WordCamp Birmingham’s organizers announced today that the in-person event planned for the first week in February is now postponed until April or May. Organizers had been planning the event since August 2021 and had just announced the last group of Continue reading WordCamp Birmingham Postponed Due to Rising Local COVID-19 Infection Rates
Last week, Wicked Plugins launched version 1.0 of its Wicked Block Builder. I have kept my eye on this plugin since its November 2021 beta release. The project promised that developers would be able to “effortlessly build custom blocks,” and Continue reading Wicked Plugins Launches UI-Based WordPress Block Builder
I do not know how I overlooked LIQUID SPEECH BALLOON. The plugin is less than a month shy of being three years old, and I follow block-related projects religiously. This one slipped through the cracks, at least until I haphazardly Continue reading Creating Speech Balloons With the WordPress Block Editor
Sometimes the sweetest things in life are the simplest. Automattic’s latest block theme landed in the review queue yesterday, and I had to give it a spin. What I found was a minimally-elegant design that I fell in love with. Continue reading Automattic’s Livro Is a Minimal Block Theme for Writers
Extendify has simplified access to its pattern library with a new plugin that offers patterns and full-page layouts for WordPress sites using Gutenberg-friendly themes. The company has high expectations for the product, publishing it under the name “Extendify” as its Continue reading Extendify Launches New Pattern Library Plugin
WordPress 5.9 is set to launch on January 25, and many users will be in for a surprise. The upcoming release will be the most monumental shift in how the platform works since the introduction of the block-based content editor Continue reading What Are Block Themes? What You Need To Know Before WordPress 5.9
The advent of block themes delivers more creative power into the hands of users, but there are times when theme authors may want to lock down key elements of a design and its designated content areas. First introduced in Gutenberg Continue reading WordPress 5.9 to Introduce New API for Locking Blocks
Mounting concerns about loose safety protocols at upcoming WordPress events, and the prevalence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, have prompted the Community Team to be more explicit in its COVID-19 safety guidelines. The team is proposing additional measures previously Continue reading WordPress Community Team Proposes Stricter COVID-19 Safety Protocols for In-Person Events in 2022
Abstract Lights by Marcus Kazmierczak A friend prompted me to fix an issue with the WP Tavern archives page a few days ago. Not all of 2021’s posts were visible. As I glanced over the updated list, I realized our Continue reading WP Tavern’s 2021 Year in Review
In mid-November, I happened upon a block plugin called Retro Winamp Block. As many of our readers know, I am always on the lookout for those WordPress extensions that remind me of the era when I first started using computers Continue reading A Throwback to the Past: Retro Winamp Block
State of the Word 2021 in NYC Matt Mullenweg’s 2021 State of the Word address was held in New York City nine days ago with a live studio audience. On Sunday, December 19, all in-person attendees were notified by email Continue reading Multiple State of the Word Attendees Test Positive for COVID-19
WordPress 5.9 beta 4 was released this week with fixes for 20 bugs since beta 3. There are a few important changes to note in this release regarding how the WordPress admin will direct users who are exploring block themes. Continue reading WordPress 5.9 Beta 4 Fixes 20 Bugs, Polishes Workflow for Switching to a Block Theme
Brian Gardner announced today that WP Engine has acquired his latest project, Frost. In an email sent out to all customers, Gardner said his team had issued refunds to all current customers. The business model is changing, and Frost will Continue reading WP Engine Acquires Brian Gardner’s Frost, Opens It to the Public
Some Gutenberg plugin releases feel like heavy-hitters with new user-facing features. Others, such as today’s version 12.2 update, smooth over problems and create a more well-rounded experience. Switching between the site editor and templates is smoother. The color picker is Continue reading Gutenberg 12.2 Focuses on User Experience Improvements
Last week, WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy opened a discussion on how many releases the project will aim for in 2022. “Given that we have a release in January already, I wonder if we might be able to use Continue reading WordPress Contributors Discuss the Possibility of 4 Major Releases in 2022
Do you know if WordPress FSE is working to make it easier to create block patterns? Templates and Parts need to just click a button to download them. But patterns are very manual, and you need to register all of Continue reading Ask the Bartender: Will It Become Easier To Create Block Patterns?
More than half of all WordPress sites (50.5%) are using translations for non-English speaking locales. It’s only natural that these users would want the ability to register, log in, and reset their passwords in their own languages. A new language Continue reading WordPress 5.9 to Introduce Language Switcher on Login Screen
In last week’s annual State of the Word address, WordPress project lead Matt Mullenweg announced the WordPress.org photo directory. Officially, it has not yet “fully launched.” However, it is live on the site, and anyone with an account can submit Continue reading The WordPress Photo Directory Is the Open-Source Image Project We Have Long Needed
One of the best things about WordPress is the hundreds of ways of turning things off. There are likely dozens of plugins for disabling various items, each with its own unique set of options. No Nonsense is no different. It Continue reading Disable Over a Dozen WordPress Features With the No Nonsense Plugin
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) announced it is implementing a new Board Member Agreement and Code of Ethics that is meant to guide members in their responsibilities, decision-making, and activities. The documents, which FSF says were “designed to help make FSF Continue reading Free Software Foundation Adds a Code of Ethics for Board Members