massive help as well when I&#8217;ve come across either very, very complicated issues or like super silly issues; I can write them and answer your questions so that I think if we could carry that forward with the future releases as well.</p>



<p>[00:19:28] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. So this time around, we had almost 50 percent new folks that that, like, let us know that they were participating, probably quite a few more than that. But, like, of the people who let us know that they wanted to participate in this release, we had like 28 out of 50 people, something like that, who are brand new to contributing to WordPress in some cases, but certainly, all of them are brand new to contributing to a major release like this. Have you, cause this is not your first time doing this, but it is your first time in this type of release. Have you found that, like, you&#8217;re feeling able to help new people see what&#8217;s happening also, like, do you feel seasoned enough for that? Or are you just like, nope, I&#8217;m also new.</p>



<p>[00:20:17] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Maybe a little bit of both. I guess I, yeah, I&#8217;m fortunate to have at least experienced, maybe, like how the deadlines roll. Actually, especially the point we&#8217;re at at the moment, where the weekly beta cycles happened. Last time, it took me by surprise. I was like, oh wow, okay, we have a week. Until the next one, and then a week, and so yeah, I feel a bit more psyched up for that this time around.</p>



<p>And hopefully, I can tap that on you to the new folks as well. But yeah, I also noticed we have a lot of new people. We have, especially from a core editor tech lead; I think we have nearly 30 people who are sort of officially following us along or shadowing us.</p>



<p>So yeah, yeah, but it&#8217;s really cool. I hope we can teach so many more people if they want to get involved with the next release or even just contributing in general. Yeah, it&#8217;d be amazing.</p>



<p>[00:21:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. If you are listening to our podcast, and you think to yourself, well, I&#8217;m here. And I wonder if anyone knows because I&#8217;m just watching everyone in a non-creepy way, like feel free at the next meeting that you&#8217;re watching to, to raise your hand and say, I&#8217;m new. We want to know that you&#8217;re there.</p>



<p>Not because we feel creepy otherwise. But also because we just want to celebrate that you exist new folks that are scared of us. Don&#8217;t be scared of us.</p>



<p>Oh, man, I feel compelled now to tell everybody about the first time that I led a core chat. So the core chat, I watched that without telling anyone I was watching it for like a year before I had to actually lead it, and I just didn&#8217;t tell anybody I was there like I didn&#8217;t even participate in the waving part at the start where it&#8217;s just like, Hey, everyone, I exist, like, when I was just silently watching it all go by and so when I got announced as part of a release squad. It was shocking for everyone, I think. And there is a public record of a moment where I was panicking. I felt like everyone was asking me a thousand questions, and I didn&#8217;t know the answers to any of them. And I just told all of them, like, there are a million of you and one of me, and you&#8217;re kind of scaring me, so would you stop?</p>



<p>And so there&#8217;s a public record of me calling out every developer that existed in WordPress at the time. I felt bad about it in the moment, but also like, whew, that was, I don&#8217;t think we have experiences like that for new contributors anymore, but it was, it was quite a moment. I remember distinctly, so Jeffrey Paul, he&#8217;s like one of our, I think we have three or four like self-declared project managing people.</p>



<p>He is a project manager person in WordPress that I really rely on, and I was DM&#8217;ing him in the background in a full panic. I was like, I don&#8217;t know the answer to any of these questions. What am I supposed to do? And he was like no is also an answer. So, like, just tell them no. Tell them you don&#8217;t know. That&#8217;s fine. And I was like, Oh, God! So, I think that we maybe don&#8217;t have too much of that happening anymore, but I also understand that I wouldn&#8217;t see it if it were happening. No one&#8217;s coming to me to be like, is this normal? Should I panic? They&#8217;re probably coming to you with that.</p>



<p>[00:23:21] <strong>Sarah:</strong> I think it&#8217;s a sort of good, I&#8217;m not good for you, maybe, but good for observers especially. You know, to see you go through that as well. I can really relate to, like, not even showing, like, a wave emoji because I&#8217;ve totally been in that situation. I think maybe we&#8217;re similar in that regard, like, it, sometimes I just feel really nervous even just showing an emoji.</p>



<p>And I think, again, shouting out about that and to, to those people who also feel like that, who are watching yeah, yeah, wave if you, if you feel like you want to, and don&#8217;t wave, it&#8217;s also fine just to watch.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:23:48] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Once you&#8217;ve been to 52 meetings, then you can wave. Oh, it&#8217;s so hardworking in open source that way because, like, there is a lot of, like, basically faith in other people because trust comes with, like experiencing things together. But initially, you do just kind of have to have faith that no one&#8217;s going to laugh you out of the room or say that your ideas are stupid or that you are like even remotely understanding the problem, and so that&#8217;s a, it&#8217;s a part of the new contributor experience that I always find so interesting I used to routinely give presentations about like this is how you get started first get ready to be uncomfortable I don&#8217;t give those presentations very often anymore but probably probably I should ask someone to get out there and be like, It&#8217;s scary for everyone, including you!</p>



<p>Come be scared together! Cause I think that&#8217;s important to normalize. Fear&#8217;s normal. When you first started contributing to WordPress in general, let alone like being on a release squad, what is the team that you first joined through?</p>



<p>[00:25:02] <strong>Sarah:</strong> So, I guess, full-time contribution, it was themes. I was very involved with themes, and I still am as well; I really love themes, especially block themes. And also with the editor. But, like, years and years ago, I guess it was still themes. I used to build themes.</p>



<p>But that was very much; I was a forum user, and well, actually, I guess it goes back to me being very nervous and not wanting to admit the question that I wanted to ask, so I would hunt the forums, but afterwards just so helpful.</p>



<p>Like, yeah, I know this is a lot of people&#8217;s story, but yeah, the forums and just chatting amongst other community members is so, so helpful. So yeah, when I became a full-time contributor, I really, I love talking to other people who are trying to get help or, yeah, reaching out any way they can because I was like, I feel that I was you and still am you as well.</p>



<p>[00:25:50] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I mean, the good thing about it, like, we will always feel like we&#8217;re learning something because we are, but in my experience of folks in WordPress, and I haven&#8217;t been new in a long time, obviously been doing this for like eight years now which is ancient by technology standards, but like my favorite thing about folks in WordPress is that they are wanting to like learn enough to probably not break it forever.</p>



<p>Like it&#8217;s the probably is in there, and the forever is in there like I want to. I want to know just enough to be mildly dangerous and then bring everybody with me. Let&#8217;s go be dangerous together. And I think that is really charming in a way because it&#8217;s like we know enough to sort of break it. But not break it a lot.</p>



<p>So let&#8217;s go see how we break it a little bit to make it better. I think that&#8217;s such a charming attitude for some reason because then we all just get to kind of learn and be a little bit messy together, which is the nature of openly collaborating on a half-written software—all the time. But yeah, I think it&#8217;s kind of neat.</p>



<p>[00:27:05] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Yeah, yeah, exactly. It&#8217;s exciting too, like if you&#8217;re staying, you&#8217;ve got that enough red push and edge that you&#8217;re just like, Ooh, I might break something. But then there&#8217;s so many people that help you out that, you know, just before you could actually break something important.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:27:18] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Exactly. The one time when I did a very breaking thing because I didn&#8217;t know to ask about it and fixed it immediately was that I mentioned in the middle of a core chat that we were about to have a security release. But it wasn&#8217;t about it wasn&#8217;t like in the next 15 minutes, it was like three weeks away, which is not what you&#8217;re allowed to do like you are not allowed to mention that you have a security release coming in three weeks, and then hope that nobody figures out what it&#8217;s patching.</p>



<p>Yeah, I got so many messages in such a short amount of time from it felt like every lead developer of WordPress. That was my, my worst moment.</p>



<p>And I fixed it immediately. So that was good. But also, I don&#8217;t remember if we had to like move up the, the timeline for that release or what. I don&#8217;t; I have no idea what the outcome was because I was just in an outright panic about what I had done incorrectly.</p>



<p>Anyway, so that&#8217;s the; I&#8217;m just going to tell everybody my most embarrassing early contribution stories today. That&#8217;s what I&#8217;m doing. Excellent. Well, Sarah, before we head out of here, is there a final thought that you would like to share with either our listeners here or future potential contributors to WordPress?</p>



<p>[00:28:37] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Please help test 6.4, especially through the next few cycles of beta. It would be amazing to have everyone and anyone who would like to help. That is one of the best ways you can help is to test. And then, yeah, if you want to get involved a little bit further, then yeah, I guess, please reach out wherever you think you fit, which I know sounds a bit fake, but there are a lot of different places, and I&#8217;m sure there will be somewhere you fit as well.</p>



<p>00:28:59] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I will leave in the show notes a link to the page that has all of the upcoming meetings on it. You can probably go to almost any meeting and say, I think this is where I would like to contribute, but also, this is the kind of thing I can contribute, and they will be able to head you in the right direction if you&#8217;re not already in the right direction. But also, like, sometimes your skills that you have are going to be applicable in places where you&#8217;re not aware of yet. And so, go to any meeting—wave to the friendly WordPressers that are around, the Sarah Norrises that exist in the project.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:29:36] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Sarah, thank you so much for joining me today. This was a delight.</p>



<p>[00:29:39] <strong>Sarah:</strong> Thanks so much for having me on; I really enjoyed it.</p>



<p>[00:29:42] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:29:42] <strong>Josepha:</strong> That brings us now to our small list of big things. First thing to know is that tomorrow we have Beta 2 for WordPress 6.4. This is our final release of the year, as you know because we&#8217;ve been talking about it for the entire episode. But, just like Sarah said at the end of our conversation, we absolutely need people to help us test it, make sure that it is working in as many places as possible so that we can have the best release possible. So keep an eye out on the core channel in the Making WordPress Slack, and of course, keep an eye on WordPress.org/news as those releases get packaged and ready to go.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So the second thing is a proposal for documentation translation localization process update. This is an initial step to consolidate all of that documentation into a single easy-to-reach location. So we need some feedback on it. Head on over there, leave a comment to share your feedback about where that should possibly go, where is most useful and valuable for you.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The second proposal that I have is actually sort of a tangentially related one, but so it&#8217;s not specific to WordPress but does need some WordPress input. There is a call for proposal for Interop 2024. There&#8217;s a post that has a lot more information about it than I do, but we would like for any WordPress developer who&#8217;s interested to head over there and submit a proposal for what they could speak about at Interop, I believe. You can leave your thoughts on the post itself as a comment, or there&#8217;s also a GitHub repo where you can interact as well.</p>



<p>The next thing on our small list of big things is that the WordCamp US Q&amp;A, the questions that we didn&#8217;t get to because there were something like 87 or something in the queue. The questions that we didn&#8217;t get to, the answers have been posted. They&#8217;re over on make.WordPress.org/project, but I&#8217;ll include a link to those to that post in the show notes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And the final thing on the small list of big things, I&#8217;m actually quite excited about. We are hosting now accessibility office hours. In an effort to improve accessibility knowledge in the WordPress project in general, the accessibility team will be holding office hours every Wednesday at 14:00 UTC.</p>



<p>That started on September 20th. And so it&#8217;s been going for a couple of weeks now. And the purpose is to make sure that we have a dedicated space and time to discuss accessibility principles and best practices as we go through those things.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:32:29] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And that, my friends, is your small list of big things. Thank you for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Hayden Chomphosy, and I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>[00:32:38] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Brett McSherry";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:20;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:128:"Gutenberg Times: WordPress 6.4 Beta, NASA now on WordPress, Gutenberg 16.7, HTML API, Interactivity API – Weekend Edition #270";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=25812";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:130:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-4-beta-nasa-now-on-wordpress-gutenberg-16-7-html-api-interactivity-api-weekend-edition-270/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15980:"<p>Howdy, </p>



<p>2009 I was invited to NASA first Launch TweetUp for <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/birgitpauli-haack/albums/72157622738192415">STS 129 with ca 150 other Tweeple</a>. We learned about the shuttle lunch, it&#8217;s mission, talked to engineers, astronauts, and administrators of NASA, and shared it with our followers on Twitter. It was certainly one of the most interesting weekends in my life. </p>



<p>In 2009, I also started my personal WordPress journey, testing and prodding searching for a CMS for a nonprofit internet service provider. I started on an incredible journey into web development, community building and open-source. </p>



<p>Now in 2023, those two life threads come together. After three years building up to it, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-publishes-beta-flagship-science-websites-as-improvements-continue/">NASA launched their new website built with WordPress</a>. Members of the Website Modernization were invited to give WordCamp US participants a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpDulftMkew">sneak preview</a> and discussed the journey to get there. If you haven&#8217;t watched them yet, there were great presentations on the work. What a great way to showcase WordPress! WordPress and I have come a long way together. </p>



<p>Other block editor and builder news are below. Enjoy! </p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>




<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-sortabrilliant-guidepost"><ul><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#2-theme-development-for-full-site-editing-and-blocks">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </a></li></ul></div>
</div></div>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>



<p><strong><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">WordPress 6.4 Beta 1</a></strong> was released, and is ready for testing. There are two calls for testing, you can follow: </p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">Help Test WordPress 6.4</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/18/fse-program-testing-call-26-final-touches/">FSE Program Testing Call #26: Final touches</a></li>



<li>Damon Cook wrote <a href="https://wpengine.com/builders/beta-testing-wordpress-local-blueprints/"><strong>Beta Testing WordPress with Local Blueprints</strong></a></li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding</strong> also reported on the release for the WPTavern: <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-6-4-beta-1-released"><strong>WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 Released</strong></a>, with a short summary of all the great new features that will come to a WordPress instance near you. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>In his <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2023/09/25/design-share-sep-11-sep-22/">Design Share: Sep 11-Sep 22</a>,</strong> <strong>Joen Asmussen</strong> highlighted the fabulous work of the WordPress design team: </p>



<ul>
<li>A second iteration for the WordPress Pattern Directory, features a refined submission flow and a new &#8220;Pattern Bundle&#8221; feature. You can navigate through a clickable prototype on Figma. </li>



<li>Ongoing work in Pagination Design</li>



<li>An Enterprise Notice on the WordPress site so link to a page about the &#8220;State of Enterprise for WordPress&#8221; guide. </li>



<li>More exploration on organizing the Command Palette displays. </li>



<li>A polished modal on Mobile</li>
</ul>



<p>Comment or contribute. </p>



<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2023/09/25/design-share-sep-11-sep-22/"><img width="652" height="360" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-30-at-14.59.59.png?resize=652%2C360&ssl=1" alt="Pattern bundles shown in the Design share post " class="wp-image-25831" /></a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Sarah Norris</strong>, Editor Tech co-lead for WordPress 6.4, also was the release lead of Gutenberg 16.7 and published the release post to let you know<strong> <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">What’s new in Gutenberg 16.7? (27 September)</a></strong>. She highlighted a ton of features: <br /></p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#font-management-with-the-font-library">Font Management with the Font Library</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#import-export-of-patterns">Import/Export of Patterns</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#explore-new-pattern-filtering">Explore New Pattern Filtering</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#naming-group-blocks-in-the-editor">Naming Group Blocks in the Editor</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#my-patterns-category-reinstated-in-post-editor-inserter">“My Patterns” Category Reinstated in Post Editor Inserter</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#simplified-lightbox-functionality-for-images">Simplified Lightbox Functionality for Images</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#background-image-control-added-to-group-block">Background Image Control Added to Group Block</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=108291#new-social-link-icon-for-x">New Social Link Icon for X</a></li>
</ul>



<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/#font-management-with-the-font-library"><img width="652" height="376" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/fonts.png?resize=652%2C376&ssl=1" alt="Font management screenshot " class="wp-image-25833" /></a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p class="is-style-no-vertical-margin"><strong>🎙️ </strong> Latest episode:  <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-90-new-testing-call-for-the-fse-program-gutenberg-16-7-and-wordpress-6-4/">Gutenberg Changelog #90 – New Testing Call for the FSE Program, Gutenberg 16.7 and WordPress 6.4</a> with Tammie Lister as special guest, hosted by Birgit Pauli-Haack</p>
</div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/dcook">Damon Cook</a></strong> announced on X (former Twitter) : &#8220;I&#8217;ve helped write #WordPress themes that went on to have 80,000+ installs, but never under my own name and always under the guise of an agency I was working for. Today, I&#8217;ve finally contributed a theme on .org with sole attribution.&#8221; Congratulations to Damon Gook for getting his first theme into the repository. The Theme is a block theme and called <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/bounds/"><strong>Bounds.</strong></a> &#8220;This theme is meant for slide decks. Use it for your next presentation. The default experience includes scroll snapping on large screens. There is also a style variation for a horizontal scroll snapping.&#8221; Cook wrote. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/m_munirkamal"><strong>Munir Kamal</strong></a> announced a new feature for the almost evergreen EditorsKit plugin: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGEhm4_sXT4"><strong>adding and managing Block Styles.</strong> </a>It&#8217;s a great example of how the WordPress Site editor can be used as a modern Design Tool for all kinds of use cases.  Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/block-options/">EditorsKit from the WordPress repository.</a> </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/TarunVijwani">Tarun Vijwani</a></strong> published the release notes for the <a href="https://developer.woocommerce.com/2023/09/29/woocommerce-blocks-11-2-0-release-notes/"><strong>WooCommerce Blocks 11.2</strong></a> release and highlighted blockified order confirmation, product collection patterns, the new Store API order endpoints and more. </p>



<img width="652" height="274" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-30-at-18.18.52.png?resize=652%2C274&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-25845" />



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-theme-development-for-full-site-editing-and-blocks">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</h2>



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding </strong>recounts the story of <strong>Mike McAllister&#8217;s</strong> woes of being a trailblazer.   <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-faces-pushback-from-wordpress-theme-review-team"><strong>Ollie Theme Faces Pushback from WordPress Theme Review Team</strong></a>. Adding onboarding setting screens to his newest block theme, bump up against the Theme directory&#8217;s guidelines as plugin territory. People agree that there needs onboarding solutions for new WordPress users after they log in into their freshly installed WordPress instance. </p>



<p>The team at Extendify also has a <a href="https://extendify.com/launch/">launch solution</a> it offers to the hosting companies as a stand-alone product also built with Gutenberg components on top of WordPress. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>James Koussertari</strong> of Gutenberg Market updated his <a href="https://gutenbergmarket.com/news/a-comprehensive-guide-to-building-wordpress-block-themes"><strong>Comprehensive Guide to Building WordPress Block Themes</strong></a>. &#8220;Now inline with the latest version of WordPress (I think)&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/jkoussertari/status/1707513300190142798">he tweeted on X</a>. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>In their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfMYdvpbEqs"><strong>September Friday Hangout,</strong></a> Webdev Studios folks, <strong>Brad Williams,</strong> <strong>Victor M Ramirez</strong>, <strong>Raquel Manriquez and Alfredo Navas</strong>, talked about full site editing and WordCamps. &#8220;<em>FSE is an exciting advancement in website development that makes it easier than ever for anyone to create a professional-looking website, regardless of their technical skills.&#8221;</em> They wrote in the description. They also mentioned their WDS <a href="https://github.com/webdevStudios/wd_f"><strong>WordPress Site Editor (FSE) Starter Block Theme</strong></a>, that is available on GitHub. </p>



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfMYdvpbEqs"><img width="652" height="369" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-30-at-16.49.59.png?resize=652%2C369&ssl=1" alt="Screenshot of the panel in September Friday Hangout." class="wp-image-25834" /></a>




<p><strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2022&#8221;</a>&nbsp;</strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2021 on. Updated by yours truly.  <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/"><em>The index 2020 is here</em></a></p>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </h2>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/marybaum">Mary Baum</a> </strong>published an introduction to <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2023/09/the-html-api-process-your-tags-not-your-pain/"><strong>The HTML API: process your tags, not your pain</strong></a> on the WordPress Developer blog: &#8220;All by itself, the HTML Tag processor is better than regular expressions. It&#8217;s convenient, reliable, fast—and You. Can. Read. It. This article shows you in two examples how to get started using the HTML Tag processor.&#8221; It also has a great list of resources for those who need to dive much, much deeper. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> posted another episode of his Block Cook Book recipes on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj61X_Xtfzc"><strong>The Interactivity API</strong></a>, and how to use the @wordpress/create-block-interactive-template template to scaffold a block that uses it.</p>




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s master branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>




<p class="has-text-align-right has-small-font-size"><em>Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? Don&#8217;t hesitate to send <a href="mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com">them via email</a> or send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph</em>. </p>



<p class="has-text-align-right has-small-font-size">For questions to be answered on the <a href="http://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast">Gutenberg Changelog</a>, send them to <a href="mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a></p>



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<p>Featured Image: Screenshot of the WordPress site on nasa.gov in 2023. </p>



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<hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide" />";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 30 Sep 2023 12:54:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Birgit Pauli-Haack";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:51:"WPTavern: Gutenberg 16.7 Introduces Font Management";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149617";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:62:"https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-16-7-introduces-font-management";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3738:"<p><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">Gutenberg 16.7</a> was released this week, packed with several features that are headlining the upcoming WordPress 6.4 release. This will be the last plugin release that will be rolled into the next version of WordPress. </p>



<p>Font management with the new font library is now available for testing in the plugin. These features standardize a way to add font collections to WordPress&#8217; new font library, so plugin authors can register lists of fonts and users can install the ones they want. It also enables font foundries to create their own WordPress plugins to provide access to their fonts.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/54169">Font Library</a> manages fonts independently of a site&#8217;s active theme, allowing users to install, remove, and activate fonts from various sources in WordPress. This works in a similar way to the Media Library.</p>



<p>After updating to Gutenberg 16.7, users can navigate to Styles > Typography to manage fonts. </p>



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<img width="1752" height="1086" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-29-at-5.24.43-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149693" />



<p>From there, users can launch the Font Library, which loads in a popup screen, and browse all of the installed fonts. A Google Fonts tab allows for installing additional fonts that will be loaded locally from the user&#8217;s server. This gives site editors  more freedom in selecting the typography for their websites instead of relying on a theme or plugin to provide font options.</p>



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<img width="2060" height="1194" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-29-at-5.28.40-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149694" />



<p>Gutenberg 16.7 also brings several important enhancements to patterns. Users can now <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/54337">import and export patterns as JSON files</a> from the Patterns screen, making it easier to share patterns to other WordPress sites. </p>



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<img width="2184" height="998" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-29-at-5.41.01-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149697" />



<p>The &#8220;My Patterns&#8221; category designation has also been reinstated to the post editor&#8217;s inserter, based on feedback after it had been removed.</p>



<p>Inside the the inserter in the post editor, pattern filters have been relocated to a dropdown at the top of the pattern list panel, along with a sticky header to help with navigation.</p>



<p>Other notable highlights of Gutenberg 16.7 include the following: </p>



<ul>
<li>Group blocks can now have custom names, making it easier to know what they are in the List View</li>



<li> New Social Link icon for the X service (formerly known as Twitter)</li>



<li>New ability to toggle ‘nofollow’ setting for inline links (rich text only)</li>



<li>Add aspect ratio to image placeholder</li>



<li>Image block: Revise lightbox UI to remove ‘behaviors’</li>



<li>Image block: UI updates for the image lightbox (redo)</li>
</ul>



<p>Gutenberg 16.7 includes 331 pull requests from 88 contributors. For more details on all the enhancements, bug fixes, accessibility, performance, code quality, testing, and tooling improvements, check out the full <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/#import-export-of-patterns">changelog in the release post</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 29 Sep 2023 22:15:38 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:22;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:33:"Matt: Houston, we have a solution";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:22:"https://ma.tt/?p=99419";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:49:"https://ma.tt/2023/09/houston-we-have-a-solution/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:420:"<p>The new <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA.gov</a> website has <em>launched</em> on WordPress powered by <a href="https://wpvip.com/">WPVIP</a>. (Also their <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/">science site</a>.)</p>



<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/"><img width="604" height="553" src="https://i0.wp.com/ma.tt/files/2023/09/nasa-homepage-min-1024x937.png?resize=604%2C553&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-99420" /></a>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:44:59 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4:"Matt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:23;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:96:"Do The Woo Community: Parts of the Brain Thinking About Ideas, Episodes and WordPress Highlights";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76686";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:94:"https://dothewoo.io/parts-of-the-brain-thinking-about-ideas-episodes-and-wordpress-highlights/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:469:"<p>The week wraps up with my thoughts on an idea, WordPress and WooCommerce highlights, podcast episodes and parts of my brain.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/parts-of-the-brain-thinking-about-ideas-episodes-and-wordpress-highlights/">Parts of the Brain Thinking About Ideas, Episodes and WordPress Highlights</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:21:54 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"WPTavern: Ollie Theme Faces Pushback from WordPress Theme Review Team";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149624";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-faces-pushback-from-wordpress-theme-review-team";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13737:"<p>Mike McAlister, creator of the <a href="https://olliewp.com/">free Ollie theme</a>, has been working towards getting his theme approved for hosting on WordPress.org. Ollie <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-block-theme-now-in-public-beta">went into public beta</a> in April 2023 and gained momentum over the next few months when McAlister <a href="https://wptavern.com/ollie-theme-previews-new-onboarding-wizard-in-development">previewed the theme&#8217;s new onboarding wizard</a>.</p>



<p>WordPress users have been slow to adopt the block editor and block themes by extension. In 2022, only <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/files/2023/05/2022-Annual-Survey-Final.pdf">54% of respondents to WordPress&#8217; annual survey have used the block editor</a>, four years after it was introduced. Block themes have trickled into the official directory, far behind the lofty goals set for their expansion. The sluggish movement towards block-based sites has led some to speculate on <a href="https://thewpminute.com/will-there-ever-be-a-market-for-commercial-block-themes/">whether there will ever be a market for commercial block themes</a>.</p>



<p>Ollie was designed to make onboarding to a block theme easier and the Site Editor more approachable, so that users don&#8217;t have to start from a blank canvas. The theme&#8217;s <a href="https://olliewp.com/ollie-demo/">demo</a> boasts &#8220;a 40-hr head start&#8221; on setting up a new WordPress website, thanks in part to dozens of patterns for fast page building. Ollie&#8217;s built-in onboarding experience aims to drastically reduce the amount of time users spend getting started.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<img width="1200" height="900" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/screenshot.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149635" />



<p>After receiving significant pushback from the Theme Review team during Ollie&#8217;s three weeks in the queue, McAlister has put up a poll requesting feedback on how he should proceed.</p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After a very rocky (and downright combative) theme review process at <a href="https://t.co/SPJ2MEtIlL">https://t.co/SPJ2MEtIlL</a>, I'm not sure if it's the right place for our <a href="https://twitter.com/BuildWithOllie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BuildWithOllie</a> project. <br /><br />I'm torn and would love your input. More context below and a poll at the end.</p>&mdash; Mike McAlister <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f9d1-200d-1f680.png" alt="🧑‍🚀" class="wp-smiley" /> (@mikemcalister) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemcalister/status/1707446456037134471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
</div>



<p>Although provisionally approved by veteran theme reviewer Justin Tadlock, who said the onboarding functionality should be allowed until WordPress core offers a standard solution, Ollie was met with heavy criticism from other members of the team.</p>



<p>&#8220;The setup wizard is plugin territory,&#8221; UXL Themes founder and theme reviewer Andrew Starr said. &#8220;Why not make this as a plugin that would work with any block theme? A plugin could be inspiration or a nudge to improve the core experience.&#8221;</p>



<p>McAlister responded to this question in the <a href="https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/149883">Trac ticket for the review</a> and in posts on X. He maintains that a plugin is a &#8220;far worse experience for the end user&#8221; and for his team as the maintainers of the product. Also, since the plugin review queue has 1,249 plugins awaiting review with developers waiting an average of 98 days for an initial review, a plugin for Ollie&#8217;s onboarding experience would likely not be live until next year.</p>



<p>&#8220;As a compromise and show of good faith, I&#8217;ve chopped down the onboarding wizard to a fraction of what it was,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No dice. Still, it continues to be a highly contentious issue that is causing folks to publicly question my intentions and integrity. Disheartening to say the least.&#8221;</p>



<p>Automattic-sponsored contributor Justin Tadlock, who helped author the guidelines in question many years ago and who has <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-theme-review-team-is-cracking-down-on-violations-of-the-presentation-vs-functionality-guideline">historically</a> been widely esteemed for his impeccable judgment in regards to the <a href="https://justintadlock.com/archives/2015/05/28/the-theme-review-teams-content-creation-discussion">grey areas of content creation</a> in themes and the <a href="https://wptavern.com/why-wordpress-theme-developers-are-moving-functionality-into-plugins">necessity of preserving data portability</a>, weighed in on the ticket after performing the initial review:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>As someone who co-wrote the original guideline for settings to use the customizer, I can say with 100% certainty that we never meant that to be a hard line drawn in the sand. The team reps can and have always had the capability to mark a theme as a &#8220;special case&#8221; (there&#8217;s even a tag for this in the backend, or there was when I was a rep). And there are themes where we felt like the functionality was unique enough to give it a bit of wiggle room. That was a position that we took when we wrote the &#8220;settings must be in the customizer&#8221; guideline. While I&#8217;m no longer one of the team reps, I feel like this settings page feature is unique enough to mark as a &#8220;special case.&#8221;</p>



<p>With block themes, some things must be reevaluated because the customizer is not available by default and is not an expected part of the block theme experience. In fact, this guideline is very specific to classic themes. Nothing has been written yet for block themes. Whether that&#8217;s a good thing, I don&#8217;t know. This could be a good moment for experimentation.</p>



<p>I disagree that the settings page should be packaged as a companion plugin. That defeats the purpose of its inclusion in the theme, and it would create an additional hurdle for the users who would benefit the most from this feature.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Yoast-sponsored contributor Carolina Nymark <a href="https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/149883#comment:21">contends</a> that allowing this onboarding experience will set a precedent that erodes the standard the team is trying to uphold for the ecosystem of themes hosted on WordPress.org and gives Ollie an unfair commercial advantage:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>&#8220;That settings pages are not allowed is in many ways unrelated to the customizer. And if we really want to angle it that way, it would be way easier to re-enable the customizer link in the theme.</p>



<p>It is about having a&nbsp;<strong>standard</strong>&nbsp;that is easy for&nbsp;<strong>all</strong>&nbsp;theme authors to use and easy to review.<br />It is about not opening up the reviews to another situation with incredibly difficult and time consuming reviews of code that the theme developers themselves don&#8217;t understand because they copy-pasted it and managed to cause all sorts of errors and security issues.<br /><strong>Where</strong>&nbsp;that feature &#8220;lives&#8221;, in the customizer or on another page, is not the issue.</p>



<p>I would like everyone to also consider that the Site Editor is not at all far away from solving the problem with the initial template selection. It does not solve all onboarding steps, like getting to the Site Editor, but it is improving.</p>



<p>Compare it with the use of TGMPA. There is a problem that needs solving and a solution has been agreed upon where the theme author and reviewers only need to adjust a few variables and text strings.</p>



<p>If something similar could be reached here I would support it.</p>



<p>This is not about a special case, because it is an unfair commercial advantage over other theme developers.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Ollie is a beautifully-designed multipurpose theme of the highest caliber, the likes of which WordPress.org doesn&#8217;t see very often. If expanding block theme adoption is an important goal, these are the kinds of experiences you want people building for WordPress users. It may be time to redefine theme guidelines based on the possibilities that the block editor enables, instead of saddling block themes with antiquated constraints <a href="https://twitter.com/carolinapoena/status/1707128165808713756?s=20">for the sake of maintaining a more expedient review process</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;Just because there are problems with onboarding it doesn&#8217;t mean that a theme, any theme, is the right tool just because one can put code in it,&#8221; Nymark said. &#8220;Plugins extend features, themes display content.&#8221;</p>



<p>Given the amount of pushback from the Theme Review team, McAlister is now torn about removing everything &#8220;extra&#8221; to get Ollie in the directory for better distribution, or to keep the innovations in place and forego the directory in favor of independent distribution. So far, the results of his poll are overwhelmingly in favor of McAlister distributing the theme himself. </p>



<p>&#8220;I’m passionate about innovation and getting the most out of all the possibilities that modern WordPress affords us,&#8221; McAlister told the Tavern. &#8220;We were tasked to &#8216;Learn JavaScript Deeply&#8217; not to remain where we’ve been for so long, but to push the boundaries and scope out the future of WordPress and what’s possible. </p>



<p>&#8220;So we designed and developed Ollie’s educational dashboard and onboarding wizard to help users get over some of the hurdles they’ve been plagued with for so long when setting up a new site or switching to a new theme. We even designed it in a very core-inspired way to match the site editor to create a very cohesive experience. The feedback has been inspiring!&#8221; </p>



<p>After <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemcalister/status/1707446456037134471">posting</a> about his experience with the Theme Review team, which McAlister characterized as &#8220;rocky (and downright combative),&#8221; the community following his work on Ollie <a href="https://twitter.com/mikemcalister/status/1706389121717969202">over the past year</a> has rallied around him with advice and support.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am torn about this,&#8221; Joost de Valk <a href="https://twitter.com/jdevalk/status/1707483200082100561">commented</a> on McAlister&#8217;s poll on X. &#8220;I feel WordPress needs these onboarding experiences. Very very much. Should it be in themes? Not sure. Should the theme repository block this stuff? I don’t think so… we should be open to experimenting with this a bit more.&#8221;</p>



<p>McAlister said that even as the theme&#8217;s creator, he is torn about the decision as well.</p>



<p>&#8220;I built this as a good faith attempt to help people onboard into block themes and hopefully even help drive adoption,&#8221; he said. &#8220;My intentions are pure and steeped in 15 years of doing it &#8216;the WP way.&#8217; It’s an attempt to move the needle, worth a shot anyway.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;I always felt that onboarding like this should be part of Core,&#8221; Yoast-sponsored contributor Ari Stathopoulos <a href="https://twitter.com/aristath/status/1707483762336919738">commented</a>. &#8220;The current experience for a newcomer to WP is not a good one. We have to start somewhere… if it’s in themes, then so be it.&#8221;</p>



<p>WordPress&#8217; Theme Review team has a critical choice here, whether to stifle innovation and throw the book at one of the most highly anticipated block themes, or identify this as a special case where the author has the users&#8217; best interests at heart. </p>



<p>Many participants in the discussion on X encouraged McAlister to distribute his work independently, citing examples of other WordPress products that have found success in doing so. This would be an unfortunate loss for WordPress.org where the project is essentially shooting itself in the foot by clinging to outmoded guidelines in order to deny high quality block themes that are innovating to create a better user experience. In pursuit of a more robust offering of block themes, the last thing WordPress needs to do is chase away its trailblazers.</p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Generally speaking, given the amount of pure sh*t available in the .org repo, the fact that they wont welcome you with open arms just stinks.<br /><br />Self distribute.<br /><br />You've got something incredible here.</p>&mdash; Anthony (@ant_thedesigner) <a href="https://twitter.com/ant_thedesigner/status/1707490391316922793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
</div>



<p>&#8220;Since this morning, there has been an overwhelming amount of feedback telling me to avoid the WordPress.org directory,&#8221; McAlister said. &#8220;I’m kind of bummed by this because I think it says something about the directory that a lot of folks think but few want to say out loud. </p>



<p>&#8220;Personally, I want the directory to succeed and be an inspiring and resourceful jump-off point for new WordPress users! It’s the front page of our open source project, of our community. It should be a showcase of the finest our community has to offer. But today, I’m disheartened and not sure if it’s the place where I want to put some of my best work to date.&#8221;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 29 Sep 2023 05:07:07 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:94:"Post Status: WordPress 6.4 • Annual Survey • Stats &amp; Dashboards • Global Sponsorship";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:32:"https://poststatus.com/?p=155508";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:87:"https://poststatus.com/wordpress-6-4-annual-survey-stats-dashboards-global-sponsorship/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16119:"<h2 class="wp-block-heading alignfull" id="h-this-week-at-wordpress-org-september-14-2023">This Week at WordPress.org (September 14, 2023)</h2>


<div class="has-background has-theme-palette-8-background-color wp-block-post-excerpt"><p class="wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt">β WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 is out now<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/2611.png" alt="☑" class="wp-smiley" />︎ Take the annual WordPress survey<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4ca.png" alt="📊" class="wp-smiley" /> Data about the WordPress Project<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f310.png" alt="🌐" class="wp-smiley" /> Global Sponsorship Program </p></div>


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<div class="gb-container gb-container-5e804289">

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news"><a href="https://wordpress.org/news">News</a></h2>

</div>


<ul>
<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/help-influence-the-future-of-wordpress-by-taking-the-2023-annual-survey-today/">Help Influence the Future of WordPress by Taking the 2023 Annual Survey Today</a></li>



<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">WordPress 6.4 Beta 1</a></li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-summit-notes"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/summit">Community Summit Notes</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/summit/2023/09/21/community-summit-2023-your-role-in-whats-next/">Community Summit 2023: Your Role in What’s Next</a></li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WordPress 6.4</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/18/wordpress-6-4-whats-on-your-wishlist/">WordPress 6.4: What’s on your wishlist?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/06/05/wordpress-6-4-development-cycle/">WordPress 6.4 Development Cycle</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/14/hallway-hangout-whats-new-for-developers-in-wordpress-6-4/">Hallway Hangout: What’s new for developers in WordPress 6.4</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>



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<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content"><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-check/">Plugin Check</a></blockquote>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
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<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community">Community</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2023/09/28/proposed-2024-global-community-sponsorship-program/">Proposed 2024 Global Community Sponsorship Program</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2023/09/22/meetup-organizer-newsletter-september-2023/">Meetup Organizer Newsletter: September 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2023/09/22/recap-of-the-contributor-working-groups-mentorship-chat-on-september-21-2023/">Recap of the Contributor Working Group’s Mentorship Chat on September 21, 2023</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-core"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core">Core</a> </h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">What’s new in Gutenberg 16.7? (27 September)</a></li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-developer-blog"><a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/">Developer Blog</a></h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2023/09/the-html-api-process-your-tags-not-your-pain/">The HTML API: process your tags, not your pain</a></li>



<li><a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2023/09/understanding-block-attributes/">Understanding block attributes</a></li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meetings">Meetings</h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/27/dev-chat-agenda-september-27-2023-2/">Dev Chat agenda, September 27, 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/26/editor-chat-agenda-27-september-2023/">Editor Chat Agenda: 27 September 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/25/editor-chat-summary-september-20th-2023/">Editor chat summary: September 20th, 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/22/dev-chat-summary-september-20-2023/">Dev Chat Summary, September 20, 2023</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design">Design</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2023/09/25/design-share-sep-11-sep-22/">Design Share: Sep 11-Sep 22</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/docs">Docs</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/docs/2023/09/25/end-user-docs-repo-workflows-and-settings/">End-user docs repo – workflows and settings</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/docs/2023/09/22/online-monthly-docs-team-contributor-day-september-26-2023/">Online monthly Docs Team Contributor Day September 26, 2023</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta">Meta</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2023/09/26/set-up-two-factor-authentication-wordpress-org/">Set up Two-Factor authentication WordPress.org</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-openverse"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse">Openverse</a></h2>



<ul>
<li></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse/2023/09/26/community-meeting-recap-2023-09-26/">Community Meeting Recap (2023-09-26)</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse/2023/09/25/last-week-openverse-2023-09-18-2023-09-25/">A week in Openverse: 2023-09-18 – 2023-09-25</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-performance"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/performance/">Performance</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/27/dev-chat-agenda-september-27-2023-2/">Dev Chat agenda, September 27, 2023</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plugins"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/plugins">Plugins</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2023/09/19/update-turning-the-tide/">Update: Turning the Tide</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2023/08/21/xpost-wordpresscs-3-0-0-is-now-available/">WordPressCS 3.0.0 is now available</a></li>
</ul>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polyglots"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots">Polyglots</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/2023/09/20/previewing-patterns-during-translation/">Previewing patterns during translation</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-project"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/project">Project</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/project/2023/09/25/request-for-feedback-make-team-dashboards/">Request for Feedback: Make/Team Dashboards</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-support"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/support">Support</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/support/2023/09/agenda-for-september-28th-support-meeting-2/">Agenda for September 28th Support Meeting</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/sustainability">Sustainability</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/sustainability/2023/09/26/sustainability-chat-agenda-september-29-2023/">Sustainability Chat Agenda, September 29, 2023</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-test"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test">Test</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/27/test-team-reps-submit-your-votes/">Test Team Reps: Submit Your Votes</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">Help Test WordPress 6.4</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theme"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/theme">Theme</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2023/09/27/themes-team-meeting-notes-september-26-2023/">Themes Team Meeting Notes –&nbsp;September 26, 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2023/09/15/theme-handbook-overhaul-phase-3-publishing-content/">Theme Handbook Overhaul: Phase 3 (Publishing Content)</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-training"><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training">Training</a></h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2023/09/28/discussion-defining-active-and-engaged-faculty/">Discussion: Defining Active and Engaged Faculty</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2023/09/27/looking-for-feedback-updates-to-github-issue-templates-and-labels/">Looking for feedback: Updates to GitHub issue templates and labels</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2023/09/26/training-team-meeting-recap-19th-september-2023/">Training Team Meeting Recap – 19th September 2023</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2023/09/26/looking-for-feedback-learn-website-information-architecture/">Looking for Feedback: Learn Website Information Architecture</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2023/09/21/proposal-updating-the-contributor-ladder-to-a-five-path-model/">Proposal: Updating the Contributor Ladder to a five-path model</a></li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tutorials"><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorials">Tutorials</a></h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/using-block-patterns/">Using Block Patterns</a></li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-online-workshops">Online Workshops</h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=how-to-write-meeting-recap-notes-for-the-wordpress-training-team-2">How to Write Meeting Recap Notes for the WordPress Training Team</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=how-to-write-meeting-recap-notes-for-the-wordpress-training-team">How to Write Meeting Recap Notes for the WordPress Training Team</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=five-for-the-future-how-to-succeed-by-making-ongoing-contributions-to-wordpress-2">Five for the Future: How to succeed by making ongoing contributions to WordPress</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=common-apis-settings">Common APIs – Settings</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=developer-hours-building-better-blocks-with-the-create-block-package">Developer Hours: Building better blocks with the ‘create-block’ package</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=a-brief-history-of-wordpress-4">A Brief History of WordPress</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=apac-building-a-home-page">APAC: Building a home page</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/?meeting=building-a-home-page">Building a home page</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wptv">WPTV</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://wordpress.tv/category/year/2022/">Latest WordPress TV videos</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-related-news">Related News:</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://blog.jquery.com/2023/08/28/jquery-3-7-1-released-reliable-table-row-dimensions/">jQuery 3.7.1 Released: Reliable Table Row Dimensions</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V20.md#20.7.0">Node</a> <a href="https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/main/doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V20.md#20.7.0">20.7.0</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.php.net/archive/2023.php#2023-09-28-2">PHP 8.3.0 RC 3 available for testing</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.php.net/archive/2023.php#2023-09-28-1">PHP 8.2.11 Released!</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.php.net/archive/2023.php#2023-08-31-3">PHP 8.1.23 Released!</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v6.8.1">PHPMailer 6.8.1</a></li>



<li><a href="https://dev.mysql.com/doc/relnotes/mysql/8.0/en/news-8-0-35.html">Changes in MySQL 8.0.35 (Not yet released, General Availability)</a></li>



<li><a href="https://262.ecma-international.org/">TC39</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/composer/composer/releases">Composer </a><a href="https://github.com/composer/composer/releases/tag/2.6.3">2.6.3</a></li>



<li><a href="https://chromiumdash.appspot.com/schedule">Chromium Roadmap</a></li>



<li><a href="https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar/">Firefox Release Calendar</a></li>



<li><a href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safari-release-notes">Safari Release Notes</a></li>
</ul>



<p class="has-theme-palette-7-background-color has-background">Thanks for reading our WP dot .org roundup! Each week we are highlighting the news and discussions coming from the good folks making WordPress possible. If you or your company create products or services that use WordPress, you need to be engaged with them and their work. Be sure to share this resource with your product and project managers. <br /><br /><strong>Are you interested in giving back and contributing your time and skills to WordPress.org?</strong>   <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/article/contributing-to-wordpress/">Start Here ›</a><br /><br /><strong>Get our weekly WordPress community news digest</strong> — Post Status&#8217; <a href="https://poststatus.com/news/week-in-review/">Week in Review</a> — covering the WP/Woo news plus significant writing and podcasts. It&#8217;s also available in <a href="https://poststatus.com/newsletter">our newsletter</a>.  </p>



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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-background"><a href="https://poststatus.com/"><img src="https://poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/vertical-post-status-logo-250.png" alt="Post Status" class="wp-image-85823 size-full" /></a><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
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<p class="has-text-align-left has-small-font-size"><strong>Build your network. Learn with others. Find your next job — or your next hire.</strong> Read the <strong>Post Status</strong> <a href="https://poststatus.com/newsletter/">newsletter</a>. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/2709.png" alt="✉" class="wp-smiley" /> Listen to <a href="https://poststatus.com/podcasts/">podcasts</a>. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f399.png" alt="🎙" class="wp-smiley" /> Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/post_status/">@Post_Status</a> <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f426.png" alt="🐦" class="wp-smiley" /> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/post-status-llc/">LinkedIn</a>. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f4bc.png" alt="💼" class="wp-smiley" /></p>
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<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<p>This article was published at Post Status — the community for WordPress professionals.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:10:22 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Courtney Robertson";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:26;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:86:"Do The Woo Community: Managing Client Expectations, Partnerships, Woo Experts and Tips";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76607";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-agency-chat-alex-frison-nils-fredrik/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:444:"<p>Nils and Alex chat about managing client expectation, partnerships and collaboration, the Woo expert program and end with agency tips.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-agency-chat-alex-frison-nils-fredrik/">Managing Client Expectations, Partnerships, Woo Experts and Tips</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:40:50 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:27;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:44:"WPTavern: WordPress Opens 2023 Annual Survey";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149557";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:55:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-opens-2023-annual-survey";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2238:"<p>WordPress has <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/help-influence-the-future-of-wordpress-by-taking-the-2023-annual-survey-today/">launched its 2023 annual survey</a>, which is open to the entire community, including users, site builders, plugin and theme authors, and contributors. </p>



<p>The <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/05/2022-annual-survey-results-next-steps/">2022 survey</a> collected responses from roughly 3,400 people, including approximately 800 contributors, a decline in submissions from previous years. The 2022 survey introduced the Likert scale, a rating scale that quantitatively assesses opinions, attitudes, or behaviors. The total number of questions were reduced, with socio-economic questions mostly removed. </p>



<p>WordPress is still evolving the survey format to get a better understanding of the community&#8217;s sentiments and values.</p>



<p>&#8220;This year, like last year, the survey has undergone some improvements to the flow and question set,&#8221; Automattic-sponsored contributor Dan Soschin said. &#8220;A new platform is also being piloted, offering an updated interface, enhanced multi-lingual support, expanded analysis and visualization tools for the results, and more. The new platform also has built-in accessibility and privacy controls, ensuring the survey meets the diverse needs of the WordPress community.&#8221;</p>



<p>The 2023 survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. It collects information on some basic demographics, various community involvements, preferred WordPress editor, how and why you are using WordPress, and more. Several questions allow the community to weigh in on the most frustrating aspects of WordPress, areas that need more attention, and whether or not the current <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/roadmap/">WordPress roadmap</a> reflects respondents&#8217; needs and desires for the future of the project. </p>



<p>In addition to English, the survey is available in nine widely-used languages, which participants can select from a drop-down menu at the top of the page. All the data collected in the survey will be anonymized and WordPress does not associate IP addresses or email addresses with the results.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 22:53:37 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:28;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"WPTavern: #92 – Juliette Reinders Folmer on When Contributions Need to Be Paid";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"https://wptavern.com/?post_type=podcast&p=149350";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:94:"https://wptavern.com/podcast/92-juliette-reinders-folmer-on-when-contributions-need-to-be-paid";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:49192:"Transcript<div>
<p>Juliette Reinders Folmer</p>



<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>



<p>Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case when contributions to WordPress deserve payment.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;d like to subscribe to the podcast, you can do that by searching for WP Tavern in your podcast player of choice. Or by going to WPTavern.com forward slash feed forward slash podcast. And you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>



<p>If you have a topic that you&#8217;d like us to feature on the podcast, well, I&#8217;m keen to hear from you, and hopefully get you all your idea featured on the show. Head to WPTavern.com forward slash contact forward slash jukebox and use the form there.</p>



<p>So on the podcast today, we have Juliette Reinders Folmer.</p>



<p>Juliette is a highly experienced professional in the field of coding standards. With a deep understanding of industry best practices, she has dedicated herself for many years to ensuring code quality and consistency within WordPress.</p>



<p>Juliette acknowledges that coding standards encompass more than just formatting and white space, they also play a crucial role in maintaining compatibility and preventing conflicts between plugins.</p>



<p>By adhering to these standards, developers can minimize errors, and fatal issues for end users. To facilitate the implementation of coding standards, Juliette talks about the importance of automated checks and continuous integration.</p>



<p>We chat about her commitment to WordPress coding standards, and how the work that she&#8217;s done in this field have made her a trusted authority. Through her contributions and guidance, she has helped countless developers enhance their code quality, ultimately improving the overall WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<p>We talk about Juliette&#8217;s role as one of the maintainers of WordPress Coding Standards or WordPress CS. Discussing the importance of consistent code and the challenges of maintaining, and funding, open source projects.</p>



<p>Clearly there&#8217;s great value in tools like WordPress CS. Consistency is key for developers, and using a tool like WordPress CS makes it easier for them to meet expectations and be productive. It saves time by automating manual changes, and helps prevent conflicts and potential problems with other plugins or WordPress Core. Juliette emphasizes the continuous nature of the project. Where updates to a variety of PHP projects need to be kept in sync with the WordPress side of things.</p>



<p>All that said maintaining open source projects like WordPress CS comes with its challenges. Juliette tells us about the importance of financial support and adequate resources to mitigate business risk, as projects that go on maintained can create dependency issues and pose problems during corporate audits.</p>



<p>She speaks openly about her decision to step away from contributing. The project is so crucial, but underfunded and Juliette thinks it&#8217;s time to draw a line in the sand. It&#8217;s time for contributions in return for payment.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s not just about financial contributions though. Juliette asks us to support the WordPress Community Collective, and for us all to explore other ways to assist the project. She highlights the need for all companies benefiting from WordPress to contribute towards funding more broadly, rather than relying on one or two of the larger companies in the space.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re a contributor who was even pondered how much WordPress relies on volunteers, this podcast is for you.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re interested in finding out more, you can find all of the links in the show notes by heading to WPTavern.com forward slash podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>



<p>And so without further delay, I bring you Juliette Reinders Folmer.</p>



<p>I am joined on the podcast today by Juliette Reinders Folmer. Hello, Juliette.</p>



<p>[00:04:41] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Hi Nathan. And you got my name right.</p>



<p>[00:04:43] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I appreciate that. Thank you so much. I&#8217;ve had a little bit of a practice, let&#8217;s put it that way. I appreciate you being on the podcast today.</p>



<p>This is going to be a really interesting subject. It could get a bit nerdy, but I suspect that we&#8217;ll avoid large proportion of the nerdiness. But we&#8217;re going to be talking today about something which I suspect a lot of the people who tune into this podcast regularly may not know anything about. Hopefully during the course of this podcast we&#8217;ll alert you to why you should know about it, why it&#8217;s important, what it is, what it does.</p>



<p>But before we get into that, WordPressCS or WPCS, let&#8217;s ask Juliette just to introduce herself. Tell us a little bit about her background, working with WordPress, what she does and all of that. So Juliette, if that&#8217;s okay with you, over to you, little bio moment.</p>



<p>[00:05:32] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Oh dear. I did not prepare for that bit. Basically I&#8217;ve been self employed for good 20 years now, and as a general rule of thumb, I do whatever I like and I hope that sometimes people actually pay me money to do it. Which is not always great from a commercial point of view but it keeps me happy.</p>



<p>[00:05:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Typically on this podcast we have people who are devoted to some aspect of WordPress. My understanding is that your technical expertise stretches beyond WordPress as well, PHP and various other different things. So is it true that you only operate in the WordPress space, or do you stretch a little bit further than that?</p>



<p>[00:06:11] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> I&#8217;m all over the place. I sometimes say for people who are really in the WordPress community, see me as the PHP community reaching out and helping.</p>



<p>[00:06:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Nice. So this podcast today is going to stem off a piece that I read on the WP Tavern. It was written by Sarah Gooding. If you want to find it I will link it in the show notes. But maybe for ease of use, it was published on August the 22nd 2023, and it&#8217;s called WordPress coding standards maintainer warns maintenance will be halted without funding, in quotes, this is an unsustainable situation.</p>



<p>That maintainer is you, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re going to talk about today. We&#8217;re going to talk about that unsustainable situation. But I feel that we can&#8217;t really talk about why it&#8217;s unsustainable unless we learn a little bit about what WPCS is, what it does.</p>



<p>I know that&#8217;s an enormous subject to deal with in just a few moments. But I wonder if you could paint a picture of what WCS is because I feel the listenership, there may be quite a proportion of us that don&#8217;t know.</p>



<p>[00:07:17] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Absolutely. Okay so WordPress, like most projects, have coding standards. And now when I say coding standards a lot of people think, okay this is about how code should be formatted, white space, whether things should have comments and doc blocks. You know, how code should look.</p>



<p>In part, yes that&#8217;s correct. We do have rules for that, because if code looks the same across your whole code base it makes it much easier to review code and only concentrate on the actual changes, instead of being distracted by all the inconsistencies in how the code is formatted. So, yes there are rules about code style, code formatting. But WordPress coding standards does much more.</p>



<p>It also encompasses a number of rules around best practices, just industry best practices. Best practices for how to interact with WordPress. So as a plugin you don&#8217;t want to conflict with other plugins. So there are certain best practices you can apply, like prefixing everything you put in the global namespace.</p>



<p>And if you apply those correctly the chance of your plugin conflicting with another plugin and creating a widescreen of death, fatal error, for end users is a lot smaller. And WordPressCS can help with that as well and has, on the one hand, has some rules for that. On the other hand, what you then get is WordPressCS as the package, because you have the written rule, but then you also have tooling which basically takes those written rules and codifies that into automated checks. Automated checks which can be run in continuous integration.</p>



<p>So every time someone puts some code online those checks can be run to make sure that the code complies with the rules you&#8217;ve agreed upon. And WordPressCS is one of those packages. It&#8217;s a package which takes those rules, codifies them in automated checks and then can be run on your code. And it doesn&#8217;t just check it and point out errors, it can actually auto fix a lot as well.</p>



<p>[00:09:29] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So the enterprise of WPCS, and I should probably say that CS is the acronym for Code Sniffer. The enterprise is to create this suite of tests if you like, so that whilst you&#8217;re writing code, if you&#8217;re using CI, it&#8217;s constantly giving you alerts as to whether or not there&#8217;s a problem. We&#8217;ve identified that there&#8217;s a little problem here, you can take a look at it, and thereby mitigate the problems, right?</p>



<p>[00:09:55] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> It can even do it even more directly. If you use a modern IDE, individual development environment like a PHP Storm or VS Code, it can even give you those notifications while you&#8217;re coding. It integrates with that kind of tooling. So while you&#8217;re typing your code, it can fix things for you and it can notify you of the things it doesn&#8217;t fix.</p>



<p>[00:10:19] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So given the open source nature of WordPress, and the fact that anybody can download it and anybody can write a plugin for it, an interesting comparison would be something like the Mac App Store, or the Apple App Store where Apple, in effect, is the custodian of the code. Apple will go to great lengths to make sure that your code is compliant and it&#8217;s completely the opposite model. You put stuff into their ecosystem, they&#8217;ll do checks and make sure that it&#8217;s all compliant with oh let&#8217;s say iOS or something like that.</p>



<p>[00:10:50] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> In a way a similar situation is in place in the WordPress ecosystem at large, because if you want a plugin to be listed on wordpress.org it goes through a list of quality checks as well. And they have some specific checks from that team, but some of the checks they use also are based on WordPressCS or are from WordPressCS.</p>



<p>[00:11:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah that&#8217;s a really good point. I was thinking also about the sort of third party plugin marketplace which exists in WordPress, into which anybody can drop their code. So it&#8217;s quite, you know, you can go to one of hundreds of thousands of websites and download a plugin which you can add to WordPress. And really there&#8217;s a bit of a gamble going on there. You&#8217;re hopefully able to determine that the code is good.</p>



<p>But a tool like WPCS will give you some guidance. You can run it yourself. It&#8217;s not like you have to trust the repo. If you went out and got third party plugins you could run these tests yourself. And just before we started the call, you were talking about if you were, let&#8217;s say an agency, and you had a particular need and you had three or four plugins that you thought might be useful. They would, all of them satisfy the requirements that you&#8217;ve got. But you could run them through something like WPCS, and get a real useful insight into well, whether or not they meet the standards, how compliant they are and so on.</p>



<p>[00:12:12] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Correct. You will get some noise messages about different white space requirements, for instance. But you will also get messages about, hang on, this is not prefixed and this could conflict. Or hang on, output is not escaped. This plugin may introduce XSS security vulnerabilities. There are actual sniffs in WordPressCS which scan your code for typical attack vectors, and whether your code is well enough defensive against those attack vectors.</p>



<p>[00:12:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And I&#8217;m guessing that the enterprise of keeping WPCS maintained is like a road that you never reach the end of. You are updating it but there&#8217;s always the next change out in the, I don&#8217;t know, PHP ecosystem, which means that you can&#8217;t ever say well it&#8217;s done. Because PHP 8 comes along, then PHP 8.1 and PHP 8.2 and so we go.</p>



<p>So would that be fair to say? What kind of things is it sniffing for? Are we just working in the PHP space, or is it working with other things as well?</p>



<p>[00:13:19] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Well PHP_CodeSniffer as the underlying tooling, at this point is capable of scanning PHP, CSS code and JavaScript code. For the most part WordPressCS just focuses on the PHP code, because by now if we look at the whole ecosystem in development, there is plenty of other tooling available for CSS and JavaScript. Which wasn&#8217;t available when PHP_CodeSniffer started, because this is an old project.</p>



<p>I mean this project got started in 2005. So at that time that tooling was not available. So this was one of the only tools which could do something like this. The intention of PHP_CodeSniffer, because there&#8217;s so much other tooling available now for CSS and JavaScript, is to actually drop support for CSS and JavaScript. So with that in the back of our minds, our focus is completely on PHP.</p>



<p>[00:14:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And so getting back to the question about how this is a never ending road, I&#8217;m assuming there will have been no point in the past, or predictably in the future where you&#8217;ll be able to say, okay this is done, because there&#8217;s constant work that needs to be done because the technology, the PHP, is always adding lots and lots of different things from year to year.</p>



<p>[00:14:34] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> And it&#8217;s not just PHP. I mean if something changes in WordPress, WordPressCS needs to take that into account. For instance one of the scans is applied to plugins but also I think to WordPress Core is, are you using deprecated functions? Because those functions are deprecated for a reason. So you should use something else. There&#8217;s normally an alternative available.</p>



<p>Or are you using particular PHP functions for which there is a WordPress alternative which should be used? So if WordPress introduces one of those alternatives then WordPressCS needs to be updated to add a new check. If WordPress deprecates functions, WordPressCS needs to be updated.</p>



<p>On the other hand, like you already pointed out, every year there&#8217;s a new minor release of PHP, sometimes a major. But at least every year there&#8217;s a minor and those introduce new syntaxes. And in the past three, four years PHP has introduced so many new syntaxes it became really hard to keep up. All those syntaxes mean that code can be written in different ways.</p>



<p>And sniffs basically look for a certain pattern of code. But if code can now be written in a different way, that new way of writing code needs to be taken into account. To prevent false positives, as in throwing an error when there shouldn&#8217;t be an error. But also prevent false negatives, for people using the new syntax and the sniff not being able to understand it and throw the error which should be thrown.</p>



<p>Every single sniff basically needs to be reviewed after every PHP release, to be checked if it needs to take any of the new syntaxes into account. But before we can do that the underlying tooling needs to be updated as well, because it actually needs to recognise the new syntaxes.</p>



<p>[00:16:26] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So a constant study.</p>



<p>[00:16:28] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Yeah it&#8217;s a whole domino chain of things and it&#8217;s basically a circle going round, because yes, we put dominoes in place and then we managed to get things merged in PHP_CodeSniffer. Then PHPCSUtils can update, and then we can update WordPressCS. And by that time a new PHP version has come out and we can start the whole circle again.</p>



<p>[00:16:49] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We have this expression in the UK, &#8220;it&#8217;s like painting the Forth Bridge&#8221;. The Forth Bridge is a particularly long bridge in Scotland, and you begin painting at one end and by the time a year or so later they&#8217;ve got to the other end, well, the paint on the far end has now become corroded, and they&#8217;ve got to begin again so it&#8217;s this never ending cycle.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;ve heard of WPCS and have used it, I&#8217;m sure that you will recognise the utility of it. But if you haven&#8217;t, and as I said at the top of the show, I think there&#8217;s probably a lot of people listening to this who haven&#8217;t. How do we actually make use of it? How would a typical WordPress user get WPCS working, and giving them some insight into the suite of things that they&#8217;ve got in their WordPress site?</p>



<p>[00:17:32] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Okay. Well for people who are not used to command line, this might be a bit scary. You need the command line. Then again I mean, as I said, it integrates with IDEs so you can run certain things in IDEs as well. But as a general rule of thumb if you want to scan for instance, say you&#8217;re evaluating those four plugins to find out which one you&#8217;re going to install, like the example you used earlier.</p>



<p>The easiest way to use WordPressCS as part of your toolset when you&#8217;re evaluating, is to do so from the command line. And that means you need PHP installed. Well if you work with WordPress you generally should probably have PHP installed. You need Composer which is a package manager in the PHP world, like npm for JavaScript but then for the PHP world.</p>



<p>And then you need to install WordPressCS and that&#8217;s a Composer require. And if you don&#8217;t work with code yourself I would say use a Composer global require, then you can use it anywhere on your system without it being project specific. If you do work with code, please use it on a project basis and require it for the project, because it will also make it transparent for other contributors that you expect them to comply with WordPressCS.</p>



<p>So yeah, you can either install it globally or you can install it on a project base. And once you run the Composer require, it has all of that in the readme of course, so you can just copy and paste that command.</p>



<p>Once you run that everything is set up, and you can just run the commands to run WordPressCS which is vendor, bin, phpcs, dash dash standard is WordPress.</p>



<p>At the same time, most of the time, you will want to customise a little. For instance, I mentioned prefixing before to prevent conflicts with other plugins. If you want to check prefixes you need to tell WordPressCS which prefix to look for. If you don&#8217;t give it any prefixes, we cannot check whether things are prefixed. We need to know what to look for.</p>



<p>In the WordPressCS repo, an example rule set, which has some of the common things which you should add to a custom rule set to use. There&#8217;s also, in the wiki, quite a lot of documentation about what the various options are you can toggle on and off. That way you can set up a customer rule set and get yourself running in a more detailed way.</p>



<p>[00:20:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I suspect that the proportion of people listening to this podcast who really never look at the code, they are, I don&#8217;t know, you maybe call them implementers or something like that, might be thinking well, why does any of this matter? What is the point? And I guess that&#8217;s something that I want to tease out.</p>



<p>I want it to be clear that unless projects like WPCS occur and continue to occur, the bedrock of the software, which we&#8217;re all using for free, gratis, is not going to be something that you can trust as much, I guess.</p>



<p>So I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s anything you want to throw into the mix there. If somebody was to come to you and say well I just use WordPress, why should I care about this? Why is this of interest to me? It&#8217;s a bit like, if I never go to a hospital, it&#8217;s not well we shouldn&#8217;t have hospitals because I&#8217;m perfectly well. Something along those lines.</p>



<p>[00:21:01] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Yeah, well if your site&#8217;s never been hacked that&#8217;s the same comparison. Your site&#8217;s never been hacked. So why do we need security checks and security reviews?</p>



<p>[00:21:10] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So what would be the single, or maybe a couple of messages that you would tell people, this is why what I&#8217;m doing matters. This is why we all need to know that this project exists, and that it&#8217;s important.</p>



<p>[00:21:23] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> There&#8217;s different answers for different levels. So for developers it definitely makes it easier for them to be high productive. Because if code is consistent it makes it easier to work with, to know the expectations, to review code, et cetera, et cetera. So it&#8217;s a productivity tool for them, including the auto fixing.</p>



<p>Some of the changes which may need to be done, if you&#8217;d need to do those manually that would take you like a week or two weeks. And if you use the auto fixer, it&#8217;s done in five minutes for you. So that is literally two weeks of work saved. That&#8217;s on the development level and the management, the IT department level.</p>



<p>If you are an agency who normally doesn&#8217;t use code, it&#8217;s more about, okay if I install this plugin, will it cause problems with other plugins? Will it cause problems for WordPress Core? Because there are plugins which will gladly override a global variable from WordPress Core and then WordPress Core breaks.</p>



<p>WordPressCS has checks against stuff like that. I already mentioned the conflict. If there&#8217;s two functions in two different plugins which use the same name, you have a fatal error and a white screen of death. Do you want your customer to get a white screen of death? No you don&#8217;t. So this tooling can help guard against that, can help prevent those kind of situations from happening.</p>



<p>[00:22:52] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So I&#8217;m going to go back to the piece on the WP Tavern. I&#8217;m going to read the title again because I think it&#8217;s important for the next part of our discussion. WordPress Coding Standards maintainer warns maintenance will be halted without funding, this is an unsustainable situation.</p>



<p>So the person that is referenced in that article is you. You&#8217;ve obviously decided that this is an unsustainable situation. I think we&#8217;ve painted a picture as to why WPCS is an incredibly useful thing to have around. But i&#8217;m keen to know exactly how many people get their hands in the weeds with that tool? How many people do you have on your air quotes team? How many hours are contributed by those people per month, per year, whatever? Just give us an inkling as to how much goes into this important project.</p>



<p>[00:23:42] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> As I already mentioned, WordPressCS is not a completely standalone tool. It is built on the shoulders of giants. The underlying tool, PHP_CodeSniffer, needs to be maintained primarily before we can even do anything in WordPressCS. That tool currently has two maintainers and I&#8217;m one of them.</p>



<p>There are outside contributors, and quite regularly we get an outside contributor with a pull request. But if you look at the bulk, to be honest, I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;m saying anything silly if I say that for the past few years a lot of that has come down to me. So that is the biggest giant we&#8217;re standing on.</p>



<p>Then we have PHPCSUtils which is a layer on top of PHP_CodeSniffer which makes writing sniffs easier. Because writing sniffs can be pretty complex with all the syntaxes you have to take into account. Maintained by me, completely.</p>



<p>Then we have PHPCSExtra, which is an external standard which WordPressCS uses quite a few sniffs from. About, I think more than 50% of the sniffs from PHPCSExtra are used in WordPressCS 3. Again, I&#8217;m the maintainer.</p>



<p>Remember that I mentioned that you install everything via Composer? There&#8217;s a Composer plugin which makes sure that all those external standards get registered with PHP_CodeSniffer. I maintain that together with one other person.</p>



<p>And then we have WordPressCS itself. And we have a maintainer team of three people. I&#8217;m really, really happy that there&#8217;s three of us. At the same time the majority of the actual code work comes down to me. Dennis would love to spend more time, but he hasn&#8217;t got the financial safety net to be able to do so without funding. Gary hasn&#8217;t got the time to do so anyway.</p>



<p>So I&#8217;m really happy with Gary and Dennis&#8217;s support, and for all the code review they do. But if we actually look at the code changes, nearly everything comes down to me.</p>



<p>[00:25:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So we&#8217;re painting a picture here, and it&#8217;s a funny phrase to bring out but there&#8217;s this idea of the bus factor. And the bus factor is the idea that if, sadly, somebody was to be hit by a bus, and they were no longer able to contribute to the project. The bus factor being one is indicative that you only need to have one person removed from the project for the whole thing essentially to collapse.</p>



<p>And that&#8217;s basically what we&#8217;ve got here. We&#8217;ve got a situation where you are maintaining an awful lot of what you&#8217;ve just described, and you&#8217;re doing it, well, gratis. You&#8217;re doing it largely I&#8217;m imagining, and you can correct me if I&#8217;m wrong, you&#8217;re doing this in your own time for no financial benefit.</p>



<p>And I guess one of the things that&#8217;s come out of the article is that having done this for so many years, and contributed so many hours of your own time, you&#8217;ve reached the end of the road potentially about that and you feel that this situation is no longer sustainable. It&#8217;s a bit of a plea for help?</p>



<p>[00:26:56] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Yes. I mean basically over the past two years this has dominated my daily life, in a way which isn&#8217;t healthy anymore. It&#8217;s not you know a nice side project anymore. No, it&#8217;s literally what I spend nearly all my time on. And I&#8217;m lucky that I have a few stable customers where I can scrounge some hours here and there to be able to actually pay for my bread at the supermarket.</p>



<p>The balance is completely wrong now.. And I&#8217;m not alone. I mean this is valid for a lot of open source projects. But we&#8217;ve reached a point that the balance is so far off that this is just not sustainable anymore. I cannot afford to do this anymore. I cannot justify doing this anymore.</p>



<p>[00:27:44] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Forgive me asking this question, and I hope it doesn&#8217;t come out the way that it might, but I&#8217;m going to ask it anyway. Do you have regrets around the amount of time that you&#8217;ve contributed over the past? So you mentioned that it&#8217;s requiring lots and lots of your time, and you&#8217;re basically doing this as a, almost like a full time job really.</p>



<p>Do you have any regrets getting into 2023 and that situation being the way it was? Or do you wish that you&#8217;d have managed to have this inspiration, if you like, this epiphany about enough is enough, a few years ago?</p>



<p>[00:28:18] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> When it&#8217;s enough I say so. It&#8217;s felt like it&#8217;s been enough for about a year, and a large part of that is the fact that, in my perception, I think there&#8217;s a disconnect between the open source user nowadays and open source maintainers.</p>



<p>Open source users often don&#8217;t realise there&#8217;s no funding. They are not the product. And they come in with a sense of entitlements, and a sense of pressure which is being put on maintainers to release, and yes but you should do this. No, I shouldn&#8217;t do this. I&#8217;m doing this out of the kindness of my heart, and you should be a lot kinder to me if you want to make any suggestions for the project.</p>



<p>[00:29:01] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Can I just clarify, have you been at the receiving end then of things which you, in the way that you&#8217;ve described, you&#8217;ve had requests in well let&#8217;s not beat around the bush, less than polite, shall we put it that way?</p>



<p>[00:29:13] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> We actually at some point had to put, in a hurry, a code of conduct into the project. And we couldn&#8217;t wait for the WordPress project to get themselves sorted with a code of conduct, because we had an abusive user which was really going way too far.</p>



<p>[00:29:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah I mean like you said, I think the word surrounding that is entitlement, isn&#8217;t it? Somebody who believes that it is your role. You have become the person doing this and so well it must now be what Juliette does. Juliette must fix it at the moment anything needs fixing. And of course I think you&#8217;ve reached the end of the road there, and you&#8217;ve decided that enough is enough.</p>



<p>Does that mean that you are, well, let&#8217;s examine what that means. Let&#8217;s throw out a few scenarios. Does it mean that you would like more maintainers, so that you can step away from the project? Or is there a different possible outcome here where you would love to be continuing to work on this, but there needs to be some way of putting food on the table, i.e. payment in exchange for your time here? So I guess both of those options could coexist at the same time.</p>



<p>[00:30:16] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Yes, and that would be the ideal situation because the thing is, it would be great if we could get more maintainers interested and more people be willing to contribute structurally to the project. Except this type of work has quite a steep learning curve. So to get to the point where you can function as a maintainer for a project like this, and actually take it seriously in the way it&#8217;s been taken seriously over the past few years, that will require quite a lot of coaching, and guess who&#8217;s doing the coaching then.</p>



<p>[00:30:49] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. So let&#8217;s ask that slightly different question. Over the past several years, have you had people go through the project? You know, that they&#8217;re interested in it, but they don&#8217;t stick around or is it literally that the door is open but nobody ever steps through it?</p>



<p>[00:31:04] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> There&#8217;s a number of different types of contributors. You have the drive by contributor. We will say okay, we have this sniff which we use in our own company, I&#8217;m going to throw it into PR and just drop it in the WordPressCS repo, because it could be useful for other people.</p>



<p>You do an extensive review and give them feedback of you know, this needs changing that need changing. Because if you use it in your own company you can take some liberties because you know what the agreements are, what code is based on in that company. Except you can&#8217;t take those liberties with a project which has this many users as WordPressCS. So we require a higher quality. And the drive by contributor will just not respond to that review at all, and just let the PR rot and die. So that&#8217;s the one.</p>



<p>Then you have, and I&#8217;ve seen two, three people over the past five years maybe in WordPressCS like that, will come in and actually understand what they&#8217;re doing and how to do a PR. But then don&#8217;t have enough time or have a family, have a job and their employer doesn&#8217;t allow them to contribute to open source regularly, et cetera. Or they get moved into a different position in their job, and then don&#8217;t have time anymore.</p>



<p>Those are like the little jewels which I&#8217;d like to hold onto, and cherish and cuddle and watch to flourish in the project. Except they are rare and unfortunately we rarely manage to retain them.</p>



<p>And then you have the, oh gosh how should I call it? What&#8217;s that called again? That month of code thingy, Oktoberfest. Yeah, I&#8217;m going to make a one character change in your readme. Let&#8217;s waste maintainers time, kind of PRs. Just so they can get a t shirt kind of thing.</p>



<p>There&#8217;s a couple of different types of contributors. A lot of contributors, or people I talk with, will say like, oh I&#8217;d love to contribute. I&#8217;m going to write a new sniff. And I&#8217;m like okay but do you actually know what you&#8217;re doing already? No, you don&#8217;t. Okay. So now you&#8217;re going to write a new sniff, and that needs a lot of coaching to get to a point where it&#8217;s actually mergeable. Instead of helping with the grunge work which needs to be done every time, every year, at every WordPress release, every PHP release. And actually learning from the patterns you see in others existing code.</p>



<p>And I know that the grunge work is boring, but it needs to be done, and we need people who will put up with the grunge work because otherwise the code base will just grow with new sniffs but nobody&#8217;s maintaining.</p>



<p>[00:33:47] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. So I guess what we&#8217;re discovering here is, A the project is important. B there&#8217;s not many people meaningfully contributing to it, apart from the ones that you mentioned including yourself. I think you mentioned two other people.</p>



<p>[00:34:02] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> We do get some contributions which are meaningful, absolutely. I&#8217;m not dissing that at all. But it&#8217;s the exception not the rule, in my experience. And that&#8217;s a shame. I mean I really would love to see more meaningful contributions.</p>



<p>[00:34:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah okay. Thank you for clarifying that. That&#8217;s good. But it also sounds as if you&#8217;re not quite at the point where you want to completely distance yourself from this project and never touch it again. I think I&#8217;m right in saying that a possible desirable outcome would be that you found a way to make this work for your setup.</p>



<p>And really what I&#8217;m talking about there is finance. Am I right in saying that you would continue this work if you were able to make it a job, if you like, and be paid for it?</p>



<p>[00:34:49] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Absolutely. I mean I enjoy this kind of work. That&#8217;s obvious otherwise I wouldn&#8217;t have gotten involved in the whole stack, and even projects related to which I haven&#8217;t even mentioned yet. I do enjoy this kind of work, but I do not enjoy the abuse, and the abuse is something I will not put up with anymore. Only ever put up with if it&#8217;s paid, if I get paid for it.</p>



<p>[00:35:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So since the article was published on the Tavern, so we&#8217;re recording this just for context kind of probably about 20 plus days since that piece was published. There were a lot of comments, an unusually large amount of comments. So this topic is of great interest to people. And I wondered, given that there was great interest and a large amount of comments there, I wondered if anybody had figured out what your requirement was, and had approached you. In other words has anything changed or is it still the way it was?</p>



<p>[00:35:42] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> I can see some parties being interested in contributing to a solution, but I&#8217;ve not seen a solution yet. But one of the things which has changed, and which I think is an improvement, and i&#8217;m really hoping that will allow people to contribute to the funding of the project, is that the WPCC has in their open collective, has opened a project for WordPressCS and the stack around it, to raise funding for that.</p>



<p>[00:36:15] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So just for clarity, the WPCC is the WordPress Community Collective. And what you can do is you can go over there and they have a handful, at the moment, of projects which you can donate to. And it looks like you have been added to that, or at least the WPCS project has been.</p>



<p>Do you have an amount, like a target that you want to get to in order for this to be possible for you? Or is it more a, well let&#8217;s just see where this goes, and bit of blue sky thinking, hopefully some people will help me out?</p>



<p>[00:36:45] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> I have a target in mind. I&#8217;m not comfortable calling that out on air though.</p>



<p>[00:36:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> No that&#8217;s fine. So that&#8217;s where we&#8217;re at. As of the 5th of September 2023, we&#8217;ve got this incredibly important project which underpins the sort of security, the confidence that you can have in WordPress and the plugin ecosystem surrounding it. But we&#8217;ve got this one or two or three, but largely one person maintaining that entire project. But it looks as if, unless something radically changes in the near future, as if that whole edifice might tumble. How much more time are you going to give this before you actually finally call it a day? Maybe that&#8217;s not even in your thinking, and maybe it&#8217;s you know you&#8217;re hoping that it will change</p>



<p>[00:37:29] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Well I&#8217;m definitely hoping it will change. As a rule of thumb I&#8217;m basically not touching the code anymore. Not until there is sight of a solution.</p>



<p>WordPressCS is definitely not an exception. I mean I know open source projects where there&#8217;s much bigger problems with abuse than in WordPressCS. I&#8217;ve known people who&#8217;ve had death threats in their DMs, et cetera, et cetera. That open source and abuse is a whole different topic, but it&#8217;s definitely not isolated to WordPressCS. And WordPressCS need for funding is also not isolated. I mean the accessibility project also needs funding. There&#8217;s other projects in the periphery of WordPress which could do with funding.</p>



<p>I think that it&#8217;s very easy for people to think, like okay but WordPress is open source and yeah there&#8217;s some big companies earning money so they should pay for everything. I do not agree. I think we should as companies which earn money from WordPress, that all those companies should get together in something like the WordPress Community Collective and fund those projects.</p>



<p>It shouldn&#8217;t come down to one or two of the bigger ones. It should come down to all of us because all of us are making money off it. Well all of you, because I&#8217;m not.</p>



<p>[00:38:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Obviously the nuts and the bolts of that mechanism, the bits and the pieces that would need to be configured to make that work, i&#8217;ve come across that project yet. But that is a really interesting idea, isn&#8217;t it? The idea that there&#8217;d be somewhere, and the WPCC does seem the best bet we&#8217;ve got at the moment.</p>



<p>It feels a little bit like five for the future or something like that. But instead of it being time, it&#8217;s, okay we&#8217;re a big company we make money off these things. We use PHP, we use the code sniffing, we do these plugins that are open source and so on. So let&#8217;s just put our flag in the sand and say we&#8217;ll donate 5% of our resources, and then that organisation, whatever it was, the WPCC or something else that&#8217;s new, could then distribute those resources and people like you could dip into that pool. That seems eminently sensible.</p>



<p>[00:39:36] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> I&#8217;ve written about this years ago already. It&#8217;s also about business risk. If you run a business which is built on an open source project, and you do not contribute back financially, as well as with people. You run business on quicksand. You are literally running it on quicksand. Any corporate audit type of your company will say you&#8217;ve got an unmitigated business risk.</p>



<p>You have risk that those projects which you&#8217;re not contributing to, which you&#8217;re not paying for, for which don&#8217;t have a service contract, are just going to go unmaintained. And you are so dependent on these projects, you should mitigate that business risk. And one way of doing that is with funding. Another way is with resources, and preferably with both.</p>



<p>And it&#8217;s not just WordPress yes, it&#8217;s all the open source projects in the stack. Go through the whole stack. You have PHP Units probably in your stack. You have Apache in your stack. You have a Chrome browser in which you test things in your stack.</p>



<p>And Chrome, yes, everyone associates it with Google, but it&#8217;s built on top of Chromium which is open source. You might use Mastodon as a communication channel. Make sure you also fund your Mastodon instance. It&#8217;s the whole stack of all those open source projects which need funding. So go through your stack. Do a proper inventory and fund them. This is the only way to mitigate the business risk all of those companies are running.</p>



<p>[00:41:05] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, I think you&#8217;ve made a really compelling case for this. In that, A, we&#8217;ve painted the picture of what it is that you&#8217;re involved in, and how important it is as a real bedrock of reliance and the ability for us to be confident in WordPress. And then we&#8217;ve also painted the picture of how the underpinnings of that aren&#8217;t very stable. Because all of us, unless we&#8217;re incredibly lucky, have to put food on the table and we have to be paid for our work.</p>



<p>And it does sound like the balance, certainly in your case, has gone really far in one direction, and you are the single biggest contributor to that project. And so it makes it all the more important that something like this gets funded, however that may be.</p>



<p>Now if you happen to be listening to this podcast and you feel that you are able to change the direction here. Juliette, what would be the best way? It sounds like WPCC, which I&#8217;ll link to in the show notes, may be the best way at the moment. But I don&#8217;t know if you&#8217;ve got any other intuitions about how this project might be helped.</p>



<p>[00:42:07] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> Companies can always reach out to me, DM me, Slack, or DM the maintainers as a collective. Gary, Dennis, and me on the WordPress slack. Open Collective is definitely welcome to receive funding for us. Keep in mind, I look towards the companies. I do not look to individual developers to fund this. Because, yes, they feel it most if projects like this don&#8217;t continue. But they are the ones we should talk to management and tell management to fund it, because it shouldn&#8217;t come down to individual developers. And one time contributions are very welcome, but recurring contributions are what keeps the project alive.</p>



<p>[00:42:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well let&#8217;s hope that there&#8217;s somebody listening to this for whom it has raised awareness enough. Let&#8217;s hope that we can come back in a year&#8217;s time, do another podcast episode and we&#8217;ll be talking about a different setup. Let&#8217;s hope that that&#8217;s the case.</p>



<p>Juliette, I really appreciate you being on the podcast today, and telling us an awful lot about your personal circumstance and things. So I really appreciate that. Thank you so much.</p>



<p>[00:43:11] <strong>Juliette Reinders Folmer:</strong> You&#8217;re very welcome. I enjoyed being here, and hopefully my bakery around the corner will enjoy it soon as well, because I can then actually start paying them.</p>
</div>



<p>On the podcast today we have <a href="https://twitter.com/jrf_nl">Juliette Reinders Folmer</a>.</p>



<p>Juliette is a highly experienced professional in the field of coding standards. With a deep understanding of industry best practices, she has dedicated herself for many years to ensuring code quality, and consistency within WordPress.</p>



<p>Juliette acknowledges that coding standards encompass more than just formatting and white space, they also play a crucial role in maintaining compatibility and preventing conflicts between plugins. By adhering to these standards, developers can minimise errors and fatal issues for end users. To facilitate the implementation of coding standards, Juliette talks about the importance of automated checks and continuous integration.</p>



<p>We chat about her commitment to WordPress coding standards, and how the work that she’s done in this field have made her a trusted authority. Through her contributions and guidance, she has helped countless developers enhance their code quality, ultimately improving the overall WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<p>We talk about Juliette’s role as one of the maintainers of WordPress Coding Standards (WordPress CS), discussing the importance of consistent code, and the challenges of maintaining and funding open source projects.</p>



<p>Clearly, there’s great value in tools like WordPress CS. Consistency is key for developers, and using a tool like WordPress CS makes it easier for them to meet expectations and be productive. It saves time by automating manual changes, and helps prevent conflicts and potential problems with other plugins or WordPress Core. Juliette emphasises the continuous nature of the project, where updates to a variety of PHP projects need to be kept in sync with the WordPress side of things.</p>



<p>All that said, maintaining open source projects like WordPress CS comes with its challenges. Juliette tells us about the importance of financial support and adequate resources to mitigate business risk, as projects that go unmaintained can create dependency issues and pose problems during corporate audits. She speaks openly about her recent decision to step away from contributing. The project is so crucial, but underfunded, and Juliette thinks it’s time to draw a line in the sand. It’s time for contributions in return for payment.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s not just about financial contributions though. Juliette asks us to support the WordPress Community Collective, and for us all to explore other ways to assist the project. She highlights the need for all companies benefiting from WordPress to contribute towards funding more broadly, rather than relying on one or two of the larger companies in the space.</p>



<p>If you’re a contributor who has even pondered how much WordPress relies on volunteers, this podcast is for you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Useful links.</h2>



<p><a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-coding-standards-maintainer-warns-maintenance-will-be-halted-without-funding-this-is-an-unsustainable-situation">WordPress Coding Standards Maintainer Warns Maintenance Will Be Halted Without Funding: “This Is an Unsustainable Situation.”</a></p>



<p><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress-Coding-Standards">WordPressCS</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.jetbrains.com/phpstorm/">PHP Storm</a></p>



<p><a href="https://code.visualstudio.com/">VS Code</a></p>



<p><a href="https://phpcsutils.com/">PHPCSUtils</a></p>



<p><a href="https://getcomposer.org/">Composer</a></p>



<p><a href="https://opencollective.com/thewpcc/contribute/wp-php-63406">The WP Community Collective</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Nathan Wrigley";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:29;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"Akismet: 15 Best Practices to Create a Lead Capture Form that Converts";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"http://akismet.com/?p=255688";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:43:"https://akismet.com/blog/lead-capture-form/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28720:"<p>Sometimes you hear about companies growing their email lists with huge numbers of new subscribers, and you look at yours that’s barely treading water and wonder — what are we doing wrong? One place to start is to consider your lead generation forms and the content surrounding&nbsp;them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Assuming your websites are attracting a strong amount of relevant traffic, if not enough people are joining your email list, a number of potential sources could be the problem. These&nbsp;include:</p>



<ul>
<li>The lead capture form itself</li>



<li>The landing pages where the forms can be found</li>



<li>How well the rest of your site is directing people to the pages where they can subscribe</li>



<li>How well your external marketing is motivating people to subscribe</li>
</ul>



<p>This article will introduce 15 strategies you can use for conversion rate optimization on your lead generation forms. And while most of these strategies relate to the form itself, some of them relate to other content and marketing assets that may be placed near the form, but that still play a big role in motivating people to opt in to your email&nbsp;list.</p>



<span id="more-255688"></span>



<img width="1600" height="812" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image.png" alt="WPScan landing page, which includes a form" class="wp-image-255690" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is a lead capture&nbsp;form?</h2>



<p>Also known as an opt-in form, a lead capture form is any form on your website that offers site visitors an opportunity to submit their information or join your email list —&nbsp;often in exchange for access to a “lead magnet” like an eBook or other downloadable asset. Forms can ask for as little information as just the email address, or as much as names, phone numbers, birthdays, and industry-specific interests and&nbsp;information.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Lead gen forms can appear on homepages, blog posts, dedicated landing pages, and any other pages of your site. They can appear at the top of the page, in the footer, in sidebars, within the content, or as&nbsp;popups.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Forms can use just text with fields to fill out, or they can also include graphics. A lead generation form typically includes a button that the visitor clicks once they’ve entered their information and are ready to sign&nbsp;up.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What happens after someone fills out your&nbsp;form?</h2>



<p>This matters. Most companies will send some sort of autoresponder email to confirm that the subscription has gone through. To confirm the subscriber is a real person, some companies will require them to click on another link within that first email to confirm they really want to subscribe. This is known as double&nbsp;opt-in.&nbsp;</p>



<img width="1084" height="1152" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-1.png" alt="Rigby email example offering free shhipping" class="wp-image-255691" />



<p><em>Example from Really Good Emails: </em><a href="https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/welcome-%2B-free-shipping" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer&nbsp;noopener"><em>https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/welcome-%2B-free-shipping</em></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p>



<p>But too many companies don’t take full advantage of all that an autoresponder welcome email can accomplish. Some just use what amounts to a robotic email that says something like “subscription&nbsp;confirmed.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Though this post is just about generating initial subscriptions, once you’ve followed some of these strategies and have seen your numbers swell, be sure to take the steps of creating an effective welcome series and consistent content that’s relevant and&nbsp;engaging.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to increase conversions from your lead generation&nbsp;forms</h2>



<p>With all that in mind, let’s look at the 15 best strategies to check, “improve lead capture conversion rate” off your to-do&nbsp;list.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Keep it simple — fewer fields, more&nbsp;conversions</h3>



<p>In general, you’ll get more lead capture form conversions if you ask for less information. The more fields you require, the fewer people will fill them all out. But, the quality of the lead tends to be higher with more required fields. What matters more to you — high quality leads or quantity? Use that to guide how many required fields you&nbsp;use.</p>



<p>Baseline information — the bare minimum — would be to ask for the email address and a first name. But sometimes, you do need a little more. A B2B company might ask for a company name, for instance. Or if you deliver segmented email marketing based on interests, demographics, or industry, you might include some checkboxes, so subscribers get added to the most relevant email list&nbsp;segments.</p>



<img width="1224" height="1078" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-2.png" alt="form asking for name and email" class="wp-image-255693" />



<p>You can also include other fields but not require them. For instance, requiring a phone number will depress your conversions. But keeping it as an optional field may alleviate this problem, and still give people who are willing to supply their number the chance to do&nbsp;so.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Don’t use CAPTCHA — Opt for non-intrusive&nbsp;anti-spam</h3>



<p>The data is in, and it doesn’t look good for CAPTCHA. These annoying little tests to verify you are not a robot mostly just tick people off, especially if they fail the test.<a href="https://medium.com/rareview/why-your-captcha-is-killing-conversions-f9be6fe17d1f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> One study</a> found that 30% of users abandon lead generation forms during the CAPTCHA&nbsp;step.</p>



<p>That’s almost offensive. If you’re using CAPTCHA, that means a third of your potential lead capture form conversions are being lost to grainy pictures of fire hydrants and school&nbsp;buses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Actually, according to<a href="https://web.stanford.edu/~jurafsky/burszstein_2010_captcha.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> another study</a>, it’s even <em>more</em> than a third. Only 71% of users even attempted to solve a CAPTCHA before quitting the signup process. That means lots of people won’t even attempt to solve the puzzles, and <em>of the ones who do</em>, 30% of those give up too. And audio CAPTCHAs are no better. They saw a 50% failure&nbsp;rate.</p>



<p>So, the verdict on CAPTCHA is pretty simple: It&nbsp;sucks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Users hate it. It obliterates your conversion rates. And even worse, a lot of the spammers it’s attempting to block keep finding ways around it. So, it’s not even very good at doing the job it was created for. That’s why CAPTCHA keeps coming up with new puzzles —&nbsp;because spamming software has cracked the codes of the older&nbsp;ones.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What should you do&nbsp;instead?&nbsp;</p>



<p>You certainly don’t want email lists filling up with bogus subscribers. That wastes your email marketing dollars. It can also hurt your sender reputation if you keep sending emails to bad email&nbsp;addresses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A better alternative is to use<a href="https://akismet.com/features/"> an anti-spam plugin</a> like Akismet that doesn’t require the user to solve any puzzles or tests. It happens in the background, blocks spammers from filling out your forms, seamlessly integrates with your lead form software, and thus optimizes your conversion&nbsp;rates.&nbsp;</p>



<img width="1600" height="816" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-3.png" alt="Akismet page with stats about the user experience and conversion rates" class="wp-image-255694" />



<p>Akismet was built by and for developers. It enables you to build its code into other applications and on pretty much any platform, not just WordPress, even though that’s where it originated. You can use it on unlimited numbers of&nbsp;websites.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Akismet has a 99.99% accuracy rate in identifying spam. It stops spammers from filling out your lead capture form, in addition to stopping spam comments on your web pages and blog posts. There’s even an<a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/"> enterprise-level version</a> for large&nbsp;companies.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://akismet.com/blog/convertkit-customerstory/">Read a case study about ConvertKit</a>, and how Akismet saved more than 400,000 creators each up to 20 hours of work per month. And this was all while restoring their email reputation, which was under threat from the proliferation of spammers joining the email lists of their&nbsp;customers.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Use motivating button copy, not technical&nbsp;terms</h3>



<p>Developers are not typically marketers. When developers write software, they use computer code language that makes sense to them, even on user-facing portions of their work. And the “Submit” button is a classic&nbsp;example.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While “submit” makes sense to developers, it’s not how your customers&nbsp;think.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is marketing: Filling out lead capture forms is optional. You have to make prospects want it. Be excited about it. Feel good about agreeing to receive emails from your&nbsp;company.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And “submit” isn’t going to get the job done. Many tests and studies have been conducted on this. <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6737/don-t-submit-to-landing-page-button-text.aspx?hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/28472/the-5-critical-components-of-fantastic-lead-capture-forms.aspx&hubs_content-cta=Buttons%2520labeled%2520%25E2%2580%259Csubmit%25E2%2580%259D%2520had%2520lower%2520conversion%2520rates" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One such study</a> found “submit” to be the worst performing button copy of all the choices in the&nbsp;study.</p>



<p>You won’t likely do much better with boring and generic terms like “join our list” or&nbsp;“subscribe.”</p>



<p>Use language that’s fun, engaging, or specific to your company or the offer made on the lead capture form. Use language that fits your&nbsp;brand.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For example, if your lead generation form strategy is to offer a coupon reward to everyone who joins the list, then make the button copy something like “Claim your discount!” or “Send my&nbsp;coupon!”</p>



<p>If you’re offering a free guide or report, then say “Get your guide,” or “Access the free&nbsp;report.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. A/B test for&nbsp;success</h3>



<p>As long as your lead capture form pages are getting enough traffic to collect valid data, A/B testing can help you optimize your lead capture form conversions over&nbsp;time.</p>



<p>And button copy is just one thing you can test on your lead gen form using A/B testing. You can also test many other items on this list, including headline, form design, button color, and location on the page. Find out what works best and build from&nbsp;there.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. Use headlines to communicate&nbsp;value&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Yes, your lead capture form should have a headline. Use a headline to express, concisely, why your ideal customer would want to join your email&nbsp;list.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A typical form tool will let you create a headline, or title, in large text and with colors you can manipulate. You should also create a subtitle that complements the main title with an additional&nbsp;incentive.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As with button copy, your headline should not be “Subscribe to our&nbsp;newsletter!”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Why?</p>



<p>Again, this is marketing. No one has to join your email list. They didn’t start their day thinking about how much they look forward to finding a company whose email list they haven&#8217;t joined&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You’re asking them to do something they didn’t plan on doing. You must give them good reasons for doing so if you want to optimize your lead gen&nbsp;forms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You do that by telling them why they should join. Pick one benefit, or two if you can fit the second in the subtitle, and use those to motivate more signups. Use action-oriented&nbsp;language.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Tell them what to do, and why they should want to do&nbsp;it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And as with the button copy, the headline should relate to the main incentive you’re offering to new&nbsp;subscribers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. Make it pretty — design&nbsp;matters</h3>



<p>Your lead generation form should stand out from the rest of your page. Design doesn’t just refer to the form itself, the colors, the sizes of the fields, the field label text, colors and fonts, or the shape. Yes, it includes all of&nbsp;that.</p>



<img width="1280" height="1600" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image.jpeg" alt="color swatches on a desk" class="wp-image-255695" />



<p>But design also refers to how the form interacts with the rest of the page. Is it set apart from the other content on the page to distinguish it? Can it be easily overlooked because it blends in too well? Is the rest of the page too crowded, so the form is getting lost? This, too, is&nbsp;design.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As for the form itself, many companies are tempted to use their brand colors on their lead capture forms. But is this smart? Again, if the form blends in <em>too</em> well with the rest of the page, site visitors will miss it. We’re not saying to use colors that completely conflict, but you can use design strategies that draw attention to the form and set it apart from how the rest of the page&nbsp;looks.</p>



<p>The fields and other elements can also be designed to look modern and appealing, not&nbsp;dated.</p>



<p>Many lead capture form templates can deliver effective design without a huge time commitment. And many of these can also be customized too, as you see&nbsp;fit.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Remember, you can A/B test all of this. If your marketing department has a disagreement about the color or some other design aspect, do both and see which form gets more&nbsp;conversions.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">7. Keep it visible — make sure customers can find your&nbsp;forms</h3>



<p>A lead capture form that’s hard to see or find on your site isn’t going to convert very many people to sign up. You have to make it a priority for your company to grow your email list. That means, make sure they can find your opt-in&nbsp;forms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Too many websites just slap a form in the footer and call it done. Or, they stick one on their homepage, and nowhere&nbsp;else.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But that’s not how everyone finds your site. Not everyone makes it to the footer. And not everyone who does find your home page will return there after browsing other&nbsp;pages.</p>



<p>You need lead forms all over your&nbsp;site.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Put them in the sidebars of articles. Embed them in key webpages. Use popups, some of which are triggered by time on page, and others of which are triggered when the user clicks on a relevant link. Create special landing pages and link to them from other pages using graphics and&nbsp;text.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It should be almost impossible for anyone to visit your website and not see a lead capture&nbsp;form.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">8. Create marketing for your lead capture&nbsp;funnel</h3>



<p>Joining your email list shouldn’t depend on customers coming to your website first. You can also create external marketing specifically for the purpose of gaining new&nbsp;subscribers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Create social media campaigns that link to landing pages containing lead capture forms. This could include posts, ads, graphics, and videos that aren’t selling products, but are offering incentives for joining your email list. Promote a 20% discount for new&nbsp;subscribers.</p>



<p>The landing page these posts and ads link to will sell the value of subscribing to your list, and the discount is just their first&nbsp;reward.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The point is, if you want more conversions from high quality leads, create marketing that will go after your target&nbsp;audience.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">9. Make sure your forms are&nbsp;responsive</h3>



<p>This should go without saying by this point in the digital marketing world, but your forms need to show up and function on all devices, not just desktops and laptops. If users can’t see or easily navigate your lead capture form on their mobile device, they won’t complete&nbsp;it.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">10. Use social&nbsp;proof</h3>



<p>This is less common to see within lead generation forms. But fitting a short testimonial within your form can make people more excited about signing up. This could even be your subtitle. You could also fit it below the fields and above the button, or below the&nbsp;button.&nbsp;</p>



<img width="1316" height="1264" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-4.png" alt="example of testimonials near a form" class="wp-image-255696" />



<p>You could also include testimonials near the form, but not within it. This way, someone looking in the direction of your form will see what other people like about being on your list, and consider&nbsp;joining.</p>



<p>Do your testimonials have to be about the actual email list subscription? Not necessarily, but that’s the best possible version. If you send out a quick survey to your existing email list, you could probably get some great responses about why people like being on your&nbsp;list.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">11. Give your email list a&nbsp;name</h3>



<p>Exclusivity sells. Generic doesn’t. “Join our email list” is&nbsp;boring.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Create a name that makes your list feel more like a club, or a community, or a place where the smartest, most motivated, most clever, most successful, happiest customers can be&nbsp;found.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Whatever describes your ideal customer persona, try to come up with a name for your email list that will appeal to those&nbsp;people.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">12. Break up the form into multiple&nbsp;steps</h3>



<p>If you need to collect more than just a couple of pieces of information, you may earn higher conversion rates if you break the web form up into steps. The first page might just ask for their name, or zip code, or email address. The second one might ask for more information specific to them. And the third might ask for a few more&nbsp;things.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can also create multistep forms that store the information entered on previous steps, so if the person abandons the form at a later step, you still have the data they already&nbsp;submitted.</p>



<p>But multistep forms feel faster to the user, and they look less intimidating. It’s less daunting to fill out two fields in three steps than to fill out six fields in one step. Same number of fields, but broken up into bite-size&nbsp;steps.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">13. Use a progress bar to encourage&nbsp;visitors</h3>



<p>If you do use a multistep form, use a progress bar to show how far along they are toward completing the&nbsp;process.</p>



<img width="1600" height="640" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-1.jpeg" alt="colorful progress bar" class="wp-image-255697" />



<p>People like to feel like they’re getting things done. Watching the progress bar move along the top of the form motivates them to want to finish it. Online surveys have used this tool with great success to increase survey completion rates. It works just as well with lead generation&nbsp;forms.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">14. Clearly state your privacy policy and compliance&nbsp;information</h3>



<p>You can do this in one of two ways. First, simply include a short statement with a link to “view our privacy policy.” Second, you can ask users to check a box saying they have read and agree to your&nbsp;policy.</p>



<p>Either way, the main idea is to communicate that you <em>have</em> a privacy policy. This shows their data is important to you, and that they can trust you to handle it&nbsp;respectfully.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Unless you specifically need to for legal or compliance reasons, you may not want to require users to check a box. Otherwise, they’ll find themselves wading through a page with legal jargon and privacy language that has nothing whatsoever to do with the benefits of joining your email&nbsp;list.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So, it may be better to simply include the link for anyone who wants to see this information. You want them thinking about joining your list, not their data&nbsp;privacy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>And, you can also include a short statement about how your email list complies with GDPR and other relevant email compliance&nbsp;regulations.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">15. Close the deal with&nbsp;video</h3>



<p>If you really want to optimize your lead capture form conversion rate, have the face of your company or someone else your customers will admire, appreciate, or relate to, create a video that extols the benefits of joining your email&nbsp;list.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The video should make joining seem desirable, appealing, and advantageous, with no risk and no downside. You can always remind people that they can unsubscribe at any&nbsp;time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once this video is ready, place it on the landing page of your lead capture form. You can also put it on other web pages, your home page, and even post it on social media and on YouTube as a means of externally marketing your email&nbsp;list.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which of these strategies is the easiest to start using&nbsp;now?</h2>



<p>Some of these tips require a little work on your part, and you can have your marketing or sales team get going on&nbsp;those.</p>



<p>But one of the most effective strategies to optimize lead forms for a higher conversion rate is one you can start using today. If you’re still using some version of CAPTCHA, <a href="https://akismet.com/features/">Akismet will reduce</a> your lead generation form abandonment rate by leaps and&nbsp;bounds.</p>



<p>As you saw earlier, with such high rates of people quitting the process when they run into these nonsensical puzzles, you’ll see far more signups simply by eliminating this needless&nbsp;barrier.</p>



<p><a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/">Use Akismet</a> in place of CAPTCHA, and your lead conversion rate will&nbsp;increase.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FAQs related to lead capture form&nbsp;optimization</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How many fields should I include on my lead capture&nbsp;form?</h3>



<p>While there’s no set requirement or ideal number, the fewer form fields you require, the more people will complete your web form. However, the quality of your leads tends to increase as you ask for more fields, so the balance may be somewhere in the&nbsp;middle.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What information should I ask for on my lead capture&nbsp;form?</h3>



<p>This depends on the goals you have set for your email list, and on your industry. If you are creating distinct marketing for different segments of your audience, you might ask for information on your form that will funnel people into the correct&nbsp;groups.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At a minimum, you should ask for their email address and first name. This protects their privacy but gives you enough to start the&nbsp;relationship.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How can I make my lead capture form visually&nbsp;appealing?</h3>



<p>Use modern lead capture form templates that are both visually appealing and responsive to different devices and platforms. Use colors that are unique from the page it sits on, but that coordinate with your brand and overall site design. Add graphics and images of people, when appropriate, to humanize the form and make it feel a bit less&nbsp;transactional.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Should I use a single or multistep lead capture&nbsp;form?</h3>



<p>If you’re only asking for first name and email address, you only need a single-step form. But if you’re asking for four or more fields to be filled out, you might consider a multistep form, along with a progress bar, to encourage more users to complete the steps and fill out the entire&nbsp;form.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What are common mistakes when creating a lead capture&nbsp;form?</h3>



<p>The most common mistake is to require too much information, especially phone numbers.<a href="https://unbounce.com/conversion-rate-optimization/how-to-optimize-contact-forms/"> One site that changed its phone field</a> from required to optional saw its conversion rate go from 42.6% to 80%. There’s a sizable subset of people who simply will not give out their phone number in a lead capture&nbsp;form.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A second common mistake is to not think about who your ideal customer is when creating these lead gen forms. The language of the offer, any incentives, and the button should appeal to your ideal customer, subscriber, or&nbsp;lead.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Should I use CAPTCHA to protect my form from&nbsp;spam?</h3>



<p>No — CAPTCHA increases frustration and dramatically increases form abandonment.<a href="https://medium.com/rareview/why-your-captcha-is-killing-conversions-f9be6fe17d1f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> A MOZ study</a> found that 30% of lead capture form users gave up while trying to solve these annoying puzzles. That’s a lot of lost&nbsp;subscribers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A better approach is to use anti-spam tools like Akismet that run in the background and use AI to identify and block spambots from completing your&nbsp;forms.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What is Akismet, and how can it improve my form conversion&nbsp;rate?</h3>



<p>Akismet is an anti-spam plugin built for marketers and lead generation. It’s an open-source tool created by WordPress that can work on almost any website platform because it was written by developers, for&nbsp;developers.&nbsp;</p>



<img width="1600" height="813" src="https://akismet455732288.files.wordpress.com/2023/08/image-5.png" alt="Akismet homepage with the tagline " />



<p>Akismet improves lead capture form conversion rates because it identifies and blocks spam without requiring your actual users to do anything. There are no annoying puzzles to solve or grainy pictures to scour through. All the anti-spam work happens in the&nbsp;background.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That means it protects your site and your email list from spammers, but doesn’t hinder anyone you want to join your list from doing&nbsp;so. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What types of companies generally use&nbsp;Akismet?</h3>



<p>There are over 100 million sites currently using Akismet. There is a<a href="https://akismet.com/features/"> free version</a> for non-commercial blogs, reasonably priced paid versions for commercial businesses, and<a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/"> an enterprise version</a> for large&nbsp;companies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Happy Akismet customers include Microsoft, Bluehost,<a href="https://akismet.com/blog/convertkit-customerstory/"> and ConvertKit</a>, whose senior engineer John Lunsford said, “With Akismet, we don’t really have to think about spam prevention, which allows us to work on other things. We moved from a place of putting out fires to now things are automated. We’re tracking stuff, we’re alerting on stuff. So now we know across our whole surface area if we have bot&nbsp;attacks.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Instantly improve your lead capture form conversion&nbsp;rates</h2>



<p>You can spend hours optimizing lead generation forms, designing custom graphics, and tweaking copy. All of those things will pay off with incremental increases in conversion rates from your target&nbsp;audience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But what if you need results <em>right now</em>? The quickest way to boost results is to eliminate annoying CAPTCHAs and use Akismet instead to protect your site in the background while letting real users pass right&nbsp;by.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://akismet.com/pricing/">Get Akismet&nbsp;today.</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Jen Swisher";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"HeroPress: My Journey as a Teacher and Engineer";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=5915";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:146:"https://heropress.com/essays/my-journey-as-a-teacher-and-engineer/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-journey-as-a-teacher-and-engineer";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13299:"<img width="1024" height="512" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/092623-min.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Pull Quote: I only knew I had teaching skills, but WordPress taught me to be versatile." /><p>I always wanted to be a teacher from my childhood days. I have seen my mom giving tuition. My aunts, uncles, sisters-in-law, and cousins were all in the teaching field. Since I grew up observing them all teaching, I also envisioned myself as a teacher. I believed there was no better profession in the world, and I still do.</p>



<p>As I grew older, my goals shifted slightly. I started to see myself as a lecturer rather than a teacher. I was the first girl in my family to become an engineer. </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>During my studies, I never thought about working in the IT field. </p>
</blockquote>



<p>I had a narrow view that IT or Computer Engineering meant only for coding. The employee has to work around the clock and move to another location. So, I had enough reasons to convince myself to pursue a career in teaching. Even today, if someone asks me in the middle of the night to explain how to debug a program using a loop, I can do so happily.</p>



<p>After completing my engineering degree, I started working as a lecturer. After getting married, I moved to a new city but continued working as a lecturer. During that period, my husband went to Singapore for work, and we all moved to our native place. I could not find a lecturing job as there were no engineering colleges. And other colleges only offered positions as computer lab assistants, which I declined. I began providing private tutoring for engineering students, and my life seemed settled.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-passion-through-writing-my-journey-from-boredom-to-blogging-bliss"><strong>Discovering Passion Through Writing: My Journey from Boredom to Blogging Bliss</strong></h2>



<p>Then, a turning point occurred in my life. Within five months, I also moved to Singapore. I managed to find a job in marketing, which was outside my skill set. I soon realized that it did not bring me joy. And without joy, there was no fulfilment.</p>



<p>I left that job after three months. I started getting bored. I did not have much to do except grocery shopping and household chores. One day, my husband suggested trying something new! It can be writing or documenting or anything that could help to stay content. I had never considered writing before! He suggested some blogging platforms like Medium, Tumblr, Blogger, and WordPress. I created accounts for each of them and started publishing articles. </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>WordPress turned out to be the most engaging platform, and I decided to continue writing a blog on WordPress. </p>
</blockquote>



<p>That was how I started <a href="https://krupajnanda.wordpress.com/">my blog</a>, out of boredom, which became a passion later. I connected with hundreds of fellow bloggers. I also started participating in various blogger events and started getting recognition. And this was something I could do for hours.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Crossroads and Choices: Navigating Career Transitions from Teaching to Testing</strong></h2>



<p>In 2015, we returned to India. We settled in Pune, which presented a new challenge for me in finding a lecturing job. Some institutes only offered me positions as visiting faculty. And pursuing further studies seemed impractical at that time. So, I had two options left. Either continue writing blogs full-time or join the IT sector. I enrolled in a testing crash course, which I would not recommend anyone to do. The institute focused on theory more and minimal practical knowledge. I also cleared my ISTQB certification.</p>



<p>And you won&#8217;t believe what happened next&#8230;.!</p>



<p>After a few months, I landed a position at rtCamp as a <em>QA Engineer</em>! It&#8217;s fascinating to think that I initially used WordPress as a consumer to publish my blogs, and now I find myself testing websites built on the WordPress platform. </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>Like many others, I once considered WordPress to be exclusively a blogging platform, unaware of the efficiency and sophistication of the entire WordPress ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Back then, I had little technical knowledge about WordPress, but I became familiar with the plethora of terms specific to the WordPress environment and other technical nuances. I delved into concepts ranging from the Dashboard to slugs and post metadata, among other things. Initially, I conducted manual testing of websites, but over time, I acquired proficiency in various automation frameworks. At rtCamp, we have explored a multitude of frameworks for comprehensive automation, covering areas such as end-to-end testing, visual testing, acceptance testing, API testing, and more. If you&#8217;re interested in learning more about our QA services, you can explore them <a href="https://rtcamp.com/quality-assurance-services/">here</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>COVID19 &#8211; A Journey of Career Break, Home Schooling, and Life Lessons</strong></h2>



<p>Fast forward to 2020, a year we remember as a pandemic! I took a career break around June 2020 for many reasons. I decided to home school my son. Teaching a preschooler is quite different from teaching a college student. I had no idea how I would be able to make homeschooling happen. I come from a traditional school environment. </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>To understand the depth of homeschooling was also a challenge for me. I had no idea where to start! </p>
</blockquote>



<p>I started following many such accounts dedicated to homeschooling. But it did not go well initially. We took multiple breaks. I kept revisiting my failures in homeschooling strategies, what went well, what could be improved, and how can I make more engaging things like that!</p>



<p>I also started reading many parenting books. My son became more comfortable with the time. It was a journey filled with various gaps and learning experiences! I started documenting <a href="https://musingsonparenting.com/">my parenting and homeschool journey</a>. I also share bits of it on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/musingsonparenting/">Instagram</a> too.</p>



<p>During those years, we traveled to many places around India. And homeschooling became more like <em>school on the road</em>. It was not only about learning ABCs and 1, 2, 3. Homeschooling meant acquiring life skills. We traveled to different places, immersing ourselves in local cultures and food. We worked and improved on many aspects during our home school journey. Apart from academics, we learnt gardening, composting, eco-friendly practices, reading books, sharing toys/books and many more new things! My son never liked books but we ended up visiting the library twice a week!</p>



<p>My husband and I considered extending homeschooling, at least for kindergarten. But there are always pros and cons to everything! Home schooling is blissful yet it comes with challenges for parents and kids. I also wanted my son to attend a real school and want him to understand the difference between homeschooling v/s going to school every day where school follows a fixed curriculum. He is too small at this age to understand what is best for him. I wanted him to experience what school life is all about! Luckily, we found a good school in town that does not follow the traditional teaching approach. They focused on teaching children <em>how to think rather than telling them what to think.&nbsp;</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Emerging from the Comfort Zone: Rediscovering My Career Path After an Extended Career Break</strong></h2>



<p>As my son started school, I again had some free time but was unsure about resuming my career. I retreated into a cocoon of safety. Resuming work meant facing new challenges for which I wasn&#8217;t prepared. So, I took more time to adjust to the upcoming changes. I explained to my son why I wanted to work and prepared him. Today, I am proud of how well he has managed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Overcoming Rejections and Career Break Challenges</strong></h2>



<p>During the second half of the last year, I began preparing myself. The job market took a hit due to an economic downturn. Layoffs and pay cuts were happening even at major companies like Google and Microsoft. Despite the challenges, I started looking for job opportunities. My journey was marked by numerous rejections, even after successfully clearing interviews. In several instances, when multiple candidates vied for the same position, my career break seemed to be a decisive factor in being overlooked. This experience was disheartening, as many organizations fail to recognize the value of individuals who have taken career breaks!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>My Journey Back to Work with rtCamp</strong></h2>



<p>But fate had other plans. I reconnected with my former employer this year around April 2023, and they didn’t let me down. It gives me goosebumps even now as I write this. I resumed my career back at rtCamp this year in June 2023</p>



<p>Rejoining the same organization after an extended break gave me the feeling of returning back to home after a vacation! rtCamp is known for its motto of &#8220;<em>Good Work and Good People&#8221; </em>and they proven to stand by it!&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>From User to Contributor in the WordPress ecosystem</strong></h2>



<p>One of the remarkable aspects of rtCamp is, that we are encouraged to contribute to the WordPress ecosystem. I gradually began contributing to the WordPress Core, and it fills me with pride whenever even a modest suggestion, enhancement, or reported bug gets approved. Whether it&#8217;s a small or substantial contribution, each one enhances WordPress as a whole which millions of people use, resulting in continuous improvements. Being a part of the WordPress community brings me immense joy, and I consider myself blessed. Here are some of the tickets that opened and got fixed.</p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44714">https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44714</a></li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/41648">https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/41648</a></li>



<li><a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4721">https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4721</a></li>



<li><a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/8161">https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/8161</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Inspired to Speak: My experience of attending Speaker Workshop for Indian Women</strong></h2>



<p>Recently, I had the privilege of attending the Speaker Workshop for Indian Women in the WordPress Community, which took place on September 23-24. This workshop not only boosted my confidence but also shattered many myths. It made me realize that no one is an absolute expert, and nobody is perfect. Sooner or later, you break the cocoon to free your wings if you want to fly!</p>



<p>Regrettably, I hadn&#8217;t been able to attend any Meetups or WordCamps before. However, I am genuinely looking forward to participating in upcoming WordCamps and meetups very soon!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>From testing exam papers to testing websites</strong></h2>



<p>I only knew I had teaching skills, but WordPress taught me to be versatile. One should keep exploring various opportunities rather than waiting for destiny to knock on the door.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By the way, rtCamp is always hiring. If you&#8217;re interested in working with rtCamp, visit their <a href="https://rtcamp.com/careers/">career page</a>.</p>



<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id5915_81e43c-37 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><div class="kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top">

<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5915_38272e-59"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">
<h2 id="work-environment" class="kt-adv-heading5915_69c4fb-d0 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading">Krupa&#8217;s Work Environment</h2>



<p>We asked Krupa for a view into her development life and this is what she sent! </p>


	<div class="hotspots-image-container">
		<img width="2346" height="2560" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Krupa-Desktop-scaled.jpg" alt="Krupa Nanda" class="hotspots-image skip-lazy" />
	</div>




<p class="kt-adv-heading5915_fdd08f-54 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-9-background-color has-background">HeroPress would like to thank <a href="https://wpdrawattention.com/">Draw Attention</a> for their donation of the plugin to make this interactive image!</p>
</div></div>

</div></div>


<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://heropress.com/essays/my-journey-as-a-teacher-and-engineer/">My Journey as a Teacher and Engineer</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:07:34 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Krupa Nanda";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:97:"WordPress.org blog: Help Influence the Future of WordPress by Taking the 2023 Annual Survey Today";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=15982";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:113:"https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/help-influence-the-future-of-wordpress-by-taking-the-2023-annual-survey-today/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4717:"<p>Each year, the WordPress community (users, site builders, extenders, and contributors) provides valuable feedback through an annual survey. The results can influence the direction of the WordPress project by identifying areas that need attention. Annual surveying can also help track trends over time, with data points often finding their way into the yearly <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2022/11/state-of-the-word-2022/">State of the Word</a> address.</p>



<p>This survey helps those who build WordPress understand more about how the software is used and by whom. The survey also allows WordPress open source project leaders to learn more about our contributors’ experiences.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>To ensure your WordPress experience gets represented in the 2023 survey results, take the survey now (link).</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7439442/2023-WordPress-Annual-Survey?ref23=dotOrgNewsPost">Take the 2023 Survey</a></div>
</div>



<p>You may also take the survey in other languages by using the link above and switching to another language, thanks to the efforts of WordPress polyglot contributors.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The survey will be open for five weeks. Results will be published on the News blog in early December.</p>



<p>This year, like last year, the survey has undergone some improvements to the flow and question set. A new platform is also being piloted, offering an updated interface, enhanced multi-lingual support, expanded analysis and visualization tools for the results, and more. The new platform also has built-in accessibility and privacy controls, ensuring the survey meets the diverse needs of the WordPress community.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Spread the word</strong></h2>



<p>Please help spread the word about the survey by sharing it with your network, through Slack, or within your social media accounts. The more people who complete the survey and share their experience with WordPress, the more the project will benefit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Security and privacy</strong></h2>



<p>Data security and privacy are paramount to the WordPress project and community. With this in mind, all data will be anonymized: no email addresses or IP addresses will be associated with published results. To learn more about WordPress.org’s privacy practices, view the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/privacy/">privacy policy</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Thank you</strong></h2>



<p>Thank you to the following WordPress contributors for assisting with the annual survey project, including question creation, strategy, survey build-out, and translation:</p>



<p><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/">adamsilverstein</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/">audrasjb</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alvarogois/">alvarogóis</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/atachibana/">atachibana</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">bjmcsherry</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">chanthaboune</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dansoschin/">dansoschin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eidolonnight/">eidolonnight</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fierevere/">fierevere</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fxbenard/">fxbénard</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hassantafreshi/">hassantafreshi</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/juliagasparyan/">juliagasparyan</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kittmedia/">kittmedia</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/manudavidos/">manudavidos</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nao/">nao</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nilovelez/">nilovelez</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmartinezduque/">rmartinezduque</a>, and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tobifjellner/">tobifjellner</a>.</p>



<p>Thanks to <a href="https://www.hostinger.com/">Hostinger</a>, <a href="https://cloud.jetpack.com/">Jetpack</a>, and <a href="http://wordpress.com">WordPress.com</a>, for assisting with promoting the survey to their respective clients.</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7439442/2023-WordPress-Annual-Survey?ref23=dotOrgNewsPost">Take the 2023 Survey</a></div>
</div>



<p>The survey closes on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 12:00.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:52:18 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Dan Soschin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:32;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:39:"WPTavern: WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 Released";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149512";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:50:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-6-4-beta-1-released";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3558:"<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/">WordPress 6.4 Beta 1</a> was released today on schedule, led by an <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/06/05/wordpress-6-4-development-cycle/" target="_blank">underrepresented gender release squad</a>. It includes the last five releases of the Gutenberg plugin (<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-2-12-july/">16.2</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/26/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-3-26-july/">16.3</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/10/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-4-9-august/">16.4</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/23/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-5-23-august/">16.5</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/06/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-6-06-september/">16.6</a>) along with the upcoming 16.7 release and <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&milestone=6.4&group=component&max=500&col=id&col=summary&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&col=component&col=version&order=priority">190 tickets for core</a>.</p>



<p>If you are following Gutenberg development, many of these features have already been released in the plugin. The most notable highlights of features and improvements coming in 6.4 include the following:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Font Management</strong> &#8211; allows users to manage a <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59166">font library</a> independent of their active theme, along with <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59165">Font Face</a> support for server-side <code>@font-face</code> style generation and printing</li>



<li><strong>Block Hooks</strong> &#8211; enables developers to automatically insert blocks into content relative to another block</li>



<li><strong>Lightbox for Images</strong> &#8211; core support for <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/51132">lightbox</a> functionality for image blocks</li>



<li><strong>Expanded Design Tools</strong> &#8211; background images for Group blocks, aspect ratios for image placeholders, alignment settings for synced patterns, and more</li>



<li><strong>Command Palette updates</strong> &#8211; <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53117">improved design</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/52509#top">new commands</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53496">better consistency across existing commands</a></li>



<li><strong>List view enhancements</strong> &#8211; usability improvements allow for renaming Group blocks, viewing media previews for Gallery and Image blocks, and duplicating blocks with a keyboard shortcut</li>



<li><strong>New Twenty Twenty-Four default theme</strong> &#8211; a multipurpose block theme that will ship with a collection of templates and patterns that lend themselves to a wide variety of use cases. See a demo at <a href="http://2024.wordpress.net/">2024.wordpress.net</a>.</li>
</ul>



<p>WordPress 6.4 will also include many accessibility and performance improvements that will improve workflows and speed for all users of both Block and Classic Themes. A <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">detailed testing guide</a> is available that covers all the key features and how to test them, with video demos for each.</p>



<p>Beta 2 is expected on October 3. WordPress 6.4 will be the third major release of 2023, and is scheduled for November 7. </p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 27 Sep 2023 03:04:37 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:92:"WPTavern: WordPress.org Expands Two-Factor Authentication Interface to Include Security Keys";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149493";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:103:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-expands-two-factor-authentication-interface-to-include-security-keys";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2442:"<p>WordPress.org began <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2023/05/31/two-factor-auth-available-to-test-on-wordpress-org/">testing two-factor authentication</a> (2FA) as an opt-in feature in May 2023. The interface and functionality are still in beta but it&#8217;s operational. This week contributors have <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2023/09/26/set-up-two-factor-authentication-wordpress-org/">expanded support for 2FA</a> with a new interface for adding security keys, which are more secure than the one-time passwords.</p>



<p>A logged in user can set up the keys by visiting their WordPress.org profile, scrolling down to the &#8220;Security&#8221; section, and clicking on the support forum profile link. </p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<img width="1964" height="644" src="https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-26-at-3.24.29-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-149522" />



<p>Users who have two-factor authentication set up can click on &#8220;Two-Factor Security Key&#8221; and follow the instructions to set them up. </p>



<p>This update to the interface also adds Time-Based One-Time Passwords<strong> </strong>(TOTP), which are generated from the user&#8217;s chosen authentication app on their device and changed every 30 seconds. WordPress.org currently defaults to using security keys over the time-based on-time passwords, but contributors are <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/wporg-two-factor/issues/249">working on making that configurable</a> in the future.</p>



<p>Additions to the interface also include the ability to generate backup codes, which enable access when users don&#8217;t have their 2FA security key or app configured. The backup codes come with a note of caution from Automattic- sponsored Meta contributor Steve Dufresne, who has been working on the 2FA project:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p>Regardless of whether you are using security keys or a Time-Based One-Time password, <strong>make sure you generate and print backup codes</strong>. If you lose your primary key/device and don’t have a backup code, you will lose access to your account forever.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Dufresne encouraged WordPress.org users who haven&#8217;t set up 2FA to go ahead and do so. Any bugs can be reported to the project&#8217;s <a href="https://github.com/wordpress/wporg-two-factor">GitHub repository</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:02:22 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:34;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:40:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.4 Beta 1";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=15994";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/wordpress-6-4-beta-1/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18853:"<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 is ready for download and testing!</p>



<p><strong>This beta version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>.<strong> </strong>Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended you evaluate Beta 1 on a test server and site.</p>



<p>You can test WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 in three ways:</p>



<ol>
<li><strong>Plugin:</strong> Install and activate the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install (select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</li>



<li><strong>Direct download: </strong>Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.4-beta1.zip">Beta 1 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</li>



<li><strong>Command line:</strong> Use the following <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command:<br /><code>wp core update --version=6.4-beta1</code></li>
</ol>



<p>The current target for the final release of WordPress 6.4 is <strong>November 7, 2023</strong>. Your help testing this version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be.</p>



<p>The WordPress 6.4 release is brought to you by an&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/06/05/wordpress-6-4-development-cycle/" target="_blank"><strong>underrepresented gender release squad</strong></a>&nbsp;to increase participation&nbsp;of and partnership with&nbsp;those who identify as gender-underrepresented in the WordPress open source project.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p class="has-extra-large-font-size">Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-4/">6.4 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-4/">6.4-related posts</a> in the coming weeks for further details.</p>
</blockquote>



<p><em><strong>This post has been updated as of October 5, 2023, to reflect the latest changes.</strong></em></p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How you can help: Testing</h2>



<p>Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a meaningful way for anyone to contribute—whether you have experience or not. <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/26/help-test-wordpress-6-4/">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing key features in WordPress 6.4.</strong></p>



<p>If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">Alpha/Beta area</a> in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, you can <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">file one on WordPress Trac</a>. You can also check your issue against a list of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major">known bugs</a>.</p>



<p>Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/">#core-test channel</a> on <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>



<p>Learn more about Gutenberg updates that have debuted since WordPress 6.3 by reviewing prior editions of <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/gutenberg-new/">What’s New in Gutenberg</a> posts for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-2-12-july/">16.2</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/26/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-3-26-july/">16.3</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/10/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-4-9-august/">16.4</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/23/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-5-23-august/">16.5</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/06/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-6-06-september/">16.6</a>, and <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/28/whats-new-in-gutenberg-16-7-27-september/">16.7</a>.</p>



<p>WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 contains over 400 enhancements and 370 bug fixes for the editor, including more than <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&milestone=6.4&group=component&max=500&col=id&col=summary&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&col=component&col=version&order=priority">190 tickets for WordPress 6.4 core</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Vulnerability bounty doubles during Beta 1</h3>



<p>Between Beta 1 and the final release candidate (RC) for each new WordPress version, the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/security/2023/09/26/bug-bounty-for-wordpress-6-4-beta/">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled</a>. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href="https://hackerone.com/wordpress">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/security/">security white paper</a>.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A first look at WordPress 6.4</h2>



<p>WordPress 6.4 will introduce a versatile default theme, new features, and numerous updates designed to enhance your WordPress experience across multiple areas—from writing and design to workflow efficiency. All while the foundational work continues for Phase 3 of the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/roadmap/">WordPress roadmap</a>. Read on for some highlights.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Meet the Twenty Twenty-Four theme</h3>



<p><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/08/24/introducing-twenty-twenty-four/">Twenty Twenty-Four</a> is a new default theme that will launch with 6.4. With a versatile collection of templates and patterns, this theme covers a diverse range of use cases, from entrepreneurs to small businesses to artists and writers. Twenty Twenty-Four also emphasizes the latest design tooling and site editing features, enabling you to leverage the flexibility of blocks and unlock numerous creative possibilities with just a few tweaks. Follow the theme&#8217;s progress and report any issues on <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/twentytwentyfour">this GitHub repo</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Manage fonts across your site</h3>



<p>WordPress 6.4 will introduce new font management features:</p>



<p>The <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59166">Font Library</a> enables you to handle fonts across your site, regardless of your active theme—just like you manage assets in the Media Library. Easily install local and Google Fonts and choose which to activate for each theme. This new font manager is a powerful way to control a fundamental piece of your site&#8217;s design and branding without coding. Thanks to its <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/53307">extensibility</a>, custom typographic collections can expand your font choices.</p>



<p>On the other hand, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59165">Font Face</a> provides server-side <code>@font-face</code> style generation and printing support. It introduces a new global function called <code>wp_print_font_faces()</code>, which processes font data received from styles set in the editor or by the active theme.</p>



<p><em><strong>Update (October 5, 2023): </strong>The Font Library feature will not debut in WordPress 6.4. Instead, it has been postponed to the next major release, 6.5. WordPress is committed to delivering the best possible experience, meaning this feature requires more feedback and testing to shine. Thank you for your understanding!</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Add lightbox functionality to your images</h3>



<p>Showcase your images in an interactive fashion with <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/51132">lightbox functionality</a>. This new core feature will be available for Image blocks, allowing visual assets to be opened and enlarged on top of the existing content.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Enjoy new writing improvements</h3>



<p><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/53305">Many enhancements</a> in 6.4 will ensure that your WordPress writing experience remains smooth and enjoyable, from new keyboard shortcuts to more reliable pasting from other sources. Moreover, a fresh toolbar experience will be available for the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53697">Navigation</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53306">List</a>, and <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53699">Quote</a> blocks, making working with their tooling options more efficient and intuitive.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">More design tools, greater creativity</h3>



<p>New design tools will improve the overall creation experience with WordPress while providing greater layout control and flexibility. Some updates include:</p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53934">Background images for Group blocks</a>, allowing for creative and customized layouts.</li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/54216">Aspect ratios for image placeholders</a>—a new feature that’s particularly useful when creating and using patterns. After setting a placeholder’s desired aspect ratio, you can drag and drop an image, which will adjust to maintain the design consistency.</li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53667">Button and heading color customization in Group</a> and <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/54104">Columns blocks</a>, enabling you to define the appearance of these elements when placed within these container blocks. This feature takes a step towards allowing <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/40318">section-specific styling</a>, which will continue to develop in upcoming releases.</li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/54416">Alignment settings in synced patterns</a>. When creating and converting a synced pattern with wide, full-width, left or right-aligned blocks, this improvement ensures alignment attributes remain intact for a seamless site editing and pattern creation experience.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Upgrades for smoother workflows</h3>



<p>As the Site Editor continues to evolve and expand its capabilities, so do the interface and tools that support it.</p>



<p>First introduced in WordPress 6.3, the <a href="https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/site-editor-command-palette/">Command Palette</a> helps you perform actions, search, and quickly navigate your site&#8217;s content and settings. It will receive significant updates in 6.4, featuring an <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53117">updated design</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/52509#top">new commands</a> to accomplish block-specific actions, and <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53496">better command language and action consistency</a>.</p>



<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/list-view/">List View</a> provides a great way to browse and work with the blocks that make up your site. This release will introduce enhancements to its interface and usability, making it even more powerful. You can <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53735">rename Group blocks</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53381">view media previews for Gallery and Image blocks</a>, and <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53559">duplicate blocks with a keyboard shortcut</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pattern advancements</h3>



<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/site-editor-patterns/">Patterns</a><strong> </strong>play an essential role in site editing, and its importance remains prominent in the upcoming release.</p>



<p>6.4 will allow you to better organize <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53835">your synced and unsynced patterns with categories</a> as part of the creation process. These categories are available for sorting within the insertion flow to make discovering and adding patterns easier. In addition, you can conveniently access all your custom patterns from the same place—the Patterns section of the Block Inserter, which removes the separate tab for synced patterns.</p>



<p>Other improvements include <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/54337">importing and exporting patterns as JSON files</a>, ensuring backward compatibility with Reusable blocks, and enabling pattern transfer across sites.</p>



<p>Lastly, building on the groundwork laid in WordPress 6.3, this release will improve the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/52150">pattern management experience for non-block themes</a> by adding a <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58827">Patterns tab</a> under the Appearance menu, allowing access to the Pattern list page of the admin screen.</p>



<p><strong><em>Update (October 2, 2023): </em></strong><em>While 6.4 will bring several exciting pattern advancements, the previously mentioned improved pattern management experience for non-block themes will regrettably not be included in the 6.4 release. Thank you for your understanding, and be on the lookout for it in WordPress 6.5.</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Introducing Block Hooks</h3>



<p><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59313">Block Hooks</a> is a new powerful feature that enriches the extensibility of block themes, drawing inspiration from the familiar WordPress <a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/wordpress-filter-hooks/">Hooks</a> concept. Upon activation, plugins can automatically insert blocks into content relative to another block. For example, a &#8220;Like&#8221; button block can automatically be inserted after the Post Content block.</p>



<p>While developer-centric, Block Hooks enhances the user experience by making block usage more intuitive and allowing for further customization and control over where and how the auto-inserted blocks appear. A <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/52969">new block inspector panel</a> named &#8220;Plugins&#8221; is designed to respect creators&#8217; preferences, ensuring you can add, dismiss, or relocate Block Hooks as desired.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Accessibility</h3>



<p>WordPress 6.4 has 70 accessibility improvements slated for inclusion, 60 of those are included in Beta 1. Notable updates focused on enhancing the user interface (UI) experience include <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/40822">better button placements</a>, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/47125">improved context for “Add New” admin menu items</a>, and <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58573">upgraded spoken messages in Site Health</a>.</p>



<p>Additionally, fixes for <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58756">image editing in the Media Library</a>, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/30685">error reporting on the login screen</a>, and <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58756">&#8220;no motion&#8221; settings for GIFs</a> have been implemented. The cause of some <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58703">false positives in automated UI tests</a> has been corrected, and users without JavaScript now see a <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59229">direct link to install the Classic Editor plugin</a>. Learn more about these changes and other accessibility improvements for 6.4 on <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?focuses=~accessibility&milestone=6.4&col=id&col=summary&col=status&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=priority">WordPress Trac</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Performance</h3>



<p>WordPress 6.4 will include more than 100 performance-related updates, including <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?focuses=~performance&component=Themes&milestone=6.4">improvements to template loading performance</a> for Block Themes and Classic Themes, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?focuses=~javascript+performance&milestone=6.4">usage of the new script loading strategies “defer” and “async”</a> in core, blocks, and themes, and new functions to optimize the use of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?focuses=~performance&component=Options%2C+Meta+APIs&component=Database&milestone=6.4">autoloaded options</a>.</p>



<p><strong><em>Please note that features in this list are subject to change before final release.</em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A haiku for 6.4</h2>



<p>Inline fonts, lightbox<br />Command blocks like CLI<br />Almost to 6-4</p>



<p><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meher</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sereedmedia/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>sereedmedia</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meaganhanes/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meaganhanes</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmartinezduque/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>rmartinezduque</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>annezazu</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>cbringmann</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/flixos90/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>flixos90</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/richtabor/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>richtabor</a>,&nbsp; <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/francina/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>francina</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>joedolson</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/priethor/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>priethor</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidbaumwald/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>davidbaumwald</a></em>, <em><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>chanthaboune</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luminuu/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>luminuu</a>.</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 26 Sep 2023 20:21:22 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Reyes Martínez";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:86:"Do The Woo Community: A 3m x 3m Grid Planet Wide Geocoding System with Phoebe and Jash";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=76597";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"https://dothewoo.io/phoebe-and-jash-what3words/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:431:"<p>what3words, a unique geocoding system that represents any location on our planet, divided into 3 x 3 meter grid, and identified by three words.</p>
<p>&gt;&gt; The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io/phoebe-and-jash-what3words/">A 3m x 3m Grid Planet Wide Geocoding System with Phoebe and Jash</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo - a WooCommerce Builder Community</a>	.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:23:40 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:58:"WPTavern: Matthaus Klute Acquires Social Link Pages Plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=149460";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"https://wptavern.com/matthaus-klute-acquires-social-link-pages-plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7042:"<p>WordPress developer <a href="https://gelform.com/">Corey Maass</a> has sold his <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/social-link-pages/">Social Link Pages</a> plugin to Matthaus Klute, an independent WordPress consultant and developer with Alpha Particle. It&#8217;s another story of small plugins changing hands, where developers get the opportunity to test ideas and business models. Even the most modest creations have value in a thriving marketplace where business owners are willing to invest in these types of assets to expand their own offerings.</p>



<p>In 2019, Maass created Social Link Pages after taking a course on how to market himself as a musician and DJ. The course required him to sign up for <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://linktr.ee/" target="_blank">Linktr.ee</a>, a popular &#8220;link in bio&#8221; landing page service.</p>



<p>&#8220;In typical developer fashion, instead of paying $8 a month, I thought &#8216;I should build this,'&#8221; Maass said. &#8220;So I spent hundreds of hours building Social Link Pages for WordPress.&#8221;</p>



<p>Initially, Maass built the free version with most of the basic bells and whistles found in other link-in-bio page builders. After getting some pushback from the Plugin Review team, who Maass said were &#8220;skeptical about why we needed a &#8216;mini WordPress inside WordPress,&#8217; the Social Link Pages plugin was approved for the directory.</p>



<p>Over the next year he added features that he needed while figuring out the right extras for a Pro version. </p>



<p>&#8220;Along the way, a user contacted me, asking if the plug-in could be white-labeled and used to build her own SaaS,&#8221; Maass said. &#8220;Shortly thereafter I released the Pro and Community (i.e. SaaS) versions of the plugin.</p>



<p>&#8220;Then I took a day job and stopped working on it for about a year and a half. I took the commercial versions offline. I barely looked at the plugin because there were almost no support requests.&#8221;</p>



<p>When Maass&#8217; day job ended 18 months later, he went back to the plugin and was pleasantly surprised to find it had 1,000 active installs. This encouraged him to make some major updates and add new features.</p>



<p>The first marketing effort he made was to put Social Link Pages on AppSumo. At that time they were just opening up their marketplace.</p>



<p>&#8220;In the marketplace, you don&#8217;t benefit from AppSumo&#8217;s larger email campaigns, but I think Social Link Pages got a lot of eyes from people looking for good lifetime deals,&#8221; Maass said. &#8220;I sold about 80-lifetime licenses and was surprised to find that only two or three were ever actually claimed. I&#8217;ve since heard of other plugin developers who have had the same experience. Apparently, a lot of people collect lifetime deals, but never actually use them. So in the end it was free money.&#8221;</p>



<p>Over the next few years, Maass continued to add features but his interest was waning. </p>



<p>&#8220;The plugin did what I needed on my own sites, so I was not inspired to keep adding features just because I could,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I also saw a lot of new link-in-bio apps come online, though none were specific to WordPress. And I wanted to move on to new ideas.&#8221;</p>



<p>At the beginning of 2023, while considering all of his projects, Maass said he &#8220;could not find the willpower to market Social Link Pages as it should be.&#8221; He knew he was no longer the best owner for the plugin, so he listed it on a couple of sites dedicated to selling small software products.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Social Links Plugin Sells for $3K</h2>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d always heard the correct pricing for a software product is 12-18 months of revenue,&#8221; Maass said. &#8220;Social Link Pages was only making about $125 per month at the time, but I was selling a complete business, already set up with e-commerce, multiple products, email automation, and more.</p>



<p>&#8220;I listed it at $5000. I heard from a dozen or so potential buyers, all of whom asked for charts and spreadsheets I did not have. I&#8217;m a developer and guilty of ignoring a lot of the standard sales and &#8216;biz dev&#8217; practices. As I was asking too much based on what was &#8216;on paper,&#8217; I did not find a buyer. I unlisted Social Link Pages, figuring I&#8217;d try again in the future.&#8221;</p>



<p>Maass tried again in the summer, listing the plugin in Post Status and a couple of other solopreneur-focused communities. He also dropped the price to $3,000. </p>



<p>&#8220;Immediately I heard from a number of interested buyers who saw the value in what I was selling,&#8221; Maass said.&#8221; I probably could&#8217;ve brought the price back up to $5000 again, but I wanted to see the plugin go to a new, better owner.&#8221;</p>



<p>Two years ago, <a href="https://wptavern.com/alpha-particle-and-flowspoke-acquire-kanban-for-wordpress-for-15k">Maass sold his Kanban for WordPress plugin to Keanan Koppenhaver</a> at Alpha Particle. After discussing with Matthaus Klute, a developer who works with Koppenhaver, Maass knew he had found the right buyer. </p>



<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s a thoughtful developer with WordPress experience interested in building a product business,&#8221; Maass said. &#8220;We met up in person at WordCamp US in DC in August 2023, and spent a few hours moving all accounts to his name and getting him set up. It was a fun experience to do in person.&#8221;</p>



<p>Klute said Maass came to him highly recommended from others who had purchased plugins from him in the past. After he spoke with his lawyer, they proceeded to do an in-person asset transfer at WordCamp US (WCUS).</p>



<p>&#8220;I wasn’t actively shopping for a plugin, however I’ve always had a passing interest in asset and/or small businesses acquisitions,&#8221; Klute said. &#8220;Corey&#8217;s plugin caught my attention for several reasons. It fit well within my budget, boasted an active user base, and generated consistent recurring revenue.  </p>



<p>&#8220;With my 9 -5 spent coding, the prospect of having an existing solution that I could focus on marketing rather than building was enticing. Lastly, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the plugin ecosystem.&#8221;</p>



<p>Klute said Maass&#8217;s experience played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transfer. He had all the plugin&#8217;s accounts and services separated from his other entities, making it easily transferable. While at WCUS, they conducted a few Zoom sessions to explore the plugin&#8217;s codebase in-depth.</p>



<p>&#8220;Despite the focus on marketing, I do have a few ideas for the plugin roadmap,&#8221; Klute said. &#8220;I&#8217;m looking at the possibility of a digital business card functionality similar to Blinq and also exploring ways to enhance the plugin’s compatibility with WooCommerce for my dynamic shop functionality for e-commerce businesses.&#8221;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 25 Sep 2023 17:44:34 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:124:"Gutenberg Times: Hallway Hangouts Galore, Recipes in the Block Cook Book, Default Theme and much more—Weekend Edition #269";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=25652";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:130:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/hallway-hangouts-galore-recipes-in-the-block-cook-book-default-theme-and-much-more-weekend-edition-269/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18934:"<p>Howdy, </p>



<p>We are running towards WordPress 6.4 Beta 1! Gutenberg 16.7 RC candidate was released this week.  What are you most excited about for this major WordPress release? For me, it&#8217;s the Block Hooks that allow you to auto-insert blocks and the font library it empowers users to manage local fonts for their site that are independent of the design of the theme. </p>



<p>The best way to learn how all the new features with WordPress 6.4 work is to follow along with the 26th Call for Testing coming out of the FSE Outreach program: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/18/fse-program-testing-call-26-final-touches/"><strong>FSE Program Testing Call #26: Final touches</strong></a> by Anne McCarthy. </p>



<p><strong>Congratulations</strong> to the <strong><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2023/09/openverse-wins-the-2023-oeg-open-infrastructure-award/">team of Openverse for winning the Open Infrastructure Award!</a> </strong>Many of our featured images originate at the directory of Creative Commons licensed assets. Did you know that you can search the directory directly from your image block? Try it out. </p>



<p>And as always, there are more updates in this edition. Enjoy! </p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>




<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-sortabrilliant-guidepost"><ul><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a><ul><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#1-word-press-6-4">WordPress 6.4</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#1-gutenberg-16-7">Gutenberg 16.7 RC </a></li></ul></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#4-new-tutorials-on-learn-word-press">New tutorials on Learn.WordPress</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</a></li><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor</a><ul><li><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#5-🗓️-save-the-date">🗓️ Save the date: Hallway Hangouts Galore</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
</div></div>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>



<p>Next week is release week! WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 will be released on Tuesday, September 26th, and Gutenberg 16.7 on September 17th, 2023. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="1-word-press-6-4">WordPress 6.4</h3>



<p>Apart from the gazillion &#8216;quality of life&#8217; improvements of site editor, writing flow, list view and blocks, there are four big features coming to 6.4:  The Font Library and Management, Block Hooks, user added categories for Patterns and the image Lightbox feature </p>



<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/54169" rel="noreferrer noopener">Font Library</a></li>



<li><a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/51132" rel="noreferrer noopener">Image Lightbox</a></li>



<li><a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/53987" rel="noreferrer noopener">Block Hooks</a></li>



<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/53164" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pattern categories</a></li>
</ul>



<p>As mentioned above, <strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> published <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2023/09/18/fse-program-testing-call-26-final-touches/"><strong>FSE Program Testing Call #26: Final touches</strong></a>. The instructions lead you through the array of new features for WordPress 6.4: You get to learn how to manage fonts, get your side organized using the Command Palette and rename Group blocks. Then you are asked to create a new Pattern and finish a Portfolio page. You also get to swap out patterns, and handle the display of a like button. It&#8217;s a fun call for testing for sure and the deadline for feedback is October 9th, 2023. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="1-gutenberg-16-7">Gutenberg 16.7 RC </h3>



<p><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v16.7.0-rc.1"><strong>Gutenberg 16.7 Release candidate </strong></a>is now available for testing. It&#8217;s the last release before WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 and all new things should be already in there, except for three features, Lightbox for image blocks, Block Hooks and Font Library. Additional refinements will be made in upcoming Gutenberg releases that will be synchronized with the WordPress 6.4 release cycle all through the Beta period. </p>



<p>Gutenberg 16.7 has a whooping 290 PRs merged. When you consider that there has been an additional week to merge new code, it maybe isn&#8217;t so much. But of course, the changelog is again a mile long. <strong>Sarah Norris</strong> handled the release as part of the Editor Tech lead role on the underrepresented led WordPress 6.4 release. </p>



<p><strong>Tammie Lister</strong> is Norris&#8217; co-lead and joined me again for this week&#8217;s Gutenberg Changelog recording. We discussed the most important PRs during the recording of the <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-90-new-testing-call-for-the-fse-program-gutenberg-16-7-and-wordpress-6-4/">90th episode of the Gutenberg Changelog</a> podcast on Thursday. The episode will arrive at your favorite podcast app over the weekend. We also discussed the features that will make it into WordPress 6.4 and what we are excited about. </p>



<img width="652" height="198" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-21-at-13.43.00.png?resize=652%2C198&ssl=1" alt="Tammie Lister and Birgit Pauli-Haack recording Gutenberg Changelog 90 " class="wp-image-25710" />



<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<p class="is-style-no-vertical-margin"><strong>🎙️ </strong> Latest episode:  <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-90-new-testing-call-for-the-fse-program-gutenberg-16-7-and-wordpress-6-4/">Gutenberg Changelog #90 – New Testing Call for the FSE Program, Gutenberg 16.7 and WordPress 6.4</a> with Tammie Lister as special guest, hosted by Birgit Pauli-Haack</p>
</div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-p">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>



<p><strong>Nick Diego</strong> announced <a href="https://blockvisibilitywp.com/block-visibility-3-1-0-introducing-woocommerce-and-edd-controls/"><strong>Block Visibility 3.1.0: Introducing WooCommerce and EDD controls</strong></a>, after improving the WooCommerce and EDD integrations for  sites with large product/download catalogs. Diego mentioned a notable change to the product-based rules. &#8220;Previously, you had to select which product you wanted to target with the visibility conditions. While this is still possible, Block Visibility can now detect the current product.&#8221; he wrote. </p>



<p>With this version, the migration from Pro features to the free version is complete. Once you update to 3.1.x it&#8217;s safe to deactivate and uninstall the Pro edition. The <a href="https://github.com/ndiego/block-visibility/releases/tag/v3.1.0">complete changelog is available on GitHub</a></p>



<p><strong>Sarah Gooding</strong> has a <a href="https://wptavern.com/block-visibility-3-1-0-adds-woocommerce-and-easy-digital-downloads-controls">reported on the plugin update</a> for the WPTavern, too. </p>



<img width="652" height="341" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/detect-current-product-example-1024x535.png?resize=652%2C341&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-25708" />



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> interviewed <strong>Mike McAliste</strong>r creator of the <a href="https://olliewp.com/">Ollie theme</a> on <a href="https://www.pootlepress.com/2023/09/wordpress-block-themes-versus-classic-themes/"><strong>Will WordPress Block Themes ever be as popular as Classic Themes?</strong></a> They discussed some reasons for a seemingly slow adoption of block themes. <br /></p>



<p>Right on cue, <strong>Fränk Klein</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/bph/status/1705873655782092955">tweeted </a>about the key benefit of Block Themes and Full site editing: Interoperability. </p>



<ul>
<li>Content written with blocks is stored as HTML. So you can transfer it to another CMS. </li>



<li>Plugins that use blocks work with all block themes. Without needing an extra compatibility layer. </li>



<li>These plugin blocks, if written the right way, inherit theme styles. </li>



<li>And in the near future patterns (previously called reusable blocks) will be portable between themes. </li>



<li>There is no page builder, theme framework, or metabox plugin that can do the same.</li>
</ul>



<p class="has-light-background-background-color has-background"><strong>What do you think are the biggest hurdles for you</strong>? Hit reply on the email or share in the comments here. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="4-new-tutorials-on-learn-word-press">New tutorials on Learn.WordPress</h2>



<p>The WordPress Training team released new tutorials for WordPress users: <br /></p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/intro-to-the-site-editor-and-template-editor/">Intro to the Site Editor</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/scheduling-posts-and-pages/">Scheduling posts and pages</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/creating-your-own-custom-synced-or-non-synced-patterns/">Creating your own custom synced or non-synced patterns</a></li>



<li><a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/tutorial/using-block-patterns/">Using Block Patterns</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</h2>



<p>The new default theme: <strong>Twenty-Twenty-Four</strong> is progressing fast, too. You can follow along via the demo site, the Slack channel, the GitHub repo and via the meeting notes:  </p>



<ul>
<li>Demo Site on <a href="https://2024.wordpress.net/"><strong>2024.wordpress.net/</strong></a></li>



<li>Meeting in <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RP4VMP">#core-themes </a>channel</li>



<li>GitHub Repo: T<a href="https://github.com/WordPress/twentytwentyfour">wentyTwentyFour</a></li>



<li>Meeting notes on Make Core blog: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/twenty-twenty-four/">#twentytwentyfour</a></li>
</ul>



<a href="http://2024.wordpress.net/index.php/patterns/"><img width="652" height="439" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/twenty-twenty-four-full-page-patterns.jpg?resize=652%2C439&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-25745" /></a>Screenshot Demo Site <a href="http://2024.wordpress.net/index.php/patterns/">Full-Page Patterns</a>




<p><strong> <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2022&#8221;</a> </strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2021 on. Updated by yours truly.  <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/"><em>The index 2020 is here</em></a></p>




<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor</h2>



<p><strong>Matthias Hunt </strong>and <strong>Michelle Schlup</strong> released their VS Code <a href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=matthiashunt.wordpress-syntax-highlighter"><strong>WordPress Syntax Highlighter</strong></a>. This extension provides syntax highlighting for the following WordPress syntaxes that exist inside traditional comment blocks:</p>



<ul>
<li>Plugin header fields (PHP)</li>



<li>Block pattern fields (PHP)</li>



<li>Theme header fields (style.css)</li>



<li>Block markup (HTML + JSON)</li>
</ul>



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<p><strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> started a series of twitch streams working on <strong>Block Developer Cookbook</strong> recipes. The first few broadcasts are now available on YouTube: </p>



<ul>
<li>🧑‍🍳 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpOIO1V0KlM"><strong>Block Level Validation</strong></a> &#8211;  How to create block level checks to ensure that button blocks have text in them before the post can be published. </li>



<li>🧑‍🍳 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtVRifFbUaQ"><strong>Connecting to Post Meta</strong></a> &#8211; How to create a block that can read from and write back to WordPress custom post meta. </li>



<li>🧑‍🍳 <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1931306774"><strong>Block Variations</strong></a> is the latest in the series, streamed last Thursday and is only available on Twitch</li>
</ul>



<p><em>Every Thursday at 10:30 ET / 14:30  UTC Ryan Welcher goes online on Twitch with live programming sessions. </em></p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="5-🗓️-save-the-date">🗓️ Save the date: Hallway Hangouts Galore</h3>



<p><strong>September 27th, 2023 at 14:00 UTC</strong> <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/295482707/"><strong>Developer Hours: Building better blocks with the &#8216;create-block&#8217; package</strong></a>.  Ryan Welcher and Nick Diego will be diving deep into the functionalities of the <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/reference-guides/packages/packages-create-block/#available-commands" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">create-block</a> package. Developed to simplify and accelerate the process of building custom WordPress blocks, this package has become an indispensable tool for developers of all levels.</p>



<p><em><strong>WordPress Developer Hours</strong> are held regularly on the last Wednesday of each month</em> <em>(except October 2023)</em></p>



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<p><strong>Thursday, October 12, 2023,</strong> <strong>at 18:00 UTC</strong> <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/14/hallway-hangout-whats-new-for-developers-in-wordpress-6-4/"><strong>Hallway Hangout: What’s new for developers in WordPress 6.4</strong></a> Justin Tadlock, Ryan Welcher and Nick Diego  will host a casual conversation about the most important and exciting developer-related changes coming soon in WordPress 6.4. From Block Hooks and the Font Library to improved Editor flows and the new Twenty Twenty-Four theme, there is just so much to talk about.</p>



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<p><strong>Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 15:00 UTC <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/18/hallway-hangout-performance-improvements-for-wordpress-6-4/">Hallway Hangout: Performance Improvements for WordPress 6.4</a></strong> The hosts <strong>Emily Clark</strong>, <strong>Joe McGil</strong>l and <strong>Felix Arntz</strong> will go through quick intros (what each person does/focuses on) before reviewing WordPress 6.3 performance impact in the field, diving into WordPress 6.4 performance improvements and looking ahead at what can be learned for WordPress 6.5. </p>




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s master branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>
