ons\">Buttons </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#cover-block\">Cover Block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#details-block\">Details block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#file-block\">File block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#gallery-blockeach-image-in-a-gallery-block-shows-multiple-options-on-how-a-link-should-behave-and-how-a-visitor-to-the-site-can-interact-with-the-images-for-wordpress-6-8-contributors-added-expand-to-click-to-the-gallery-s-toolbar-to-open-all-images-in-a-light-box-effect-with-one-click-the-option-is-available-from-the-link-toolbar-button-64014\">Gallery Block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#image-blocks-and-handling\">Image Blocks and handling</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#set-image-blocks-as-featured-image\">Set image blocks as featured image</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#navigation-block\">Navigation Block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#query-loop-block\">Query Loop Block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#introducing-the-query-total-block\">Introducing the Query Total block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#separator-block\">Separator Block</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#social-icons-block-updates\">Social Icons block updates</a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#editor-improvements\">Editor improvements </a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#reset\">Reset </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#cut\">Cut</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#new-commands\">New Commands</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#starter-content\">Starter Content</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#patterns-in-folders\">Patterns in folders</a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#data-views-updates\">Data Views updates </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#api-iterations\">API iterations</a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#new-and-updated-functions-and-filters\">New and updated functions and filters</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#interactivity-api\">Interactivity API</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#block-hooks-api\">Block Hooks API </a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#security-enhancements\">Security enhancements</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#support-for-speculative-loading\">Support for Speculative Loading</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#additional-performance-improvements\">Additional Performance improvements</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#accessibility-improvements\">Accessibility improvements</a></li></ol>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"priority-items-for-6-8\">Priority items for 6.8</h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"global-styles-available-on-the-main-site-editor-sidebar\">Global Styles available on the main site editor sidebar </h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author] [site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Site Editor sidebar is getting increasingly powerful, serving as the entry point to manage all things on your site. Until this version, the Styles panel offered limited style settings, focusing on style variations, color palettes, and typographies. WordPress 6.8 changes this by introducing a full-fledged Global Styles panel in its place, giving users site-wide granular control of styles at the top level.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"369\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image.png?resize=652%2C369&ssl=1\" alt=\"Site editor sidebar with more design tools\" class=\"wp-image-38038\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"swifter-hiding-and-showing-the-template\">Swifter hiding and showing the template </h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Switching between editing your site templates and content pages should be as smooth and seamless as possible; sometimes, you need to focus on the post content and hide the rest of the template. This was previously possible in the post settings, but now it is much easier thanks to the <strong>Show template</strong> toggle directly on the preview dropdown in the top toolbar.</p>\n\n\n\n		\n			<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div></div>\n			\n			\n		\n		\n\n\n<p id=\"showtemplate\">The new update in WordPress allows developers to set how the block editor displays content based on the type of post. This means you can now customize the editor’s default behavior by adding specific settings to a post type’s configuration. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69286\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">69286</a>). </p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"style-book\">Style Book </h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Style Book provides a comprehensive overview of your site’s colors, typography, and block styles in an organized layout. Each block example and style group is labeled, making it easy to preview and understand your theme’s current design settings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Think of it as if your theme threw a party, and all the design elements showed up wearing name tags. 😀</p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Ramon Dodd, release lead of <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/12/18/whats-new-in-gutenberg-19-9-19-december/\">Gutenberg 19.9</a>&nbsp;</em></p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Style Book can be accessed in two ways. The first option is via the Styles menu item in the left sidebar. The second option is available when editing theme elements via the right Styles sidebar. This was already available in WordPress 6.7.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With WordPress 6.8, opening the Style Book from the left sidebar <strong>Styles</strong> menu shows subsets of blocks and makes them available for site wide editing.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you click on <strong>Typography</strong> you can preview all text-related blocks, and adjust options and settings. You can preview and modify specific blocks via the <strong>Blocks</strong> option.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Style Book also received some performance improvements to ensure a more fluid user experience.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Give the Style Book its own route so it can be linked to directly (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67811\">67811</a>).</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scroll to top at the styles root (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67605\">67605</a>).</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Try splitting the Style Book into sections (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68071\">68071</a>).<br /></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n		\n			<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div></div>\n			\n			\n		\n		\n\n\n<p>For classic themes that support the Style Book, site patterns have been relocated to <strong>Appearance &gt; Design &gt; Patterns</strong>, consolidating all design-related functionality from the Site Editor into one place. Previously, patterns were listed under<strong> Appearance &gt; Patterns</strong>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Support is available for classic themes that either support editor styles via add_theme_support( &#8216;editor-styles&#8217; ) or have a theme.json file (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66851\">66851)</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"zoom-out-view\">Zoom Out&nbsp;View </h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Zoom Out view, users can now apply different section styles and designs directly from the toolbar, cycling through them and inspecting them in the context of the rest of the page. This enhancement streamlines the decision-making and production process (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67140\">67140</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"326\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-2.png?resize=652%2C326&ssl=1\" alt=\"change design in block toolbar\" class=\"wp-image-38045\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The Block options on the block toolbar only lists Copy, Cut, Duplicate, and Delete for sections in Zoom Out view (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67279\">67279</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"538\" height=\"291\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-1.png?resize=538%2C291&ssl=1\" alt=\"Zoom out view with only four choices in toolbar options dropdown. \" class=\"wp-image-38044\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the added Zoom Out icon in the toolbar, users can also invoke Zoom Out view via the Keyboard shortcut <kbd><strong>Shift command + 0</strong> </kbd>on a Mac and <strong><kbd>Shift + Ctrl + 0</kbd></strong> on Windows (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66400\">66400</a>). The shortcut has also been added to the <strong>Keyboard shortcuts</strong> list.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"281\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-3.png?resize=652%2C281&ssl=1\" alt=\"keyboard shortcuts\" class=\"wp-image-38046\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"design-tools\">Design Tools </h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][theme author] [site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Design Tools offers increasingly refined tools for visual customization. When it comes to border and spacing support, the block editor itself provides granular controls within individual blocks, allowing users to define border widths, styles, colors, and radii, as well as precise padding and margin adjustments. These controls facilitate the creation of visually distinct elements and well-structured layouts. The work for WordPress <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/20/roster-of-design-tools-per-block-wordpress-6-6-edition/\">6.6</a> and <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/10/17/roster-of-design-tools-per-block-wordpress-6-6-edition-2/\">6.7</a> was continued for WordPress 6.8 to provide all design tools to all blocks, where possible.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this release, the following blocks received border support</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Comments (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66354\">66354</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Comments Link (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68450\">68450</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Comments Count (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68223\">68223</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Latest Posts (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66353\">66353</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Page List, also received color and spacing support (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66385\">66385</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content, also spacing support (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66366\">66366</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>RSS, also spacing support (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66411\">66411</a>),</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Archives, also color support (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/63400\">63400</a>), (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68685\">68685</a>), and</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Query Total (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68323\">68323</a>)</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond those, the Category block supports color options as well (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68686\">68686</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the Post Content block, the color support via the sidebar Design Tools has been brought up to feature parity with the options available via theme.json. Now users and designers can adjust colors for all heading levels in addition to text, background, and link (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67783\">67783</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"399\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-5.png?resize=652%2C399&ssl=1\" alt=\"post content block not has additional text color options. \" class=\"wp-image-38049\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Another user experience improvement can be found in the list of fonts: Each font family is now previewed in the font picker dropdown and gives users a better indication as to what the font will look like (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67118\">67118</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"326\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-4.png?resize=652%2C326&ssl=1\" alt=\"preview of fonts in drop down\" class=\"wp-image-38047\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/?p=117323&preview=1&_ppp=6a618f26dc\">Roster of design tools per block (WordPress 6.8 edition)</a> gives you a complete overview of the available Design Tools per core block.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"updated-core-blocks\">Updated Core Blocks&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"buttons\">Buttons&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][developer]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 adds a small piece of code (`box-sizing: border-box;`) to the styling of buttons. Imagine you’re putting a picture in a frame. You want the picture to fit nicely within the frame’s borders. That’s what `box-sizing: border-box;` does for buttons (and other elements) on a website. It tells the browser to include the border and padding of an element in its total width and height (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65716\">65716</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cover-block\">Cover Block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Images used as backgrounds in Cover blocks now come with resolution controls so that you can change their sizes. This works with both an uploaded background image or the already assigned featured image. This adds to the more granular control for designers and theme developers. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67273\">#67273</a>), (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/62926\">62926</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"details-block\">Details block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin][developer][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In WordPress 6.8 the Details block is now more flexible to use and has received some quality-of-life updates:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The addition of the name attributes field in the<strong> Advanced</strong> panel of the block’s settings. This allows a group of Details blocks to be connected and styled if needed.&nbsp; (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/56971\">56971</a>)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"327\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-6.png?resize=652%2C327&ssl=1\" alt=\"Details block name attributes in editor\" class=\"wp-image-38050\" />\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"142\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-7.png?resize=652%2C142&ssl=1\" alt=\"shows FAQ name attribute in front end\" class=\"wp-image-38051\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The summary content is used as the label in the List View which makes it quicker to identify the block and allows for easier reorganizing of content (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67217\">67217</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"145\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-11-at-15.21.19.png?resize=652%2C145&ssl=1\" alt=\"Shows Details block summary in List View\" class=\"wp-image-38075\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The Details block also receives anchor support via the <strong>Advanced</strong> panel, allowing users to create anchor links to specific Details blocks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the help of the allowedBlocks attributes, developers can now control what blocks content creators can use in a Details block. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68489\">68489</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"file-block\">File block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Allow content-only editing, which gives users the ability to update the filename text and download button text (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65787\">65787</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gallery-blockeach-image-in-a-gallery-block-shows-multiple-options-on-how-a-link-should-behave-and-how-a-visitor-to-the-site-can-interact-with-the-images-for-wordpress-6-8-contributors-added-expand-to-click-to-the-gallery-s-toolbar-to-open-all-images-in-a-light-box-effect-with-one-click-the-option-is-available-from-the-link-toolbar-button-64014\">Gallery Block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each image in a Gallery block shows multiple options on how a link should behave and how a visitor to the site can interact with the images. For WordPress 6.8 contributors added <strong>Expand to click </strong>to the Gallery’s toolbar to open all images in a light box effect, with one click. The option is available from the <strong>Link</strong> toolbar button (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/64014\">64014</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"316\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXdZktcc02nZIQCghCLmAjPOUF9cts60_MlovrgelL5oT4xU480bq0RYIprDaLwmVhTjB1qNRTs6CpG8kd8Sj5BQeba3Gsdnn2W1exYyAdFogZLijRlHbLlWrP3lz5fhd5WBxH-xog.png?resize=652%2C316&ssl=1\" alt=\"Gallery block now with Expand on click link option. \" class=\"wp-image-38072\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"image-blocks-and-handling\">Image Blocks and handling</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The outcome of the Image manipulation methods are now better communicated in the block editor. The success notices are displayed at the bottom of the editor. The notices also come with a handy <strong>Undo</strong> link to revert to the original if necessary (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67314\">67314</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67312\">67312</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"326\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXeaVkwkpGplPD35IemZm67r6FGjmD7_p_gXJscl-X01euYym9mBFHIwS6Fgd366hhkzV-ym6l6y4yBWVfqskRzgx2yBJtSNtiWUa0MOVbwSBfnZS8uAmA1PHwWYSsMkA9dWIpn0.png?resize=652%2C326&ssl=1\" alt=\"shows notification of image manipulation sucesses. \" class=\"wp-image-38071\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"set-image-blocks-as-featured-image\">Set image blocks as featured image</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Featured images offer a nice touch in external previews, making them more attractive to potential readers. However, it can be easy to forget to set one! To help set featured images more easily, Image blocks now offer a dropdown action to directly set them as the featured image of the post or page containing the block (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65896\">65896</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"369\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXdkffQ7hXMMD38hOaoXiHfIu410IrvEMmxgV295KxHLjPwxKj8DLHE1bGLpbotOmqnLliyrwh-zTRWY3rhTTiiAxjpZQLndv2NXwqwLPkw1V4MmZsYjJNf0tAhpKClTIEpg5sYv7A.png?resize=652%2C369&ssl=1\" alt=\"Displays bock toolbar option dropdown with Set featured image\" class=\"wp-image-38073\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Another WordPress 6.8 update also changes how the Image block handles those cool overlay styles aka filters (like a semi-transparent color wash) designers might add on top of images. It’s making the way these styles are applied more efficient and reliable. Details on CSS changes can be found in the PR (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67788\">67788</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"navigation-block\">Navigation Block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin][theme author]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The theme of polish also continues for the Navigation Block. Menu names are now displayed in the List View for easier orientation and, for faster design considerations, a <strong>Clear</strong> option was added to the color picker(<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68446\">68446</a>)(<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68454\">68454</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These updates enabled non-interactive formats for the block, and users can now use the choices from the dropdown menu in the block’s tools bar, like <strong>Highlight</strong>, <strong>Strikethrough</strong>, or <strong>Inline image</strong> (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67585\">67585</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"addnav\">Additional update to the Navigation Block</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Customizable Post Status Visibility in Navigation Block Links <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/63181\">(63181</a>) (see <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/#customizable-post-status-visibility-in-navigation-block-links\">dev note</a>).</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consistent Class Application for Navigation Block Menu Items (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67169\">67169</a>) (see <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/#consistent-class-application-for-navigation-block-menu-items\">dev note</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consistent Markup for Navigation Item Labels (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67198\">67198</a>) (see <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/#consistent-markup-for-navigation-item-labels\">dev note</a>)</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"query-loop-block\">Query Loop Block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>[site admin][theme author][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Pages, content creators will find two additional sorting options: <strong>Ascending by order</strong> and <strong>Descending by order</strong>, which allows for a display following the page attribute page_order (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68781\">68781</a>).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n		\n			<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div></div>\n			\n			\n		\n		\n\n\n<p>Looking to replace your Query Loop block’s design? The Query Loop block patterns have been relocated from a modal to a dropdown. It’s still in the block toolbar, now under <strong>Change design</strong> (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66993\">66993</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"244\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXc4-QWpmfv3qG2zLGrbOp-EApNjngf4cih8QWVbG7zSX4cMHn8mtVmyyHz2Tr8CKOggezYAWg6Qc5gQgbEi9xxyate_eak1DcYTX1k8jyIH7DVVf_gaMHoVU92um26KVFE-5qeLKw.png?resize=652%2C244&ssl=1\" alt=\"new dropdown for query loop designs patterns\" class=\"wp-image-38070\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The Query Loop block now has a new option to <strong>ignore</strong> sticky posts. When selected, the Query Loop block ignores whether a post has the sticky option enabled. When used, all posts show based on the <strong>ORDER BY</strong> preferences selected without taking the sticky status into account. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/66221\">66221</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69057\">69057</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"484\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXfGdSLPzcnYvEQzng70wBguH50Hk0CN_HdE0P6YPSJh-YLTTVjN-vimzers7tqKi2iFW4wAPyWBVvBYiPMOlb9v-hhyheA9w2gvE-o3l_MkvnYOQE4XwQnVMQv6HmLDmPRAqN6Y.png?resize=652%2C484&ssl=1\" alt=\"query loop now has ignore sticky post option.\" class=\"wp-image-38074\" />\n\n\n\n<p id=\"parents\">The Query Loop block can get pages from all levels. Contributors added an attribute to just display the top level pages.  Currently, users can only set <em><code>“parents”: [0]</code></em>, via the code editor.  There’s no easy option in the user interface yet. </p>\n\n\n\nExample of Test Query\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>&lt;!-- wp:query {\"queryId\":1,\"query\":{\"perPage\":10,\"pages\":0,\"offset\":0,\"postType\":\"page\",\"order\":\"desc\",\"orderBy\":\"date\",\"author\":\"\",\"search\":\"\",\"exclude\":&#91;],\"sticky\":\"\",\"inherit\":false,\"parents\":&#91;0],\"format\":&#91;]}} --&gt;\n&lt;div class=\"wp-block-query\"&gt;&lt;!-- wp:post-template --&gt;\n&lt;!-- wp:post-title /--&gt;\n\n&lt;!-- wp:post-date /--&gt;\n&lt;!-- /wp:post-template --&gt;\n\n&lt;!-- wp:query-pagination --&gt;\n&lt;!-- wp:query-pagination-previous /--&gt;\n\n&lt;!-- wp:query-pagination-numbers /--&gt;\n\n&lt;!-- wp:query-pagination-next /--&gt;\n&lt;!-- /wp:query-pagination --&gt;\n\n&lt;!-- wp:query-no-results --&gt;\n&lt;!-- wp:paragraph {\"placeholder\":\"Add text or blocks that will display when a query returns no results.\"} --&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;\n&lt;!-- /wp:query-no-results --&gt;&lt;/div&gt;\n&lt;!-- /wp:query --&gt;</code></pre>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introducing-the-query-total-block\">Introducing the Query Total block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][site admin][end user]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know how many results are in your queries, but do your site’s readers? The new <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67629\">Query Total block</a> is here to help.When added to a Query Loop block, the Query Total block displays the number of results the query has returned, or, alternatively, the current range in a set of paginated results. Out of the box, the new block <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68323\">shows its border controls</a> (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68150\">68150</a>)(<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68323\">68323</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68507\">68507</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"286\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXeynqIt04rW-Fc_yJm49sod-QCp8OMalBYL7yyqDB8Kzs4ZHKAlMb72T0PAYMUSBtOQ9GZ5OEKwRsYLkm0k7cUaabwvIn4LOo4-MYGNiFficf-5Edz6gFQKTVrMET3Vwm8XLegD7A.png?resize=652%2C286&ssl=1\" alt=\"Query Total block\" class=\"wp-image-38069\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"separator-block\">Separator Block</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[theme author][developer][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now designers and creators can choose between a &lt;div&gt; or &lt;hr&gt; tag, opening up more styling possibilities for this block. The setting to switch can be found under <strong>Advanced &gt; HTML Element</strong>. The transformation option now also includes the Spacer block. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67530\">67530</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66230\">66230</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"120\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXc75mCgLPa9ExHzCGlwhxmKMfJN4iTN4mNrmKex2HeesITyQ2OZa-ZJbfIlPVKxt5ZbHySdf_Ng_HfQLsvF4SEJvZ24muVwgAGk4-QCYY2gINvfHL-SjrNiOfMuxtMtzfcj_08MBQ.png?resize=652%2C120&ssl=1\" alt=\"div tag with Separtor block\" class=\"wp-image-38067\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"social-icons-block-updates\">Social Icons block updates</h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The social icons block shipped with the option to add a Discord icon, received a Clear button to reset color options, and received contentOnly support. To add a URL to the icons, you now only need to press the arrow key once. This certainly streamlines the content creation process. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/64883\">64883</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68564\">68564</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66622\">66622</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"419\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AD_4nXfNVl59lZew9z_e6synpWkdS8bDvobmcsZj4gC8p3bdO2zXBANCB6drGxLUrql8Gte_UbtFiDOhfvEFMKITRoFG_zXtEzzbPEVCxCUzBJuSnSr36X5rAe__7cmA4DD9RbmROiZ4gw.png?resize=652%2C419&ssl=1\" alt=\"Social icons includes Discord icon now. \" class=\"wp-image-38068\" />\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"editor-improvements\">Editor improvements&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[end user][site admin][theme author]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Editor screens received a few helpful improvements in WordPress 6.8.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"reset\">Reset&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Reset colors for blocks and global styles in the editor with a single click thanks to the inline reset button added to all color controls (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67116\">#67116</a>). The Shadow panel and the Duotone settings also received a very handy reset button. Instead of the need to remove settings one at a time, designers can quickly start over. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66722\">66722</a>) (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68981\">68981</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cut\">Cut</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Block Options menu now also lists a Cut action together with the Copy action in the dropdown menu. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68554\">68554</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"269\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-8.png?resize=652%2C269&ssl=1\" alt=\"Cut option now in block toolbar options  dropdown\" class=\"wp-image-38052\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-commands\">New Commands</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Two new commands were added to the Command Palette in the Site editor:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Add new page</strong> command creates a new page from anywhere in the site editor and speeds up the content creation process (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65476\">65476</a>).&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Open Site Edito</strong>r command offers a one click navigation to the site editor, from the page or post editor screens accessed via the WP-Admin menu (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66722\">66722</a>).</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"starter-content\">Starter Content</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With WordPress 6.8, a new pattern category is available, called Starter Content. It lists the page layouts that are otherwise available via the New Page modal. If a user has disabled the starter content&nbsp; pop-up when creating new pages, this category surfaces the page layouts, should they be needed. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66819\">66819</a>) The Inserter now also always shows all the available patterns in a list. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65611\">65611</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n		\n			<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div></div>\n			\n			\n		\n		\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"patterns-in-folders\">Patterns in folders</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>[theme author][site admin] [developer]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With WordPress 6.8 developer can now use sub-folders to organize patterns for their themes. For example, all header patterns are added to the &#8220;header&#8221; folder, all footer patterns into the &#8220;footer&#8221; folder, testimonials patterns into the &#8220;testimonials&#8221; folder, and so on. (<a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/62378\">62378</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"data-views-updates\">Data Views updates&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This release also contains quite a few Data Views improvements:</p>\n\n\n\n<p>A user can modify the amount of whitespace that is displayed per row on three levels: comfortable, balanced, and compact.&nbsp; (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67170\">67170</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can now set your site’s homepage from the Site Editor via the page’s actions menu (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65426\">#65426</a>). This is the equivalent of updating the Reading Settings in <strong>Settings &gt; Reading.</strong> Under <strong>Pages</strong> in the editor, find the page you’d like to set as your homepage, click on the action menu, and select <strong>Set as homepage</strong>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>All delete actions now show a <strong>Confirm to delete</strong> modal, to safeguard against accidental removal of templates, patterns, or pages. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67824\">67824</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a list of PRs with more Data View changes:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Add: Media field changing UI to Data views and content preview field to posts and pages. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67278\">67278</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add combined fields support. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65399\">65399</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>DataViews Fields API: Default getValueFromId supports nested objects. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66890\">66890</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>DataViews list layout: Hide actions menu when there is only one action and is primary. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67015\">67015</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>DataViews table layout: Hide actions menu when there is only one action and is primary. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67020\">67020</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>DataViews: Expand configuration dropdown on mobile. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67715\">67715</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>DataViews configuration dropdown: Remove style overrides. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65373\">65373</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update &#8220;hidden&#8221; icon to be clearer, and invert logic as used in DataViews. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/65914\">65914</a>)</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"api-iterations\">API iterations</h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-large-font-size\">[developer][plugin author][enterprise]</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-and-updated-functions-and-filters\">New and updated functions and filters</h3>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"newfilter\">The new filter <code>should load block assets</code> provides a way for classic themes to use `wp-block-library` even when loading block assets only for blocks that actually render on a page. (<a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61965\">61965</a>). The dev note: <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/new-filter-should_load_block_assets_on_demand-in-6-8/\">New filter&nbsp;<code>should_ load_block_ assets_on_demand</code>&nbsp;in 6.8</a> has the details. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 introduces a new function&nbsp;<code>wp_register_block_ types_from_ metadata_collection()</code>, which allows plugins to register multiple&nbsp;block&nbsp;types with a single function call. (<a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/62267\">62267</a>) See also Dev Note <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/13/more-efficient-block-type-registration-in-6-8/\">More efficient block type registration in 6.8</a> </p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"typeparent\">The block registration&nbsp;API&nbsp;now enforces the&nbsp;<code>blockType.parent</code>&nbsp;setting to be an&nbsp;<code>array</code>. The editor will now display a warning if it’s a different type, such as a `string`. <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/66250\">(66250</a>).</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"components\">Also consult the post <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/updates-to-user-interface-components-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Updates to user-interface components in WordPress 6.8</a> </p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"interactivity-api\">Interactivity API</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Interactivity API in WordPress 6.8 introduces an improved wp-each directive, making it more flexible and reliable. Previously, it could only loop through arrays or objects with a <code>.map</code> method. Now, it supports any <a href=\"https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Iteration_protocols#built-in_iterables\">iterable value</a>, including strings, arrays, maps, sets, and <a href=\"https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/function*\">generator functions</a>. Additionally, it can handle undefined or null values by subscribing to changes and updating automatically when the value becomes iterable (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67798\">67798</a>). </p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"iAPI\">The release also brings a set of best practices to WordPress, developers using the Interactivity API and creating their own store might find the Dev Note: <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/interactivity-api-best-practices-in-6-8/\"><strong>Interactivity API best practices in 6.8</strong></a>. particularly interesting, on how to avoid deprecation warnings and future-proof your plugins.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This release also introduces the withSyncEvent action wrapper utility to streamline event handling, reducing potential performance bottlenecks (#<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68097\">68097</a>). Details can be found in above linked dev note. </p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-hooks-api\">Block Hooks API&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In WordPress 6.8, work continues on improvements to the Block Hooks API.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Block Hooks API now supports dynamically inserting blocks into post content. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67272\">67272</a>) A typical example would be a plugin that provides blocks that can be used in posts and that would like to provide extensibility for those blocks. The Block Hooks API will now also work with Synced Patterns. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68058\">68058</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"security-enhancements\">Security enhancements</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Various security-related enhancements made it into WordPress 6.8, the most significant of which is <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21022\">the switch to using bcrypt for password hashing</a>. This includes improvements to the algorithm that’s used for storing application passwords and security keys. The dedicated post <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/17/wordpress-6-8-will-use-bcrypt-for-password-hashing/\">WordPress 6.8 will use bcrypt for password hashing</a> covers these changes in detail. You will find a <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?group=status&component=Security&milestone=6.8\">list of all security updates in 6.8</a> on WordPress Core Trac.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"support-for-speculative-loading\">Support for Speculative Loading</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building upon the success of the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/speculation-rules/\">Speculative Loading plugin</a>, which has over 40,000 active installations, WordPress 6.8 integrates speculative loading into core. This feature utilizes the <a href=\"https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Speculation_Rules_API\">Speculation Rules API</a> to prefetch URLs dynamically based on user interaction, aiming to improve performance metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). The current proposal has a default configuration employing conservative prefetching to ensure safety and compatibility, but feedback is requested on this. Developers have access to filters for customization, allowing adjustments to the speculative loading behavior as needed (#<a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/62503\">62503</a>). Details are laid out in the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/06/speculative-loading-in-6-8/\">Speculative Loading in 6.8</a> Dev Note.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"additional-performance-improvements\">Additional Performance improvements</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For the WordPress 6.8 release, several key performance improvements have been implemented in the block editor and collectively contribute to a more responsive and efficient editing experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To address performance issues in the site editor when handling navigation blocks with multiple submenu. The <code>isBlockVisibleInTheInserter</code> selector was improved to prevent unnecessary computations, resulting in a more efficient block editor experience (#<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/68898\">68898</a>).</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"accessibility-improvements\">Accessibility improvements</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 includes <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&focuses=~accessibility&milestone=6.8&col=id&col=summary&col=status&col=focuses&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=priority\">26 accessibility improvements</a>. 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My doctor is convinced that I had overdone the walking in Manila and WordCamp Asia. So going to an amusement part and another trade show, would not be wise. Unfortunately, there are no live-streams to participate remotely. 🤷🏼‍♀️</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, I have been testing WordPress 6.8 and although there are no new ones, the updates to existing features are amazing and make content creation so much easier.  Next week on Tuesday, in time of Beta 3 release,  I&#8217;ll publish the  <em>Source of Truth</em>, while Anne McCarthy is on sabbatical. The release team started to release Dev Notes already. You&#8217;ll find the list below. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>This week, I have many updates again in this edition. Enjoy! </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-dev-notes-weekend-edition-321/#0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-dev-notes-weekend-edition-321/#0-p\">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-dev-notes-weekend-edition-321/#2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled\">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-dev-notes-weekend-edition-321/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press\">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </a></li></ol>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tom Willmot</strong>, CEO of Human Made posted the <a href=\"https://humanmade.com/wordpress-for-enterprise/wp25-recap-the-future-of-wordpress/\"><strong>WP:25 Recap: The Future of WordPress</strong> </a>with links to the recorded session. <em>WP:25</em> was a virtual conference, hosted by Human Made with some awesome speakers and panels. I wanted to highlight two of them: </p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tammie Lister</strong> speaking on <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6f0nzkt77w\"><strong>The power of FSE</strong></a>, in which she took the audience &#8220;through the incredible transformation Full Site Editing is bringing to WordPress. Tammie made it clear: FSE isn’t just another feature—it’s a fundamental shift in how teams build and manage content.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mary Hubbard</strong>, executive director of WordPress, and Noel Tock chat about what’s next for the world’s favorite CMS in the coming year. <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p_KZmtdmjc&t=13s\"><strong>WordPress in 2025</strong></a>. <em>“AI is reshaping the way we interact with content, and WordPress is embracing AI in every way, any way that can enhance it, without replacing the human creativity aspect. So I think this right now, we’re at a pivotal point, not just for what it means for open source, but actually, what it means for the project itself.”</em> &#8211; Mary Hubbard.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ll find the other <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1H81eN4d97gJQDBQLblGQsAjkiyJ4z2P\">WP:25 sessions on this YouTube Playlis</a>t</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 release cycle is progressing as schedule to Beta 3 next week. <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-2/\"><strong>WordPress 6.8 Beta 2</strong></a> was released this week. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>And a reminder to <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\">Help Test WordPress 6.8</a> to figure out if all features work as supposed to and report bugs. The instructions provided <strong>Krupa Nanda</strong> are excellent to get a head start on many things updates in WordPress 6.8 </p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first Dev Notes are now available on the Make Core blog: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/12/roster-of-design-tools-per-block-wordpress-6-8-edition/\">Roster of design tools per block (WordPress 6.8 edition)</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/13/more-efficient-block-type-registration-in-6-8/\">More efficient block type registration in 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/12/data-a-helpful-performance-warning-for-developers-in-the-useselect-hook/\">Data: A helpful performance warning for developers in the ‘useSelect’ hook</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/12/i18n-improvements-6-8/\">Internationalization improvements in 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/06/speculative-loading-in-6-8/\">Speculative Loading in 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/17/wordpress-6-8-will-use-bcrypt-for-password-hashing/\">WordPress 6.8 will use bcrypt for password hashing</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>🎙️ Latest episode: <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-115-wordpress-6-8-wordcamp-asia/\">Gutenberg Changelog 115 – Gutenberg Releases 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, WordPress 6.8 and WordCamp Asia</a> with special guest Jessica Lyschik.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"206\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2025-03-07-at-18.02.51.png?resize=652%2C206&ssl=1\" alt=\"Jessica Lyschik and Birgit Pauli-Haack recording Gutenberg Changelog 115 \" class=\"wp-image-37930\" />\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-p\">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In his latest post, <a href=\"https://kinsta.com/blog/disable-gutenberg-blocks/\"><strong>How to disable and lock Gutenberg blocks</strong></a>, <strong>Bud Kraus</strong> takes you on a deep dive into content governance topic and how to provide guardrails to authors and enforce editorial guidelines for your site. It&#8217;s comprehensive coverage of the topic and includes explanation on how UI tools work as well as enforcing block locking with PHP and via theme.json. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>ICYMI, After a longer beta period, GenerateBlocks 2.0 was released Mid-February with the aim of providing &#8220;fundamental changes to GenerateBlocks with a streamlined and robust system to make building fast and effective sites easier&#8221; <strong>Kathy Zant</strong> wrote in the announcement post <a href=\"https://generatepress.com/introducing-generateblocks-2/\"><strong>Introducing GenerateBlocks 2.0: A New Era for High Performance Websites&nbsp;</strong></a>. The post also provides a migration path from version 1 to version 2 and outlines many  changes for the plugin. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Diane and Yann Collet</strong> created a great resource at <a href=\"https://wp.gallery/\"><strong>WP Gallery</strong></a> featuring beautiful websites designed with the Gutenberg Block Editor. It&#8217;s a fantastic place for inspiration. </p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wp.gallery/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"313\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-15-at-13.33.37.png?resize=652%2C313&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38003\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/twentig/\"><strong>Twentig</strong></a> also a creation of <strong>Diane and Yann Collet</strong>, was also updated last month. The plugin is a toolkit designer working on Block Themes and  has over 25,000 users. It provides Starter content, more Gutenberg Blocks and hundreds of patterns.  You can browse the <a href=\"https://twentig.com/twentig-changelog/\">changelog of the latest version on the Twentig website</a>. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://x.com/BuntyWP\"><strong>Bhargav (Bunty) Bhandari</strong></a> posted <a href=\"https://x.com/BuntyWP/status/1897168487619158418\">on X (former twitter)</a> about his work on a new block to add LinkedIn-like work experience information to a site. With it, you can showcase professional experience, with option to add a title, company name, description. The plugin is on its way to the WordPress plugin repository, and it might take a few weeks to be released. Meanwhile, you can <a href=\"https://github.com/BhargavBhandari90/experience-block\">download it from GitHub repo</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://github.com/BhargavBhandari90/experience-block\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"375\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-15-at-14.41.48.png?resize=652%2C375&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38004\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Djordje Arsenovic</strong>&nbsp;created a <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/typewriter-block/\"><strong>Typewriter block</strong></a>, and it is now available in the WordPress plugin repository. Use the block to make text appear on the fronted as it was typed out on the old-fashioned typewriter machine.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-typewriter-block-typewriter-block has-accent-color has-light-background-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-1c6d10d527bc04a31f1f6f0966e28b67\"><p class=\"djolecodes-typewriter-effect\"><strong>WordPress 6.8 will be released on April 15, 2025.</strong></p></div>\n\n\n\n<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>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your theme.json getting too big?<strong> Iulia Caza</strong>, developer at Dekode, built an npm package called  <a href=\"https://www.npmjs.com/package/@theme-json/create\"><strong>Create Theme JSON</strong></a> that lets you split up the theme.json into multiple files in a theme-json folder and the build script assembles it into your theme&#8217;s theme.json file, when ready. &#8220;It definitely makes development much easier and faster.&#8221; Caza <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7288638658574725121?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28ugcPost%3A7288638658574725121%2C7289179396152651777%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287289179396152651777%2Curn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A7288638658574725121%29\">wrote on LinkedIn</a>. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne Katzeff</strong> published a new tutorial on how to <a href=\"https://www.askdesign.biz/blog/2025/03/add-categories-to-a-block-theme-menu/\">add categories to a Block Theme menu</a> and guides you through accessing the menu editor and adding custom links for categories by copying their URLs from the WordPress dashboard. Katzeff also demos the steps in <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Qprz3nmGA\">this YouTube video</a></p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> worked on a <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xoi4HAiOOQ\"><strong>new WordPress block theme for the Block Developer Cookbook</strong></a> during his live stream. You can watch how he creates a new skin for his theme (aka Style variation) and also add different block style variations. Welcher also prompts Cursor AI to make changes.  The code is available on this <a href=\"https://github.com/ryanwelcher/bdc-site\">GitHub repository</a>. </p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Joshua Siagia</strong> announced <a href=\"https://wind.press/blog/hello-windpress\"><strong>the arrival of WindPress</strong></a> &#8211; a platform-agnostic&nbsp;<a href=\"https://tailwindcss.com/\">Tailwind CSS</a>&nbsp;integration plugin for WordPress that allows you to use the full power of Tailwind CSS within the WordPress ecosystem, streamlining workflows for developers. It supports Tailwind CSS v3 and v4, offers features like autocompletion, HTML-to-native conversion, and class sorting, and ensures lightweight performance with optimized CSS caching. Seamlessly compatible with popular builders like Gutenberg and Bricks, it simplifies customization while maintaining speed. WindPress is ideal for developers seeking efficient Tailwind CSS integration in WordPress projects. It is now available in the WordPress plugin repository: <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/windpress/\"><strong>WindPress</strong></a></p>\n\n\n\n<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 2025&#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. 2024 on. Updated by yours truly. The previous years are also available: <strong><strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/\">2020</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2021/\">2021</a></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2022/\">2022</a></strong></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/gutenberg-index-2023\">2023</a></strong> | <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/gutenberg-index-2024/\"><strong>2024</strong></a></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press\">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Save the date! Nick Diego and Ryan Welcher will demo on March 19th, 2025 <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/ZHTMLvydYN0\"><strong>How to build incredible WordPress Blocks with Cursor A</strong>I</a> on YouTube Live hosted by Jamie Marsland. They will explore the power of AI in crafting exceptional WordPress blocks. In this session, you&#8217;ll discover practical techniques, pro tips, and AI-driven tools to enhance your block-building skills and streamline workflows. Whether you&#8217;re a developer or looking to expand your WordPress expertise, this is your chance to unlock new possibilities for your WordPress site!</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/ZHTMLvydYN0\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"368\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-15-at-15.27.01.png?resize=652%2C368&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38005\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bart Kalisz</strong>, JavaScript Engineer at WooCommerce announced in his post <a href=\"https://developer.woocommerce.com/2025/03/11/woocommerce-blocks-client-files-relocated-to-complete-monorepo-merge/\">WooCommerce Blocks client files relocated to complete monorepo merge</a>. As of March 5, 2025, WooCommerce Blocks client files have moved from <code>plugins/woocommerce-blocks</code> to <code>plugins/woocommerce/client/blocks</code>, completing the monorepo merge initiated in December 2023. This change enhances codebase consistency and repository organization. Developers with existing pull requests need to rebase their branches. End users will not experience any functional differences. The build process remains the same, ensuring a smooth transition.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Do you want to jumpstart adding AI to your site? <strong>Felix Arntz</strong> has you covered with his plugin <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/ai-services/\"><strong>AI Services</strong></a> from the WordPress repository. The plugin provides a &#8220;central infrastructure that allows other plugins to make use of AI capabilities. It exposes APIs that can be used in various contexts, whether you need to use AI capabilities in server-side or client-side code.&#8221; The latest update comes with AI image generation, starting with OpenAI&#8217;s DALL-E and Google&#8217;s recently published Imagen models! The plugin page also lists a few code examples on how to integrate it using PHP or JavaScript.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Developer Advocates, <strong>Brian Coords</strong> and <strong>Nick Diego</strong> were experts on this week&#8217;s InstaWP webinar: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItjtsF_zvHU\"><strong>Building WordPress Plugins with AI</strong></a> with founder <strong>Vikas Singhal</strong> to &#8220;reveal game-changing insights for leveraging AI to build powerful WordPress plugins.&#8221; Both developers demo&#8217;d their workflow programming with Cursor AI.</p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>This post <strong><a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/02/24/studio-preview-sites/\">Introducing Preview Sites: Pushing the Limits of Collaboration with&nbsp;Studio</a>, <a href=\"https://x.com/antoniosejas\">Antonio Sejas</a></strong> catches us up on the latest features of <em>Studio</em>, WordPress&#8217;s local development tool.  “Demo Sites” are now “Preview Sites” with increased storage (2 GB) and more sites allowed (10). Personalized URLs are introduced, and sites remain active for seven days after the last update. These changes enhance collaboration and testing for Studio users.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Geoff Graham</strong> built <a href=\"https://css-tricks.com/baseline-status-in-a-wordpress-block/\"><strong>Baseline Status in a WordPress Block</strong></a> and published a blog post about his approach, from scaffolding, settings, supports, rendering front and back end and styling. The plugin is available on the WordPress repository <br /><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/baseline-status/\">Baseline Status</a></p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"127\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-15-at-17.49.43.png?resize=652%2C127&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38017\" />\n\n\n\n<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. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now also available via <a href=\"https://playground.wordpress.net/?blueprint-url=https://gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/playnightly.json\">WordPress Playground</a>. There is no need for a test site locally or on a server. Have you been using it? <a href=\"mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com\">Email me </a>with your experience</p>\n\n\n\n<p><img alt=\"GitHub all releases\" src=\"https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge\" /></p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\"><em>Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? </em><br /><em>Don&#8217;t hesitate to send <a href=\"mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com\">them via email</a> or</em><br /><em> send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph</em>.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n<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>, <br />send them to <a href=\"mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com\">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a></p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Featured Image: Wasserburg am Inn &#8211; Photo by Birgit Pauli-Haack</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>\n\n\n<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 <br />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>\n\n\n<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, 15 Mar 2025 17:15:29 +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:32;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:62:\"Do The Woo Community: Do the Woo Friday Shares, March 14, 2025\";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:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92817\";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:64:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/do-the-woo-friday-shares-march-14-2025/\";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:45:\"This weeks curated shares from the community.\";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, 14 Mar 2025 10:28:37 +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: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:33;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:55:\"Gravatar: SEO-Friendly Author Bio Pages: Essential 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:32:\"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=2849\";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:48:\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/03/13/author-seo/\";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:20769:\"<p>If you’re an author, chances are you’ve come across terms like E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). These concepts are critical for improving your visibility in search engine results, but putting them into action can feel like a daunting puzzle. Whether you’re a book author, a blogger, or someone with a diverse portfolio of written work, creating a strong web presence is essential to establishing your authority. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Author SEO goes beyond just writing great content – it involves technical elements like schema markup and consistent author profiles to signal credibility to search engines. But how do you bring all these moving parts together to create an effective strategy?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, we’ll explore actionable steps to optimize your author bio pages and build a consistent online presence. From <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a> integration to schema markup, these techniques will help you strengthen your E-E-A-T signals and achieve better search rankings.  </p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Building author E-E-A-T through optimized bio pages</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Establishing E-E-A-T is essential for authors striving to improve their visibility online. According to <a href=\"https://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/hsw-sqrg.pdf\">Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines</a>, high E-E-A-T pages are deemed more trustworthy, which can directly impact rankings.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your author bio page is a prime opportunity to strengthen your position. Here’s how to optimize each component:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Experience</strong>: Share milestones like years of writing, notable projects, or awards. This helps showcase your firsthand knowledge, making your expertise relatable and credible.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expertise</strong>: Highlight qualifications such as degrees, certifications, or industry recognition. These reinforce your authority on your subject matter.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Authoritativeness</strong>: Link to your published work on reputable platforms, which positions you as a trusted source. Tools like Gravatar ensure your online presence remains consistent.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trustworthiness</strong>: Build trust by including testimonials or reviews. A professional headshot and clear contact details further enhance reliability.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that an optimized bio page is more than just an introduction to your readers – it signals your credibility and authority to search engines and readers alike.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you have a strong bio page in place, the next step is integrating tools like Gravatar to maintain consistency across all platforms.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Creating consistent author profiles with Gravatar</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1397\" height=\"716\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/gravatar-new-homepage.png\" alt=\"Gravatar homepage\" class=\"wp-image-2851\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Being consistent across all your digital profiles can help you build a solid and trustworthy online presence, and <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a> simplifies this process. This platform links your profile picture and key details – like your name, bio, and website – to your email address, ensuring that your information is automatically updated across supported websites.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"457\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ronnie-gravatar-profile-2.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of a completed Gravatar profile – Ronnie Burt\" class=\"wp-image-2853\" />\n\n\n\n<p>For authors, Gravatar eliminates the hassle of managing profiles manually on multiple platforms. Whether it’s a WordPress blog, an online portfolio, or a <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/07/11/enable-comments-in-wordpress/\">comment section</a>, Gravatar ensures your professional identity remains uniform, building trust and reinforcing your E-E-A-T.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up Gravatar is straightforward: Create an account, upload a professional photo, and fill in your details.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1452\" height=\"1123\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/gravatar-about-section-1.png\" alt=\"Example of the Gravatar profile dashboard – Editing the About section\" class=\"wp-image-2854\" />\n\n\n\n<p>From there, Gravatar takes care of the rest, providing flawless integration and a polished, consistent online presence. This not only saves time but also enhances your credibility, making it an essential tool for any author looking to strengthen and <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/12/02/how-can-you-manage-your-digital-footprint/\">monitor their digital footprint</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://gravatar.com/connect/?gravatar_from=blog\"><img width=\"3243\" height=\"729\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/free_profile_cta.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2616\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>WordPress integration and cross-platform syncing</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to W3Techs, “<a href=\"https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress#:~:text=WordPress%20is%20used%20by%2062.0%25%20of%20all%20the%20websites%20whose%20content%20management%20system%20we%20know.%20This%20is%2043.6%25%20of%20all%20websites.\"><em>WordPress is used by 62.0% of all the websites</em></a><em> whose content management system we know. This is 43.6% of all websites.</em>” So, it’s no wonder that so many authors, writers, and contributors go with WordPress as their platform of choice.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar integrates perfectly with WordPress, automatically displaying your avatar across the WordPress ecosystem wherever your email address is linked, such as in blog posts, comments, or <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/01/07/wordpress-author-box/\">author pages</a>. This standard integration helps maintain a consistent online identity with minimal effort.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, for authors looking to go beyond the basics, the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/gravatar-enhanced/\">Gravatar Enhanced plugin</a> offers additional features. Unlike the default Gravatar setup, which only pulls the <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/07/19/wordpress-profile-picture/\">profile picture</a>, this plugin provides greater customization options, allowing you to display more detailed author profiles, including <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/11/11/how-to-list-social-media-handles/\">links to your social media</a> and published works.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1226\" height=\"793\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/gravatar-profile-block-customized-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a customized profile block with the Gravatar Enhanced plugin\" class=\"wp-image-2855\" />\n\n\n\n<p>You can also control how your Gravatar appears on various sections of your WordPress site, such as post bylines and author widgets.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, with Gravatar you can create multiple profiles each linked to a different email address, and you can pull any of these easily with the Gravatar Enhanced plugin. This is invaluable if you write across different genres or target audiences (more on that in a second).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you’re tech-savvy or have the budget to work with a developer, and have many people contributing to your website, you can also take advantage of the <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/api/profiles/rest-api/\">Gravatar REST API</a>. This gives you more flexibility and granular control over exactly what data gets imported and displayed on the website. It also makes it much easier for guest authors to contribute – their Gravatar profile information will be automatically imported.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This applies to every single <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/integrations/\">platform that has integrated Gravatar</a>, including <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a>, <a href=\"https://slack.com/\">Slack</a>, <a href=\"https://openai.com/\">OpenAI</a>, <a href=\"https://www.figma.com/\">Figma</a>, <a href=\"https://zapier.com/\">Zapier</a>, and many more.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"268\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/companies-using-gravatar-logos.png?w=660\" alt=\"Logos of websites that have integrated Gravatar\" class=\"wp-image-2856\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Managing multiple author identities</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For authors who write across different genres or target diverse audiences, managing multiple online identities can be a challenge. Gravatar simplifies this with its ability to associate multiple email addresses with unique profiles. Each profile can feature a distinct avatar, bio, and contact details, allowing you to tailor your online presence to specific audiences or platforms.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To use a different profile with Gravatar Enhanced , you just need to put the email address corresponding to that profile.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"225\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/gravatar-profile-block-in-editor-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Importing a Gravatar profile through email and the Gravatar Enhanced plugin\" class=\"wp-image-2857\" />\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if you write technical guides under one pen name and fiction under another, Gravatar ensures your profiles stay separate and relevant. By linking each email to a unique profile, you maintain consistency and professionalism for both identities without any crossover confusion.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This flexibility helps you maintain your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) across different niches, ensuring that each identity aligns with its intended audience while reinforcing your credibility.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Technical SEO essentials for author pages</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Optimizing the technical side of your author pages can help your site rank well in search engine results and provide an easy and memorable user experience. Here are some key areas to focus on:</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Page speed and mobile responsiveness</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast-loading, mobile-friendly pages are a must. Use tools like <a href=\"https://pagespeed.web.dev/\">Google PageSpeed Insights</a> to identify performance bottlenecks and ensure your site is accessible on all devices. Reasons for a slow website include:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Large image files</strong> – High-resolution images that aren’t optimized can significantly increase load times.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Too many HTTP requests</strong> – Each image, script, or CSS file requires a separate HTTP request, slowing down the site.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unoptimized JavaScript and CSS </strong>– Heavy or poorly written scripts can delay rendering, especially if they aren’t minified or compressed.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of browser caching </strong>– Without caching, users have to download site elements repeatedly, even if they’ve visited before.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slow server response time </strong>– Poor hosting or high traffic can lead to delays in how quickly the server processes requests.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bloated plugins</strong> – Excessive or poorly coded plugins can slow down the backend and frontend of the site.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unoptimized database</strong> – A database cluttered with unnecessary data, like old revisions or spam comments, can slow query times.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High traffic without proper resources</strong> – A <a href=\"https://pressable.com/features/automate/wordpress-scalability-customization-hosting/\">sudden spike in visitors</a> can overwhelm your hosting plan, leading to slowdowns.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the issue is, make sure you fix it on time since most users access the web via mobile, a <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/06/05/user-profile-page-examples/\">responsive, clutter-free design</a> helps with usability and improves your search rankings.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Schema markup for author pages</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing schema markup helps search engines understand your content better. Use the “Author” schema to display rich snippets, such as your name, bio, and image, directly in search results.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"440\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/christopher-paolini-example-author-google-snippet.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of an author page on Google Search Results\" class=\"wp-image-2859\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Canonical URLs and structured navigation</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure each author page has a unique, canonical URL to prevent duplicate content issues. Structured navigation, including breadcrumbs, helps search engines and users understand your site’s hierarchy, improving crawlability and the user experience. They are also essential for screen readers and users who only use keyboards to navigate.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Secure and accessible design</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A secure site (HTTPS) is critical for building trust with both users and search engines. Additionally, ensure your content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, by adhering to <a href=\"https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/\">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)</a>. Here are some of the main areas you need to consider:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you have a shop for your books, events, or services, make sure that users can successfully complete a purchase with any assistive technology, including screen readers and keyboard navigation.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create <a href=\"https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/\">functional and descriptive alt text for your images</a> and files. Users should be able to understand the main idea behind each image and if it’s only decorative, just leave the alt text tag empty.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure your link texts make sense – “click here to book a spot for my book signing” is much better than just “click here.”</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use accessible fonts and ensure that <a href=\"https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/resize-text.html\">users can scale text up to 200%</a> without the loss of functionality and content.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Meta descriptions and optimized headings</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every author page should have a compelling meta description and properly structured headings (H1, H2, etc.). These elements improve click-through rates and help search engines identify the page’s main focus. They are also essential for accessibility: The meta descriptions and titles are what the assistive technologies will read out loud to people who use them and want to search online.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Implementing author schema markup</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Schema markup helps search engines understand the structure and content of your author pages, boosting visibility in search results. By implementing author-specific schema, you can enhance your E-E-A-T signals, making your pages more appealing to both users and search engines.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"183\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/author-schema-markup.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of a rich snippet of an author website\" class=\"wp-image-2860\" />\n\n\n\n<p>For blog authors, use the <a href=\"https://schema.org/Article\">Article schema</a> to mark up your blog posts, including details like the headline, author name, and publication date. For book authors, the <a href=\"https://schema.org/Book\">Book schema</a> is ideal. It highlights properties like the book title, ISBN, and author information, making your work easier to find​.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"250\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/example-book-schema.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of a book Google snippet\" class=\"wp-image-2861\" />\n\n\n\n<p>You can then implement the schema on your website with the <a href=\"https://www.google.com/webmasters/markup-helper/u/0/\">Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper</a> or WordPress plugins like <a href=\"https://rankmath.com/\">Rank Math</a> and <a href=\"https://yoast.com/\">Yoast</a>. You can tag relevant sections of your page, such as your name, bio, and links to your published works, and generate JSON-LD code for seamless integration​.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get the most out of schema markup, make sure you:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Include key details: </strong>Author name, profile image, and links to verified profiles.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stay consistent across platforms</strong> by syncing with Gravatar, which adds a professional touch to your author bio.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Validate your schema</strong> with Google’s Rich Results Test to check for errors and ensure all required fields are present.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Measuring and improving author page performance</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Optimizing your author pages doesn’t stop at implementation – you need to measure their performance and refine them over time. Here’s how:</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key metrics to track</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Organic traffic</strong> – Use tools like <a href=\"https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/\">Google Analytics</a> to monitor how many users find your author pages through search.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bounce rate</strong> – A high bounce rate could indicate poor user experience or irrelevant content.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Time on page</strong> – Longer time spent suggests that visitors find your content engaging and valuable.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search rankings</strong> – Track keyword rankings for your name, book titles, or blog posts using tools like <a href=\"https://search.google.com/search-console/about\">Google Search Console</a>, <a href=\"https://ahrefs.com/\">Ahrefs</a>, or <a href=\"https://www.semrush.com/\">SEMrush</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Improving author page performance</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Enhance content</strong> – Ensure your bio includes relevant keywords, links to authoritative publications, and an engaging summary of your work.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Optimize for mobile</strong> – Many visitors will access your page from mobile devices, so ensure your layout is responsive and user-friendly.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leverage internal linking</strong> – Link to related blog posts, books, or interviews to keep users engaged and improve site navigation.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Update regularly</strong> – Add new publications, awards, or noteworthy achievements to keep your page fresh and relevant.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use heatmaps and session recordings</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Heatmaps (e.g., from tools like <a href=\"https://www.hotjar.com/\">Hotjar</a>) show which parts of your page users interact with most, helping you refine layout and content.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1593\" height=\"865\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/example-heatmap-hotjar.png\" alt=\"Example of a Hotjar heatmap\" class=\"wp-image-2862\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Session recordings provide deeper insights into user behavior, highlighting any obstacles they encounter. </p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Enhance your author authority now</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As AI-generated content continues to flood the web, a verified and consistent author profile is the best strategy to help you stand out and maintain reader trust. A strong, recognizable presence builds credibility and helps search engines and audiences alike see you as a reliable source.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the tips outlined in this article, you’ll lay a solid foundation for optimizing your author website. Start with a polished bio, leverage schema markup for better search visibility, and use Gravatar to maintain a consistent online identity. With its “Update Once, Sync Everywhere” functionality, Gravatar ensures your avatar and profile details are synchronized across platforms, saving you time while <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/04/10/personal-branding-tools/\">keeping your branding professional</a> and cohesive.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key to successful author SEO lies in the trinity of a professional bio and website, technical SEO, and an up-to-date Gravatar profile. Ready to boost your authority? <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Learn more about Gravatar today</a>!</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://gravatar.com/connect/?gravatar_from=blog\"><img width=\"3243\" height=\"729\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/free_profile_cta.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2616\" /></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:\"Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:49:01 +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:34;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:62:\"Do The Woo Community: Meet Some of Our Hosts at CloudFest 2025\";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:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92709\";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:66:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/meet-some-of-our-hosts-at-cloudfest-2025/\";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:100:\"Make sure and say hi to some of our hosts if you are attending the CloudFest event or the Hackathon.\";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, 13 Mar 2025 12:03:00 +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: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:35;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:73:\"Do The Woo Community: A New Show, Content Sparks, with Regular Host 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:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"https://dothewoo.io/?p=92609\";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:46:\"https://dothewoo.io/a-new-show-content-sparks/\";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:172:\"BobWP introduces \"Content Sparks,\" a show focusing on content creation insights, featuring tips from his 18 years in the WordPress space combined with my hosts experiences.\";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, 13 Mar 2025 09:27:00 +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: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:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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: #160 – Rahul Bansal on Success in Enterprise WordPress\";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=188219\";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/podcast/160-rahul-bansal-on-success-in-enterprise-wordpress\";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:57342:\"Transcript<div>\n<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>\n\n\n\n<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, creating a successful business in enterprise WordPress, and working to foster the WordPress community.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/feed/podcast, and you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/contact/jukebox, and use the form there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today, we have Rahul Bansal.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul is the founder and CEO of rtCamp, a large agency that specializes in enterprise grade WordPress projects. He began his journey quite differently, starting as an individual blogger back in 2006, discovering WordPress in 2007, and gradually transitioning from being a publisher to a freelance developer, before founding rtCamp in 2009.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, rtCamp is an enterprise grade WordPress consultancy agency operating globally and trusted by clients such as Google, Meta, Automattic, News UK and Al Jazeera.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul sheds his light on working with enterprise clients in the WordPress space. Many of us are familiar with WordPress in the context of small businesses and blogging, but the enterprise space demands additional layers of security and scalability. Rahul explains the factors that set enterprise projects apart, and why meticulous code reviews, and security audits are essential when working at this level.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He talks about the opportunities in the enterprise space, recounting how rtCamp initially stumbled into enterprise level projects, not even realizing their potential until a client&#8217;s high expectations led to a decision to market themselves as an enterprise agency.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discussed the role of WordPress in enterprise environments, from why Gutenberg has become a credible selling point due to its powerful editing capabilities, to how the platform&#8217;s flexibility supports varied enterprise needs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul also gets into the importance of positioning. How historical context offers advantages, and the expanding market that makes WordPress a compelling choice for large clients today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the end, we explore rtCamp&#8217;s innovative intern program, aimed at growing the WordPress talent pool, and the way they&#8217;re contributing back to the WordPress project, a win-win for the business and the broader community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever considered what it takes to work with WordPress at the enterprise level, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so without further delay, I bring you, Rahul Bansal.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast today by Rahul Bansal. Hello.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:47] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Hello.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It is very nice to have you on the podcast today. We&#8217;re going to talk about the enterprise, which I confess is something that I only really know about because people talk about it. I&#8217;ve never worked in the enterprise, I&#8217;ve never worked with enterprise clients. So Rahul is here. He&#8217;s very much in the enterprise as you&#8217;re about to find out, and he&#8217;s going to educate me all about that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Rahul, I wonder if you wouldn&#8217;t mind just for a minute or two minutes, just tell us who you are, what you do in the WordPress space, where you work, your position there, and so on. A little potted bio.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:18] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Currently I am founder and CEO of rtCamp, which is a large agency specifically dealing in enterprise grade WordPress projects. I started quite differently, like I started as a individual blogger, back in 2006.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2007 I found WordPress. I started developing with WordPress in 2007. And slowly from being a publisher, I become freelance developer, and then around 2009 rtCamp started. So I&#8217;ve been with rtCamp for the last 16 years.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s been quite a journey. I see the name rtCamp everywhere. And we should just say, so it&#8217;s spelt, lowercase r, lowercase t, and then Camp with a capitol C, a m p. Go and Google that, and have a look at what the team over there doing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How big has the team grown to? How many employees, staff do you have over there now?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:05] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So currently we are 230 people, all spread over.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That is truly an enormous agency. So bravo for growing that. That&#8217;s really incredible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first question that I want to ask though is, when does normal WordPress become enterprise WordPress? At what point do we cross the Rubicon where a site is, I don&#8217;t know, big enough, or your agency is working with a different type of client? Can you define what you think that means? And I&#8217;m sure that if you&#8217;re on the cusp of being an enterprise agency, this is something that, you know, may be slightly confusing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:37] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Firstly, there is no formal definition to that. Many agencies believe they&#8217;re serving enterprise space when they&#8217;re not. Some people are actually serving enterprise space, but they don&#8217;t realise it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So in my opinion, it&#8217;s where the requirement changes a lot. Like, for example, if we&#8217;re building a small WordPress site, which I don&#8217;t consider as an enterprise site, we will be tempted to pick first theme and plugin that matches our need, like if it works, if it gets a job done, that&#8217;s it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But then in enterprise space, there is a lot of security and scalability concerns. These two concerns are very big. Something might be working all right, but then when you look at the code, you realise that there&#8217;s going to be a security issues, or there could be scalability issues. Many times, indy developer person, they design small WordPress plugins. They don&#8217;t have data or big enough site to test it on a large installation. So those things are not tested on really high traffic website. So enterprise can mean really high traffic website, with a lot of scalability requirement.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, the traffic can be less, but the security requirement can be enormous. Consider the White House website. It was on the WordPress with the previous administration, and it&#8217;s again, on the WordPress with the new administration. So in both cases, I don&#8217;t think White House, like a website we can classify as a very high traffic website, but it is a very sensitive website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It would be a lot embarrassing if that site gets hacked. So every piece of code that goes into White House website, which agency is working on it, will be thoroughly checked for security attack, for audit, for all the compliances. And this additional efforts is what makes it enterprisey, in my opinion.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, so it&#8217;s not necessarily the size of the client, or the fame, for want of a better word, of the client. It&#8217;s more about the kind of work that you&#8217;re doing in the background. So custom code largely, because you simply at that scale cannot have something off the shelf.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:28] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So we can have things off the shelf. The thing is, you cannot just take it and use it. You still have to own it in that sense. Like, for our clients also, we go and use many things from WordPress plugin directory. But then when we put it on this website, it is kind of like signed by us. So it&#8217;s like we have to verify, even if it is not coded by us, we have to verify line by line that it is following best coding practices, database queries will scale with high traffic, if it is a high traffic website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many checks and balances in place. So no matter if you are doing in-house, like as a custom coding, or we are buying a premium plugin or using a free plugin, everything has to go through certain checks. And those checks are very expensive to do, because that&#8217;s a human labor. You have to literally go through things line by line. And in many cases, you have to put extra efforts to make it scalable with their existing system.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because usually a large enterprise won&#8217;t use just a website in silos. It&#8217;ll be part of multiple system like authentication system, where if an employee joins a large organisation based on some rule, they might get automatic access to their website. Likewise, if they leave organisation, their access should be automatically revoked, or they have some CRM integrations, data integrations, some kind of asset, like digital asset management solution integration.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So all these have to be connected, and this all need to work together. So a lot of effort goes in doing these extra things, which are either don&#8217;t exist for small websites. So, enterprise website that I&#8217;m talking about, this can be really unknown website. We have a client which is basically a government public origin fund. Common people don&#8217;t even know about them, but they basically want pretty much all the big companies we know. Like, they have stake in all the big companies. Their asset is something like $400 billion in under management.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people don&#8217;t even know that company. But then it&#8217;s very sensitive because that money they&#8217;re managing is public money, it&#8217;s not like VC fund. It&#8217;s actually state reserve. Now, seriousness, we need to demonstrate in the security is very high, because if something gets hacked or somebody uploads the wrong investor report or something like portfolio report, it can have a lot of consequences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It kind of sounds to me as if the assurance that you are giving an enterprise client is basically that what we&#8217;ve built is, as far as we can tell, it&#8217;s bulletproof. We&#8217;ve gone through it line by line. We may have custom coded bits and pieces, but certainly the bits that we didn&#8217;t custom code, we are totally guaranteeing that this is going to be robust.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And also it&#8217;s sounds a bit like, if a client at an enterprise level approaches you and they say, can you do this? Your answer is yes. Basically, yes, we can do it. We can do it with WordPress. There may be a cost, but we can do it. There&#8217;s almost no scenario where a client would come to you and say, can you do this, forget the money, can you do it? The answer&#8217;s never no. The answer&#8217;s always going to be yeah, yeah, we&#8217;ll figure it out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:15] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So that&#8217;s the thing, like if the budget has no limit then there is no limit on technology. Most often, like even where enterprise agency, WordPress has this large spectrum. So we end up with a lot of low quality leads, where somebody knocks on an enterprise agencies&#8217; door and they really have budget constraint. They really want something really good out of the box, but they don&#8217;t want to pay for it. Or they don&#8217;t want to pay as high as it&#8217;ll require to deliver that kind of solution.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some enterprises, budget is no limit, but then we try to be mindful of resources. For example, many enterprise agencies, including us, if you go to their GitHub account, they would have list of published themes and plugins. Most commonly plugins, themes rarely are used off the shelf. So we will build these plugins to ensure that the cost of rebuild project is less, like if we have to deliver another project, we try our best that we reuse as much as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that&#8217;s the open source spirit, that the entire WordPress committee follows. We use many times solutions that are already put in open source by our competing agencies. They also use our solution. So that&#8217;s where the enterprise solution with WordPress is also affordable. The right enterprise client that we target, usually have higher budget than we would need to develop because we are competing against a lot of experienced managers, which are very expensive, super expensive.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And when I is super expensive, I&#8217;m just talking about licensing fees. Before you hire an agency to write custom code for you, you have already paid a lot of money just for the right to use the software. With WordPress, that right to use costs zero. And then all the nice agencies in WordPress space, big, small, no matter what size they are, try their best to reuse existing solutions, to bring the cost down.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So enterprise WordPress, relatively, cost less than other enterprise CMS, but then it certainly costs a lot than building a small website. Like, you cannot go to an enterprise agency and expect in $500 your site to be built perfectly, because the requirement gathering phase, like talking to all stakeholders and understanding all the solutions they use inhouse can take like many days.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:15] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So you may have answered this question just now with what you&#8217;ve just said. I feel that you&#8217;ve definitely gone into this territory, but it sounds like there&#8217;s a lot of line by line checking of everything. So for example, if you use a plugin off the repo, you&#8217;re going to go through that one line at a time. And you said this can be an expensive process. You&#8217;ve also said that obviously there&#8217;s benefits of using WordPress because you can take things that other people have used and so on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I guess at some point there&#8217;s got to be some sort of tipping point where you think, okay, WordPress is going to be good for this project, but it might not be good for that project. Is it always WordPress for you? Do you always lean into WordPress, or does there come a point where you say, do you know what, with the custom things that this particular client wants and what have you, lets just build the thing ourselves, let&#8217;s not rely on the CMS, or do you always lean in on WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:01] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Maybe it&#8217;s the nature of our positioning that we rarely get things that we cannot do in WordPress, so we always do things in WordPress. The boundary varies with how much off the shelf WordPress we&#8217;ll use, and how much custom we&#8217;ll use. In one of the project, I remember there was a specific data crunching process that we needed to build. And we felt that it&#8217;ll be better if it is built as a microservice and run independently.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we built that in Python, but then it was talking to WordPress REST API. So that freedom we have from client, for example like that microservice, that microservice was never visible to any of the client&#8217;s editorial team. Everything they were doing, their only interface was WP admin. There was no second login or no second interface to them. It was just something was running on some server and magically data was going inside and outside WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that&#8217;s the power of WordPress. It has so many APIs to communicate with outside world, like rest API, GraphQL, and even from the traditional XML-RPC. That WordPress can coexist with other systems very nicely. And that&#8217;s where we never face that, can we do this on WordPress or not? It&#8217;s like, can we do everything on WordPress, or do we need to put some minor things outside WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And those decisions are not the engineering limitation. Like, that microservice, we could have put it in WordPress also, but we felt that its architecture was more suited for independent microservice. That was the right call, it turned out to be right call. Much later that microservice grew independently.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:26] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> If we rewind the clock to the beginning when you were just beginning with WordPress and beginning the agency that ended up being rtCamp with your 230 odd employees, did you intend for what&#8217;s happened to happen? Did you always know that you wanted to grow something to the point where it became, air quotes, enterprise with many, many employees, or did it just evolve over time unexpectedly?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:49] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Yeah, it all happened unexpectedly. Like, I started as a professional blogger. I used to make money from advertising, affiliate marketing. So it&#8217;s like, I wasn&#8217;t doing anything remotely related to agencies.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So one thing led to another and then I started freelancing. Then even after freelancing, when I started rtCamp as an agency, because I was coming from bloggersphere, most of my initial client were bloggers, like independent bloggers. Somebody wanted a theme, somebody wanted a plugin, somebody wanted a sidebar, which sidebar just used to be a lot more popular in those early days of blogging. Like, people used to have MySpace, like experience on the web, like lots of widgets, email submission form, this pop up.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So in fact, the first enterprise client that walked into our door, that&#8217;s why I said like many agencies don&#8217;t even realise when they mingle with enterprise space. I kind of felt very irritated because they asked so many questions. They got our reference from LinkedIn. We had zero, we were not even using enterprise word anywhere in our branding, marketing, anywhere at all. But back in 2010, also, we made a good name for ourselves.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So anybody who shouted, hey, any WordPress references, our name used to pop up on social media. So we got that. And they sent us a very large procurement checklist, which we never heard of. All of our projects were like email exchange, two, three emails, money via PayPal, and emails used to be contact. Like, whatever you committed on email is the contract.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And suddenly there comes like this long PDF, Excel sheets with check boxes. Do you have a data storage policy? This policy, that policy. If we end up filling this, we&#8217;re not going make any profit with this project. So then one of my teammates said, let&#8217;s price in that. Let&#8217;s price in and see if they can afford it. So we literally added another zero to our pricing, literally like 5 times, 10 times. And we said like, hey, this is our minimum, do you want to go ahead?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I said, sure, like this is peanuts. And they were worried like, do you understand the project? You are quoting very less, your starting point is very less than our internal budget. So they came to our office, they were based in India. Luckily they were in the same city. They came to our office to audit us physically. They put like remarks like, you don&#8217;t have a fingerprint scanner in your biometric sensors in your office entry. There is no employee log.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we are not storing any of your data. So this office is not the building where your data will reside. Your data will reside on AWS, or all those cloud servers. And then they got convinced. WordPress was very small then, and we were the only known agencies, which was fully committed to WordPress at that point. So they didn&#8217;t have choice two, three, so they kind of crossed the fingers and gave us that project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It took six months to close. I was very pessimistic. It&#8217;s only after two, three years that we realised that they&#8217;d become our largest client by a huge margin. All my blogger friend put one side, and this single client, one side. And that revenue was growing very nicely, year on year. Renewals, they had this retainers, every year they were renewing without asking questions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I realise that it&#8217;s very hard to win these big clients, but once you are in it becomes very smooth journey, henceforth, like after that point. And then I think 2014 around, after two, three years data, when I saw that this client was consistently, for the last three years in a row, our biggest client. Zero sales effort, zero account issues, no negotiation on pricing, and everything was smooth.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So then I thought like we should go in to some enterprise space, and luckily around that time I had a call with Chris Lema. Chris Lema used to be available for consulting calls on Clarity. I&#8217;m not sure if that service is still around. And I still remember it was exactly 33 minutes that I talked to Chris. He repositioned rtCamp. In 33 minutes he gave me some amazing breakthrough idea.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And after that call, first time we told ourselves, we are enterprise WordPress agency from today. Until 2014 we were not identifying ourself or branding ourself as an enterprise workplace agency. That moment was the first time when we put in bold letters on our homepage, in SEO Meta, everywhere we added, we are enterprise, enterprise, enterprise WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Can you remember that moment? So if you cast your mind back, when you added the zero and sent it, and there was obviously some suspicion in your mind that nothing&#8217;s going to come of this or what have you. Can you remember the feeling? So it&#8217;s an odd question because I&#8217;m asking you about your feelings, but can you remember the feeling when they came back and said, oh yeah, this is not as expensive as we&#8217;d imagined? That really must have opened up an entirely new world for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:00] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Yeah. So firstly, it was very unexpected because we were selling like WordPress projects for $100, $50, $500. The biggest was $1,000. We still remember we built a complete BuddyPress plugin for $900. And we were like so happy when that client sent us $100 tip. He rounded up to $1,000 and we were partying, like with that extra $100, we throw a party to our team.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And suddenly this client comes and they said, $5,000 is okay? Are you kidding me? Because they sent so much data I didn&#8217;t want to fill in, so I just thought, let&#8217;s just give them a number and they will walk away. We&#8217;ll not appear as a company who didn&#8217;t want to fulfill their data request. I thought, I will give them a reason to walk away, but then it didn&#8217;t walk out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially I was still skeptical because they really demand too much data. Just imagine, we were like some 20 people agency at that time, and we spent three to six months in back and forth sales call. We didn&#8217;t have typical sales team at that point. Writing those long answers. We were not even understanding questions. The problem was not that we didn&#8217;t want to give data or we didn&#8217;t take security seriously, there were things that we never heard of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was all like foreign language to us. What are they asking? Why do they want to do that? I was not expecting lifetime revenue, that concept was not in our books then. So it was project, money in, money out, end of email, site goes live. Then the recurring revenues hosting companies. We were not into selling maintenance contract.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it was a project kind of thinking like big, big economy mindset. So even with 5,000, I thought like, the amount of effort they&#8217;re putting us, we won&#8217;t be left with any decent margin after this project. And that was a true case. For first year there was not much margin left because they had put us through a lot of work to fulfill that project. And then we realised we underquoted after that also, because when the data, we had to talk to their Microsoft vendor. They were using Microsoft SharePoint. There were many rough edges that we had no idea could happen to us.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In year one, they were the highest revenue, but project was in loss. It&#8217;s only a year, two, three, it was very good profit. And then we have the strategy that we call now land and expand. Land big accounts, no matter whatever price point you wanted to do, go aggressive, and then once you are in, then you spread within the organisation.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh that&#8217;s an interesting insight. So land and expand. Land the client, the big fish, if you like, with the knowledge that if you maintain the relationship over many years, the profit can build up. Not necessarily year one, but maybe a bit in year two, and year three, and year four, it&#8217;s beginning to mature.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, it sounds like such an interesting story. And, again, I&#8217;m going to rewind back to before 2014, so before you added enterprise to your website and have you. Do you think if you had begun your journey today, that you would have the same capability to expand in the same way? Because it feels like there are now quite a few players. Perhaps when you began that was less of the case. You were competing in a much less crowded marketplace.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it feels like everybody&#8217;s intent now is to become an agency which can call itself enterprise. And I&#8217;m imagining that you got your foot in the door at a really nice time where you became a name that everybody could trust, and the recommendations come in because of prior work, but maybe that would be more difficult now.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:08] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> The market is much bigger now. In fact, just imagine WordPress market share. When we were building the first initial websites, there was not even custom post types that were present in WordPress. So all the WordPress plugins, we used to do a lot of hacks. There was not standardisation. So a lot of things happened with WordPress as a platform. WordPress evolved. The market share has become so big. It&#8217;s easier to sell. We have so many examples like from White House to large publishers. And globally, it&#8217;s not like just the American companies are using WordPress. India&#8217;s second largest publisher also uses WordPress. So does Al Jazeera in Qatar.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there are many big websites all over the world so it makes WordPress easy to sell. The market is big. There is a precedence where you can pitch somebody, this is WordPress used by so and so. I believe that no matter which lead you are dealing with, so if you have a lead from a certain industry, a certain geography, you will find a WordPress success story in their geography. You will find WordPress being used by your prospect&#8217;s competition. That makes it easier to sell WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, yeah, the competition is more because opportunity is bigger. The pie is a lot bigger. Otherwise we would&#8217;ve stuck to the same size. Every year we are adding more people because we are able to get more work for them, even with these new agencies coming up. In fact, it&#8217;s easier to build WordPress agency, or any kind of enterprise grade agency now, because the recipe is quite clear. Because we can look at how other agencies are doing and you can take some lessons from them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>At that time we had no idea. Like, in fact, we didn&#8217;t have the idea that we should position ourselves enterprise grade agency, that was the call with Chris. Before that call, we had no idea that we should be labeling ourselves as an enterprise grade agency.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:42] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> If clients approach you, and it sounds like this may not be the case. It feels like people are approaching you because you build WordPress, not inquiring whether or not you would do a WordPress project for them. What are the one or two bits that you always bring out when a client says, well, why would we go with WordPress? What are the one or two top line items which you think, okay, if we&#8217;re going to build you a website, we&#8217;re going to choose WordPress, and here&#8217;s the best reasons at enterprise? So we&#8217;re not talking about a mom and pop store, that it really doesn&#8217;t matter if it goes down a bit. What are the one or two things which you bring out when an enterprise client wants to know why WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:18] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> First we want to reassure them that WordPress is the right platform. So this is a difference between a product company and agency. A product has a landing page, which is more similar, it gets us to a lot of people. But an agency pitch is tailored for every client, every prospect. So our first goal is to find competition. So which are the competitors for this particular client, prospective client, and see if they&#8217;re using WordPress. If your competition is using WordPress, you will feel a lot more comfortable going after it, because nobody wants to be first, especially in large enterprises.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way we define enterprise is that, when you are not buying from out of your pocket. In a large organisation, your job is not to save the money or find cheapest solution, your job is to deliver result so that it can go very nicely in your annual review report. I still believe people, especially in enterprise, are looking for safety as a first because they know that they have budget to build anything under the sun.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So usually we say less like, WordPress can do this, WordPress can do that. Because for everything that WordPress or any platform doesn&#8217;t do out of the box, they have budget. What they need to know is that it&#8217;s secure, it&#8217;s safe, it&#8217;ll scale well. And if some government approaches us, so we show that public sovereign fund, that they&#8217;re managing. So that client has a special permission with us, like we cannot refer them publicly, that government agency, but we can refer them to other government agencies in private conversations. So that is how we convince like, okay, this is similar people to you who are using WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think safety is still the first thing that people are looking for because, it&#8217;s not even WordPress, it starts with open source. There is something, somebody did some marketing where people believe or have this misconception that open source will be easy to hack, because you can see the code, you can easily hack. That is our first step. If client mentions it explicitly, we go all in. Even if the client doesn&#8217;t mention it, if the prospect says that we are looking for rating interest, we still will verify. Are you sure that you are sorted on WordPress being safe? Any concerns, any doubts?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then features, because WordPress has no match. And I&#8217;m not saying this as a WordPress agency. The Gutenberg editor itself alone is miles apart. If you go to any other platform, the editing capabilities are nowhere close to Gutenberg editor. Gutenberg editor demo itself is a deal breaker in many cases. We just show them Gutenberg editor, and they&#8217;re like, wow, is this possible? Is this thing real? Is this some mockup? No, this is website. After the call, we are going to send you a URL, go and try your hands on. This is no fake, that vaporware demo where you see something on my screen, but in reality it doesn&#8217;t work like that. This is the real website. Go and try it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:53] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s really interesting because in the non-enterprise, that message hasn&#8217;t necessarily landed. Gutenberg is, it&#8217;s very divisive issue, isn&#8217;t it? Whether you use it or not. And it&#8217;s curious that you are saying that it&#8217;s one of the key things which leads to the success.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can you just dig into that a little bit? What are some of the aspects of Gutenberg which make the clients think, okay, this is great, this is perfect, this is just what we need? What are some of the features that you draw out of the block editor?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:19] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So I think the main difference that we feel like compared to the consumer WordPress, I would say. The consumer WordPress access technologies on very different platform, like proprietary. Just imagine somebody is using Instagram to create reels. With that mindset they come to WordPress Media Library and expect video editing experience like that to happen in WordPress, they will be disappointed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But here we&#8217;re talking to people in large companies, very large companies, using legacy systems, probably from the nineties. They might have a desktop application to update a webpage, some ugly looking forms. We even have a memory where a client, their publishing workflow they had to write an article using a very poorly designed HTML web form, and they had to upload images via FTP. And then they had to reference images in document. There was no drag and drop interface.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So now if somebody like this person comes to Gutenberg, it&#8217;s like an iPhone moment for them. With that being said, Gutenberg itself is a very powerful editor. We haven&#8217;t come across a case where somebody said, oh, this is not flexible. As I said, like enterprise have a very good balance around the feature versus maintenance. For example, so Gutenberg may have one or two features less compared to a third party page builder, but then being part of Core, they&#8217;re assured that five years down the line, it will be very well maintained.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Security is more important to them because one less plugin means one less attack vector. Less things to break, less things to train, less things to maintain going forward. We as an agency develop so many sites on Gutenberg that we have our own libraries and our own patterns. So it&#8217;s like, whenever a requirement comes, we can easily map it to Gutenberg.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s the difficult thing to imagine if you&#8217;ve never built your own block or you&#8217;ve never delved into patterns. But certainly at the enterprise level, if a client comes to you and said, we have this repeatable thing, and we need to put this repeatable thing on page every time. And honestly it&#8217;s real chore. And you can build a block, and they drop the block in, and now they just fill out some fields, drag an image in here, and suddenly, boom, it&#8217;s exactly on the front end what were expecting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s that kind of thing, isn&#8217;t it? It&#8217;s that, almost like an app inside of an editor. So we&#8217;ve got a block which consumes perfectly the content that you want, and we can adapt it if your needs change. But if you&#8217;ve never really gotten into that, it&#8217;s hard to imagine. It&#8217;s just a bunch of paragraphs and images, but it&#8217;s not, it&#8217;s so much more powerful than that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:34] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> One thing I would say that, if you look at any large corporation, they have something called design systems, where they have their brand guidelines across products, not just websites like, across mediums like print and everywhere. With Gutenberg, it is very intuitive and easy to map the design system into WordPress. So that is where Gutenberg shines, that you can create patterns, you can create theme json. You can give them a starting point which blends very well with their existing design system.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is where half of the job gets done. Like, compared to indie hackers or small businesses, large enterprises are not running after lots of plugins. They don&#8217;t want to try a hundred plus blocks plugin, a plugin with 200 blocks. They want to restrict number of choices. They want to have less number of blocks, but properly weighted with the user&#8217;s guidelines. So it&#8217;s like, the freedom they demand is easily given by Gutenberg, and with the assurance of, it is going to be around long term. It&#8217;ll be very well maintained. It&#8217;ll be very well supported, and performance. I still feel Gutenberg has much better performance, the markup, SEO qualities, top notch.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think it&#8217;s just the constraints that you can put around that editing experience. So if the client comes and they want this inexperienced user to be able to create content but have boundaries so they can, I don&#8217;t know, they can add an image here and it will be, it doesn&#8217;t matter, they just put it in and it will output perfectly. And here&#8217;s where the text goes, but they can&#8217;t change the fonts, you&#8217;re not allowed to change the color and what have you. All of those kind of constraints around the editing experience. It&#8217;s just miraculous really what&#8217;s possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think it gets lost because the majority of people, I&#8217;m imagining using WordPress are sort of tinkering with Core blocks and it can become confusing. There&#8217;s lots of choices. You try one thing and it doesn&#8217;t work out, and you throw your hands in the air. But if you&#8217;ve built the perfect thing, then all of those guardrails are in place and it will output the perfect thing every time. I think that&#8217;s really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you grow, and how do you find your next employees? Because I&#8217;m guessing at the level that you are now at, you must have some fairly exacting specifications when you put out a job description. And WordPress is becoming an increasingly JavaScript based thing. Lot more technical difficulties. Where do you find your talent, and is it becoming harder to find?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:40] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> This would be unique to literally us. We have what we call our own training center where we, every year we take some 50 students from college, who recently graduated. Every six months we take 25 to 30 students from colleges. We put them through six months of training, like a complete, they get paid to learn WordPress for six month. They have no obligation to continue with us. They can join our competition, they can do anything with the WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we really get this talent and this job is very popular in India. So this training we run, the pay scales are very popular in India. So last year also we had some 90,000 applications for 60 positions. We literally have to build a platform. So we have a campus adding platform, its name is Chitragupta. Chitragupta is basically is responsible for managing the ledger of your good and bad work. So in Hindu mythology. So we built  Chitragupta, which basically scans your GitHub repos and assigns your grade.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And those 9,000 people gets graded. And then we interview from top to bottom until 60 positions gets filled. So last time we had to interview some 1,200 students, by the time 60 students got selected.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then we put them to the six month training. Our course is public, so people know what is going to be in the course, and so we find a lot of passionate people. Many times by the time they join our course, I&#8217;ve already gone through it from the public website that we have learn.rtcamp.com. From there, they already have checked it. And then we put them through the six month training. After that, this thing we started this year only. After six month training, we put them six months into the WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So WordPress Core has a mentorship program running on for new contributors. So this year we enrolled 10 people, managed by Automattic and Google employees, senior employees. So they are mentoring this people for further. So first year we, we invest them heavily. Zero revenue, only investment in year one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then from year two, we start getting, like some client work done from them. And this is something turned out to be very great for us from last three years. At some point we felt, there are same number of people switching between agencies, and net new addition to the WordPress worker pool was getting stagnant, especially around Covid.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I felt the way people used to discover life with WordPress, or a professional life with WordPress was mostly through WordCamps or meetup groups, and when that Covid happened, we suddenly missed those years, when new people didn&#8217;t come to the WordPress, as many as they used to come before.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there was this gap that started hurting large agencies, like us. Because if we look at a small website, then the enterprise budget appears a lot, but there&#8217;s always a limit. No company approves unlimited budget for any venture. Like for every project there&#8217;s a budget. It&#8217;s usually large enough, but there&#8217;s always a number and, as talent was getting more expensive, WordPress was getting unaffordable at some point.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I talked to some medium publishers, medium sized publishers, not the big ones, who complain a lot. Like the good WordPress agencies are either sold out or too expensive. It&#8217;s like WordPress is suddenly getting unaffordable, and that is when we started in this hiding experiment, where we onboarded people every year. And this is, we are doing from last four years.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we have been hiring for many years, but early it was 5, 10 people. This massive scale of hiring we started from last three to four years. And, it turned very well for us. Like all these people in second year clocked, like in agency billable hours is a very big metric, and in second year, these people clock 90%, more than 90% billable hours.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s incredible. What a great idea. Can I just ask, just to clarify with that, is that an in-person thing? So you come to a place where 60 people gather, and the tuition is taking place in the same room, or is it an online thing or?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:23] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So before Covid it was, it used to be in the same room, but the scale was 20 people at that time only. After Covid, we made it completely remote. It&#8217;s now completely remote. It&#8217;s still in the same time zone because, these are the Zoom calls, recordings. The time zone synchronization is needed. So that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s currently India only. But we are expanding it to other territories, and we are seeing like if we can create similar talent pool in other part of the world. Because,early it was in n office, then it went remote over Zoom. And this year, it is going async. We have a dedicated department, which is called Learning and Development Department.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So our agency head has implemented most lessons in a synced way, so that people can wake up at different time. And so it&#8217;s like they won&#8217;t get blocked. They can learn asynchronously, they can complete this six month course asynchronously.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It just sounds like the appetite is incredible. The numbers that you just mentioned there, I think you said something like 1200 or something like that, people for 90 places. That&#8217;s just remarkable. So the appetite really is there. It seems like such a commendable project as well, in that you are putting out a limited, you know what, you can manage. 60 people out into the workplace. Some of them may end up working with you. Some may end up working with your competitors. But you&#8217;ve put 60 people out there who are really credible at pushing the boundaries of what WordPress can do, and hopefully just making a start on their career.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:44] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But I know that it&#8217;s not just limited to that. And, I would like to get into this just before we finish, because I think this is important. Over the last few years we see these metrics every year of companies who put time into the WordPress project in general, in a whole manner of different ways. They may be sponsoring events. They may be committing staff to Five for the Future and what have you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the company, your company, rtCamp, it always seems to be right at the forefront of that in a growing way. I&#8217;d just like to applaud you for that and give you an opportunity to say what it is that you do so that we&#8217;ve got an impression of just how much good you are doing apart from obviously, having a very profitable agency and what have you, how much good you&#8217;re putting back into the community as well. So just outline your commitments to the WordPress project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:29] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So, as I mentioned that, so we have multiple ways of contributing. So as we hire a lot of from college, unfortunately we cannot have a lot of Core committers with us, but we take care of the other end. For example, these 10 people, we have a commitmentt now internally that every six months, so we will put 10 people full-time, like full-time as in literally full-time. A hundred percent of their time will go in working on WordPress project for six months.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then this will be rotated by next batch. So in rotation there will be at least 10 people. As we grow further, then we&#8217;ll make it 15, 20. And we want to keep this ramping up this number. So there will be always, WordPress Core will have enough junior people to pick the task. So, that good first issues will, somebody will be looking at them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then we have a QA people, work into the QA team, other teams. I myself as WordCamp organizer, for WordCamp Asia. We have other people contributing to different part of WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have a training course, which is public domain, in public domain. We started that much before learn.wordpress.org is there. Now  learn.wordpress.org is there, it is much better resource. But then this course was there for many years, and many other agencies use it. So that is one of the way to build human capital. So this word actually drives me a lot. We want to consciously put our efforts in developing human capital of WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because in the end, it&#8217;s people that do the job, no matter how fancy it is. You need a human to put a prompt to the AI. ChatGPT won&#8217;t build things on its own. You need to, you need a human to ask creative questions. And we want to ensure that WordPress economy continues to grow, and it never falls short of people. So we hire a lot of junior people. We put into the workplace. We publish our videos tutorial. We publish our training material also in the public domain.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many companies use it, and we expect no link back, also, no credit. Because sometimes they have a apprehension that if they know, this is why rtCamp course will, for, example, our training course site doesn&#8217;t require registration. So if you&#8217;re sending your employees to learn WordPress on our site, we won&#8217;t track them. We won&#8217;t solicit them. We have no way of knowing who&#8217;s learning. Google Analytics just shows traffic. A lot of traffic is coming to those training sites, but we have no personally identify information tracked there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I would imagine that in every aspect of your business, except this, maybe, there&#8217;s gotta be some measurable ROI. Okay, we put this in, we get this out. Do you have any metrics to measure your commitment to the community, or is it just putting your finger in the air and thinking, okay, last year, our business did this, let&#8217;s put, I don&#8217;t know, whatever it might be. Do you have a pro forma that you stick to? A number of hours, a number of people? Or is it just, yeah, this feels right this year. Because you can&#8217;t measure this. And in some cases, I imagine people would think, yeah, they&#8217;re probably overdoing it a little bit over there and what have you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:21] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> So, we have a top line mandate that, so it&#8217;s like, internally we divide engineers in three categories in rtCamp. The junior ones were like less than two years in rtCamp. The senior ones like two to five years. And lead levels were like more than five years with us. The junior one, we target 20% of their time for WordPress Core. And the medium level, the seniors, 10%, and lead level is 5%. Lead level is very hard, because we have very less lead engineers. The demand supply gap is more evident on senior and lead level. But then, these metrics are, so our office structure is that we have some called business needs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So every people need to submit their 20% report. Not only they need to submit the hours report, like they have their hours went into the WordPress Core or different part. They have to compile what are the issues they solved. It&#8217;s not like you&#8217;re just making time entries. You have to tell in the leadership quarterly review that I have 50 people in my business units, and together they clock 3000 hours. And this is what we achieved in 3000 hours. And this is approved. The props messages we see in WordPress Slack, those screenshots, if our employee names is mentioned, are taken screenshots and filing into those review reports.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three people got props from my team. The WordPress Core release notes, like with major releases. So those contributor list also presented by them. If somebody&#8217;s doing some make WordPress blog post or activity, those are also tracked by them. So the heads compile this report, from like bottom ups and then present in leadership meeting. So this is not accidental.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The material ROI is very hard to measure. We cannot say that, oh, we made like X dollars because of this effort. I think, as a salesperson, when I tell a client like, hey, I&#8217;m going to give you an engineer who knows WordPress very well. I&#8217;m more confident if that person has contributed six months to the WordPress Core. And their patches is weighted by some amazing people in WordPress community, especially senior ones. It&#8217;s like a win-win situation for all. This gives me a very, very well trained people to sell.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:42:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s exactly how I was just thinking about it. This kind of win-win cycle of you put people into WordPress, and obviously at a junior level, more time and I can understand that. That makes sense. Presumably the ones who are more experienced, they&#8217;ve got other work to be doing. But also they&#8217;ve probably gained a ton of experience doing those prior years of extra hours.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you put the hours in, but also they contribute to Core, but they get experience back out. They&#8217;ll be exposed to all sorts of different things that your projects would never have put them in front of, presumably. So they&#8217;ll be touching on subject matters. Getting into plugins, themes, blocks, code, Core, whatever it may be in a whole range of different ways than they would be. So like you say, it&#8217;s like you slap my back, I&#8217;ll slap yours a little bit. Win-win. WordPress wins, you win.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:43:06] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> There are three wins here. The person, that student, who came right out of the college, and usually in college, people here, people have some negative perception about professional life. That companies are evil. You are going to do labor. Somebody will steal your credit, and here they&#8217;re on their own. Like they go into the WordPress community on their own. They sign a patch with their name. They file a Trac ticket with their name. They get props in their name. They get treated very well by contributor. If somebody makes mistakes, WordPress committee is full of nice people. Nobody&#8217;s going to pull them down. Nobody&#8217;s going to shout at them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everybody corrects them with respect and compassion, and that helped them grow as a person. Like, they become better human. They become better coder. And that empathy, we see that, when they become senior engineers, and when they&#8217;re reviewing some junior&#8217;s code, they remember that, hey, when I was, it was my first day in WordPress community, and I made that patch. I made one mistake, but somebody was nice to me, so I have to pass it on. So that niceness cycle continues.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, the biggest win is that these people like, who has an incredible job satisfaction. They love open source more. Many of them don&#8217;t join for the love of open source, they&#8217;re at a point when they, join rtCamp, they&#8217;re at a point when their college is ending. They just want to get a job, and secure a financial life. Whatever jobs comes their way, they&#8217;re okay with it. Open source, closed source, not much preference. But once they&#8217;re in, and then we take them through this one year of tour, like six months in training center, then six months in WordPress community, they become the advocate of open source for life.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that is a very most important win for us because we want people to believe in open source. We don&#8217;t want them to say open source is good because their company is selling it. We want them to have that faith that open source is the right way to do things. And that faith is very important for growth. You cannot mug up your mission statement and stand for it.. You have to believe in something to stand for it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:45:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> What a profoundly interesting thing to have said. I think that&#8217;s just fabulous. I think your company is doing so many interesting things. It&#8217;s obviously, financially it&#8217;s working out, but just the position that you&#8217;ve painted there of the way that you are treating your employees, and the autonomy that you&#8217;re giving them, and the future opportunities that you are giving them. And the training opportunities giving them, just remarkable. And I&#8217;m profoundly impressed by what you&#8217;ve been doing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, time is our enemy. We&#8217;re going to call it a day there. Rahul, thank you so much for chatting to me today. That has been an incredible journey. Long may it continue. I wish you and rtCamp all the success that you can possibly have the future.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:45:39] <strong>Rahul Bansal:</strong> Thank you, Nathan. Thanks for having me on this podcast.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul286/\">Rahul Bansal</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul is the founder and CEO of <a href=\"https://rtcamp.com/\">rtCamp</a>, a large agency that specialises in enterprise-grade WordPress projects. He began his journey quite differently, starting as an individual blogger back in 2006, discovering WordPress in 2007, and gradually transitioning from being a publisher to a freelance developer, before founding rtCamp in 2009. Today, rtCamp is an enterprise-grade WordPress consultancy agency, operating globally and trusted by clients such as Google, Meta, Automattic, NewsUK, and Al Jazeera.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul sheds light on working with enterprise clients in the WordPress space. Many of us are familiar with WordPress in the context of small businesses and blogging, but the enterprise space demands additional layers of security and scalability. Rahul explains the factors that set enterprise projects apart, and why meticulous code reviews, &nbsp; and security audits are essential when working at this level.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He talks about the opportunities in the enterprise space, recounting how rtCamp initially stumbled into enterprise level projects, not even realising their potential until a client’s high expectations led to a decision to market themselves as an enterprise agency.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discuss the role of WordPress in enterprise environments, from why Gutenberg has become a credible selling point, due to its powerful editing capabilities, to how the platform’s flexibility supports varied enterprise needs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rahul also gets into the importance of positioning, how historical context offers advantages, and the expanding market that makes WordPress a compelling choice for large clients today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the end, we explore rtCamp’s innovative internship program aimed at growing the WordPress talent pool, and the way they are contributing back to the WordPress project; a win-win for the business and the broader community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever considered what it takes to work with WordPress at the enterprise level, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Useful links</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://rtcamp.com/\">rtCamp</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/\">White House website</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.aljazeera.com/\">Al Jazeera website</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://campus.rtcamp.com/\">Campus at rtCamp</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://learn.rtcamp.com/\">rtLearn</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, 12 Mar 2025 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:37;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:\"Do The Woo Community: Effective Collaboration with Clients and Teams: A Chat with Zach Hendershot\";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=92561\";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://dothewoo.io/effective-collaboration-with-clients-and-teams-a-chat-with-zach-hendershot/\";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:237:\"In this episode, Adam and Emma discuss effective collaboration with Zach, CEO of Miruni, focusing on setting clear expectations, minimizing manual tasks via automation, and enhancing communication for better client and team interactions.\";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, 12 Mar 2025 09:49:00 +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: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:38;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:\"Gravatar: Top Strategies for Reducing Friction in Sign-Ups\";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:\"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=2830\";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://blog.gravatar.com/2025/03/11/sign-up-flow/\";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:17831:\"<p>Creating effective sign-up flows presents a challenging balance. Users expect quick, frictionless experiences, but businesses need quality data to better serve their customers. To get this information, they often overload the sign-up process, leading to high abandonment rates and lost opportunities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, there is a way to find balance – and we’re talking about more than just user-friendly designs. Advanced strategies like intelligent data collection timing and progressive disclosure techniques help maintain healthy conversion rates while gathering essential user information. These approaches, combined with AI-driven personalization, can transform a standard sign-up process into an engaging experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reducing friction while maintaining control over data collection might seem daunting. However, by implementing strategic optimization techniques and tools like Gravatar&#8217;s developer API, you can significantly reduce friction points in their sign-up process.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let’s see how you can do just that while still collecting valuable user data that allows for personalization and improves the overall user experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Essential strategies for reducing sign-up friction</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When talking about sign-up friction, a common topic is form optimization, but that’s only the beginning. You need a bit more if you want to create better sign-up experiences and reduce drop-off rates while still maintaining high data quality.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, <a href=\"https://www.newbreedrevenue.com/blog/progressive-profiling-and-how-to-use-it\"><strong>progressive profiling</strong></a><strong> allows you to collect user information gradually</strong> rather than overwhelming new users with lengthy forms like these:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"3432\" height=\"1716\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/badsignup_iag.png\" alt=\" Example of a bad sign-up form with loads of information\" class=\"wp-image-2833\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of requesting all details upfront, ask only for essential information during sign-up, and additional data can be gathered as users engage with your product.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"3433\" height=\"1716\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/goodsignup_iag.png\" alt=\"Example of progressive profiling in a sign-up\" class=\"wp-image-2834\" />\n\n\n\n<p>You can also <strong>use email-based </strong><a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/\"><strong>profile systems like Gravatar</strong></a><strong> to make the process even easier.</strong> By integrating Gravatar into your sign-up flow, you can automatically populate user avatars and profile information using just an email address. This eliminates several manual entry steps.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/getting-started/\"><img width=\"3242\" height=\"729\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gravatar_integration_cta.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2632\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Delayed email verification keeps users engaged</strong> by letting them access your app immediately after sign-up. <a href=\"https://www.chargebee.com/\">ChargeBee</a> is a great example of this approach:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>New users enter the platform right away by filling in the more important details.&nbsp;</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1724\" height=\"1290\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chargebee-sign-up-form.png\" alt=\"Chargebee sign-up page\" class=\"wp-image-2835\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They verify their email address only after signing in.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"374\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/chargebee-email-verification-message.png?w=660\" alt=\"Chargebee email confirmation message\" class=\"wp-image-2836\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, <strong>smart forms with predictive error prevention catch potential issues before submission</strong> rather than returning users to a form with error messages. This real-time validation helps users complete sign-up forms correctly the first time.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1302\" height=\"546\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/example-error-prevention-chargebee.png\" alt=\"Example of predictive error prevention on Chargebee’s sign-up page\" class=\"wp-image-2837\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Intelligent data collection: When and what to ask&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Making smart decisions about when to request user information can significantly impact sign-up completion rates. A strategic approach starts with distinguishing between essential and non-essential data.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Essential information typically includes:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Email address (for account creation).</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Password.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Username (if required).</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-essential information such as company name, last name, job title, team size, and phone number can definitely wait.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Custom triggers help time additional data requests effectively.</strong> For example, only ask for team size after users show interest in collaboration features. Or request company details when someone visits the enterprise pricing page.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"3432\" height=\"1716\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/signup_iag.png\" alt=\"Example of custom triggers for additional data\" class=\"wp-image-2838\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Profile enrichment through </strong><a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/08/26/gravatar-api-tutorial-for-app-developers/\"><strong>integrations and APIs</strong></a><strong> offers another powerful approach. </strong>By combining email-based profile services like Gravatar with progressive data collection, you can build comprehensive user profiles without overwhelming new users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar&#8217;s API can automatically populate non-essential information from a user&#8217;s email address, eliminating the need to ask for basic profile details during sign-up. This approach maintains high conversion rates while still gathering valuable user data.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Gravatar simplifies user onboarding</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1504\" height=\"1050\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/profile-as-a-service-gravatar-new.png\" alt=\"Gravatar for developers – Profiles-as-a-Service homepage\" class=\"wp-image-2839\" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a> transforms the traditional sign-up process by automatically populating user profiles through a single email address. This approach eliminates multiple manual entry steps that often cause users to abandon sign-up forms – according to a <a href=\"https://www.wyzowl.com/customer-onboarding-statistics/\">2020 study by Wyzow</a>, 80% of users have deleted an app because they found the initial setup process too complex.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why major platforms like <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a>, <a href=\"https://openai.com/\">OpenAI</a>, and <a href=\"https://www.atlassian.com/\">Atlassian</a> use Gravatar to enhance their sign-up experiences.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>By implementing Gravatar&#8217;s REST API, developers can instantly access a rich set of user information:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Display names and avatars.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Professional information.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Biography and location.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Language preferences.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pronouns.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social and professional links.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>User interests.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Work history.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social connections.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This enriched data collection happens without requesting additional information from users during sign-up. Instead of presenting new users with lengthy forms asking for profile details, applications can pull this information automatically through the Gravatar API.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The benefits extend beyond the initial sign-up. </strong>With comprehensive profile data available immediately, applications can <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/08/16/user-experience-personalization/\">create personalized experiences</a> from the first interaction:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Customized welcome messages using the user&#8217;s name.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Interface language set to user preferences.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content recommendations based on stated interests.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contextual features based on professional background.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Team collaboration suggestions using work history.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social connections through matched interests.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Location-based content and recommendations.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing Gravatar also helps solve common onboarding challenges:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduces form abandonment by minimizing required fields.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eliminates the need for users to upload profile pictures.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintains consistency across multiple platforms.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allows users to update their information in one place.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supports both individual and role-based personalization.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enables automatic profile updates across integrated services.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The system respects user privacy by letting individuals control what information they share. </strong>Users can maintain multiple profiles with different levels of detail tied to separate email addresses, giving them full control over their online presence while still providing valuable data for personalization.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"331\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/verified-profiles-privacy-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of privacy settings for a Gravatar profile – toggle switch for API access\" class=\"wp-image-2840\" />\n\n\n\n<p>For developers, integration is straightforward through the <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/api/profiles/rest-api/\">REST API</a>, with comprehensive documentation and support available. And since Gravatar is free for both users and developers, it offers a cost-effective way to enhance sign-up flows and improve user engagement from the start. The API&#8217;s design focuses on developer experience, making it simple to implement and maintain while providing powerful personalization capabilities.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Real-world examples: Successful Gravatar implementations</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s see how different websites use Gravatar to make signing up and getting started super simple.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://platform.openai.com/signup\">OpenAI</a> offers a perfect example of a streamlined approach:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Users sign up with their email and create a password.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"473\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/open-ai-signup-page.png?w=660\" alt=\"Creating an account on OpenAI\" class=\"wp-image-2841\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Their profile picture automatically appears from Gravatar.&nbsp;</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"391\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/open-ai-gravatar-profile-pic.png?w=660\" alt=\"Profile picture on the OpenAI website \" class=\"wp-image-2842\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>No extra steps are needed. </strong>This small touch adds a personal element to their AI platform experience right from the start.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http://wordpress.com\">WordPress.com</a> takes this integration even further. When someone signs up, the platform automatically pulls in everything from their Gravatar profile – their bio, display name, social links, and even their location and interests.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"339\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/wordpresscom-gravatar-integration-info.png?w=660\" alt=\"Profile information on WordPress.com\" class=\"wp-image-2843\" />\n\n\n\n<p>This means new bloggers can jump right into writing instead of spending time filling out profile forms. Plus, any changes they make to their Gravatar profile automatically update across all their WordPress sites.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other popular platforms also use Gravatar in creative ways to make things easier for their users:</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developer platforms:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a> shows Gravatar avatars next to code contributions, helping developers build recognition in open-source communities.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"273\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/github-gravatar-profile-pic.png?w=660\" alt=\"Profile picture on GitHub\" class=\"wp-image-2844\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://about.gitlab.com/\">GitLab</a> uses Gravatar to personalize project dashboards and team features.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Collaboration tools:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://www.figma.com/\">Figma</a> automatically loads team member profiles to help people connect faster.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://slack.com/\">Slack</a> shows profile pictures in chat to help teammates recognize each other.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://trello.com/\">Trello</a> adds Gravatar photos to cards and boards to make project tracking more personal.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part? <strong>Users only need to update their info in one place – their Gravatar profile.</strong> That single update gets reflected everywhere they use these tools, making it super convenient to keep a consistent online presence.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Optimizing mobile sign-up experiences</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Making sign-ups work smoothly on mobile devices has become essential, with <a href=\"https://gs.statcounter.com/platform-market-share/desktop-mobile-tablet\">mobile traffic now exceeding 60% of all web visits</a>. But mobile users face unique challenges – smaller screens, touch interfaces, and often spotty connections. Here&#8217;s how to <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/09/03/app-onboarding/\">create a mobile-friendly sign-up</a> flow that gets results.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Start with the basics: optimize every element for touch.</strong>&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Buttons need to be at least 44&#215;44 pixels, with enough spacing to prevent accidental taps.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make forms finger-friendly by adding ample padding between fields.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stick to readable font sizes – 16px minimum for text inputs to prevent automatic zooming.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Smart keyboard handling makes a big difference too. </strong>Set the right input types (email, tel, number) so users get appropriate keyboards. Group similar fields together to minimize keyboard switches. For example, keep all text fields together, then numeric fields.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simplify data entry by:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enabling autofill where possible.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"330\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/rememberme_iag.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of autofill during sign-up\" class=\"wp-image-2845\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Offer social login options optimized for mobile.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"660\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/signin_iag.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of user-friendly social media sign-up buttons on mobile devices\" class=\"wp-image-2846\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Using Gravatar to auto-populate profile info from email addresses.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adding real-time validation to catch errors early.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"355\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/example-password-instructions-during-signup.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of real-time validation of a password\" class=\"wp-image-2847\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Break up longer forms into logical steps with clear progress indicators. </strong>Each step should fit comfortably on a mobile screen without scrolling. And remember – every field you require is another chance for users to abandon the process. Only ask for what&#8217;s absolutely necessary.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, <strong>test your flow on multiple devices and screen sizes.</strong> What works on a large iPhone might be frustrating on a smaller Android phone.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get started with Gravatar&#8217;s developer tools</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to streamline your sign-up process with Gravatar? Their developer tools make integration surprisingly simple. The new REST API gives you instant access to user profiles with just a few lines of code.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting started takes just three steps:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Register for a free API key at <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/developers/new-application\">Gravatar&#8217;s Developer Dashboard</a>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the interactive console to test API endpoints.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow the comprehensive documentation to add Gravatar to your app.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The API lets you fetch rich user data like:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Profile pictures and avatars.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display names.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Professional details.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social links.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Location preferences.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Custom profile fields.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Best of all, <strong>users control what information they share.</strong> You just need an email address to start pulling available profile data. This balance between functionality and privacy makes Gravatar great for both developers and users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to explore more? <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/developers/contact\">Get in touch with our team</a> today, and we can discuss specific integrations for your platform.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/getting-started/\"><img width=\"3242\" height=\"729\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gravatar_integration_cta.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2632\" /></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:\"Tue, 11 Mar 2025 22:19:10 +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:39;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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 6.8 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=18619\";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/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-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:5846:\"<p>WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 is now ready for testing!</p>\n\n\n\n<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.&nbsp; Instead, you should evaluate Beta 2 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 in four ways:</p>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Plugin</strong></td><td>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.)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Direct Download</strong></td><td>Download the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.8-beta2.zip\">Beta 2 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Command Line</strong></td><td>Use this<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/cli/\"> WP-CLI</a> command: <code>wp core update --version=6.8-beta2</code></td></tr><tr><td><strong>WordPress Playground</strong></td><td>Use the <a href=\"https://playground.wordpress.net/?php=8.0&wp=beta&networking=no&language=&multisite=no&random=y4q1rn88xn\">6.8 Beta 2 WordPress Playground instance</a> to test the software directly in your browser.&nbsp; No setup is required–just click and go!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<p>The current target date for the final release of WordPress 6.8 is <strong>April 15, 2025</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-8/\">6.8 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/6-8/\">6.8-related posts</a> in the coming weeks for more information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Catch up on what’s new in WordPress 6.8</strong>: <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\">Read the Beta 1 announcement</a> for details and highlights.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to test this release</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your help testing the WordPress 6.8 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.&nbsp; <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8.</p>\n\n\n\n<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>\n\n\n\n<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>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vulnerability bounty doubles during Beta/RC</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Between Beta 1, released on March 4, 2025, and the final Release Candidate (RC) scheduled for April 8, 2025, the<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/testing/reporting-security-vulnerabilities/#enhanced-bounty-rewards-during-beta-and-release-candidate-phases\"> 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>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beta 2 updates and highlights</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 Beta 2 contains more than 14 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 1 release, including 21 tickets for WordPress core.</p>\n\n\n\n<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>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.8?since=2025-03-05&until=2025-03-10\">GitHub commits for 6.8</a> since March 4, 2025</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=03%2F05%2F2025..03%2F10%2F2025&milestone=6.8&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id\">Closed Trac tickets</a> since March 4, 2025</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Beta 2 haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Second wave refines,<br />Lines of code like rivers flow,<br />WordPress finds its form.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Props to <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/ankitkumarshah/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>ankitkumarshah</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/vgnavada/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>vgnavada</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupajnanda/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>krupajnanda</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/michelleames/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>michelleames</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>audrasjb</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/marybaum/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>marybaum</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/ecgan/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>ecgan</a></em> <em>for proofreading and review.</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, 11 Mar 2025 15:46:13 +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:\"Jeffrey Paul\";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:40;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:63:\"Do The Woo Community: What’s a WordPress Site Without a Blog?\";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:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92636\";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://dothewoo.io/blog/whats-a-wordpress-site-without-a-blog/\";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:179:\"In September 2024, we relaunched our community-focused blog, emphasizing its importance for site substance while highlighting the relevance of blogging amidst evolving technology.\";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, 11 Mar 2025 11:01:14 +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:41;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:108:\"Do The Woo Community: Securing the Supply Chain, Insights from the WordPress 6.8 Update with John Blackbourn\";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=92331\";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:106:\"https://dothewoo.io/securing-the-supply-chain-insights-from-the-wordpress-6-8-update-with-john-blackbourn/\";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:250:\"John Blackbourn discusses significant security enhancements in WordPress 6.8, notably switching to Bcrypt for password storage. The conversation highlights evolving perceptions of open-source security and upcoming events like the CloudFest Hackathon.\";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, 11 Mar 2025 10:08:00 +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: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:42;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:113:\"Gutenberg Times: Gutenberg Changelog 115 – Gutenberg Releases 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, WordPress 6.8 and WordCamp Asia\";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://gutenbergtimes.com/?post_type=podcast&p=37944\";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://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-115-wordpress-6-8-wordcamp-asia/\";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:43300:\"<p>Birgit Pauli-Haack and Jessica Lyschik talked about Gutenberg Releases 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, WordPress 6.8 and WordCamp Asia</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-115-wordpress-6-8-wordcamp-asia/#shownotes\">Show Notes</a> / <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-115-wordpress-6-8-wordcamp-asia/#transcript\">Transcript</a></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Editor:&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-reed/\">Sandy Reed</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Logo:&nbsp;<a href=\"https://markuraine.com/\">Mark Uraine</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Production:&nbsp;<a href=\"https://icodeforapurpose.com\">Birgit Pauli-Haack</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-larger-font-size\" id=\"shownotes\"><strong>Show Notes</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Special guest: Jessica Lyschik</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://x.com/jessicalyschik\">https://x.com/jessicalyschik</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@jessicalyschik\">https://www.youtube.com/@jessicalyschik</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2tsT25ETnVSM20xS3ZoNDhpTkhwUVhlM2J0UXxBQ3Jtc0tsY2NmeEdxT01xdEMzMlR4WWxjYll2bGoyMXlSZVZFZm82alVtS3hpdW01Y3U1R3U0RGVBT19lbEhQeXNYeTcxZ0EwaVg4YUlYV2ZGR085ZXA1U0pYYzdSelRnejR5cDBHUm1pZDRpQi1fdHRPbkw3UQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fprofiles.wordpress.org%2Fluminuu\">profiles.wordpress.org/luminuu</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community Contributions</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/02/customize-wordpress-embeds-to-match-your-theme/\">Customize WordPress embeds to match your theme</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://nickdiego.com/speed-building-a-carousel-block/\">Speed building a carousel block</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s released</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/08/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-1-and-20-2/\">What’s new in Gutenberg 20.1 and 20.2?</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/03/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-3-18-february/\">What’s new in Gutenberg 20.3? (18 February)</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v20.4.0\">Gutenberg 20.4 Changelog</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s in active development or discussed</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\">WordPress 6.8 Beta 1</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\">Help test WordPress 6.8.</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/06/speculative-loading-in-6-8/\">Speculative Loading in 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/17/wordpress-6-8-will-use-bcrypt-for-password-hashing/\">WordPress 6.8 will use bcrypt for password hashing</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">Stay in Touch</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Did you like this episode? <a href=\"https://lovethepodcast.com/gutenbergchangelog\"><strong>Please write us a review </strong></a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ping us on X (formerly known as Twitter) or send DMs with questions. <a href=\"https://twitter.com/gutenbergtimes\">@gutenbergtimes </a>and <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bph\">@bph</a>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>If you have questions or suggestions, or news you want us to include, send them to <a href=\"mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com\">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a>. </em></li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Please write us a review on iTunes! <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/itunes/\">(Click here to learn how)</a></em></li>\n</ul>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\" id=\"transcript\"><strong>Transcript</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: Hello and welcome to our 115th episode of the Gutenberg Changelog podcast. In today&#8217;s episode, we will talk about Gutenberg releases 20.2, 20.3, and 20 .4, and a little bit of WordPress 6.8 and WordCamp Asia. I&#8217;m your host, Birgit Pauli-Haack, curator at the Gutenberg Times and a WordPress developer advocate working for Automattic and still recovering from my cold that I brought back from Manila.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And today, I&#8217;m happy to get to chat again, it was Jessica Lyschik, front-end developer at Greyd and also core contributor to the WordPress open source project. We both just returned from WordCamp Asia.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hello, Jessica. How are you today? How is your jet lag?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: Hey, thanks for having me. I think the jet lag is, by now, done, I would say. So I&#8217;m back to the European time zone, but I also caught a bug after returning and had to take off a couple of days to get better. But by now, it&#8217;s like another week has passed. I&#8217;ve been working normally and yeah, I&#8217;m back to normal and preparing for the next event next week, which is CloudFest.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: You&#8217;re going to CloudFest. Wonderful.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: I had to cancel my participation in CloudFest because I have a bum knee. And my doctor said, &#8220;Well, going to another congress where you run around like crazy from one thing to the next, it&#8217;s probably not conducive to your healing that bum knee.&#8221; It sucks at one point, yeah. But on the other hand, &#8220;Okay. I don&#8217;t have to travel.&#8221; It&#8217;s another&#8230; Yeah, I can concentrate on some of the work again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: And get enough sleep, which is something you do not get on conferences and stuff like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Right. Especially, CloudFest. I think every evening there is a festival or a party or something.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: You can actually make it work. I do it the same on WordCamps. It&#8217;s the same for me. So it&#8217;s just when you are deciding where do you want to go, maybe not just be there as the first person and leave as the last person. But come late, leave early, and then just try to make it work for you. And it&#8217;s, of course, different for everyone. Some people are just like, they want to be everywhere and they need to go everywhere. And I&#8217;m more like, I need some breaks in between because otherwise that&#8217;s not going to work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack: </em>Yeah, I&#8217;m pretty much the same way. However, sometimes I&#8217;m just so present in the moment, in the conversation, that I can really lose track of time. And then these are people I&#8217;ve never going to see for the next year or so, or maybe two. So at least, that was at WordCamp Asia. Where you&#8217;re only going to go to that particular family reunion and almost feels like that. Once a year and you need to catch up on what happened with other people, and there were so many good things to happen.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WordCamp Asia<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what are your takeaways from WordCamp Asia? Do you have anything that will say, &#8220;Okay. Yeah, that was very surprising&#8221;? Interesting. New.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: It has been my first time to the Philippines, I don&#8217;t know about you, but I think it has been a very interesting couple of days there in Manila. I did not get to see so much about Manila itself, unfortunately. The jet lag coming to Manila also hit me very hard. So the day I had planned to do something, go out somewhere did not happen. But I saw the Mall of Asia, which was like a gigantic mall where you could get your daily steps in very easily and not walk around the same circle for 10 times or something like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I found very interesting was the food. I think the food was pretty good there. There was a lot of variety. We had a lot of Filipino food during the conference days, which I found pretty amazing. There&#8217;s a lot of seafood and fish in there. I&#8217;m not such a fan of seafood, but I tried the other things and they were all pretty good. So, I did not have anything that I didn&#8217;t like.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah. I was really&#8230; Not surprised, but it was quite unusual that the vegetarian as well as the vegan options are so particularly tasteful and very&#8230; I have a big variety there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> That&#8217;s true.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> And I got to chat with Dan, who is a former chef, who was on the organizing team and responsible for all the food. And he just has such a passion for the Filipino food and knows everybody in Manila to pick the right caterer for the events. It was really interesting, yeah. I also got to talk with a lot of Automatticians, but they all had the same T-shirt on, so all of a sudden, I was recognizing my fellow, my coworkers. And we don&#8217;t get to see each other during the year, especially in other teams so much. So, it was really interesting for me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I like to hang out at the Do The Woo. Bob had&#8230; I think he started that last year in WordCamp Europe, that he is actually a sponsor and has a spot in the sponsor hall where people can hang out. And he invites his cohorts to spend an hour there. Or other people that he collaborates with, to just spend an hour there. So they can also say to their friends, &#8220;Okay. If you want to talk to me, I&#8217;m at that hour, at the Do The Woo booth.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh, nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> But that was an interesting experience, yeah. So, I did that. And I was surprised how many people are actually in my talk because the such a niche topic which was about Playground and how to create demos with blueprints. And being the last session before Matt&#8217;s keynote and Q&amp;A, I thought maybe they&#8217;re not going to be a whole lot of people in that talk, but I was surprised. There were, at least, 50 or 60 people there. Yeah, it was cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik: </em>Yeah. Well, that&#8217;s nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> I was there too, I have to say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: Oh, right.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> I was at the very far back. Yeah, but it was quite interesting to go back and see, &#8220;Okay, this is&#8230;&#8221; I already know what blueprints are so it&#8217;s not that big of a deal, but going into the details again, it&#8217;s like, &#8220;Oh yeah, I remember that. Oh, I forgot this. Oh, okay.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, it was a very good thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> That was good. Yeah, good. So it was something for beginners, for the intermediate, and for the advanced. I was hoping about that. We will have WordCamp Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh, I&#8217;m not saying that. It&#8217;s not out yet. But yeah, announcements will come.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: Nice. I had a pretty good Speed Build as well with Nick, and that was a lot of fun. Nick tried to tackle the website with AI, or at least the top part with the slider with AI. Unfortunately, people said I won. I think Nick also did a great job. I felt a bit sad. Everyone&#8217;s clapping for me and cheering for me more than for Nick. It was like a bit disappointing. It&#8217;s like he tried. I would&#8217;ve never tried this with AI because I do not have the patience in 30 minutes to create something with AI. So I decided just to go, &#8220;Okay, do it in normal stuff. Just build some blocks, build some patterns there and do it.&#8221; But it was a lot of fun and it was great to see that afterwards, Nick also tried to not fix it, but further enhance it to make it an actual usable block.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was pretty cool to see. He showed me the demo the next day. That was very nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> And I think he blogged about it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yes, he did.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> So, I&#8217;m going to share that link in the show notes when I find it fast. Yes, Speed Build Carousel Block. Because people are always asking for carousel blocks. Why isn&#8217;t that in community, I say. I&#8217;m going to put it in a community contributions. You&#8217;ll find it in show notes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think the two of you saying, &#8220;Okay, I&#8217;ll go back to what I know, what is fast, and what I know how to accomplish.&#8221; And then the other approach was that, &#8220;Well, let&#8217;s, under pressure, do something new.&#8221; But it&#8217;s also the, how do you approach learning new things? And sometimes you say, &#8220;Okay, I&#8217;m not going to learn it because I need to get my stuff done, and I know how to do this and I get it done.&#8221; When you learn new things, your task becomes more as an inspiration rather than the success because you might not end up accomplishing your task with the new thing. Because of course you are in a learning mode, you need to learn a lot.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, I compare that with my first experience with the spreadsheet on the computer, MultiPlan was that. So I&#8217;m dating myself, but yeah, it was in the early &#8217;90s. MultiPlan was even ahead of Excel from Microsoft. I had a big spreadsheet from the accountant and I said, &#8220;Oh, that should be much easier to be done in a spreadsheet on a computer.&#8221; So I spent all day, or all night actually, learning how to do this and put the spreadsheet in. But of course, it took me 6 or 8 hours. And if I would&#8217;ve done it just with a calculator, I would&#8217;ve calculated the whole spreadsheet probably in two hours or something like that. So, it&#8217;s not how long it takes to do something the first time when you learn this. It&#8217;s how long it takes when you do it a second time, because you need to discard the first time most of the time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I found that a lot of people who learn block development, what took me a half an hour with short code took me three days in doing it as a block. I said, &#8220;Yeah, that&#8217;s the first time you learn of things. Of course, it takes longer. Of course, it takes&#8230; You&#8217;re all going to changing your brain into the new paradigm. But how long does it take the second time around? Is it faster or is it better?&#8221; Anyway, this is the philosophical Birgit in a horsey voice. Let&#8217;s go back.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So WordCamp Asia, it was the first time for me in the Manila, and I actually planned a couple of days. Not a couple, a few days. Four days. Did some sightseeing, so I went to the historic sites of the Spanish occupation. I saw the monument for the atrocities that happened in the Second World War, and I learned about the current contemporary arts in two art museums. And I went downtown to the new business district there with a nice park and shops left and right on the street. It&#8217;s a pedestrian area. It&#8217;s beautifully done. And I also discovered a few street art that were purposefully put on that place as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, that was quite interesting. Of course, I overdid it and I got my bum knee from there. So yeah, it was a little painful than going on the conference and going in the&#8230; The venue was quite vast, I found.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> You had to walk a lot?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, you had to walk a lot. But I found all the escalators, so that was good. I didn&#8217;t have to do stairs so much. But yeah, it was a walk a lot. I like the Automattic booth was really big, but there was other&#8230; Hostinger was really big out of the usual. I also saw Mark Westguard of this WS Forms. He is on every flagship and shows off his plugin. I have to think really hard to get back to that because there&#8217;s the whole week, two weeks after that that already took over my life.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community Contributions<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Which brings us back to, &#8220;Okay, let&#8217;s record that rest of the show.&#8221; So, we had a few releases. So on the developer blog, Robert Meszaros published an article on customizing WordPress embeds to match your theme. And I think that&#8217;s very interesting to an approach to make sure that all the embeds that you use are actually matching your theme and you don&#8217;t use it out of the box. So he has some nice examples in there, and some great code snippets in how to do all of that. It&#8217;s definitely something to go back to, to make a better theme or a better site view for that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah, I think it&#8217;s a nice finishing touch when you&#8217;re creating a new website that really embraces embeds. I didn&#8217;t know about this, to be honest. I just saw it today. And I think it&#8217;s really great. It&#8217;s not something super big, but when you have a brand new website and have put so many thoughts and hours into the design, and then there comes this embed that just looks like it&#8217;s not meant to be on this website, then I think this is a great example of how tweaking the sites essentially can make an embed also look like it&#8217;s part of the website and not just some part of default WordPress that just pops up somewhere.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, that hasn&#8217;t gotten a whole lot of love.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah, that&#8217;s true.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: So, he shared this. For instance, one example is that out of the box, the featured image of a post that you embed has some border around, and he just shows you how to make that image go all the way to the corners. That&#8217;s such a small little detail, but it shows the attention to detail. And when you have all your cards that you have, your postcards in the query loop all having the same design, and all of a sudden, the embed doesn&#8217;t&#8230; It really stands out. It doesn&#8217;t&#8230; And it also distracts the reader from, &#8220;Why is this different? What I haven&#8217;t seen yet?&#8221; It has some nice little features on how to change things. Some great sailing pictures here. So, take a look at that and spruce up your site with some of the little things and big things.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s Released &#8211; Gutenberg 20.2<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All right. So now, we come to Gutenberg 20.2 that was released in January, to be exact.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> End of January, I think.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Do you want to start out with what we are talking about?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah. So, this was one of the two. I think I did the Gutenberg blog post on this one. So yeah, this wasn&#8217;t such a big release. It was rather small compared to the previous ones. Also, it was combined with, I think, 21.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> 21, yep. And we talked about that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> 20.1 release? Yeah. So, there isn&#8217;t that much going on in this release. It&#8217;s rather smaller bug fixes and some polishing overall. And I think one of the interesting things was that in the post content, you can now define the heading colors on a more global level. I think this was also a highlight from my blog post when I remember correctly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Mm-hmm. Yeah, I really like that you can now have the details block be more like an accordion with a name attribute. So it&#8217;s not in the UI, but you can do it in the&#8230; It&#8217;s in the UI, but you have to go to the advanced section to give all.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh, okay.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, to give it all. To get this all done. It&#8217;s not for someone who doesn&#8217;t know what to do, that kind of thing. It&#8217;s not intuitive for site builders, so you need to give it a block name so it shows up as a summary. A block name about a name attribute.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh. So, when you give it the name.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Sorry. Yeah, you need to give it a name attribute in the advanced section so the CSS that is built knows, &#8220;Okay. This is all one section. And one is open, the other ones are closed.&#8221; So, it kind of has accordion package.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> So they all need to have the same name in this name tag, so then it automatically brings this only one of these sections is open. Okay, got it. Apparently, I missed that one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Well, great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> But it&#8217;s okay. Now, we talked about it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Right. Yeah, that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re here for. Two eyes see more than one. Four eyes see more than two.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Definitely.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: I also wanted to point out that the WP env local development tool now has WP-MyAdmin support as well as Multisite support. It had it before, but now it&#8217;s also documented so you know how to use it. That&#8217;s why I wanted to point it out because…</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Documentation</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh, I didn&#8217;t know it had this. You had this phpMyAdmin in the WP env.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> I&#8217;m not using PHP. We are so confused. I&#8217;m not using WP nth Multi&#8230; Multisite or WP env fit-all?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> WP env.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Ah, okay.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah. It&#8217;s when you&#8217;re working on Gutenberg, on your Gutenberg, something you can do. Just WP nth and it spins up a local WordPress instance with that particular folder. It also supports Multisite that came with 20.8.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, you&#8217;re right. There were quite a few bug fixes in there and some polish in terms of previews. And also, some panel changes that have been in the last few Gutenberg releases, and also for the ones for the next. That&#8217;s a refactor of things. It was 20.2. I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s anything else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> It&#8217;s a bit tricky with the numbers of 20.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack: </em>Yeah. God.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik: </em>&#8230; in the brains of WordPress people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah. So that brings us to 20.3, which was released just two weeks ago.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gutenberg 20.3</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: We were all hanging out in Manila.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Well, it was actually before or right on February 18th and it was released. Yes, we were all hanging out already. On travel, on planes. Yeah, my plane was&#8230; I was&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> On planes, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> So, it was 12 hours to Singapore and then there&#8217;s another 3 1/2 hours from Singapore to Manila.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh, I did the same route.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> It was kind of 15 hours flight, but then you have to be 2 or 3 hours earlier at the airport. You have a layover in Singapore, and then you have to transfer from the airport to the hotel and&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah. I think I calculated something, like 23, 24-ish hours door to door, so it&#8217;s not just like a 15 hour flight. But yeah, you have to count in all the waiting time. I had to travel to Munich airport two hours, so that all adds up to this whole ordeal of&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traveling to Asia is easy. No, it&#8217;s not.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Enhancements</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> No, it&#8217;s not. Yeah. So Gutenberg 20.3 also has a not particular big features coming in, but some nice additions. And one of them is that the social links now of a Discord logo that you can add to it. The query block now, that is really nice. It has an option to ignore sticky post. It took a while to get the sticky post into the filter, but then there&#8217;s also the need that sometimes you need a query loop that ignores the sticky post.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah. It&#8217;s definitely something that you&#8217;re used to this when you&#8217;re doing classic themes and just have all the opportunity with the WP query nth function. And it&#8217;s great to see that these little things and&#8230; Even if you do not use them that often, that these are still now available. That just makes transitioning to block themes and block inside it are so much better because you finally have all the options. But maybe not all yet for the query loop, but we are getting there. Let&#8217;s put it like that. We are getting there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> For sure, yeah. There was a major push in that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you want to take the next one?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> The yet another one of completing the options that you have on block is the RSS block got border and spacing support. And also, duotone settings got improved, they now have a reset button and improved toggle rendering. Let&#8217;s have a look what this does.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, the reset button has gotten quite the attention now that it was missing on a few of those color pickers or so, or panels. So, what did you find out?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh. I think it&#8217;s also, these are such tiny changes. But once you have them, you realize it&#8217;s so much easier to clear colors or remove something that you would have needed another four clicks or something, and then it&#8217;s just one. So it doesn&#8217;t seem like big things, but it slowly improves over time. And I think this is what the editors actually need right now, this refinement. Because there&#8217;s always been in the past pushing big projects, new features, and now it&#8217;s more like, &#8220;Okay, we are in the situation, but the best we can do is basically to do the housekeeping and fix the smaller things and polish it.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Birgit Pauli-Haack: Yeah, and the smaller things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it&#8217;s for the user. Very important to have a consistent interface. So, if you put a background color in and you have a reset button, why don&#8217;t you have a reset button on the shadows? So, shadow panel. Or why can&#8217;t I have a reset button on the text color, for instance, if it was missing. So it&#8217;s definitely, you cannot take that cognitive load. You lower that quite a bit by having an inconsistent interface. Also, with border and spacing support, if the block doesn&#8217;t have it and all of a sudden it doesn&#8217;t match what you want, then you go over looking for things. And the spacer block is not always the best solution for things. It&#8217;s not a bad solution, but it&#8217;s not the best because once a panel gets or a block gets spacing support, now you have to chase down all the spacer blocks to take them out. So, it&#8217;s kind of interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> That&#8217;s true, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> The next one is there was a bug fix or maybe a revert on the quick inserter, that it didn&#8217;t search the patterns anymore when you put a search parameter in there. And that has been restored. So I think although that&#8217;s bug fix, or I think it&#8217;s bug fix, it&#8217;s definitely worth pointing out. So, a missing feature comes back. Yay.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> We just talked about it having the same options on blocks. Like, archives and categories got the color support. So, you can now have select colors on the archives and category blocks. Yet another one of those because then, people try.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do not have them, it&#8217;s like, what do these blocks do not have? Why can I not change the color there? Then, people go to CSS and then it&#8217;s not needed actually if these settings would just be provided right from the start. But yeah, it&#8217;s like a living project. So, here we are.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack</em>: Or what I always did when I didn&#8217;t have color support, I put it in a group block, and then of course it blows up the nesting of my blocks. So there are always ways around it, but once things then come into the editor, you need to think about how your workaround needs to be worked around.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, I think those were the few things that I wanted to point out. Did you see anything else that you wanted to point out?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> No, I don&#8217;t think so, but I&#8217;ve been just scrolling through it. It&#8217;s been a good chunk of bug fixes, some accessibility improvements, some performance improvements, good quality tools.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gutenberg 20.4</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> All right. That brings us to Gutenberg 20.4, which is also the last Gutenberg release for which the enhancements made it into 6.8. After that, it&#8217;s all bug fixes that go into the release, and any new enhancements coming into Gutenberg will be reserved for the next release. What is it? 6.9? We don&#8217;t know yet when that&#8217;s going to be, but&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what&#8217;s in there? There is a conditional enable the new default rendering mode for pages. I highlighted that. And I heard from quite a few people that they like that there is a default rendering mode for pages, but I have not seen yet the use case for it. So, why are people so excited about this? But yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> That&#8217;s a very good question. You already had this show template. That&#8217;s already in there. That&#8217;s a good question. Why it&#8217;s so hyped? Maybe, I need to test it out. That&#8217;s probably a problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I haven&#8217;t gotten to looking at the latest releases on an actual site yet because WordCamp Asia, being sick, being busy at work, life happens. I only heard this week, things were a bit off, and template parts were actually missing from if you had 6.8 Beta 1 running. So there have been some hiccups there as well,</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah. We definitely need to track that down here. So now, there is a persistence. So you could have a show template preferences, but now there are also sport, which is pretty cool. There was a time where you started with a new page, and first you saw all the patterns that are labeled for new pages, page layouts. That modal was removed, and now it&#8217;s back. So, it&#8217;s a 50/50 thing what people want and what don&#8217;t want when they use that. So, that&#8217;s also an interesting development.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> I mean, the problem with the modal&#8230; I mean, it wasn&#8217;t removed. There was an option, because I worked on this part as well. It got an option to be disabled in the settings when you&#8217;re on a site where you have to add new pages over and over again, and you know what you want to put on a page. You do not need this modal popping up every time. So, it was more of a user enhancement so that you can decide, &#8220;Okay, do I need this model every time or do I just turn it off?&#8221; So, there was that part.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m not aware if it&#8217;s back yet. I heard people saying to remove it completely. But yeah, there&#8217;s a lot of different use cases how you would like to&#8230; Some people want the model always to be on because they don&#8217;t know what they are doing, basically. They just want to pop on a template or a pattern there and are good to go. And there are people who would like to just start writing first. There are people who maybe, want to use it but don&#8217;t want to be bothered all the time. It&#8217;s one of these things where a lot of different use cases clash together, and then it&#8217;s just so hard to actually find what is it, where is the&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> The middle ground there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> What&#8217;s the thing? Where&#8217;s the middle ground that we can go and implement it that way? So, kind of everyone or the majority of people is okay with it. There will always be people who are like, &#8220;I don&#8217;t like this. I want it to be different.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Right.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> But that&#8217;s basically impossible to make it happen for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack: </em>Right, yeah. Another problem was when you say, &#8220;Oh, I don&#8217;t want the starter modal,&#8221; it was hard to get the layouts, if you wanted, to get to patterns and get the layouts because there was no category for that. So, you had to assemble them from a list of patterns or from multiple pattern categories to put those page layouts together. And I think&#8230; I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s here or it was in an earlier version where they restored or created a category for patterns for the starter content. I think that was part of that, or how can we do that better for our users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there is now a pop-over on the left-hand side to show post template. If there is one to give you additional options, I think there. The next thing is that pull quote finally has the assignment styles that was missing for a long time. That you couldn&#8217;t do left, right and all of that, or wide. So, it has it now. It&#8217;s all about persistence. And border control got the reset button.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yes. It&#8217;s, again, these tiny things that make or break something, or your experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bug Fixes</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Right. And post comments count also have received border support. That&#8217;s cool. So now, you can have it stand out some more. Post formats have still be a little bit of a hit-and-miss with the block themes, but sometimes somebody says, &#8220;Okay, well let&#8217;s fix that some of the things.&#8221; And now, you see title and description for post formats in your templates. So in the list of templates, you can now see which are the templates for your image formats, for your link format, and if they are templates for that. So, that&#8217;s really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And there&#8217;s an interesting bug fix that drove me nuts for a while, was that the text and color picker were overlapping each other in the format library. And that is fixed, thank God. Thank you so much.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Documentation</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there are some documents updates. There&#8217;s obviously, the problem that a lot of features come in and the documentation hasn&#8217;t been updated. So, that has been rectified for the block variations using get_block_type_variationblock. And then also, removes the nodes for block hooks that it only supports static theme elements because that&#8217;s not true anymore. Block hooks also support dynamic blocks. All right.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Yeah, nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> So, that was that for 20.4. That was just released this week, and we are recording this on March 7th. Just to say that.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s in Active Development &amp; Discussed &#8211; WordPress 6.8 Beta<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what&#8217;s an active development? And discussion brings us to WordPress 6.8 in Beta has been released. Beta 1 has been released. And you can follow along on the WordPress.org announcements or news. So, there will be Beta 1, Beta 2, Beta 3 and Release Candidate 1, 2, and 3 before the final release on April 15th. The test team has published, for the last few releases, always a Help Test, the next release. And this one is not different. There&#8217;s Help Test WordPress 6.8, and it helps&#8230; Well, you can help making this release the best that it can be. Finding all the bugs, not all of it, but report them. Find as much many. Try to break it as often as you can. Report the bugs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I have found another incentive on, actually, heeding to the call for testing is to learn more about the new features because instructions are very well done, compliments to Krupa Nanda, to learn more about the new features or the enhancements and how are they supposed to work so you can distinguish them. So, is it me that I don&#8217;t know how this works? That I don&#8217;t get it? Or is that a bug? So, they went to great lengths to do that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also use Playground to test things. You don&#8217;t have to spin up a new WordPress staging site or something like that to test things. Yeah, you can go to make.wordpress.org/test to find the post or you look for the show notes on the Gutenberg Times and click on that link.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Jessica, the WordPress 6.8 is characterized as a polished release. Is there anything that stands out for you coming to 6.8 that you&#8217;re excited about?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: I do. It&#8217;s a polishing that I think is&#8230; I mean, as I said before, given the situation that we are in, I think this is the best that we can do. And yeah, I&#8217;ve been just scrolling through these Call for Testing blog posts that you just mentioned. And it is really thoroughly, so I would actually be excited to dive into this and do the testing because this is pretty well done.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think about 6.8 and the coming releases&#8230; I haven&#8217;t been paying too much attention to what is in 6.8 apart from a few things that we highlighted today, and I have probably forgotten again because I was just out of the office for two weeks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Speculative Loading in 6.8</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I think what&#8217;s also interesting is this speculative loading thing. I think there was also just a blog post these days. So, this speculative loading is, when I understood correctly, something like a browser? Like, the browser offers this API and WordPress has added its performance improvements. The performance team will probably come after me if I do not say this correctly. But from what I understood, it&#8217;s improving overall performance of a WordPress website by using these speculation rules. So it&#8217;s about what can be prefetched or what makes sense to be prefetched next, so that when you actually click on a link on the website, it loads faster because it already knows what I have, what the browser has to load in this case.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think this is something very interesting that might be bumping up the performance of a few websites. So, that will be interesting to see what the actual impact will be once 6.8 is out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Yeah, I&#8217;m excited about that too. I think the browsers are now pretty well caught up with that. Not all browsers have all the features all the time, but this is something that, I think, has a big footprint around all the browsers being Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I link in the show notes too, Felix Arntz has published&#8230; Has worked on this feature, in the feature plugin before. And now, it&#8217;s coming to 6.8 and the dev note has been published now.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik</em>: I just checked on Can I Use, and it&#8217;s actually Safari and Firefox do not support it at the moment. Chrome, Edge, and Opera do. So, there is still a bit of a&#8230; It&#8217;s not a hundred percent on all browsers, but a good chunk of browsers already support this. So I hope these other browsers, Safari and Firefox, will catch up on this because it sounds pretty promising from a performance point of view to use these speculation rules.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> I keep scrolling through the dev notes that have been published. They&#8217;re not in bulk coming out until Release Candidate 1, but John Blackburn also published a dev notes about the new encryption for the password hashing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Oh. Yes, I forgot this one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Which there&#8217;s not a whole lot of things for users to do or even for developers. It&#8217;s just to know that the passwords are now hashed differently and increase the security of any of the passwords quite exponentially, which is really good. So, thank you for Felix and John to publish the dev notes early for that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>All right, I&#8217;m sure we are going to talk about WordPress 6.8 some more on our next show when we know a little bit more what&#8217;s in there and what&#8217;s not in there. Thank you so much, Jessica, for being here. As always, the show notes will be published on <a href=\"http://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast\">GutenbergTimes.com/podcast</a>. This is episode 115. And if you have questions and suggestions, just send them to <a href=\"mailto:Changelog@GutenbergTimes.com\">Changelog@GutenbergTimes.com</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now, a plea for all those who use Spotify for their podcast pleasure, you can leave comments there. And also, check some of the stars so people know what they can expect on the show when they discover that on Spotify. Shopify. Well, yeah. So, thanks for listening and goodbye until the next time. Thank you, Jessica.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jessica Lyschik:</em> Thank you. Bye.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</em> Bye.</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:\"Sun, 09 Mar 2025 09:21:58 +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:43;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:29:\"Matt: Real WordPress Security\";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:23:\"https://ma.tt/?p=140118\";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:46:\"https://ma.tt/2025/03/real-wordpress-security/\";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:2753:\"<p>One thing you&#8217;ll see on every host that offers WordPress is claims about how secure they are, however they don&#8217;t put their money where their mouth is. When you dig deeper, if your site actually gets hacked they&#8217;ll hit you with remediation fees that can go from hundreds to thousands of dollars.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may try to sell you a security plan that <a href=\"https://www.godaddy.com/web-security/website-security\">for example at Godaddy goes from $300 to $700 a year on top of your hosting</a>. (Don&#8217;t be fooled by the low entry price, look at renewal.) It&#8217;s <a href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/16yqtsj/my_websites_has_been_hacked_malwares_has_been/\">heartbreaking to hear stories</a> of non-technical people forced into these high fees to fix something their host should have prevented in the first place.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a host is powered by <a href=\"https://wp.cloud/\">WP.cloud</a>, it doesn&#8217;t need to do this because hacks are so incredibly rare. (That&#8217;s why it may appear more expensive, but the total cost of ownership or being a WP.cloud-powered host is much lower when you factor in human time.)</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One problem we&#8217;ve had on <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/\">WordPress.com</a> is we do all these amazing things and don&#8217;t tell anyone about it, something we&#8217;re trying to change with our focus this year on developers and developer tooling. One great example is <strong>we&#8217;re so confident about our security, if your site gets hacked we&#8217;ll fix it for free! </strong>We&#8217;ve actually been doing this for the better part of a decade, just never mentioned it anywhere.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://pressable.com/\">Pressable</a> (which is WP.cloud-powered) does a better job talking about these things and <a href=\"https://pressable.com/features/manage/wordpress-hack-recovery-assistance/\">has a nice landing page on malware cleaning and hack recovery</a> that says essentially the same thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress has done a ton over the years to move the hosting industry around upgrading PHP and MySQL, PHP extensions, free SSL, and in general using our clout to advocate for user rights and freedoms from even the largest hosting companies, and I&#8217;m proud to say there are a good number, for example the ones you see at WordCamps, that have not just embraced these values but actually been more commercially successful as they&#8217;ve done so. I hope security and auto-upgrades not just for core but for plugins and themes becomes the next standard. (<a href=\"https://jetpack.com/features/security/automatic-plugin-updates/\">Jetpack does this</a> for free, <a href=\"https://cloudup.com/cdrjMTE6nfa\">some hosts charge $100/yr per site</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:\"Sat, 08 Mar 2025 11:07:49 +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: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:44;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:119:\"Gutenberg Times: WordPress 6.8, Studio updates, Customize Embeds,  and other Theme Design notes — Weekend Edition 320\";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=37892\";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:122:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/\";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:22780:\"<p>Hi there, </p>\n\n\n\n<p> That was quite a long pause in February. Did you miss me? I am  back now and have a ton of great updates, videos, tutorials, and products for you in this newsletter. I won&#8217;t catch up on everything that was going on in the last four (😮) weeks. Most of it is fairly timeless.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how have you been? What have you been working on? Hit reply and clue me in! I missed you and your emails. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a fantastic weekend!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#wordpress-6-8\">WordPress 6.8 </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#gutenberg-plugin-releases\">Gutenberg Plugin releases</a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#0-p\">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled\">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press\">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordpress-6-8-studio-updates-customize-embeds-and-other-theme-design-notes-weekend-edition-320/#wordpress-developer-blog\">WordPress Developer Blog</a></li></ol></li></ol>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We had a few Gutenberg plugin releases and WordPress 6.8 is progressing nicely. </p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wordpress-6-8\">WordPress 6.8 </h3>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 release cycle goes into the hot phase. <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\"><strong>WordPress 6.8 Beta 1</strong></a> was released this week and is, in general, characterized as a polish release, with user enhancements throughout incorporated into the latest Gutenberg updates. &#8220;WordPress 6.8 brings a luster and gloss that only a polish release can.&#8221; <strong>Jeffrey Paul</strong>, release co-coordinator wrote in the release post. WordPress 6.8 RC1 is scheduled for March 25, 2025, that&#8217;s also the time around which the Fieldguide will be published. The final release will be on April 15, 2025. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Test team rep, <strong>Krupa Nanda</strong>, published the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\"><strong>Help test WordPress 6.8.</strong></a> This release offers a chance to find and report bugs while learning about the new features in WordPress&#8217;s next major version. Nanda&#8217;s instructions and short videos help you understand how these new features work. </p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gutenberg-plugin-releases\">Gutenberg Plugin releases</h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jessica Lyschik</strong> posted a summary of two Gutenberg plugin releases. In <strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/08/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-1-and-20-2/\">What’s new in Gutenberg 20.1 and 20.2?</a>&nbsp;</strong>she highlighted:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Content preview for pages in DataViews</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Menu name shown in list view</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Color pickers in Navigation, Social Icons and Post&nbsp;Featured Image&nbsp;get Clear control</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content block: color options for headings added</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/08/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-1-and-20-2/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"332\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Content-preview-pages.png?resize=652%2C332&ssl=1\" alt=\"Content Preview for pages in Dataviews\" class=\"wp-image-37896\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fabian Kägy</strong> published the release post <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/03/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-3-18-february/\"><strong>What’s new in Gutenberg 20.3? (18 February)</strong></a> and highlighted two new updates: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ignore sticky posts in query&nbsp;loop</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add social icon block variation for Discord</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/03/whats-new-in-gutenberg-20-3-18-february/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"484\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ignore-sticky-posts-query-loop.png?resize=652%2C484&ssl=1\" alt=\"Screenshot of the sidebar option to ignore the sticky post in a query loop block. \" class=\"wp-image-37897\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v20.4.0-rc.1\">Gutenberg 20.4 </a></strong>is now available for testing. It marks the last Gutenberg version to make it into the upcoming WordPress major release.  </p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>🎙️ Latest episode: <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-115-wordpress-6-8-wordcamp-asia/\">Gutenberg Changelog 115 – Gutenberg Releases 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, WordPress 6.8 and WordCamp Asia</a> with special guest Jessica Lyschik.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"206\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screenshot-2025-03-07-at-18.02.51.png?resize=652%2C206&ssl=1\" alt=\"Jessica Lyschik and Birgit Pauli-Haack recording Gutenberg Changelog 115 \" class=\"wp-image-37930\" />\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-p\">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s been a while since we saw a new plugin with a collection of Blocks makes it into the plugin repository.  Thanks to WP Weekly<em>&#8216;s <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth</strong></em>, for discovering it. It&#8217;s called <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/frontis-blocks/\"><strong>Frontis Blocks</strong></a> and created by the team called <em>WP Messiah </em>(What a name! 🤦‍♀️) and provides 27 Blocks. It&#8217;s works with all themes, among them the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/frontis/\"><em>Frontis theme</em></a> by the same developers. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bud Kraus</strong> shares in his blog post for <em>Hostinger</em> <a href=\"https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/customize-woocommerce-templates-with-gutenberg\"><strong>How to customize WooCommerce templates with Gutenberg blocks</strong></a>. He explains the shopper journey and how to access and change templates like the Product Catalog, Single Product, Cart, and Checkout pages. Customization involves adding or changing blocks in these templates. However, some templates, like Cart and Checkout, have limited options to keep them functional. The tutorial shows WooCommerce’s move towards an editing experience that allows non-programmers to customize their online stores.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/customize-woocommerce-templates-with-gutenberg\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"502\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Editing-the-product-catalog-template-using-Gutenberg-blocks.png?resize=652%2C502&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37908\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Get inspiration from the <a href=\"https://specialprojects.automattic.com/\"><strong>Automattic Special Projects</strong></a> team, that just published their new <a href=\"https://specialprojects.automattic.com/\">site</a>. You can browse a selected list of projects and learn how they built it. You&#8217;ll find on the list Seth Godin&#8217;s blog, the Buckminster Fuller Institute or Noma. The team also started sharing their tools, the plugins, and blocks they built and open-sourced. I am particularly intrigued by the <a href=\"https://specialprojects.automattic.com/tools/accordion/\">Accordion block</a> and the <a href=\"https://specialprojects.automattic.com/tools/query-loop-load-more/\">infinite scroll query loop</a> variation. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of tools, the<strong> <a href=\"https://github.com/0aveRyan/classact\">ClassAct</a></strong> plugin by <strong>Dave Ryan</strong> might be useful for theme developers and Sitebuilder. It&#8217;s a microplugin for acting on Additional CSS classes per-block in the WordPress Editor. On X (former Twitter), Ryan shared a video of how it will show up in your block&#8217;s sidebar.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<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>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https://x.com/iamarinoh\">Henrique Iamarino</a></strong>, WordPress Theme designer at Automattic, discusses a new approach to designing WordPress themes in his article <a href=\"https://automattic.design/2025/02/19/beyond-templates-reimagining-wordpress-theme-design/\"><strong>Beyond Templates: Reimagining WordPress Theme Design</strong></a>. He focuses on moving away from old, static templates to more flexible and dynamic design systems. The article highlights the need to give users tools for greater customization and creativity in creating websites. By changing the design process, Automattic aims to make WordPress themes more adaptable and user-focused while ensuring they are accessible and easy to use.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://automattic.design/2025/02/19/beyond-templates-reimagining-wordpress-theme-design/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"340\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/beyond-templates-themes-1-1-web.png?resize=652%2C340&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37906\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bud Kraus</strong> had an awesome month! In his Kinsta post, he shared how to <a href=\"https://kinsta.com/blog/wordpress-block-theme-development/\"><strong>Build a block theme using the Create Block Theme plugin</strong></a>. This plugin is a must-have for whipping up WordPress block themes. You can start from scratch, clone something you like, or create child themes, all within the WordPress Site Editor. It lets you save theme changes, play around with style variations, and even export your themes as zip files. Plus, you can tweak theme metadata, check out the <code>theme.json</code> file, and reset your theme whenever you need to.</p>\n\n\n\n<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 2024&#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. 2024 on. Updated by yours truly. The previous years are also available: <strong><strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/\">2020</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2021/\">2021</a></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2022/\">2022</a></strong></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/gutenberg-index-2023\">2023</a></strong></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press\">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James Le Page</strong>, AI lead at Automattic, has worked on the <a href=\"https://github.com/Jameswlepage/excalidraw-block/\"><strong>Excalidraw Block</strong></a>. It is a custom WordPress block that allows users to embed an Excalidraw editor directly into the post editor. This block provides a seamless way to create and edit diagrams within WordPress. On X (former twitter) LePage <a href=\"https://x.com/jameswlepage/status/1890895984298697086\">posted a short video</a> to show off the block&#8217;s capabilities. The code is available on GitHub put needs a build step to install it successfully on your WordPress site.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>JuanMa Garrido</strong> wrote about his <strong><a href=\"https://juanma.codes/2025/02/10/hooks-in-wordpress-from-a-stack-trace/\">Understanding how WordPress Hooks work from a Stack Trace</a></strong>. He shared how to use stack traces to analyze WordPress hooks, helping developers see how hooks work, find errors, and improve their use in plugins and themes. By looking at stack traces, developers can track function calls, identify triggered hooks, and fix plugin conflicts. This method is essential for troubleshooting complex WordPress sites where multiple hooks operate at once, ensuring everything works well together and aiding in debugging custom code related to hooks.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In his the video &#8220;<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slvCox_ByKw\"><strong>Cooking with AI: Creating New Recipes with Cursor AI</strong></a>&#8220;, Ryan Welcher set out to improve his use of AI tools for developers in 2025. Specifically, he’s setting up Cursor AI to help him generate new recipes for the <a href=\"https://blockdevelopercookbook.com/\"><em>Block Developer Cookbook</em></a> more quickly and with better examples. </p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Aslam Multani</strong> of Multidots recently published <a href=\"https://www.multidots.com/blog/gutenberg-blocks-development-wordpress/\"><strong>How to Develop Custom Gutenberg Blocks for WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide</strong></a>. This blog post explains how to create custom Gutenberg blocks, covering everything from setting up your development environment to debugging block code. It starts by detailing what Gutenberg blocks are and the requirements, such as having a local WordPress installation and knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, PHP, and WordPress plugin development.<br />To make a custom block, it suggests using the <code>create-block</code> tool to set up a new plugin and explains the necessary file structure, including <code>build/</code>, <code>src/</code>, <code>edit.js</code>, <code>save.js</code>, and <code>block.json</code>. The post guides you through installing the block plugin and automating the build process with <code>npm start</code>, highlighting the functions of <code>Edit</code> and <code>Save</code> and using the <code>RichText</code> component for user interaction.<br />It also covers customization options like adding support for color and spacing, setting default properties in <code>block.json</code>, and creating nested blocks with the <code>InnerBlocks</code> component. Lastly, it touches on internationalization (i18n) using the <code>__()</code> function and provides an example of a testimonials block to demonstrate these ideas. However, it misses discussing when to use different tools, such as block styles or variations, before creating a Custom Block.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>A new version of the local development tool, <strong>Studio</strong>, was released: <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/02/24/studio-preview-sites/\"><strong>Introducing Preview Sites: Pushing the Limits of Collaboration with Studio</strong></a>. The WordPress.com blog post highlights upgrades to “Demo Sites,” now “Preview Sites,” enhancing local development and simplifying sharing with clients and teammates. Key improvements include:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased Storage: Expanded from 250 MB to 2 GB.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>More Sites: Doubling from 5 to 10 preview sites.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personalized URLs: Shorter, user-specific URLs.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Timeline: Available for seven days post-update. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The name change to “Preview Sites” emphasizes their role in showcasing work-in-progress and collaboration. Enhanced Preview Sites are available to all Studio users, with existing Demo Sites converting automatically.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/02/24/studio-preview-sites/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"367\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-07-at-15.25.36.png?resize=652%2C367&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37926\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wordpress-developer-blog\">WordPress Developer Blog</h3>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\"></div>\n\n\n<p>Two new post on the Developer Blog might catch your attention:</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Troy Chaplin</strong> took on the monthly round up <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/02/whats-new-for-developers-february-2025/\"><strong>What’s new for developers? (February 2025)</strong></a>. The post mentioned WordPress 6.7.2 with bug fixes and enhancements, and took a look ahead to WordPress 6.8’s data view and performance improvements. Gutenberg celebrated its 8th birthday with versions 20.1 and 20.2, introducing enhancements to blocks and UI customization. Updates include improvements to the Navigation, Page List, and Social Links blocks.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Róbert Mészáros</strong> guides you through his tutorial on how to <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/02/customize-wordpress-embeds-to-match-your-theme/\"><strong>customize WordPress embeds to match your theme</strong></a>. He discusses different ways to adjust WordPress embeds to fit a site’s theme and branding, covering basic CSS styling, advanced changes like modifying excerpts, ensuring uniform image formats, adding features like a “like” button or publication date, and creating custom embed templates. The article also reviews the history of WordPress embeds, the default embed view, and loading template files from a plugin, encouraging developers to try these options and enhance WordPress embeds.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/02/customize-wordpress-embeds-to-match-your-theme/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"392\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/customize-wordpress-embeds-to-match-your-theme-custom-style-1536x923-1.png?resize=652%2C392&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37902\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<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. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now also available via <a href=\"https://playground.wordpress.net/?blueprint-url=https://gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/playnightly.json\">WordPress Playground</a>. There is no need for a test site locally or on a server. Have you been using it? <a href=\"mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com\">Email me </a>with your experience</p>\n\n\n\n<p><img alt=\"GitHub all releases\" src=\"https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge\" /></p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\"><em>Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? </em><br /><em>Don&#8217;t hesitate to send <a href=\"mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com\">them via email</a> or</em><br /><em> send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph</em>.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n<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>, <br />send them to <a href=\"mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com\">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a></p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Featured Image:</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>\n\n\n<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 <br />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>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p></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, 08 Mar 2025 00:45:00 +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:45;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:61:\"Do The Woo Community: Do the Woo Friday Shares, March 7, 2025\";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:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92516\";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://dothewoo.io/blog/do-the-woo-friday-shares-march-7-2025/\";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:194:\"WordPress continues to lead in enterprise solutions, showcasing new tools, addressing gender inequality in leadership, and enhancing WooCommerce functionalities while promoting community 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:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 07 Mar 2025 09:59:01 +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:46;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:85:\"Do The Woo Community: Designing Products Users Love, A Deep Dive with Shahjahan Jewel\";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=91323\";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:83:\"https://dothewoo.io/designing-products-users-love-a-deep-dive-with-shahjahan-jewel/\";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:198:\"In this episode, James, Katie, and guest Jewel discuss user experience in product design, the importance of customer feedback, team dynamics, and the growth of WP Manage Ninja\'s innovative products.\";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, 06 Mar 2025 15:17:04 +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:47;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:76:\"Do The Woo Community: Making the Right Decisions for Your WordPress Business\";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:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92253\";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://dothewoo.io/blog/making-the-right-decisions-for-your-wordpress-business/\";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:219:\"Building a business in the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem requires careful decision-making. Here are some insights on pricing strategies, plugin vs. SaaS choices, and the benefits of strong partnerships for growth.\";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, 06 Mar 2025 10:48:00 +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: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:48;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";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:85:\"WPTavern: #159 – James Kemp on WooCommerce Innovations and Trends in Selling Online\";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=188026\";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:99:\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/159-james-kemp-on-woocommerce-innovations-and-trends-in-selling-online\";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:47634:\"Transcript<div>\n<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>\n\n\n\n<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 WooCommerce innovations, and trends selling online.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/feed/podcast, and you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/contact/jukebox, and use the form there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today we have James Kemp. James is the Core Product Lead for WooCommerce. After working with WooCommerce, running a plugin shop for 10 years, he joined the team at the end of 2023 to help shape the future of e-commerce.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>James talks about his journey with WordPress and WooCommerce, and explains his role at Automattic, where he&#8217;s tasked with connecting the community&#8217;s feedback to the developments in WooCommerce, ensuring that the Woo platform continually evolves and improves.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He discusses the innovations within WooCommerce, the challenges of balancing the needs of small and large scale stores, and how the team navigates an environment filled with both competitors and opportunities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He gets into the positive impact of WooCommerce&#8217;s recent rebranding, and how the system positions itself amidst the ever-growing competition from SaaS platforms like Shopify.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>James shares his insights into the trends shaping e-commerce, like the seamless integration of newer technologies and consumer buying habits.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re keen to understand the breadth of WooCommerce&#8217;s impact on e-commerce, or are curious about the direction of online shopping, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<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/podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so without further delay, I bring you James Kemp.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by James Kemp. Hello James.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:50] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Hello, how are you?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, good. Nice to speak to you. James is on the podcast today to talk all things WooCommerce. And he really is a very, very credible person to talk about WooCommerce, because James is the Core Product Lead for WooCommerce over at Automattic.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, when I say that title, James, I don&#8217;t really know what it means. Will you just enlighten us? And also, if you feel like throwing some other biographical information at us about your history with WordPress and things like that, feel free.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:17] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Of course. Yeah, I mean, we&#8217;ve spoken a couple of times on a podcast like this. I don&#8217;t know if we&#8217;ve done the Tavern one before.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But yeah, as a quick introduction, I started using WordPress in 2009, and I started building with WooCommerce in 2011. And from that time I worked with customers and specifically like building websites for customers who needed websites.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And in that time I built up a collection of plugins, which I sold on a premium basis, which eventually turned into IconicWP, which was a WooCommerce plugin shop with 14 or 15 premium plugins. Sold that, well, that was acquired in 2021 by Liquid Web, Stellar. And I stayed there for a couple of years, carried on working. My whole team came over with the acquisition. We carried on just working as we were really, but under this kind of bigger brand of products and WordPress software, which was quite nice. It was nice to kind of get that experience from companies selling products like we were, but they were at a much bigger scale than we were at the time. That was a nice experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then, yeah, towards the end of that, I reached out to Paul, who was the CEO, at the time, of WooCommerce, and just kind of said, I feel like I could have a good impact on WooCommerce itself, is there anything there for me? And I was kind of open to whatever that might look like. There was no job description that I applied for. I just kind of reached out and said, this is what I want to do, this is what, I like doing, this is what I&#8217;m good at. And then, yeah, here we are just over a year since I joined.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I joined as a product manager. And like you say, now I&#8217;m a Core Product Manager, which is a new role within WooCommerce. So a Product Manager would be, and for context, there&#8217;s eight or nine Product Managers within WooCommerce. When I joined, we each kind of had an area of focus. So my area was order management. So any project or improvement or just, my day to day would be looking at order management and, how can we make this better? It kind of shifted outside of that a bit as well into other areas. But each Product Manager has that kind of role where they&#8217;re focused on one kind of key area of WooCommerce.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there was never really any product manager that had an overall vision of the whole product. And that&#8217;s what the Core Product Manager role is. So I&#8217;m less focused on one specific area, and more focused on just, how can we make the whole thing better? And part of that role is kind of connecting the dots a bit. One team&#8217;s working on this, another team&#8217;s working on that, how do they overlap? But also connecting the community dots to the stuff that we actually put out there. So, what are people asking for? What are the common kind of requests that people have, or the complaints that people have? Or even the positives that people have and, how can we make those things better?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So is there just one of you? So there&#8217;s one Core Product Lead. There&#8217;s not multiple of those.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:18] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Correct.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh gosh, that&#8217;s really interesting. So you&#8217;ve got like the 10,000 mile high view of the entire project. And so you are kind of open to suggestions, innovations, improvements, tweaks, that all comes under the purview of your job.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:32] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Correct, yeah. There&#8217;s different areas. There&#8217;s what we call product, which is kind of the user facing experience. And by user I mean merchant, and probably customer as well, so the visual aspects of the product that people interact with. And then there&#8217;s the platform side of things, which are backend architecture and performance and all those kinds of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I&#8217;m primarily focused on the front end aspect, not front end but, you know, the core experience we call it. I am actually focused a lot on the platform side of things at the moment as well, because the person who usually does that is on sabbatical, so I&#8217;m kind of helping out a bit there. And it&#8217;s quite nice to have, you know, that understanding as well, for approaching core experience type things. And it also encompasses the WooCommerce app and many of our premium extensions, many of our marketplace extensions, premium or free.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:22] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I&#8217;m guessing that if you ask anybody the question, is their inbox pretty full? You know, the to-do list that you have is pretty full, everybody would probably say, yeah, I&#8217;ve got plenty on my plate. But it sounds as if you may well have a lot on your plate.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s a lot that you&#8217;ve got to deal with in there, and you&#8217;ve got a lot of ideas, and innovations that you&#8217;d like to push forward. But is it fair to say that there&#8217;s a ton of innovation still to be done inside of WooCommerce?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:46] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, for sure. It&#8217;s something that I&#8217;m still trying to figure out. Like, how do you stay on top of all of these things and, where is my input within this most valuable? Because I&#8217;m still working alongside all the other product managers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And actually that&#8217;s been really nice to kind of connect with a product manager that&#8217;s working on something specific, and work with them to make that the best it can be for WooCommerce.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But yeah, I&#8217;m still trying to figure out how to like organise all of these things so they&#8217;re not just in my head, but they&#8217;re out there in a manageable way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> How do you get intelligence about what needs to be done? I mean, obviously there&#8217;s the team within Automattic that you deal directly with, I would&#8217;ve thought of, but do you keep your door of your office kind of half open a little bit? Are you prepared to listen to community suggestions?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And again, I&#8217;m not trying to get you to give out your email address or anything, but is there that element still? Do you still listen to people out in the community, users, and what have you? Do they come directly to you, or is there some kind of filtration process which people have to go through in order to get ideas in your head?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:46] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> There&#8217;s many ways. Yeah, I think one of the things that I love most is talking to the people that actually use it. And I do that primarily on X or Twitter. I talk to a lot of people over there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The downside to that is the majority of them are agencies and developers. It&#8217;s not a downside, the downside being that I don&#8217;t get that kind of open communication necessarily with merchants directly. So if I want to talk to a merchant that&#8217;s more of a filtered, as you say, it&#8217;s an intentional, you know, I have to reach out to a merchant and schedule a call and all that kind of stuff. There is the occasional merchant on X, but it&#8217;s not their stomping ground.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, I&#8217;m also in the Slack, the WooCommerce community Slack. Some of what I&#8217;ve implemented is these kind of external channels within our own Slack. So one example of that is a project we&#8217;re working on for fulfillment statuses, where I got Becca from Kestrel WP and Patrick Garman from Minesize into one of our internal Slack rooms to discuss and kind of help shape this project. So they&#8217;re directly involved in that way in stuff that we&#8217;re working on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think something that we really want to do is be really transparent with like, this is what we&#8217;re working on. You may well have seen over the course of the last year or so that that has been the case, via GitHub discussions, via the Developer Blog, via Slack, the community Slack. But yeah, I love getting feedback from people on Twitter. I still don&#8217;t know what to call it, Twitter or X.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I often wonder if the sort of inside baseball of WordPress is a little bit hard to penetrate, because I&#8217;m imagining there&#8217;s a lot of people who use WordPress that in a million years have never opened up the WordPress Slack, GitHub is not a thing for them. And I&#8217;ve always wondered how people such as yourself, you know, in senior positions get that information. How does it get to you? And X, Bluesky, whatever the alternative is, that&#8217;s a really interesting way of kind of completely circumventing that process. I will make sure that your profile, your X profile is linked in here and then people can reach out on that basis. Yeah, that&#8217;s great. Thank you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s just paint the picture of Woo, and how big it is because we keep hearing the statistic. The one that everybody talks about is this 43%, which is the WordPress statistic. And I never quite know how to manage that in my head, what that exactly means. But a fairly sizable number is also the e-commerce side, the WooCommerce side of WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where are we at in terms of the web, and in terms of WordPress, how much of WordPress is WooCommerce, and how much of the internet is Woo? And every time I hear this number, it changes a little bit. But every time I hear it, it&#8217;s still breathtakingly large.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:24] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s an interesting one actually. In terms of how much of WordPress is Woo, I&#8217;m not sure on that. I think we could probably calculate that based on the figures I do have, which is how much of e-commerce is WooCommerce, and that is 37%.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:41] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> 37%. Okay, so whatever the percentage is, be it the top million websites or the top 10,000 websites, whatever that metric is, let&#8217;s assume that that&#8217;s solid and safe. 37% is done on a WooCommerce platform. That is breathtaking.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:56] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Which is a huge amount, for the listeners, and for you if you want to check it out later. If you go to woocommerce.com/newsroom, we update these numbers every month. We have some numbers there, like there&#8217;s 3.6 million live installations. 37% of e-commerce sites are powered by WooCommerce. There&#8217;s 1,000 plus official marketplace extensions. That&#8217;s actually going to grow, I think substantially this year.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then, yeah, some other stats that are listed there, which I think are useful to keep an eye on. And there&#8217;s, I believe the team that updates those numbers kind of, they take the data primarily from Store Leads, which is a data gathering outfit. And I think they kind of dial them back a bit, rather than, you know, inflating them, I think they actually go the other way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:41] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> In terms of the trend of that, so the 37%, I&#8217;m not looking at that chart at the moment, but is your impression that, has it stagnated, has it gone up broadly in the last, let&#8217;s say five years, something like that? Is WooCommerce basically growing, stagnating, declining?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:54] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Over the five year, I would expect it&#8217;s gone up. There&#8217;s no graph to look at. There probably is somewhere, but I don&#8217;t have it in front of me now. But I do know that this was updated this week, I believe. And it was updated from 35% to 37. So there&#8217;s definite growth there. And I would expect, just the nature of e-commerce in general, that that number&#8217;s grown over the course.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> When you say that, what&#8217;s the thing in your head which is promoting you to say the nature of e-commerce? Because I really don&#8217;t follow e-commerce, but I have this impression that during the lockdown period, 2019 and on, it felt like everybody, for very credible reasons, had to move whatever they were selling to an online format. So I imagine there was a bump there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But also it feels like the world is now inundated with pocket size technology, which means that I can buy anything 24/7, no matter where I am. And so it feels like high streets in the UK, the shutters are going up. Bricks and mortar shops seem to be closing. Certainly where I live, that is a broad trend. It&#8217;s not particularly rapid, but it&#8217;s definitely a trend.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I&#8217;m imagining that the confluence of mobile technology, ubiquity of internet connection, computers available all over the place, certainly in the country where you and I both live. It feels like this inexorable rise, this trend towards purchasing things at 4 o&#8217;clock in the afternoon, sitting on a sofa, a bus, wherever you might be. It does feel like that&#8217;s the way the world is moving. Are those kind of the intuitions that you have when you say WooCommerce is rising for obvious reasons?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:23] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, exactly. I think just the nature of the internet and the online world has kind of exponentially grown since its inception, right? And I would expect that e-commerce will grow with it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think one of the greatest things about the internet is that you can buy online. I should look into the history actually, but I can&#8217;t imagine what the thought process was back when the internet was invented. Did they imagine that e-commerce would be a thing? That people would buy stuff, even from the other side of the world, and have it shipped out to them in a matter of days or weeks.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I just think as technology evolves, and we&#8217;ve seen the boom in AI, and just the boom in like generational development on computers, and coding and all of that is advancing, and I think e-commerce will follow suit as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it feels like there&#8217;s no place but an upward trend for e-commerce. Now, whether or not WooCommerce fits into that landscape perfectly in the next decade, we&#8217;ll see. But it feels like I, and I can really only rely on myself, I feel like I&#8217;m going to buy more things online in the decade to come than I am this year. It feels like each and every year, my desire to get on my bike and go into the town centre dwindles, and I&#8217;m far more likely to buy things online.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now the merchants have pivoted their offerings so that, you know, if you don&#8217;t like it, you can freely return it and things like that. So even the impediments that were there have suddenly changed, and it&#8217;s just remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And also the mere fact, just capture in your head for a moment, the fact that you can get all of this for no money down. The WooCommerce platform, and I know, in order to get the best out of it, you will definitely want marketplace things, third party, but other places as well. But the thing is free. It&#8217;s completely free. And I find that utterly remarkable. I just think that&#8217;s breathtaking in all honesty, that that&#8217;s available.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:15] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, I think it&#8217;s one of the key selling points about WooCommerce is that you can get started for free, as close to free as possible, when you account for hosting and transactional fees that naturally come with any platform.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But on top of that, with WooCommerce specifically, and with the age of AI now, you could make WooCommerce do what you want it to do for free. And every site could be tailored to specific needs, and like a specific execution of functionality without too much technical knowledge, which I think is really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you&#8217;ve seen people are building apps, and I&#8217;ve built a few as well, specifically for needs that they want to solve. I saw one yesterday, I think it was Maddie on, Twitter, I can link to it. She built an app to automatically put an emoji over faces in photos. I don&#8217;t know if you&#8217;ve seen, when parents share photos of other people&#8217;s children and that kind of thing, they typically put an emoji over the face. She said she was getting annoyed at having to do that with every photo. But we&#8217;re in that era now where you can kind of roll these things with no technical knowledge, whether the output is good, I think is questionable, but it&#8217;s pretty good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Does the advent of AI, and what you&#8217;re suggesting, you can add your third party stuff, if you like, for want of a better word, to WooCommerce with the assistance of AI. Does that undermine the longevity of the free, open source WooCommerce project? Because I imagine that there&#8217;s a lot of underpinnings there, you know, the marketplace that WooCommerce, as I imagine those plugins that are sold to add different functionality and what have you, that must in some way pay for the freeness of it all.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does AI, does that concern you? You know, that if we erode the need to purchase third party software in order to get out what you desire, yeah, does that erode the possibility of WooCommerce being free in the future?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:05] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> I don&#8217;t think so. I think it assists. I think it depends what you&#8217;re making. Like, I wouldn&#8217;t want to build out a full subscriptions platform just using an AI prompt. And maybe that will become more advanced in the future. I think as someone running a business, you don&#8217;t want to be dealing with this code yourself, maintaining it, making sure it stays up to date. And I think that&#8217;s the case for, or that has been the case since e-commerce software existed. There used to be a trend of rolling your own e-commerce solutions, and I think that&#8217;s less likely to happen these days.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:39] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s a good point. If you think about just a regular WordPress website, if it&#8217;s just a brochure site with no e-commerce attached, go with the AI, you know, it seems like there&#8217;s loads of scope there. But obviously if you&#8217;ve got the compliance, and the financial obligation, and all of the law that underpins an e-commerce shop, I imagine there are impediments in people&#8217;s heads which will say, wait, did an AI make that? Are we really going to trust that? So maybe it inoculates itself given the nature of the websites which are in question.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, just moving on, tell us a little bit about the kind of people that are using WooCommerce. Now, I know this is a very, very broad question, but in my head, for some reason I have it, that a significant amount of people that are using WooCommerce will be small stores. But I&#8217;m guessing also maybe WooCommerce really does dig deep into the enterprise as well. Does it run the gamut of everything? Or is there a kind of focus for you, and teams within Automattic because there&#8217;s a certain type of clientele which largely consume WooCommerce?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:37] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, it does kind of span everything. So people just starting out either want low cost, in which case WooCommerce is an obvious choice. You can start setting things up, especially for brand new e-commerce, whereas they&#8217;re just selling single products. There&#8217;s nothing too technical there that would require an expense of some kind. So it&#8217;s super easy to spin up a WooCommerce site and test it out pretty much free.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, we have that audience. It&#8217;s not necessarily our focus, our focus is primarily the higher revenue, higher traffic e-commerce stores, because that&#8217;s the aspiration for anyone selling, right? They want to become successful, they want that to be their business, is e-commerce. And those are the users that we&#8217;re focused on. And then naturally anything we do for them is going to trickle down to benefit the people who are just starting out with the platform.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it does span a wide range of users, but we do focus in on the higher revenue and high product volume, high traffic, those kind of things. Or at least that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re focusing on this year. That target evolves over time. But that&#8217;s been our focus for most of my time since I&#8217;ve been here. So it&#8217;s nice to have that vision of who&#8217;s using it and what we can do to make the platform as good as possible for them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:52] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We have this expression in the UK, Jack of all trades, master of none. I don&#8217;t know how that works outside of the boundaries of the UK, but it basically means if you try to be everything to everybody, you sort of succeed at nothing. It&#8217;s something akin to that basically.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I&#8217;m wondering if there are bits of WooCommerce which you have to manage those sort of trade offs. Like, okay, if we build this thing, which feels like it&#8217;s a real enterprisey thing, how is that going to work with our more modest users, let&#8217;s say?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or if we really focus on the more modest users, how are the enterprise going to feel like that? And it not being a niche, and it being the full spectrum of sites out there, yeah, at times that must be actually quite frustrating, I would&#8217;ve thought.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:29] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> It&#8217;s a challenge, yeah. It&#8217;s something that we&#8217;re working on at the moment, is making the base of WooCommerce have the majority of features for the majority of users, the features that you&#8217;d expect in an e-commerce platform, which I&#8217;ve touched on in other podcasts if you want to go and find them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it&#8217;s a process called More in Core, which is the kind of code name for it. Where we&#8217;re just trying to build out the base product to have the majority of things that merchants and builders need, without needing to go and find all these plugins and custom development and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the challenge is which features. The features that people need are going to change depending on what type of store they&#8217;re running. So I&#8217;ve seen a lot of people want subscriptions in Core. And then I&#8217;ve also seen the complete opposite where people don&#8217;t want subscriptions in Core because they see it as bloat. There&#8217;s a challenge there for sure, to figure out what that kind of sweet spot is without being bloated, but also without nickel and dimming, and making the average number of plugins required too high or too low.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I&#8217;ve often thought that if I worked at Microsoft on Windows, the software, the OS, it would be my constant annoyance that I had to think about every possible permutation of hardware that could ever be used. Whereas if I worked for Apple and was working on the Mac OS project, it&#8217;d be like, there&#8217;s just this one set of hardware, it&#8217;s just so much more straightforward, we build it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I imagine that commercial rivals, things like Shopify, and we can get into that in a moment, probably have it easier in that sense because there isn&#8217;t this, well, I know that they have an ecosystem of sort of third party apps, I believe they&#8217;re called. But there isn&#8217;t this whole backwards compatibility thing that 5,000 different plugins that bind into WooCommerce and what have you. And so I guess you&#8217;ve always got to be taking real careful steps when you develop a new feature or tweak anything, which maybe the other platforms don&#8217;t have to think about in quite the same way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:16] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, I actually posted about that exact thing on X or Twitter earlier. I&#8217;m just going to call it X. I want to call it Twitter, but I&#8217;m going to call it X. It&#8217;s a challenge because, and this touches on the 37% number, like any update we roll out is affecting over a third of all e-commerce stores online, which is a crazy number.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has to be backwards compatible, it has to be rolled out in a way that isn&#8217;t going to break things. There&#8217;s a lot more consideration that needs to happen because of the multitude of environments that could exist. There could be bad hosting, there could be good hosting. There could be low performance, high performance, number of products, different plugins, different themes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a platform like ours, that is one of the greatest challenges, but also one of the greatest strengths as well, because of how flexible it is. In a platform like Shopify, like you say, they have an app marketplace, but it&#8217;s a lot more restricted. There&#8217;s only really a handful of ways to do something. Whereas with WooCommerce, you&#8217;ve kind of got full control because you are hosting it yourself. You can pretty much do anything. Which, like I say, is a challenge, but also a strength.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It requires navigation, and I touched on this in a, I do a monthly, Inside wooCommerce podcast. The last one that went out was with Julia, who is the lead for our release process. And it&#8217;s worth a listen, because it&#8217;s quite interesting to hear, now, how we roll out releases and how we&#8217;re able to test and watch for signals for issues that might arise. And be able to roll it back, fix that, and then roll out the updates. There&#8217;s quite a nice process there now, which we&#8217;ll obviously refine as time goes on, but yeah, it&#8217;s a challenge.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:59] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> More recently, and we don&#8217;t need to get into the story behind it, but there is a story behind it. But the Automatticians, so the people that work for Automattic, have in some cases been repurposed. So their work that they&#8217;ve been doing for many years in one direction has now been pivoted. And I think it&#8217;s probably fair to say that focusing on things which generate revenue is a crucial part of the decision behind that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m wondering if that&#8217;s had an impact. So this whole thing is not really that old, it&#8217;s maybe only five, six weeks old, something like that, so maybe it hasn&#8217;t yet. But I&#8217;m wondering if it&#8217;s had actually a positive impact on the teams that you work with, or maybe there&#8217;s steady away, no change.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:38] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> I would say there&#8217;s no change actually. I mean, WooCommerce has always been, we&#8217;re building a free product, but we are also a business, and we&#8217;ve always been a business. We wouldn&#8217;t be able to afford to put out a product and not have any money coming in to continue developing it. There&#8217;s always been a business aspect to WooCommerce.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But yeah, the teams that have kind of moved off of the open source contributions that they were making previously, I haven&#8217;t seen any of them come over to WooCommerce. And maybe they have, if they come in as engineers, then I probably wouldn&#8217;t see that anyway. But yeah, in my day to day, I haven&#8217;t seen an impact. But, you know, Automattic has multiple products and experiments and things that exist outside of WooCommerce, and I honestly don&#8217;t dig into them too much. I&#8217;m very focused on the WooCommerce side of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:27] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You&#8217;ve recently, I say you, WooCommerce recently had an entire upending of the branding. If you don&#8217;t follow it very closely, it may be that you haven&#8217;t seen this story, but maybe it was not that long ago in the last week or so. It feels like the message dropped that a lot of the branding has been redone, and I often look at rebranding and I think why all that effort?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What was really the point of that? What was the need to upend everything, and make people have to see something new? And I&#8217;m just wondering if you know what the point of that was? I mean, it&#8217;s nice. It looks lovely. Don&#8217;t get me wrong. I thoroughly love it. But I&#8217;m curious as to what the reasoning was. Did it feel stale previously? What was going on there? Do you know?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:06] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> All of the above, yeah. So I&#8217;ve known about the branding, in its current form of, what it&#8217;s gonna be like since maybe October last year. And it&#8217;s been really interesting to watch. If you compare what we had previously against this, it&#8217;s clear like why it had to happen. The branding that we had previously was the same branding that WooCommerce had when it was initially formed via WooThemes. If you compare it, it just looks out of date. The colors are flat and, not very inspiring. And the new branding now allows us to be a bit more modern, I think. It&#8217;s modernized the brand.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it also opens us up to be able to go out and do more effective marketing and acquisition that we haven&#8217;t done prior. Branding isn&#8217;t just changing the logo and updating some colors. There&#8217;s a whole array of assets that come with it, and like a story behind the assets and what we&#8217;re trying to put out there into the world. Which we didn&#8217;t have before, we just had a logo and some colors.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> There&#8217;s this sort of nod to a shopping cart in the W of Woo, which is actually quite clever, I think. And you&#8217;re right, it does just smack of more modern.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a complete non-designer, I can never summon up the vocabulary to express why I think something looks good. But saw the new branding, and I saw the video that was associated with that, and I did think, yeah, that&#8217;s great. That looks really great, but I can&#8217;t for the life of me tell you why it looks great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But interestingly though, was there a market push, not just because it was stale, and let&#8217;s move this conversation into the rise of the SaaS. Because over the last period, the Wixs, the Squarespaces, the Shopify and all of these other things, I&#8217;m sure there&#8217;s many more. They&#8217;ve brought to the market a fairly affordable alternative. There&#8217;s nothing free, as far as I&#8217;m aware, but it&#8217;s a fairly low monthly cost. And I imagine over time these companies are eating up some of the new people, maybe even taking people from WooCommerce. I imagine it&#8217;s a bit of ebb and flow and what have you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But was it that, were they becoming more professional, more visible in the world? Super Bowl ads and all that kind of thing. Was there some of that in the rebranding as well?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:14] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, I imagine so. I think if you look at our branding previously, I don&#8217;t think it was necessarily thought out as a brand as such. I think it evolved over time. Whereas this was, the rebrand was much more focused, who are we trying to connect with here? What type of customer are we trying to pull in? And how can we reach them? What do they want to see? And I don&#8217;t think we had that before.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yeah, definitely it helps us compete with these SaaS solutions that are quite easy to pitch. You know, influencer can pitch this stuff, because they have cool branding and, it&#8217;s hard to say really.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like I think you could say about any product, like if Apple had a really badly designed, like 3D Apple from the nineties as their logo. In this modern era of what you expect from a brand, and a brand that&#8217;s powering 37% of all e-commerce or, I don&#8217;t what Apple&#8217;s market share on mobile devices is, but I imagine it&#8217;s pretty high.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s just something that needs to be considered, and there needs to be a thought process behind why we look like we do, and who we want to attract with that. And we didn&#8217;t have that before with the previous speech bubble thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I remember listening to, I believe it was Bill Gates, this is many years ago, and Bill Gates was asked a question by an interviewer and it was, what keeps you awake at night, in terms of the longevity of Microsoft? And he said three things. Google, Google and Google. And basically he&#8217;s terrified of Google.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m gonna pitch the same sort of question to you. Of the SaaS things out there, are there any bits out there which make the Woo team think, oh gosh, that&#8217;s interesting. We need to copy that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does the sort of gouging out of the pricing, their very affordable pricing, those kind of things. How do you cope with that? How do you compete with that, with something which is basically free? I don&#8217;t know if that keeps you awake at night.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:06] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Obviously like any business has its competitors. There&#8217;s nothing that&#8217;s come up that we&#8217;ve been like, oh, we&#8217;ve got to copy that and we&#8217;ve got to get that in. It&#8217;s more like comparatively are we offering an equal playing field to a potential customer?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And this ties back into the More in Core stuff that I was talking about. Is there stuff that not just Shopify, but other platforms have in their core offering, and this may be like low priced or free plans, or there&#8217;s other self-hosted versions as well that exist. They are comparatively free. Are we offering the same functionality? Do we have those essential features available? Yeah, we do, but do we charge for them? Probably, if there&#8217;s stuff that&#8217;s missing, there&#8217;s probably a premium extension for it. Or there&#8217;s a free extension for it, but it requires the merchant to go out and find it, rather than like us presenting it to them as a solution when they need it contextually.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, things like that are definitely considerations. We need to be innovating, and we need to be keeping up as well. That could be said about any platform versus another platform that there&#8217;s always, again, going back to Apple, Apple and Samsung have this kind of to and fro.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, it&#8217;s a consideration for sure. The target audience of someone going onto Shopify versus someone going onto WooCommerce is slightly different. The kind of core things that they are looking for are what we need to be offering.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, that&#8217;s interesting because if I was a WooCommerce user, which as I explained I&#8217;m not, that would be the sentence I needed to hear, I think. The people working in the offices and the places where you are working is, okay, we are keeping an eye on what the competition are doing. And if something is a moving, shaking feature, which is upsetting the industry and everybody wants it, then you&#8217;ve at least got your beedy on it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:55] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> That&#8217;s one part of it as well. What are the competitors doing, but also what are our marketplace sales saying? What are the trends saying in e-commerce, even TikTok, Amazon, like all those kind of things that aren&#8217;t directly related to what we do, that&#8217;s accounted for as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And also what are the customers saying? And we touched on it earlier, but we have a whole, what we call the feedback river, which is just a big database of feedback from everywhere. From within the plugin itself. From support. From reviews and from wordpress.org, and like all of these places combined into one database. So yeah, I think you have to keep an eye on all of it. And the challenge is figuring out is this essential? What percentage of users actually want this specific thing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And actually that&#8217;s always been a challenge, like even working on much smaller scale products at Iconic, it was always hard if a customer reaches out and says, oh, I wish it did this, it was hard to say no to that, because you are excited that someone&#8217;s using it, and they want to adapt it to their own use case. But you have to take into account, is the effort to implement this going to be valuable for everyone? Is this the priority for the majority, or is it just going satisfy this one person? You have to do that at scale now, or I have to do that at scale.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I know that time is short, so I&#8217;m just going to pivot just for one final question before we leave and it&#8217;s, it really has nothing to do with WooCommerce specifically, although it may? And that is, I&#8217;m just curious if you know of any interesting things which are happening around the periphery of e-commerce that you personally are finding interesting and engaging. Something that maybe our general audience won&#8217;t have come across, because they&#8217;re not deep in the weeds of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That could be inside WordPress. I dunno, the Interactivity API, or it could be something the browsers are thinking about doing, or third party vendors who&#8217;ve got some curious technology that we might not have heard of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, really just any interesting thing that James has spotted lately that you think we might want to look at?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:54] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, I dunno whether I have anything that nobody&#8217;s ever heard of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:57] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s fine.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:58] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> There&#8217;s a definite rise in platforms offering their own e-commerce. So, TikTok, commerce and all that kind of stuff is growing. And you touched on, something before we started the call actually, which kind of relates to that, the ability to see something on a device and just purchase it there and then. And within TikTok you get that experience. Within a typical e-commerce platform, you have a flow that you go through. You&#8217;ve got the cart, and then the checkout. You&#8217;ve got to populate details. So yeah, I think there&#8217;s gonna be a, an evolution into how quickly can I buy something. And that&#8217;s what the merchants want. Whether it&#8217;s good for the population and spending habits, I&#8217;m not entirely sure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I personally love the experience on, like Amazon, for example, and I don&#8217;t know how long they&#8217;ve had it, it&#8217;s been there a while now. But on product pages, you don&#8217;t need to go through the cart process, you can just click buy now. Although that has tripped me up a couple of times.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:53] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, me too.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:54] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> You press buy now, and it goes on some card that you never use.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, I think that is a definite kind of trend, that I&#8217;ve seen a lot of. And I think we touched on something earlier as well, which I haven&#8217;t seen much in the way of solutions to it. But one of the key things about people buying from a brick and mortar is that they can try on the product and they can physically see the color of a product, and touch the product. Which is possible. You can order now and it&#8217;s getting a lot easier to return stuff. But can you do that with a sofa, for example? So, I expect that we&#8217;ll see some innovations around that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Sort of augmented solution, where you can drop room and, yeah, size it up, and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:38] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah. I don&#8217;t know what that looks like.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> No, and it will be sort of a strange simulation of reality, but probably enough to get a proportion of the people over the wire, I would&#8217;ve thought.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:48] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Yeah, for sure. There&#8217;s been AR stuff for a while now, right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, and things like, you want to put a logo on a t-shirt, here&#8217;s what that look like on the t-shirt. Those kind of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think for me, one of the most, most interesting things is what the mobile wallets have done to my capacity to spend. I just that is remarkable. Especially out in the real world where you take the Tube in London, the underground, and you just don&#8217;t do anything anymore. You just walk by a thing, and your phone&#8217;s in your pocket, and it registers it, and you walk out and at the end of the day you get a bill, and so these kind of seamless solutions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:21] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> I don&#8217;t feel like you have that so much on a computer though.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> No, but I wonder if that&#8217;s coming with, I don&#8217;t know, biometrics. Like purchase this, put your finger print in, your done.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:33] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> I think that would be nice. I still populate, I use 1Password, so it does it for me, but I still populate the card.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:39] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> An intermediary, a trusted intermediary getting in the way. Yeah, it&#8217;s interesting. Again, I wonder if those kind of things might be handled natively by browsers, and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyway, we&#8217;re sort of staring into the future, and we&#8217;ve no idea. But I know that you&#8217;ve got to go in about 30 seconds time, so I will just round it off by saying James Kemp, fascinating chat about all things WooCommerce. I appreciate it, and all the hard work you and your team are doing to democratize e-commerce. Is there anything you want to add just before we round it off? Maybe a Twitter handle or something like that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:08] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> I&#8217;m jamesckemp on most things. C, the letter C. Yeah. The only thing I&#8217;ll add is just, if you have questions, ideas, theories, my dms are open there, so I&#8217;m happy to hear it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:21] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well, thank you very much, James Kemp. Been a pleasure chatting to you today. Really appreciate it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:25] <strong>James Kemp:</strong> Thank you very much.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href=\"https://x.com/jamesckemp\">James Kemp</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>James is the Core Product Lead for WooCommerce. After working with WooCommerce running a plugin shop for 10 years, he joined the team at the end of 2023 to help shape the future of e-commerce.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>James talks about his journey with WordPress and WooCommerce and explains his role at Automattic, where he&#8217;s tasked with connecting the community&#8217;s feedback to the developments in WooCommerce, ensuring that the Woo platform continually evolves and improves.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He discusses the innovations within WooCommerce, the challenges of balancing the needs of small and large-scale stores, and how the team navigates an environment filled with both competitors and opportunities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He gets into the positive impact of WooCommerce&#8217;s recent rebranding, and how the system positions itself amidst the ever-growing competition from SaaS platforms like Shopify. 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--
-- Índices para tablas volcadas
--

--
-- Indices de la tabla `lyRMwyII4_options`
--
ALTER TABLE `lyRMwyII4_options`
  ADD PRIMARY KEY (`option_id`),
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  ADD KEY `autoload` (`autoload`);

--
-- AUTO_INCREMENT de las tablas volcadas
--

--
-- AUTO_INCREMENT de la tabla `lyRMwyII4_options`
--
ALTER TABLE `lyRMwyII4_options`
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COMMIT;

