tienen muchas ventajas, pero la mayoría son para tus formadores, así que no pierdas el tiempo con ellos, salvo que te pidan hacerlos en tu centro formativo o salvo que quieras evaluar por ti mismo tu progreso. Tampoco incluiremos aquí las ventajas de tener un portfolio de inversión, que ya comenté en el apartado 2.13.</em></p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.1. Enseña tus trabajos a terceros</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Parece el beneficio más obvio, pero con él empieza todo.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Quienes tengan dudas de tu forma de trabajar y de la calidad de tus trabajos, se apoyarán en tu portfolio para tomar la decisión de contratarte o de enviarte a paseo.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Si no tienes portafolio, otros que sí lo tengan ganarán puestos en la selección, eso si es que no es obligatorio, ya que hoy muchas empresas ponen como condición sine qua non entregar un portfolio como parte del proceso de selección, descalificando directamente a quien no lo haga.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Y qué ocurre con las personas que no requieren de un portafolio para contratar? Podemos caer en el error de pensar que es mejor para nosotros, porque nuestra experiencia anterior no influirá en conseguir el trabajo, pero ¿es mejor que te contrate alguien que conoce tus trabajos previos o alguien que no los conoce?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si ya llevas un tiempo en el sector sabrás la importancia de hacer un buen match con el cliente y de evitar sorpresas. Si no conocen tus virtudes ni valoran tu recorrido, prepárate para tener que hacer casi cualquier cosa que te pidan.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Además, hay un activador muy potente de la motivación y son los halagos y las alabanzas, sobre todo si vienen de gente a la que queremos y a la que admiramos. ¿Cómo van a felicitarte por tu trabajo si no se los enseñas?</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.2. Mejora tu autoridad y marca personal</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>La autoridad es esa influencia que tienes en la decisión de compra o de contratación de tus clientes. Es una clase de prestigio que, aparentemente, solo puede ser otorgado por tus logros y por otros profesionales del sector que validen tu profesionalidad.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Puedes aumentar tu autoridad por el camino tradicional, ser el mejor en tu trabajo y trabajar como un poseso hasta que los frutos empiecen a llegar. Pero también puedes hacerlo por el camino estratégico, modulando la percepción que los demás tienen de ti para acelerar los resultados.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Es posible adquirir autoridad de muchas formas y todas más efectivas que el trabajo duro. Apareciendo en prensa, en Wikipedia, organizando eventos, escribiendo un ensayo, realizando un estudio, optimizando tus perfiles en redes sociales, haciendo concursos, creando contenidos, colaborando con otros profesionales afines y un largo etcétera.&nbsp;</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Y creando un portafolio estratégico es una de las mejores. Tu nivel profesional percibido es algo que puedes manipular a tu antojo con un portafolio si conoces bien a tu público objetivo y si tocas las teclas adecuadas.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.3. Aumenta tu visibilidad</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Un portafolio no solo se usa para mostrar tus trabajos a quien te lo pida. Con un portafolio online publicado en tu web y en algunas plataformas de empleo claves, no solo llegarán a ti los clientes con los que ya tratas personalmente, sino también todos los que busquen un perfil como el tuyo o unos trabajos como los que haces.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Con un poco de trabajo SEO en tu web para que aparezcas en los resultados de búsqueda cuando alguien busque lo que ofreces, y con una personalización estratégica del porfolio para cada plataforma de empleo según su operatividad y según lo que mejor funcione en cada una, tus obras serán visionadas por una gran cantidad de potenciales clientes.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.4. Destaca tus virtudes y minimiza tus defectos</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Si un cliente pudiera ver todo tu historial profesional de principio a fin, puede que nunca te contratase. Ojalá estuviésemos orgullosos de cada paso que hemos dado en nuestra carrera profesional y de obra realizada, pero la realidad es bien distinta.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y, aunque estuvieras orgulloso de todos tus talentos y de todo lo que has hecho, ¿no crees que es mejor mostrar a cada tipo de cliente una visión única de ti como profesional, que coincida todo lo posible con lo que están buscando?</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>El portafolio nos permite destacar los talentos y trabajos que queremos, ignorando todo aquello que pueda ser objeto de duda o que no beneficie a nuestra causa.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Pero también nos permite agrupar esos talentos y trabajos en función de las diferentes personas que van a analizarlos. Para ello solo necesitas crear secciones en tu portfolio según tus intereses y dirigir a cada cliente a la sección estratégica hecha expresamente para convencerlo.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.5. Aumenta tu potencial de contratación</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Esta es la ventaja más importante y el motivo por el cual todos los profesionales, sean de la especialidad, sector y mercado que sean, deberían tener un portafolio actualizado.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Como consecuencia de todos los beneficios anteriores, tus posibilidades de ser contratado aumentan exponencialmente. No es necesario explicar mucho más.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si puedes enseñar tus trabajos a todos tus clientes, mejoras la autoridad y la marca personal ante ellos, aumentas tu visibilidad online, destacas tus virtudes y minimizas tus defectos, el número de clientes que se pondrán en contacto contigo aumentará y también lo hará el número de ellos que dicen que sí.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si, además, te comprometes a tener un portafolio completo y actualizado, tus clientes no tendrán duda de lo buen trabajador que eres, de que tu experiencia es amplia y de que sigues en activo.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.6. Ahorra tiempo</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Si los clientes con los que tratas no conocen tu trabajo, la relación profesional empieza con una flagrante desventaja. Tú tendrás que convencer desde el principio a tu interlocutor de que eres su mejor opción para el trabajo. Es decir, eres tú el que tiene que hacer el esfuerzo de vender.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si un cliente te contacta tras haber visto tu portfolio, es que le interesa lo que haces, así que la relación da un giro siendo él el que necesita comprar y no tú el que necesita vender. No te imaginas lo que se reducen los tiempos de negociación en estos casos.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Además, cada cliente que vea tus trabajos y no te contacte después, no te quitará ni un segundo de tu tiempo. Cliente no potencial filtrado de forma automática.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Por otro lado, sin portfolio tendrás que preparar una propuesta personalizada con trabajos anteriores para cada cliente. Con lo fácil que es darles a todos una dirección web para que se deleiten con tu portfolio online y que sea este el que haga todo el trabajo.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.7. Permite ver tu evolución</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>La vida personal da muchas vueltas y la vida profesional más aún. Con un vistazo a tu portfolio, podrás ver hacia dónde te diriges.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Todos solemos aceptar clientes y proyectos que no nos motivan y que nos alejan de las especialidades en las que queremos desarrollarnos. En ocasiones, incluso son esos proyectos “no deseados” los que copan todo nuestro horario.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Analizando la evolución de los trabajos realizados, podemos atajar a tiempo un cambio de rumbo perjudicial para nuestro desarrollo profesional y potenciar aquellos trabajos que más nos acerquen a nuestros propósitos.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Pero este análisis no solo te sirve a ti. Todos tus clientes, potenciales o en cartera, podrán observar esa evolución y usarla en su favor. Para explicarlo de otra manera, si algunos de los clientes que ya te han contratado como ilustrador ven que añades un trabajo de generación de imágenes con IA en tu portafolio, las posibilidades de que te contraten como generador de imágenes IA aumentan.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.8. Mejora tus habilidades</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ver todos tus trabajos juntos, te permite ver qué habilidades tienes que mejorar. Esa perspectiva general se pierde si no tienes portafolio, porque tu atención siempre estará puesta en los trabajos que estés realizando en cada momento.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si al ver tu portafolio de diseñador gráfico, ves que algunos de los colores usados en tus proyectos no te permiten leer correctamente los textos, ya sabes que tienes que mejorar la combinación de colores y la accesibilidad para pasar al siguiente nivel.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>La propia construcción del portafolio te hará mejorar como profesional, porque sintetizarás lo importante de tu trayectoria, analizarás a tus competidores, estudiarás a tu cliente objetivo y aprenderás a crear una experiencia valiosa para él.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>En el siguiente apartado veremos los puntos clave para que sepas cómo hacer un portfolio que triunfe, sea cual sea tu situación.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Características de un portafolio ganador</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Como los portafolios más completos y versátiles son los portafolios web, tenemos más probabilidades de crear un portafolio ganador si nos decantamos por un portafolio digital.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ya hemos repasado todas las teorías y visto más de un ejemplo de portafolio digital para que quede claro qué es un porfolio. Ahora viene la pregunta crucial: ¿Cómo hacer un portafolio digital para disfrutar de todos los beneficios aquí mencionados? Sobre todo, el de aumentar las contrataciones, que, seamos sinceros, es el único motivo por el que te has leído toda la parrafada anterior. ¿O no te la has leído?.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bueno, pues la respuesta es rápida. No hay una única solución para todo el mundo. Pero tengo una buena noticia. Si te aseguras de incluir los siguientes elementos en él, y lo haces siguiendo mis consejos, estás muy cerca de oler el laurel.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Esta es mi versión del portafolio ganador. En ella integro algunas técnicas y recursos para construir autoridad que te situarán por encima del resto.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seguro que tendrás algunos ajustes que hacer para adaptar la estructura y contenidos del portafolio a tu negocio, pero no será nada que no puedas hacer fácilmente.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.1. Diseño</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>El diseño es importante. Un buen diseño tiene el poder de hacer que lo bueno parezca mejor, pero el poder de un mal diseño es el de hacer que lo bueno parezca malo. Siendo claros, si el diseño de tu portafolio no es agradable, los trabajos que aparezcan en él parecerán mucho peores de lo que son.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y no hablemos ya si eres un profesional creativo. Tus clientes potenciales y todo el que vea tu dossier entenderá de forma subconsciente que el diseño del portafolio es tu trabajo artístico más reciente, así que más te vale que sea bueno.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asegúrate de que las creatividades tengan un diseño actual y de que estén en sintonía con los trabajos que realizas. Y los textos deben ser claros y perfectamente legibles.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Cualquier diseño moderno, bonito y equilibrado puede funcionar, siempre que la navegabilidad sea cómoda e intuitiva.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>La autoridad que te confiere tener un portafolio que sea percibido como profesional es equivalente a la que te conferiría aparecer con un BMW a una entrevista de trabajo. Pensarán que, si has podido contratar a diseñadores y desarrolladores web de nivel, es porque te va bien, y te va bien porque eres bueno en tu trabajo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si el diseño no es uno de tus fuertes o simplemente no tienes tiempo para diseñar tu portafolio desde cero, puedes elegir entre los <a href=\"https://es.wordpress.org/themes/tags/portfolio/\">miles de plantillas de portfolio web disponibles para WordPress.</a> Muchas de ellas, completamente gratuitas.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress es el software de creación de páginas web más utilizado en todo el mundo. Y es de código abierto y libre distribución. Lo que quiere decir que puedes modificar libremente el código, además de instalarlo gratuitamente en el servidor que prefieras y crear tu propia página web en minutos.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.2. Foto profesional</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Si hay algo imprescindible a la hora de seleccionar perfiles para un trabajo, sea para cubrir un puesto en una empresa como para contratarlos como freelancers, es verle la cara al candidato.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Una imagen transmite mucha información a los clientes y a los reclutadores, alguna de forma consciente y otra de forma subconsciente. Pero todo lo podemos resumir en la siguiente afirmación: a todos les gustan las caras bonitas con pinta de buena persona.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Y no me refiero solo a todos los clientes y a todos los reclutadores. Me refiero a todas las personas sobre la faz de la Tierra. Es pura psicología y escapa de nuestro control.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Es como la portada de un disco o de un libro. Si no atrae, estás perdido. Así que elige una foto en la que parezcas más guapo que de costumbre, en la que salgas vestido formalmente y con la sonrisa más luminosa y amable que se te ocurra. Debe ser como la foto que te gustaría haber visto cuando te mostraron al pretendiente de tu hermana pequeña.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si tienes cierta popularidad como profesional en alguna red social, siempre que sea posible y que no se desvíe mucho de lo anterior, puedes usar en el portafolio la misma foto de perfil que tengas en la red social. Si te reconocen, aunque solo logres resultar familiar, tu autoridad aumentará de golpe.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.3. Biografía</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Algo parecido a la biografía que tienes en LinkedIn… Si es que tienes biografía… Si es que tienes LinkedIn.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prepara una biografía resumida, de no más de 2 párrafos, donde hables de tu experiencia laboral, de tus habilidades, de los hitos más importantes que has logrado.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Solo destaca lo importante y llamativo. Con la biografía también buscamos aumentar la autoridad percibida por tus clientes y por los head hunters, por lo que los datos que no te ayuden, sobran.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Solo si tienes algo de lo que presumir en tu etapa formativa, inclúyelo también en la bio. Si no es así, es mejor que tus trabajos hablen por ti mismo y que su evaluación no se vea influenciada por el nivel de titulitis del espectador.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y por mucho que te lo recomienden en otros sitios, que no se te ocurra incluir tus aspiraciones profesionales ni en la biografía ni en el portafolio. Ya sé que es algo de interés para muchas de las personas y empresas que contratan, pero te sitúa en una posición de escasez, porque da a entender que no estás donde quieres estar, o, dicho de otra forma, que no eres exitoso. Patada baja a la autoridad de tu marca.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.4. Competencias</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Qué tareas o trabajos desempeñas? ¿Cuáles son tus especialidades? ¿Qué tecnologías dominas? ¿Qué herramientas manejas?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Debes hacer un listado de competencias tan corto como un elevator pitch y tan específico como el prospecto de un medicamento. Y “específico” no quiere decir “técnico”. Debes expresarlo, como mucho, con el mismo nivel técnico que tenga tu cliente ideal o tu reclutador.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>No caigas en la trampa de pensar que los tecnicismos aumentarán tu autoridad. Solo lo harán ante un público con tu mismo nivel técnico. Y seguro que no es un público muy amplio. Y tampoco creo que muchos de tus clientes estén entre ellos.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si la persona que lea tu portafolio no entiende lo que ve, automáticamente serás eliminado de su selección, ya que el trabajo de comprender si eres un candidato válido no compensa el esfuerzo. Y huye de los clientes que quieran contratarte sin entender lo que haces.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.5. Trabajos</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>En definitiva, ¿un portafolio qué es sin una buena sección de trabajos realizados?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Esta es la parte decisiva de tu portafolio digital. Si la selección que hagas de todos tus trabajos no es buena, o si la presentas de la forma incorrecta, el cliente o el reclutador puede pensar que no sabes hacer las tareas que necesitan asignar, o que tu estilo no es lo que están buscando.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Empieza por hacer una lista de todos los trabajos que has realizado, de los que tienes una muestra o una copia, y ordena la lista cronológicamente.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahora descarta todos los que crees que te perjudicarían o los que no enseñarías a alguien al que admiras. Abajo sentimentalismos. Todo lo que no suma, sobra. Es mejor tener que hacer nuevos trabajos que sean impactantes, aunque sea a bajo precio, para tener un portafolio efectivo que atraiga contrataciones, que aferrarse a trabajos de los que no estás orgulloso y estancar tu carrera profesional.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Añade tu lista infalible de trabajos en el portafolio y busca una imagen, vídeo, extracto o muestra de cada trabajo. Este es un punto clave y merece toda tu atención. Tus trabajos no solo deben ser impactantes, sino que deben ser presentados con el mayor cuidado para resaltar las virtudes y que no se vean los defectos.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si tus trabajos son creativos, asegúrate de incluir imágenes y archivos en máxima resolución y solo los que sean o parezcan profesionales. Y ojo con complicar la reproducción o visionado de las obras con formatos raros y con elementos dinámicos que ralentizan la carga de la web. Nadie gastará más de 3 segundos en intentar ver tus trabajos. Si no puede reproducirlos, te enviará a ti y a tu portafolio al fondo del olvido.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Es hora de incorporar la siguiente información a las imágenes: empresa o proyecto para el que desempeñaste el trabajo, lo que te solicitaron, cómo lo abordaste y, siempre que sea posible, los resultados obtenidos gracias a tu solución.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Volveré a pedirte aquí que seas escueto. Cuanta más información des, más probabilidad tienes de equivocarte y de hacer saltar alguna alerta.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y, por favor, olvídate de explicaciones rimbombantes intentando demostrar tu profesionalidad o remarcando la importancia que tuviste en este o en aquel proyecto. Dime de qué presumes y te diré de qué careces. Los referentes de un sector tienen tanta autoridad que no necesitan dar argumentos para justificar su obra. Si aún no eres uno de ellos, actúa como si lo fueras.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y que ni se te ocurra incluir un enlace a tu curriculum vitae como recomiendan por ahí. ¿Has visto alguna vez el curriculum vitae de alguien famoso? Pues eso. Es síntoma de poca experiencia laboral y también de poca estabilidad profesional. Si algún reclutador te lo pide y te interesa el puesto que oferta, envíaselo, pero nunca lo tengas accesible desde tu portfolio y, a ser posible, que no sea accesible públicamente.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.6. Colaboraciones destacadas</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Este apartado solo existe para aumentar tu autoridad y con ello la confianza que tendrán en ti tus clientes potenciales y los reclutadores que lleguen a tu portafolio.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aquí debes poner un listado de los artículos que hayas redactado como invitado en otras webs, tus intervenciones en medios de prensa y cualquier otra aparición destacable, como apariciones en radio, en pódcasts, en cursos o en canales sociales estratégicos.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Que no has colaborado como autor invitado en ninguna web? ¿A qué esperas? Haz un listado de las webs de tu sector que aumentaría tu autoridad y envía una propuesta de redacción personalizada a cada una para escribir como invitado. Cuanto mayor sea el nivel del sitio, más interesante debe ser tu propuesta.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Que no has aparecido en medios de prensa? Aparecer en medios de prensa hablando como un experto en tu disciplina es, tal vez, la acción que mayor autoridad otorga a un profesional.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Puedes usar cualquier técnica de Media Authority Building para lograr aparecer en medios. Es más fácil de lo que crees.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>También puedes contratar publicaciones y preparar artículos estratégicos para transmitir autoridad. Hoy en día puedes publicar en diarios digitales de renombre por menos de 50 €.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Que no has aparecido en radio, pódcasts, cursos ni en canales sociales estratégicos? Pues ya estás tardando.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ármate de valor y contacta a 100 personas que compartan audiencia contigo, es decir, que su cliente potencial sea el mismo que el tuyo, y que tengan programas de radios, pódcasts, canales de YouTube, de Instagram o cualquier otro canal de difusión, y ofréceles dar valor a su público.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Una entrevista, una masterclass, una consultoría gratis, una técnica ganadora… La estadística dice que al menos 10 de esas personas te dirán que sí, y una vez aparezcas a su lado, su autoridad se te transferirá por arte de magia.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>La transferencia de autoridad es algo que ocurre involuntariamente en el cerebro. No le des más vueltas y aprovéchalo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Si en tu apartado de colaboraciones destacadas aparecen webs conocidas en tu sector, medios de prensa conocidos nacional o internacionalmente y colaboradores con expertos reconocidos profesionalmente, no te será muy difícil conseguir nuevos clientes y nuevos trabajos.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>El esfuerzo de crear esta parte del portafolio merece la pena y mucho. Cada logro que consigas pasará a formar parte de tu huella digital y podrá servirte como muestra de autoridad y profesionalidad toda la vida.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.7. Obras publicadas</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Es otro de esos apartados que, si no lo tienes, por el bien de tu autoridad, deberías trabajar para tenerlo.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Si logras que tu nombre aparezca como autor en cualquier obra editada o en cualquier investigación publicada, la certeza de tus clientes y reclutadores de que eres un profesional como la copa de un pino quedará fuera de toda duda.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Y para eso, solo tienes que poner en marcha 2 de mis técnicas de Media Authority Building favoritas. La autoedición de un libro y el desarrollo y publicación de un estudio.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tener un libro a la venta en Amazon es pan comido, aunque no lo parezca. Busca un tema de interés para tu público y escribe unas 40.000 palabras aportándoles valor sobre él, asegurándote de que el texto te coloque como una autoridad en tu trabajo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Piensa que en este artículo ya llevo casi 8.000 palabras escritas, así que 40.000 no son tantas. Y no tienes que inventar la rueda. Con recopilar información de otras fuentes, ordenarla y adaptarla a tu estilo, ya lo tienes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sí. Ya sé lo que te pasa por la cabeza. ¿Cómo voy a ser capaz de hacer un estudio valioso para mi sector si soy un impostor?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>En primer lugar, todos somos impostores. Y en segundo lugar, los estudios están sobrevalorados y ahí está la gracia de esta técnica. Parece que son extremadamente difíciles y que solo están reservados para las grandes mentes de cada país. Pero la realidad está muy lejos de ser así.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>No te digo que hagas una investigación que cambie el mundo para siempre, pero piensa en un experimento que puedas hacer por tus medios, cuyo resultado podría interesar a otros colegas del sector. A veces es suficiente con hacer una encuesta o con poner a prueba alguna idea.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Investiga un poco sobre la metodología científica para preparar la investigación con todo el rigor posible, registrando cada paso y cada resultado de la forma adecuada, y para redactar el estudio, ofreciendo el máximo valor a los que lo lean y colocándote como una autoridad indiscutible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>El efecto sobre tu marca personal será enorme, por muy pequeña que sea tu aportación.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.8. Premios y reconocimientos</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Efectivamente, eso es. Un listado de todos los premios que has ganado en tu carrera profesional y de todos los reconocimientos que has recibido.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>¿Y si no tienes ninguno? Puedes ignorar esta sección, pero no voy a decirte que no es importante, porque te mentiría. Junto con las 2 secciones anteriores, es tu mejor oportunidad para diferenciarte de tu competencia y para entrar por la puerta grande en la mente de los que buscan contratarte.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Es obvio que ganar premios no es una técnica de construcción de autoridad, porque ganarlos o perderlos no depende de ti, pero sí depende de ti presentarte a cada maldito concurso y certamen profesional que encuentres, y esto sí es una técnica de Media Authority Building.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Te sorprenderías con la cantidad de premios que se ganan casi sin mover un dedo, muchas veces presentando trabajos realizados con anterioridad. Y te gustará saber que, en ocasiones, serás la única persona que se presente al concurso.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Es cierto que no siempre será fácil y de vez en cuando tendrás que hacer trabajos exclusivos para un certamen, pero, en el peor de los casos, estos trabajos pueden engrosar la sección de muestras de tu portafolio. Y en el mejor, podrás presumir de ser un fuera de serie.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Cuantos más premios ganes, más colaboraciones estratégicas hagas y más obras publiques, más clientes conseguirás y más podrás subir tus tarifas.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Y todo gracias a la bendita autoridad (y a este artículo, claro).</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.9. Formas de contacto</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>¿De qué sirve todo el trabajo que hemos hecho hasta ahora si todos esos clientes a los que hemos convencido no saben cómo contactar con nosotros?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coloca un formulario de contacto al final de cada bloque de información del portafolio web. Usa un botón que destaque y que tenga una llama a la acción clara (por ejemplo, “Enviar mensaje”).</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coloca también todos tus datos de contacto en el pie del portafolio web. Así estarán visibles para todo el mundo en todas las páginas de la web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y, por último, diseña una página de contacto atractiva a la que pueda accederse desde cualquier lugar a través de un botón en el menú principal. Todas las facilidades son pocas cuando se trata de recibir clientes y contrataciones.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Comparte todas las formas de contacto a tu alcance: formulario, email, redes sociales, teléfono, fax, señales de humo, cuervo…</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Si el cliente al que acabas de convencer no encuentra la forma de contacto que utiliza habitualmente, puede que posponga contactarte y termine por olvidarse de ti.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Este artículo está llegando a su fin. Pero para ti puede ser un gran nuevo comienzo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Espero que te vayas de aquí sabiendo qué es un portafolio y para qué sirve, conociendo los tipos de portafolios más populares, entendiendo las ventajas de un portafolio y dominando el arte de crear uno que dispare tu autoridad y tus ventas.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Referencias:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Abrami, P., &amp; Barrett, H. (2005). Directions for Research and Development on Electronic Portfolios. <em>Canadian Journal Of Learning And Technology</em>, <em>31</em>(3). <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.21432/t2rk5k\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://doi.org/10.21432/t2rk5k</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Calimag, M. M. P. (2020). The ePortfolio. En <em>Advances in mobile and distance learning book series</em> (pp. 149-170). <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4769-4.ch006\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4769-4.ch006</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clarke University. (2022, 14 diciembre). <em>What is a Portfolio?</em> <a href=\"https://clarke.edu/academics/careers-internships/student-checklist/resume-writing-and-portfolios/what-is-a-portfolio/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https://clarke.edu/academics/careers-internships/student-checklist/resume-writing-and-portfolios/what-is-a-portfolio/</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>The Open University</em>. (s. f.). <a href=\"https://help.open.ac.uk/create-professional-profile-portfolio-for-job-applications\">https://help.open.ac.uk/create-professional-profile-portfolio-for-job-applications</a>&nbsp;</li>\n</ol>\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:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:98:\"https://es.wordpress.org/2025/01/17/que-es-un-portafolio-como-hacer-uno-para-ganar-autoridad/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:30:\"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1\";a:1:{s:7:\"post-id\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6:\"667295\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:9;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"\n		\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n		\n\n					\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:6:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"Meetup y WordCamp en España – Enero 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:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"https://es.wordpress.org/2025/01/01/meetup-y-wordcamp-en-espana-enero-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:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:84:\"https://es.wordpress.org/2025/01/01/meetup-y-wordcamp-en-espana-enero-2025/#comments\";s: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, 01 Jan 2025 13:13:00 +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:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6:\"Meetup\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"WordCamp\";s: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:34:\"https://es.wordpress.org/?p=667095\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}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:280:\"Dicen que enero es un mes malo, en el que hay que subir una cuesta muy hacia arriba, con mucho frío y poco dinero en el bolsillo, ¿pero cuándo has hecho tú caso a lo que dicen los demás? Todo depende del prisma con el que se mire, y los de la comunidad de WordPress [&#8230;]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Cris Quintero\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8774:\"\n<p class=\"has-charcoal-0-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7cb2e9a005b8348ccdd73f8dad0dbae3\">Dicen que enero es un mes malo, en el que hay que subir una cuesta muy hacia arriba, con mucho frío y poco dinero en el bolsillo, ¿pero cuándo has hecho tú caso a lo que dicen los demás?</p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-charcoal-0-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6043b122f77722f17d2fc32f0404ade8\">Todo depende del prisma con el que se mire, y los de la comunidad de WordPress nos caracterizamos por ir un poco a contracorriente, por lo que nuestro enero es más un mes de nuevos comienzos, nuevas oportunidades, nuevas quedadas con los colegas de las Meetup y nuevas WordCamp a las que ir a relacionarnos y a practicar el pasilleo que tanto nos gusta.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Espero que estas navidades hayan sido divertidas, pero si no, no te preocupes, lo mejor siempre está por llegar&#8230; Y para muestra, un boton:</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-charcoal-0-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-95fc1befa35e863184bc14d77960fa10\" id=\"meetups_mesuales\">Meetup de enero de 2025</h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><strong>Fecha / Hora</strong></th><th><strong>Ciudad</strong></th><th><strong>Título del evento</strong></th><th><strong>Ponente</strong></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>08/01/2025<br>18:30 h</td><td>Terrassa</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/terrassa-wordpress-meetup/events/304951584\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aprende a auditar WordPress para mejorar el rendimiento. ¡Casos reales!&nbsp;</a></td><td>Joan Vega</td></tr><tr><td>09/01/2025<br>19:00 h</td><td>Málaga</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpress-malaga/events/303564646\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JetEngine: No solo Custom Post Types</a></td><td>Delia Carballo</td></tr><tr><td>10/01/2025<br>19:00 h</td><td>Barcelona</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/igualada-wordpress-meetup/events/304500450\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Preguntas y respuestas sobre WordPress &#8211; Christmas Edition</a></td><td>&#8211;</td></tr><tr><td>13/01/2025<br>20:00 h</td><td>Online</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/es-ES/quedadas-wordpress-en-espanol/events/305332011/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">La estructura de todos nuestros proyectos de plugin a medida</a></td><td>Amadeu Arderiu</td></tr><tr><td>15/01/2025<br>19:00 h</td><td>Alcalá de Henares</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/alcala-de-henares-wordpress-meetup-group/events/305346831\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">¡Construyamos juntos la web de nuestra Meetup!</a></td><td>&#8211;</td></tr><tr><td>16/01/2025<br>19:00 h</td><td>Tarragona</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpresstarragona/events/305590059\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress &amp; Beers – Enero 2025</a></td><td>&#8211;</td></tr><tr><td>17/01/2025<br>19:30 h</td><td>Ferrol</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/ferrolterrawordpress/events/305514917\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cómo empezar hoy mismo un negocio digital con WordPress</a></td><td>David Cuesta</td></tr><tr><td>22/01/2025<br>18:00 h</td><td>Cartagena</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpress-cartagena/events/305474893\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Descubre la magia interior de CHATGPT, primera meetup del 2025</a></td><td>Sergio Candela</td></tr><tr><td>22/01/2025<br>18:00 h</td><td>Irún</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/irun-wordpress/events/305018324\">Irun WordPress Meetup: Episodio I &#8211; El despertar de&nbsp;la&nbsp;comunidad</a></td><td>&#8211;</td></tr><tr><td>22/01/2025<br>19:00 h</td><td>Ourense</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpressourense/events/305133594\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Domina el arte de la venta</a></td><td>Yolanda Pazos</td></tr><tr><td>23/01/2025<br>18:30 h</td><td>Madrid</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpress-madrid/events/305586529\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">¿Cómo comenzar tu viaje como colaborador de WordPress?</a></td><td>Ha San</td></tr><tr><td>23/01/2025<br>18:30 h</td><td>Griñón</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpress-grinon/events/305482007\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">No es solo tu Web, Es tu negocio: Aprende a atraer más clientes con SEO</a></td><td>Fernando López</td></tr><tr><td>23/01/2025<br>19:30 h</td><td>A Coruña</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpresscoruna/events/305473148\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img src=\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f525.png\" alt=\"🔥\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" /> Cómo crear un calendario de contenidos mensual para RRSS en menos de una hora</a></td><td>Úrsula Estévez</td></tr><tr><td>24/01/2025<br>18:00 h</td><td>Barcelona</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpressbcn/events/305589940\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aprèn a auditar WordPress per a millorar el rendiment</a></td><td>Joan Vega</td></tr><tr><td>30/01/2025<br>18:30 h</td><td>Granollers</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpressgranollers/events/302266626\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Si no fas això, no sortiràs primer a Google</a></td><td>Toni Estirado</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-charcoal-0-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e13198117574c44521cae03cb1d5d20f\">Próximas WordCamp y Eventos de 2025</h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-charcoal-0-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-034e495a4001804f8324df71a7bdebb4\">En este mes de enero no hay ninguna WordCamp programada, pero sí un eventazo especial. Además, tenemos novedades (y muy jugosas) para ti&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ya se vislumbran en el horizonte algunos de los eventos más esperados del año, así que no dejes pasar mucho el tiempo y vete reservando ya las entradas, proponiéndote como voluntario, o como ponente, o como patrocinador&#8230; ¡Lo que veas, pero participa! Porque perderse cualquiera de estas citas debería estar penado legalmente.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><strong>Fecha / Hora</strong></th><th><strong>Ciudad</strong></th><th><strong>Título del evento</strong></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>16/01/2025<br>17:30 h</td><td>Valencia</td><td><a href=\"https://www.meetup.com/wordpress-valencia-meetup/events/303723034\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Las Dos Caras de la Inteligencia Artificial. WordPress Day Valencia</a><br>Eric Seguí y Fernando Tellado</td></tr><tr><td>14-15 de febrero de 2025</td><td>Zaragoza</td><td><a href=\"https://zaragoza.wordcamp.org/2025/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordCamp Zaragoza 2025</a></td></tr><tr><td>07-08 de marzo de 2025</td><td>Madrid</td><td><a href=\"https://madrid.wordcamp.org/2025/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordCamp Madrid, Spain</a></td></tr><tr><td>26-27 de abril de 2025</td><td>Málaga</td><td><a href=\"https://malaga.wordcamp.org/2025/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordCamp Málaga 2025</a></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meetup y WordCamp en otras fechas</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Si quieres consultar los próximos eventos de la comunidad de WordPress (o los pasados), dale al botón de aquí abajo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Te llevaremos a una página donde encontrarás todas las Meetup, WordCamp y Eventos bien ordenaditos por meses:</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 has-custom-font-size is-style-fill has-eb-garamond-font-family\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https://es.wordpress.org/2024/09/10/meetups-y-wordcamps/\" style=\"border-radius:10px;background-color:#0073aa\">Ver todas las Meetup y WordCamp Programadas</a></div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\" />\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Te animamos a que acudas a todos los eventos que puedas.<br><em>Porque la vida es más diver si se comparte.</em></p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\" />\n\n\n\n<p><em>* Este post se publica a principios de mes. 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Basics for WordPress and Beyond\";s: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=3019\";s: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:54:\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/04/06/what-is-gravatar/\";s: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:17132:\"<p>Have you ever noticed how your profile picture magically appears on some blogs, forums, or websites without needing to upload it each time? That&#8217;s the power of Gravatar. Since 2004, we have been quietly revolutionizing online identity, offering a consistent way to represent yourself across the open web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a> stands for Globally Recognized Avatar. It&#8217;s a free profile for the web that uses your email address as its core identification system. This clever approach lets you maintain a single avatar and profile that follows you across major platforms like <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/\">WordPress</a>, <a href=\"https://slack.com/\">Slack</a>, and <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept is simple but powerful. Instead of creating separate profiles on dozens of websites, Gravatar centralizes your online identity. With over 8.6 billion avatar requests served daily, it&#8217;s become an essential part of the online experience for millions of users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In recent years, Gravatar has expanded beyond just avatars Now, integrated websites can pull complete profile information from your Gravatar account. This improves the profile creation and onboarding processes, saving time and reducing friction when joining new platforms.</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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From scattered profiles to unified presence: How Gravatar works</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At its core, Gravatar uses your email address as a unique identifier. When you comment on a blog or join a platform that supports Gravatar, the system looks up your email to find your profile information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t worry about privacy concerns. Gravatar doesn&#8217;t simply expose your email address to every website. Instead, it converts your email into a <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/api/avatars/hash/\">secure hash</a> – essentially a one-way code that protects your actual address while still creating a consistent identifier. This technical conversion ensures your email stays private while allowing the system to recognize you across different sites.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another one of Gravatar&#8217;s most powerful features is its synchronization capability. Update your profile once, and the change instantly reflects across millions of integrated websites through the <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/\">Gravatar API</a>. This eliminates the hassle of updating dozens of separate profiles when you change your photo or information.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1328\" height=\"695\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/update-once-sync-everywhere.png\" alt=\"Gravatar “Update Once, Sync Everywhere” feature\" class=\"wp-image-3021\" />\n\n\n\n<p>For professionals, this creates an efficient way to build and maintain a <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/01/10/personal-branding-social-media/\">consistent online persona</a>. Want separate identities for work and personal activities? Simply create different Gravatars using different email addresses. This separation gives you complete control over how you present yourself in various contexts.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine never having to repeatedly upload profile pictures or maintain consistent information across multiple platforms. That&#8217;s the advantage Gravatar provides – centralized profile management that simplifies your online presence while maintaining your privacy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each time you visit a new website that supports Gravatar, your profile information automatically appears – no duplicate accounts, no forgotten passwords, and no inconsistent branding. Your carefully crafted online identity follows you seamlessly across the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the best part? Claiming your Gravatar is completely free. Let&#8217;s walk through how to set one up.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Setting up your Gravatar account: A step-by-step guide</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit the <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar website</a> and click “<em>Get Started Now.</em>”</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1381\" height=\"971\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/get-started-now-gravatar.png\" alt=\"Gravatar homepage and “Get Started Now” button\" class=\"wp-image-3023\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enter your email address.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"455\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/create-your-profile-page-gravatar.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar: “Create your Profile” page\" class=\"wp-image-3024\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check your inbox for a verification code, and enter it on the page.&nbsp;</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"411\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-welcome-email.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar confirmation email for a created account\" class=\"wp-image-3025\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you already have a <a href=\"http://wordpress.com\">WordPress.com</a> account, Gravatar will ask, “<em>Would you like to log in to Gravatar using your WordPress.com account?</em>” Saying yes speeds up the process by using your existing information. If you don&#8217;t have a WordPress.com account, you can create one through Gravatar.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"452\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/profile-settings-wordpress-com.png?w=660\" alt=\"WordPress.com profile settings with Gravatar information\" class=\"wp-image-3026\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Next, upload a profile photo. The maximum image size is 2048px, and the image will display as a square. Gravatar provides a cropping tool to help you position your photo for the best presentation.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-uploading-profile-picture.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar: Uploading a profile picture\" class=\"wp-image-3028\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complete your basic profile information, including your display name and bio.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"385\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-about-information-setup.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar profile: Filling out the About section\" class=\"wp-image-3029\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"7\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To manage different identities, simply create a new Gravatar with a different email address. This allows you to maintain separate profiles for professional and personal use.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/12/03/new-free-domains-and-bluesky-integration/\">Get your unique Gravatar URL</a> and begin sharing it on your <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/12/20/link-in-bio-tools/\">social media bio links</a> or email signatures. You can also use it to log in and manage your profiles on supported platforms like <a href=\"https://www.figma.com/\">Figma</a> or <a href=\"https://openai.com/\">OpenAI</a>.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The process takes just a few minutes, but the benefits last for years. Once configured, your Gravatar becomes your digital passport, making it faster to join new communities and ensuring consistent recognition across the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that your profile is publicly visible by default, so only include information you&#8217;re comfortable sharing.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Optimizing your Gravatar profile for maximum impact</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you&#8217;ve set up your basic Gravatar account, let&#8217;s look at ways to enhance its effectiveness.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Profile photo</strong>: Choose a high-quality, professional image that represents you appropriately. For business purposes, a clear headshot with good lighting and a neutral background works best. If you prefer not to use your photo, a recognizable brand logo is a good alternative. Just ensure the image is clear and easily identifiable, even at smaller sizes, as a lot of people browse from their mobile.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bio and details</strong>: Craft a concise, compelling bio that highlights your expertise, experience, and unique value. Focus on what makes you stand out and what your audience would find most relevant. Keep it brief but impactful – think of it as your elevator pitch in written form.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media and links</strong>: Add your verified social media accounts and links to your website or portfolio. This turns your Gravatar into a customizable <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/11/08/creating-a-digital-business-card/\">digital business card</a>. You can also take advantage of the <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/02/06/bluesky-handle/\">integration between Bluesky and Gravatar</a>, which allows you to use your Gravatar domain as your Bluesky handle for a consistent online identity.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"394\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/domain-updated-confirmation.png?w=660\" alt=\"Bluesky profile with a custom domain from Gravatar\" class=\"wp-image-3030\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Privacy settings</strong>: Control what information is visible by accessing your <a href=\"https://support.gravatar.com/profiles/profile-access/\">Account Privacy Settings</a> or the individual sections.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"339\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/verified-profiles-privacy-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar profile: Adjusting the privacy settings for the “Verified accounts” section\" class=\"wp-image-3031\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In the general settings, you can choose to hide your public avatar, make your profile private, or discourage search engines from indexing your profile. This flexibility lets you balance visibility with privacy.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"512\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-general-privacy-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Gravatar profile general privacy settings\" class=\"wp-image-3032\" />\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, you only need a little bit of effort, and you can end up with a well-optimized Gravatar profile that helps you:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Build professional credibility across multiple platforms.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish a higher degree of online trust with your audience.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/06/16/how-to-network-at-a-conference/\">Create networking opportunities</a> whenever you interact online (and offline too!)</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Using Gravatar with WordPress and beyond</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar has been <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/12/10/how-to-use-gravatar-in-wordpress/\">deeply integrated with WordPress</a> since 2007, when it was acquired by <a href=\"https://automattic.com/\">Automattic</a> (WordPress.com&#8217;s parent company). This acquisition created a strong connection between these platforms that continues to benefit users today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When someone with a Gravatar profile comments or posts on a WordPress site, the system automatically pulls their Gravatar profile to display as the author.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"366\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-comment-section.png?w=660\" alt=\"Example of a comment section with a Gravatar user\" class=\"wp-image-3034\" />\n\n\n\n<p>This creates a consistent visual identity across WordPress blogs without requiring users to set up separate profiles on each site they visit. Your professional image follows you throughout the WordPress ecosystem, helping readers recognize you across different blogs and publications.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Site owners can easily customize how avatars appear on their WordPress sites through the dashboard under <em>Settings &gt; Discussion</em>. This section allows administrators to enable or disable avatars, select maximum ratings (G, PG, R, X), and choose default avatars for users without Gravatars. Options range from generic silhouettes to generated patterns based on email addresses.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"355\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/default-avatar-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Default Avatar options in WordPress\" class=\"wp-image-3035\" />\n\n\n\n<p>But Gravatar extends well beyond WordPress. Major platforms like GitHub, Slack, and OpenAI also use Gravatar to provide consistent user images across their services. This widespread adoption means your professional identity remains cohesive across much of the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The greatest benefit comes from Gravatar&#8217;s central management approach: Update your profile once, and those changes sync across all connected platforms. Whether you&#8217;ve changed jobs, updated your headshot, or refined your bio, you only need to make these changes in one place. This saves valuable time and ensures your brand presentation remains consistent no matter where your online activities take you.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Privacy and security: Managing your digital identity</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar gives you strong privacy controls to manage your digital identity. You can choose exactly which profile details to share publicly and which to keep private, so you always know who can see your data. Besides the settings you can adjust for yourself, Gravatar uses industry-standard measures like HTTPS to keep your data safe as it travels across the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, even with these protections, it&#8217;s still a good idea to maintain separate profiles for work and your personal life. Using different email addresses for your work and personal Gravatars creates a helpful separation that prevents people from connecting different parts of your life. This approach also lets you customize privacy settings for each email address – keeping your professional presence polished while maintaining personal privacy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of Gravatar&#8217;s key benefits is that it helps <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/12/02/how-can-you-manage-your-digital-footprint/\">minimize your overall digital footprint</a>. Instead of creating and managing accounts across dozens of websites and platforms (each with potential security vulnerabilities), you only need to update your personal information in one central location. This reduces your exposure to data breaches while ensuring your public-facing information remains accurate and up-to-date across the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Create your free Gravatar profile in minutes</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to claim your digital identity? Getting started with Gravatar takes just a few minutes but establishes your online presence across thousands of websites instantly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s how to get your Gravatar profile up and running:</p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit Gravatar.com and <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/log-in/link?client_id=1854&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fpublic-api.wordpress.com%2Foauth2%2Fauthorize%3Fclient_id%3D1854%26response_type%3Dcode%26blog_id%3D0%26state%3De16ed5decdc4260b151f46a6b7985daacc2cede87b1b9ec77e24420ddd91dfa3%26redirect_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fgravatar.com%252Fconnect%252F%253Faction%253Drequest_access_token%26gravatar_from%3Dsignup%26from-calypso%3D1&gravatar_from=signup\">click “Get Started Now.”</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a new account or sign in with your existing WordPress.com credentials.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upload your chosen profile image – select something professional that represents you well.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complete your profile by adding a compelling bio.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect your social media accounts and verify important links or services.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<p>With this single action, you&#8217;ll join millions of users on WordPress.com, GitHub, Slack, and other major platforms with your new globally recognized avatar. Your professional image will automatically appear whenever you comment, contribute, or interact across the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>No more maintaining separate profiles on dozens of websites. With Gravatar, you create one central identity that follows you across the internet, saving time while ensuring a consistent, professional presence everywhere you go.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.com/log-in/link?client_id=1854&redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fpublic-api.wordpress.com%2Foauth2%2Fauthorize%3Fclient_id%3D1854%26response_type%3Dcode%26blog_id%3D0%26state%3De16ed5decdc4260b151f46a6b7985daacc2cede87b1b9ec77e24420ddd91dfa3%26redirect_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fgravatar.com%252Fconnect%252F%253Faction%253Drequest_access_token%26gravatar_from%3Dsignup%26from-calypso%3D1&gravatar_from=signup\">Create your free Gravatar profile 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:\"Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:39:16 +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:3;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 116 – WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, Field Guide, Gutenberg 20.5 and 20.6\";s: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=39909\";s: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:85:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\";s: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:7775:\"<p>Birgit Pauli-Haack and JC Palmes talked about WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, Field Guide, Gutenberg 20.5 and 20.6</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Add a summary/excerpt here</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/#shownotes\">Show Notes</a> / <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/#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\">JC Palmes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-x  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/jpalmes\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">X</span></a></li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-github  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://github.com/khleomix/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">GitHub</span></a></li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-wordpress  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/khleomix/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">WordPress</span></a></li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/khleomix/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram</span></a></li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/jcpalmes/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook</span></a></li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcmaepalmes/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">LinkedIn</span></a></li></ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://khleomix.com/\">Website</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WebDevStudios/wds-bt/releases/tag/v1.1.0\">WDS-BT on GitHub</a> v.1.1.0</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wdsbt.wdslab.com/\">Demo Site of WDS-BT Theme</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omJVDhiE4hQ\">WordPress as a World-Class Publishing Platform, With Brad Williams</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-108-block-themes-for-agencies/\">Gutenberg Changelog #108 – Gutenberg 19.3, WordPress 6.7 – Block Themes for Agencies, WordCamp Asia</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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26QvHyo9kCs\">Building a Block-Based WordPress Site with FSE</a> w/ <strong>Keith Devon</strong> and <strong>Mark Wilkinson</strong> from Highrise Digital</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43g0FuetzDw\"><strong>Can AI fix Plugin Check issues?</strong></a> w/ Jonathan Bossenger</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4SblEO4vuU\"><strong>Data in the Block Editor with @wordpress/data</strong></a> (Part 3) <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zDV5KIDog\"> Part 1</a> +<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlowE1b11Jk\"> Part 2</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adding user profiles to the Block Developer Cookbook&nbsp; <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcmaRs6dP4\">Part 1 </a>and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHgAc3DcAuk\">Part 2</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WordPress 6.8 </h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/28/wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\">Fieldguide&nbsp;</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/\">Source of Truth</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/2025/03/27/new-rest-api-filter-for-exposing-menus-publicly-in-wordpress-6-8/\">New REST API Filter for Exposing Menus Publicly in WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/accessibility-improvements-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/miscellaneous-developer-changes-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Miscellaneous developer changes in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><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>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/miscellaneous-block-editor-changes-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Miscellaneous Block Editor Changes in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/interactivity-api-best-practices-in-6-8/\">Interactivity API best practices in 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/new-filter-should_load_block_assets_on_demand-in-6-8/\">New filter should_load_block_assets_on_demand in 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/20/changes-to-the-screen-reader-text-class-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Changes to the .screen-reader-text class in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\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>&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/69777\">Zoom Out: Disabled when show template disabled #69777</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gutenberg plugin releases</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v20.5.0\">Gutenberg 20.5</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v20.6.0\">Gutenberg 20.6 </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>The transcript is in the works. </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, 06 Apr 2025 09:21:15 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:4;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:120:\"Gutenberg Times: WordCamp Europe, New Chart block, GitHub Deployment, and can AI fix my plugins? — Weekend Edition 324\";s: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=38289\";s: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:123:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/\";s: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:22695:\"<p>Hi there, </p>\n\n\n\n<p>How is your block theme knowledge coming along? The slower pace of Gutenberg development is a blessing in disguise. I will take the opportunity to dive deeper into block themes, styles, block and section styles, and block development. I definitely also see a need to skill up my CSS. What is it that you need to learn?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It sounds funny coming from me, as I&#8217;ve been knee-deep in Gutenberg development all this time. Still, if I don&#8217;t actually practice the skills I acquired, I lose them. That&#8217;s why I decided to tackle the migration of the Gutenberg Times website to a block theme. A step was long overdue. I&#8217;ll post about my progress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now it&#8217;s time to see what others created, and I discovered during the week. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoy your weekend and get some rest.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\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/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/#0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/#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/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/#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/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/#3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press\">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/wordcamp-europe-new-chart-block-github-deployment-and-can-ai-fix-my-plugins-weekend-edition-324/#what-s-new-in-playground\">What&#8217;s new in Playground</a></li></ol>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/\">WordCamp Europe</a></strong> will take place June 5 &#8211; 7, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. This week organizers announced that they already sold over 1,000 tickets, already.  They also published the <a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/schedule/\">program schedule</a>. It&#8217;s a great mixture of many topics and perspectives.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first glance, here are my top sessions. </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/wordpress-gems-for-devs-interactivity-api/\">WordPress gems for devs: Interactivity API</a> a workshop with Milana Cap</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/bridging-design-and-development-figma-design-systems-for-wordpress-success/\">Bridging Design and Development: Figma Design Systems for WordPress Success</a> with Ash Shaw</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/the-block-developer-cookbook-wceu-2025-edition/\">The Block Developer Cookbook: WCEU 2025 Edition</a> a workshop with Ryan Welcher</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/why-block-themes-make-woocommerce-stores-better/\">Why Block Themes Make WooCommerce Stores Better</a> with Ellen Bauer</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/schedule/\">Do you really need a custom block?</a> a lightning talk with Robert O’Rourke</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Bonus: Two Playground sessions: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/schedule/\">Building Automated Tests with WordPress Playground</a> with Berislav (Bero) Grgicak</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/from-zero-to-demo-mastering-wordpress-playground-blueprints/\">From Zero to Demo: Mastering WordPress Playground Blueprints</a> a workshop with yours truly. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Special treat: <a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/session/mythbusting-and-qa-about-appearing-in-google-search/\">Mythbusting and Q&amp;A about appearing in Google Search</a>  with Danny Sullivan, Google. </p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Want to meet me in Basel?&nbsp;Send me the link to your calendar or use mine <a href=\"https://bit.ly/WCEUMeetBirgit\">bit.ly/WCEUMeetBirgit</a>. </em></p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/tickets/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"237\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wceu2025-1920x700-1.jpg?resize=652%2C237&ssl=1\" alt=\"See you at WordCamp Europe\" class=\"wp-image-38352\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>There is a new kid on the block. In his post, <strong><a href=\"https://www.atmostfear-entertainment.com/blogs/wpcoven/wpcoven-introducing-a-new-voice-covering-the-wordpress-ecosystem/\">WPCoven: Introducing A New Voice Covering the WordPress Ecosystem</a></strong>, <strong>Alex de Borba</strong>, CEO at Atmostfear Entertainment, introduced a publication. <em>WPCoven</em> will cover developments related to the Block Editor. It will also share best practices for its applications within the WordPress &amp; WooCommerce community. 👋 Sending a hearty “Welcome to the space” to WPCoven. I will certainly watch the feed.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.atmostfear-entertainment.com/blogs/wpcoven/wpcoven-introducing-a-new-voice-covering-the-wordpress-ecosystem/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"355\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WPCoven-Header.jpg?resize=652%2C355&ssl=1\" alt=\"WP Coven art \" class=\"wp-image-38235\" /></a>\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><strong>Mary Hubbard</strong> posted the takeaways from a meeting with Core Committers and Matt Mullenweg. You can read the full meeting recap in <strong><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/04/04/dotorg-core-committers-check-in/\">Dotorg Core Committers Check In</a></strong>. The TL;DR about releases is: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>WordPress 6.8 is the last major release for 2025,</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Minor aka point releases will happen (6.8.x) as needed, with bug fixes, and small enhancements</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gutenberg plugin release cycle stays every other week.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I also expect, we will read more about <em>canonical plugins</em> in the future. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>George Mamadashvili</strong>&nbsp;released <strong>Gutenberg 20.6</strong> version.</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The RSS block now offers an option to allow opening the links in a new tab. It can also set the&nbsp;<code>rel</code>&nbsp;attribute. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69641\">69641</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Table of contents block received a new option to control the level of heading included.&nbsp;<strong>(</strong><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69063\">69063</a><strong>)</strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Navigation block now sports a slider to control the transparency for submenu background.&nbsp;<strong>(</strong><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69063\">69063</a><strong>)</strong></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>JC Palmes</strong>, Principal Technical Manager at WebDev Studios, living in the Philippines, and I chatted about the Gutenberg releases 20.5 and 20.6. We covered WordPress 6.8 extensively, too and discussed the starter theme WebDev Studio has built. It was a great joy to chat with JC Palmes again. </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-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\">Gutenberg Changelog 116 – WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, Field Guide, Gutenberg 20.5 and 20.6</a> with special guest JC Palmes, WebDev Studios</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"184\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-05-at-12.27.14.png?resize=652%2C184&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39894\" />\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>The editorial team at <em>Codeable</em> published a tutorial titled <a href=\"https://www.codeable.io/blog/modify-woocommerce-product-page/\"><strong>Easy Ways to Edit Your WooCommerce Product Page Design</strong></a>. You learn how to change the WooCommerce product page without altering core WordPress files by creating a new plugin. This method lets developers change the layout, design, and functionality using filters or hooks. Developers can make changes by focusing on specific parts like the product image, description, price, and currency. This approach avoids disrupting other sections of the page. This strategy keeps code clean and ensures functionality. It&#8217;s advised to use a child theme for WooCommerce plugin modifications to prevent conflicts.</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>&#8216;s latest tutorial teaches <a href=\"https://kinsta.com/blog/block-visibility/\"><strong>How to make block content hide or appear in WordPress</strong></a>. He helps website owners learn to use the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/block-visibility/\"><em>Block Visibility</em></a> plugin, which is often misunderstood and underused. By installing the plugin, Kraus demonstrates how to hide specific blocks in a page or post. This provides more flexibility. It also allows for further customization. This method allows website owners to create dynamic layouts, improve user experience, and boost performance.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nick Schäferhoff</strong> walks you through the steps on <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/03/29/one-page-website/\"><strong>How to Build a One-Page Website with WordPress</strong></a>&nbsp;. He explains how these single-page sites can be super effective for modern websites. They allow users to easily navigate. Users can find what they need quickly. Schäferhoff also shares some tips on how to make the site visually appealing. He advises on ensuring it is user-friendly. This makes it easy to get started with this trendy web design approach. The instructions detailed, and you also find excellent screenshots so you won&#8217;t get lost.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>A new Chart block plugin has arrived at the WordPress plugin repository. It was created by the folks at <a href=\"https://bdthemes.com/\">BdThemes</a>, a WordPress product company from Bangladesh. The plugin is called <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/zolo-charts\"><strong>Advanced Charts for Gutenberg Blocks Editor</strong></a>. Give it your data via CSV file and it assists create a visualization for it. It has many customization and design tools. </p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"381\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-04-at-15.55.28.png?resize=652%2C381&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38388\" />\n\n\n\n<p>If you only need basic chart tooling and designs, <strong><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/sb-chart-block/\">SB Chart Block</a> </strong>by <strong>Herb Miller</strong> is ideal. From the block Inserter in the editor, search for &#8220;Chart&#8221; and you can install it right from within the editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/sb-chart-block/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"449\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-05-at-11.35.28.png?resize=652%2C449&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39890\" /></a>\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>At the WordPress Meetup in London, <strong>Keith Devon</strong> and <strong>Mark Wilkinson</strong>, Highrise Digital, presented their theme building process. They demonstrated this process for a school project. I found it quite interesting to listen to the long-time theme builders. They approach building a theme with the site editor and offer the full range of editing tools to their clients. Here is the recording: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26QvHyo9kCs\"><strong>Building a Block-Based WordPress Site with FSE</strong></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>Benjamin Intal</strong> and his crew at Stackable are super excited to share the <strong><a href=\"https://wpstackable.com/blog/introducing-the-new-stackable-global-design-system/\">New Stackable Global Design System</a>!</strong> This update is designed to make life easier for developers. It helps them create consistent and cool designs across different websites. You’ll find loads of ready-made components, typography, colors, and more to play with. It’s crafted to simplify the design process and cut down on the usual headaches for developers. Or so they claim.</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 exists. It includes contributions from various teams involved in Gutenberg development. These teams are Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2024 on. Updated by yours truly. The past 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><strong>Jonathan Bossenger</strong> livestream about his question: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43g0FuetzDw\"><strong>Can AI fix Plugin Check issues?</strong></a> He recently adopted a WordPress plugin that was closed due to security flaws and other code issues. Can AI help him resolve these issues faster than he could himself? Let&#8217;s find out.</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>JuanMa Garrido</strong> continued his series <strong><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4SblEO4vuU\">Data in the Block Editor with @wordpress/data</a></strong>. He presented Part 3 of building the app. This part is from the course <a href=\"https://learn.wordpress.org/course/using-the-wordpress-data-layer/\">Using the WordPress Data Layer</a>. This course aims to get you comfortable with the WordPress data layer. It’s a JavaScript library used throughout the WordPress editor to read and write data. You can catch up on <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zDV5KIDog\">Part 1</a> and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlowE1b11Jk\">Part 2</a> of the series via YouTube. </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> has been live-streaming on Twitch every Thursday at 14:30 UTC. Over the last two weeks, he focused on adding user profiles to the Block Developer Cookbook. He worked on <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcmaRs6dP4\">Part 1</a> and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHgAc3DcAuk\">Part 2</a>. You&#8217;ll learn how to create an Author Archive template. You&#8217;ll also learn how to create an Author page layout while handling user metadata for display. Part of the experience of Welcher&#8217;s livestream is also method on debugging code and code review.</p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</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>In his latest video, Nick Diego introduced you to an awesome developer tool: <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9UH_G5f9UM\"><strong>How to use GitHub Deployments on WordPress.com</strong></a>. &#8220;Whether you&#8217;re building custom themes, plugins, or managing full-site deployments, integrating GitHub with WordPress.com offers a powerful and efficient approach to code management. In this video, you&#8217;ll learn how to connect a GitHub repository to your WordPress.com site using GitHub Deployments.&#8221;</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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-s-new-in-playground\">What&#8217;s new in Playground</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For the latest episode of the WPTavern Jukebox podcast, <strong><a href=\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/163-birgit-pauli-haack-on-the-magic-of-the-wordpress-playground\">163 – Birgit Pauli-Haack on the Magic of the WordPress Playground</a>,</strong> I joined Nathan Wrigley. We talked about my experiences with the WordPress Playground. I shared how I created complex and interactive demos using the Playground. I even brought them online as fully functional websites. We discussed the power of storytelling in web development. You can use the Playground to experiment and learn new things. </p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div>    <div></div>    </div>\n</div>\n</div>\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: Image by&nbsp;<a href=\"https://pixabay.com/users/ta98mori-9807043/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3602218\">ta98mori</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href=\"https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3602218\">Pixabay</a></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, 05 Apr 2025 05:14:00 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:18:\"Birgit Pauli-Haack\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"\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:1:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:26:\"HeroPress: HeroPress Swag!\";s: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:29:\"https://heropress.com/?p=7882\";s: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://heropress.com/heropress-swag/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heropress-swag\";s: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:5594:\"<img width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/04/heropress-swag-header.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Black tshirt with a heropress logo in the center\" /><p><a href=\"https://thewp.world/presser/marcus-burnette/\">Marcus Burnette</a> over at <a href=\"https://thewp.world/\">TheWP.World</a> recently made a swag store and very kindly created some <a href=\"https://thewp.world/product-category/heropress/\">HeroPress swag</a>!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>$5 of each sale goes to support ongoing operation at HeroPress, so we appreciate your support!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s available:</p>\n\n\n<div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id7882_b9faa8-4f alignfull has-theme-palette1-background-color kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-3-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top kb-theme-content-width\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7882_ab8c88-ca\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-logo-white-glossy-mug/\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/04/white-glossy-mug-white-20-oz-handle-on-left-67ec797e32893-600x600-1.jpg\" alt=\"White mug with a HeroPress logo on it.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-7893\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading7882_4cd388-5b wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-9-color has-text-color\"><a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-logo-white-glossy-mug/\">White Mug</a></h3>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7882_5700cc-15\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-logo-mid-light-t-shirt/\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img width=\"600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/04/unisex-organic-mid-light-t-shirt-black-front-2-67ec44b66e93f-600x600-1.jpg\" alt=\"Black tshirt with a HeroPress logo on it.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-7894\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading7882_189bd3-45 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-9-color has-text-color\"><a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-logo-mid-light-t-shirt/\">Black T-Shirt</a></h3>\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7882_ebf706-1a\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-throw-blanket/\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/04/throw-blanket-60x80-lifestyle-67e77c30ee7ea-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Blanket with with HeroPress logos on it.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-7892\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading7882_79e113-99 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-9-color has-text-color\"><a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-throw-blanket/\">Throw Blanket</a></h3>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n<div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id7882_269005-97 alignfull has-theme-palette1-background-color kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-3-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top kb-theme-content-width\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7882_cdf81a-5e\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<a href=\"https://thewp.world/product/heropress-premium-polo/\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/04/premium-polo-shirt-white-front-67e7787e02992-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"White polo shirt with a HeroPress logo on it.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-7891\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"kt-adv-heading7882_82229f-cc 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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 what the WordPress Playground is, and how it&#8217;s transforming the scope of WordPress.</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 Birgit Pauli-Haack. Birgit is a longtime WordPress user, an influential voice in the WordPress community. She&#8217;s known for her role as the curator at the Gutenberg Times, and host of the Gutenberg Changelog podcast, and she brings her wealth of experience as a Core contributor to WordPress as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>She joins me today for an in-person conversation recorded at WordCamp Asia in the Philippines, and we are discussing Playground, a remarkable development that&#8217;s set to redefine the WordPress development landscape.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playground allows users to launch a fully functional WordPress instance directly in their browser, without the necessity of a server, database, or PHP, playground breaks down barriers, offering developers, product owners, educators, and everyone in between a new way to interact with WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore how this technology not only simplifies the testing and development process, but also sets the stage for more interactive and immediate web experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore the concept of Blueprints within Playground, tailored configurations that enables a bespoke user experience by preloading plugins, themes, and content. This feature helps developers to present their work in a controlled environment, offering users an insightful hands-on approach that can significantly enhance understanding and engagement, and it&#8217;s all available with just one click. It really does eliminate the traditional hurdles associated with installing WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re curious about how the WordPress Playground is set to usher in a new era of friction free web development, 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 Birgit Pauli-Haack.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by Birgit Pauli-Haack. Hello Birgit.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:28] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Oh, hey Nathan.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:29] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We&#8217;re actually looking at each other, not through a screen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:32] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yes. It&#8217;s a total different feeling.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:34] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. Birgit And I chat a lot on various other channels, and it&#8217;s a pleasure having you right in front of me. That&#8217;s lovely.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:39] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, same here. I&#8217;m always glad we meet at a WordCamp.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:42] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, thank you. So that&#8217;s the introduction then because here we are, we&#8217;re at WordCamp Asia, in the Philippines. It&#8217;s the first day of the conference in general. We had the Contributor Day yesterday, and we&#8217;ve got another day tomorrow.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we&#8217;re going to have a chat with Birgit who is going to be talking to us today about Playground, because you&#8217;ve got a slot at the event all about creating a demo in Playground. And we&#8217;ll get onto that in a minute. But first of all, for those people who don&#8217;t know who you are, just a few moments for your potted bio. Tell us about yourself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:09] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> So I&#8217;m the curator at the Gutenberg Times and I&#8217;m the host on the Gutenberg Changelog podcast. And I also am a Core contributor to WordPress, and I work for Automattic. I live in Munich and I&#8217;m married, 37 years.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:22] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> There we go. That is a very potted bio. Thank you, I appreciate that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So here we are, we&#8217;re going to talk about Playground. And I figured the best place to start is answering the question, what is Playground? And just before we hit record, it was pretty obvious that both you and I are very excited about this. And so I want to encourage people to really pay attention because this genuinely, for me is one of the most exciting developments, not just now, but ever, in WordPress. It truly is a transformational technology. But for those who don&#8217;t know what it is, just tell us what Playground is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:54] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> I&#8217;m totally with you there on the magic, yeah. And it&#8217;s not just for WordPress, it&#8217;s for web development. So WordPress Playground is a WordPress instance in your browser. Yeah, you go there, put in playground.wordpress.net. You get a full WordPress instance in your browser, and you can add plugins, you can themes, you can content. Test it out. Whatever you do with that and want to learn with Playgrounds, you don&#8217;t need a server, you don&#8217;t need a database, you don&#8217;t need PHP installed or something like that. So it&#8217;s just there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And for someone who has been in the web development for many, many years, it&#8217;s like magic. Because before you&#8217;re always kind of, oh, where do I host things? What&#8217;s with the database? What&#8217;s with the server? And it&#8217;s all gone. Yeah, so it&#8217;s really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:43] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think probably it&#8217;s best on this particular podcast to avoid the technicalities, but I would point the listener to a podcast that I did on the WP Tavern with Adam Zielinski several months ago now, where Adam came on and tried, in an audio form, it&#8217;s very hard to do, but explained in an audio form exactly what the underpinnings are.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the only words I can use to describe it are, it&#8217;s voodoo. It is literal magic. Just two or three years ago, if you&#8217;d have said that Playground was possible, I honestly would&#8217;ve thought that you were talking nonsense. It could not happen. That will never happen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:18] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Snake oil.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, exactly. And yet Adam managed to pull it off. And so just to re-explain what Birgit just said, it&#8217;s all in the browser. When you go to playground.wordpress.net, there is no server. Just say it again, there&#8217;s no server. There&#8217;s no PHP that you need to install on your local machine. It all happens inside the browser. Close the browser down, it goes away. We&#8217;ll come to that. Maybe that&#8217;s changed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the idea is it&#8217;s happening in the browser, and so you can have any combination of website that you like immediately inside of Playground, and it really is remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I liken to the moment that the iPhone got the App Store. The iPhone was a very useful thing to have. You know, it did phone calls and it looked beautiful, and you could upload music to the phone with a cable. And then along came the App Store, and suddenly a thousand, a million, different developers could get their hands on it and tell you, here&#8217;s a different way you can use the iPhone. And here&#8217;s another way, and here&#8217;s another thing that you can do. And it feels a bit like Playground is WordPress&#8217; moment like that. You know, it just suddenly prizes the lid open, and makes developers able to show you what they&#8217;ve got in a heartbeat.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:25] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah. And that&#8217;s pretty much, that&#8217;s a very good analogy because we also have a Blueprints gallery that could be something like an app store where you can learn how you can assemble it. So the core technologies is not not, I don&#8217;t know any of the technology that&#8217;s underlying. It&#8217;s based on Web Assembly. And that has been around for about 10 years, trying to get a lot of different programming languages talk to each other in the browser.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then it&#8217;s based, not on MySQL, but on SQLite database. And then Service Workers and worker Threads API, that are browser APIs. For storage, for instance, yeah, or for sending commands to other different applications. But that&#8217;s all I know, yeah. I have never worked with Web Assembly, yeah. And MySQL, I know that, just really amazing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can use that. Many people use it to spin up a fully functional WordPress and demo that. So you can use it in educational settings. You don&#8217;t have to download a whole lot of stuff. You don&#8217;t have to, as a teacher, you don&#8217;t have to set up, talk to your IT department to set up a server for all the students. You can just point them to the Playground and then give them instructions on how to work with that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a sandbox environment. It could be, yeah, if you want to. You can upload your content and then see what else can you change with it without messing with your live site. You can integrate it with your development. There is a WP now, VS Code extension where you can, so when you&#8217;re working on your plugin and you click on the button, it loads up a local Playground for you with the plugin that you&#8217;re working on already installed, and that&#8217;s really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Same with the theme. The training team has been working on interactive demos in terms of having code examples on one side, and then you make changes to the code and you see it in the right hand side. How it changes the website. So that&#8217;s really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think one of the things that you said there, you&#8217;ve got an understanding of some of the underlying technologies, but you were stressing that, basically you don&#8217;t need to understand them. Having a knowledge of them is fun, you know, it&#8217;s interesting. But a bit like I don&#8217;t have the faintest idea how to build an iPhone app, but I can still use an iPhone. And I can still benefit from this application, the maps, navigation app. I don&#8217;t need to understand how that&#8217;s built, but I can use it, it works.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And really that&#8217;s, I think the purpose. The developers over there, thank you so much, but most people are never probably going to want to get into the weeds of that. They just want to click the button and see what happens.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And just to be clear on this, if you&#8217;ve never done that, I, at my home, have a fairly good internet connection, so I don&#8217;t know if I&#8217;m in a sort of slightly privileged position, but when I click the button at playground.wordpress.net, I&#8217;m imagining it&#8217;s somewhere in the order of three to four seconds before that website is ready to go. Basically it&#8217;s the length of time it takes me to blink and grab the mouse again. It&#8217;s in a heartbeat. So there&#8217;s literally no friction.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you go to playground.wordpress.net and click the button, what you&#8217;re going to get there is a vanilla version of WordPress, which is fine. Then you can do whatever you like with that, put plugins in, what have you. But wouldn&#8217;t it be interesting, wouldn&#8217;t it be great if somebody came up with, oh, I don&#8217;t know, let&#8217;s call them Blueprints or something like that, where you could pre-build something that then somebody else could use.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So this is the App Store, isn&#8217;t it? You know, somebody&#8217;s built the maps navigation app. Somebody&#8217;s built the note taking app. Somebody&#8217;s built the whatever. This feels like what the Blueprints are. But I want to make sure that you are describing it and not me because I am not sure that I&#8217;ve encapsulated it perfectly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:00] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> No, you did. But in opposite to the App Store, you actually can look at other people&#8217;s Blueprints and steal them. Blueprints are written in JSON has nothing to do with Jason. It&#8217;s JSON. It&#8217;s a data format for JavaScript. And there is a schema for it, so when you put it into your code editor, it gives you signals, yeah, that you formatted right.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then you have two different ways of configuring your Playground instance. One is to do settings. So you could do which PHP you want to use? Which WordPress version do you want to use? Also, do you want to have network enabled? And most of the time you want it enabled because you want to import and install themes or something like that. Those are the settings.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then you have steps. And those steps are also just formulated in JSON format. For instance, you can log in. Automatically log in the person in the Playground. Or you can say, I have a landing page that should land, so when somebody uses that blueprint, when Playground is ready to completely load it, you should land in the block editor, for instance. And you should have that particular block plugin already active on that post, so you can really play with blocks. Nick Diego with his plugin Block Visibility has done a great way for a live preview of his block from the repository.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way is to, so install a plugin, add content to it. Use WP-CLI to instantly load up new versions, add new pictures, or use an export from another website, an XML file from another website and load it into the Playground instance.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But sometimes you have, you said you get the vanilla if you just do that, if you just do playground.wordpress.net, you get the vanilla WordPress. But it&#8217;s one post, Hello World, and it&#8217;s one sample page. But you don&#8217;t see how content kind of interacts with whatever feature you want to demo. So you need some content there, yeah. And the Blueprints Gallery has actually some nice examples on how to configure that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Let&#8217;s come back to the gallery in a minute. Just to recap what you just said. So there&#8217;s a bunch of settings, probably more for developers. You know, you might want to test something in a particular PHP environment or what have you, so you can select those. And then you can do these steps where you can essentially design, if somebody was to use that Playground and somebody was to click on your link, they would wait the 2, 3, 4 seconds, whatever, and then, depending on the steps that you&#8217;d set up, they would arrive where you chose them to be.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So for example, you might pre-install the latest, greatest plugin that you want to share with the world. And you want people in a post for that. And you want them inside the block editor. And you can make it so that upon clicking the button, the first thing they get is, we&#8217;re inside your plugin, we&#8217;re about to use it. So the profundity of that is pretty amazing. You can really tailor the experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So rather than going from being like Playground, which sounds like children, you&#8217;re messing about, larking about a little bit. It also becomes like serious ground a little bit, you know? Serious developers can use this to circumvent, I don&#8217;t know, support tickets, the capacity to demonstrate to users who&#8217;ve never seen your product before, your plugin, your theme, or whatever it may be.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can point them to a link. They can click the link. You as the developer configure everything within an inch of its life, so they get exactly where you want them to be. And in that way you can use it as a sales mechanism, as a support mechanism.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:29] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> And sometimes it&#8217;s really hard to tell people what your plugin does unless you show it them in the video. But then they still don&#8217;t get their hands on it. And with that feature, with the Playground combined with the Blueprints, you can actually make them feel the thing. How it works with them, and what ideas they get when they play around with it, and have better questions, educated questions for you, for the product, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So a Blueprint then is a version of Playground in which somebody has pre-configured things. Is that basically what it is? You know, let&#8217;s say that I have got this fabulous new plugin and I want you to experience it. I don&#8217;t necessarily want you to land on a particular page, but I just want the plugin to be available to you and you can do things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I install my plugin, use Playground to do that, I can then share a link. And because I&#8217;ve tinkered with it, it becomes a Blueprint because it&#8217;s not the playground.wordpress.net version, it&#8217;s my doctored version, adapted version.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:26] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Well, it also goes to playground.wordpress.net, but it has a query parameter, to be a little technical term, that says, use the blueprint at this URL. So a plugin developer for the repository, at the repository there are live preview buttons now. And the plugin developer can put in a separate directory Blueprints on the WordPress site, put all the assets, all the image that they want to load, and the configuration file, which is written in this JSON file, and put it there, and then make that live. And every time someone clicks on the preview button, they go to playground.wordpress.net with the Blueprint kind of loaded, the configuration files.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:09] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So it&#8217;s all happening through playground.wordpress.net. But then there&#8217;s JSON configuration file, which gets sort of sideloaded, if you like, through the URL. That tells it, okay, add this and then end up here and what have you. The important part is that JSON, that&#8217;s what makes it the Blueprint. It&#8217;s going to playground.wordpress.net, but the JSON file means that it does something else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you said the word gallery, which tells me that there&#8217;s a whole host of these things. Pre-configured, pre-built, put into a box if you like. And we can go to that gallery and explore. What kind of stuff is in there?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:38] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> So, what kind of stuff is there? So there&#8217;s one, how do I put an admin notice on top of the dashboard? How do I add a dashboard widget and load it up with my Playground? So most of the time, when you want to log into a WordPress site, you get the dashboard. And if there&#8217;s a widget, you can actually guide people to go some other places. You can say, okay, I have a plugin that needs 50 posts, for whatever reason. So there is a Blueprint there and how to use WP-CLI to create 12 or 50 posts automatically, that are then loaded into the post content.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there&#8217;s also a Blueprint for a specific WooCommerce extension. So it loads WooCommerce, it loads the extension, it loads some products, and then you land for a shipping page where you can say, okay, this shipping plugin, what does it do for me? And you see it working with products on a Playground site. So that is really remarkable. It takes a little longer when you have content to load.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:38] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Goes up to like 10 seconds.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:40] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> So you go and get your coffee and come back.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:42] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But it&#8217;s still profound.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:43] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, remarkable. Yeah, you don&#8217;t have to do anything, kind of just wait a bit.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What else is in there? Oh, there is a demo of 2025. So when you load 2025 theme automatically and go to your website and see it, you get the post, the blog site, where all the posts are in one one big site with the full content. And not a whole lot of people have that kind of blog. And in the demo, you actually go to the magazine front page, and then see all the patterns that are in there. You can see all the templates in that Playground demo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s interesting for plugin developers that have experimental themes or experimental settings on the settings page that you can actually preload them as well. There&#8217;s an example in there for the Gutenberg experiments. They&#8217;re on the check marks on a setting site. And you can take that and replicate that for your own plugins site, how to do that, with the areas.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you can do site options. So the site options is not only site title and tag descriptions, also, oh, make my block editor have the top toolbar instead of all the other things or the distraction free model, yeah. So these kind of features, you can also preload there and have examples from the Blueprints Gallery.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:57] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think we&#8217;re just at the beginning really, aren&#8217;t we? Of of this journey. And basically, the underlying technology is now provisioned. It&#8217;s there. And we&#8217;re at point where, okay, people, developers, explore. And we&#8217;re really just at the beginning of that. And the gallery is probably a good place to go.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you wanted to put one of these JSON files together, do you know, is there some credible documentation out there that would help people to get started, learn the ropes?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:25] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, there&#8217;s definitely, there&#8217;s documentation of all the steps that are there, yeah, like how to run PHP, how to have additional PHP extensions installed and all that. So when you open the Playground, there are three, and you&#8217;re not going to the full page, so you have three panes. On the left hand side you have some menus, and one of them is the documentation link. So that&#8217;s good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And another link is there, it&#8217;s the Blueprint Gallery. So in the middle of the section of your Playground, you see all the list of all the gallery content. And then when you click on the preview or the view site, the Playground loads that for you, and then there&#8217;s another menu item where is says, view Blueprint. And that gives you a Blueprint editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you see the Blueprint loaded in, but then when you want to edit from the documentation, okay, what happens when I put that in? And you click the run button, and it reloads that Playground with your changes. So it&#8217;s really, very hands on, and you still don&#8217;t have to create a server or a local environment or something like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, there&#8217;s this really virtuous cycle of, okay, so you&#8217;ve used something from the gallery, but you&#8217;re curious about how it works. Look, here&#8217;s how it works. Here&#8217;s the buttons to click to go and explore. Oh, and whilst you&#8217;re at it, if you want to edit anything, here&#8217;s the option to edit it. And when you click save, it&#8217;ll restart that whole thing and you&#8217;ll get the new version.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So all of the sort of helpful tooling is now built into it. Because when I talked to Adam, none of that existed. I mean, the version selection for PHP didn&#8217;t exist. The ability to land people on particular destinations when they first load up the playground, none of that existed. It was literally the technology of getting it working.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So now built into it is this knowledge base, if you like. Not really a knowledge base, but more, you want to know how this one works? We&#8217;ll show you. And it&#8217;s that beautiful, well, the purpose of WordPress, democratising publishing. In this case, it&#8217;s democratising the nuts and the bolts, and the bits and pieces of publishing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, so that&#8217;s really nice. And that&#8217;s all built inside. So just follow the prompts in the UI, and you can adapt what you want, and what have you. But also there are some 101 articles out there, perhaps on Learn or something like that where can see in text format how do all.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:40] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, the developer blog has, on developer.wordpress.org/news has three articles about Playground. One is about the underlying technology from the Web Assembly people. That was really good for those who want to explore that even further.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there is one on what use cases you can do with a little bit of an example. And then also, so we are right now always talking about playground.wordpress.net. But you mentioned something that someone could put this on their website, and you can.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playground can be self-hosted. It does not have to go through the wordpress.net site. But how to do this is in the documentation. It has a seperate section there. So if you say, okay, I don&#8217;t have my plugin in the repo, but I want to use it through my own website, then you can actually put it there, and it&#8217;ll have your own branding around it. So it&#8217;s even get further than just the WordPress part.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So that&#8217;s a really important distinction to make. So in the cases that we&#8217;ve been talking about so far, if you want to go to playground.wordpress.net and you use your own JSON file, it will be able to suck in anything from the WordPress repo. And that&#8217;s the sort of, the WordPress way, if you like. I&#8217;m doing air quotes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:51] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Also from GitHub.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:52] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, thank you. Yeah, that&#8217;s an important distinction. I&#8217;d forgotten that. Also from GitHub, but you know, it&#8217;s everything that&#8217;s open source out there, free to download already.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But a big part of the WordPress community, one of the things that makes it popular, is the ability to sell commercial plugins. And so that was another question that I had. Is possible to do it?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so, yes, but you need to take the technology that builds WordPress at playground.wordpress.net, you put that onto your own server, and you can do whatever you like with that. So you can put your premium products in there on a, I don&#8217;t know, two day free trial sort of basis, and show people how that all works.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Playground suddenly becomes more interesting outside of the free to play area as well. And you can imagine that being a really, really useful tool. Because we&#8217;ve always been able to play fairly straightforwardly with free things on the repo, but suddenly the moment where you&#8217;ve got to pay $100 for a thing, the capacity to see that really is the bit which opens the wallet.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, it&#8217;s $100, maybe I&#8217;ll buy it, maybe I won&#8217;t. It&#8217;d be nice to see it. Okay, they&#8217;ve got a 14 day trial, but I&#8217;ve still got to pay for it. This opens up the capacity to, look, there it really is. Play with it for two days or whatever it may be. That&#8217;s fascinating.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:05] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Absolutely, yeah. And if you want to test that plugin, yeah, you still would need a local server or a hosting server to load it on. And you have that 14 day trial. And now you can really test it right now.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Right. And that&#8217;s the other big thing. Because if you buy a commercial plugin, you then have to spin up a site somehow. You have to download the plugin, upload the plugin, get the plugin configured. This gets rid of all of that, because you don&#8217;t need to download and upload anything, and it can be pre-configured.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the author of the plugin can say, okay, if you want to use my LMS plugin for this kind of thing, here&#8217;s playground version with everything just right. And if you want to do it for this kind of thing, I don&#8217;t know, you&#8217;re an elementary school teacher who might use my LMS plugin in this way, or you&#8217;re a university lecturer, who might use it in this way. Let&#8217;s build it a perfect version for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you can imagine that a million times over for all the commercial plugins out there. You know, form plugins. Okay, this is the contact form that we&#8217;ve pre-built. This is the, I don&#8217;t know, the form which integrates with WooCommerce or whatever. So the developers can do all of this. And that really makes it super useful to them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:11] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yes, absolutely, yeah. What&#8217;s coming down the pipeline for Playground. One is that you can also use it with private GitHub repos. Which right now is not possible, but it&#8217;s in the works. And there was a problem with the proxy, that you get some cross site downloading errors because some servers are not set up to have images downloaded from a machine. They have created a proxy server now, where that is kind of circumvented that you can also from non WordPress sites download stuff, like images and content, or PHP plugins.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What also comes is, so SQL, MySQL, for some plugins Playground does not work yet, because they use very specific MySQL query, the union query, for instance. Select union and other commands like that. The SQLite doesn&#8217;t have those yet. And they are however working on it to replicate these kind of behavior of a database also with Playground. So to make it even more compatible with all the plugins that are out there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think they did a test of 10,000 plugins that are in the repo, and test every month kind of how many plugins don&#8217;t work with it yet. And they got it down from, I think 7% to 5%. So it&#8217;s always kind of progressing very well towards zero.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, there&#8217;s a lot of things going on in the background that the likes of you and I probably, you know, because we&#8217;re curious about it, we&#8217;ll probably know about, but maybe the average listener who&#8217;s not wedded to this subject maybe doesn&#8217;t. But that&#8217;s really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the intention is to get it so that more or less anything works in more or less any scenario. And really nicely putting it out there so that you can do things which aren&#8217;t bound to GPL, WordPressy kind of things, if you know what I mean. So, you know, you can use your commercial product over here, and you can use your GitHub repo over here. That&#8217;s really nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>My understanding is that when Adam began it, he was immediately repurposed. So Adam Zielinski, he was an, was, still is, I think, an Automattician. And I think that it was immediately understood, this is profound. Let&#8217;s get Adam on this full time. You know, it&#8217;s no longer a hobby project. But I also think that he&#8217;s got other people from Automattic involved. There&#8217;s like a little team around it now, pushing the development of that. Is that still the case? Is this a team which is growing, or stagnating at, well not stagnating, maintaining at a certain number?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:33] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Well, it&#8217;s growing in scope. So they&#8217;re also working, and that was a focus starting in last fall, that they&#8217;re working on using Playground for the Data Liberation Project. And that&#8217;s what Adam was doing also full-time now in the last few months. That he looks, okay, what kind of parser do we need to do really good data liberation from other systems, or from WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, because the import and export in WordPress only gets you so far, yeah. And there are some quirks in there, and they want to really have a perfect data liberation through Playground. They have a browser extension. It&#8217;s all beta right now. It&#8217;s not functioning yet. But it&#8217;s really coming along quite nicely.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So Data Liberation then is this very laudable project of being able to bring into WordPress, I guess data liberation on some levels is the whole point of open source really, isn&#8217;t it? Is that you can grab your data and just pick it up and take it somewhere else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:34] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Open content.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Right, yeah. It&#8217;s your content. This platform is no longer being used, or you&#8217;ve fallen out with it. You know, you no longer love it in the way that you did. You want to now move it here. And you&#8217;ll be able to, let&#8217;s say, go Joomla into WordPress, Drupal into WordPress, or as you said, WordPress into WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which suddenly kind of opens up the whole idea of migrating websites, which a real mess frankly. It&#8217;s a really difficult thing to do. And I often think that people are bound to products and services that they&#8217;re purchasing on a monthly basis because the migration process is so difficult. And they don&#8217;t want to be caught up in all of that because things can go wrong. You know, it might not work perfectly and there&#8217;s all the just carrying it out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you can essentially do migrations, and Playground is the sort of go between. It&#8217;s the bit which talks from, I don&#8217;t know, one hosting company to another. So it goes from hosting company A to Playground. Playground then serves it up to hosting company B, which is where you want to end up. And all of that happens through Playground. That&#8217;s remarkable. And you can do the inspecting in the middle bit, the middleware, Playground if you like. Check it&#8217;s all working before you deploy it. That&#8217;s amazingly powerful.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:41] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah. And that&#8217;s actually the vision of Playground&#8217;s part of Data Liberation. They also have a browser extension to kind of identify a non WordPress site, the various pieces like the pages, the posts, the news, the events, kind of the custom post types. And then kind of teach Playground what it all is. But that&#8217;s kind of, it&#8217;s very technical on one side, but it&#8217;s also, you need to have a total different concept about content management systems to actually make that. So that&#8217;s not really for a normal consumer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:13] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, because if you&#8217;re coming from Drupal and you&#8217;ve got like 1,000 different modules in there, you know, think plugins in the WordPress space. Then it&#8217;s going to be difficult to one-to-one map that over to WordPress. But the endeavor is to do a half decent job and in the middle you can step in and say, okay, this might need modifying, that might need modifying. And then you can go back to your Drupal install, change things a little bit, try again because it takes no time to do it. That is really a key, interesting part. You do kind of wonder actually if hosting companies in the future will just offer Playground in as part of their bundle, you know, their onboarding migrating bundle.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:47] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah. A lot of hosting companies have their own plugins for that. So I know that Pressable and SpinupWP, they all have their, or wordpress.com has their own plugin that they then connect with. I think it&#8217;s BlogVault most of the time. Pantheon, same, yeah. Where you can migrate in. But that part in the middle, that kind of always takes a long time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you are bound to the hosting company to actually offer that, yeah. And that&#8217;s not a cheap plugin. But if you go from one small hosting to one, another small hosting, you don&#8217;t have that luxury.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, and if you&#8217;re crossing platforms as well, say Joomla into WordPress and what have you. That&#8217;s also really different.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:25] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah. There are a few agencies who have built for their customer things, but it&#8217;s not open source and it&#8217;s, well, it&#8217;s open source, but it&#8217;s not meant for a huge amount of public to kind of use it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, I&#8217;d imagine that it&#8217;s fairly proprietary technology, isn&#8217;t it? It&#8217;s probably locked down because it&#8217;s the secret source of getting the Drupal installs into WordPress on their platform.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the things which Adam spoke about when we talked, I don&#8217;t know where we&#8217;re at with this, but I raised the question of the destructibility of it. So essentially when I spoke to Adam, when you launched Playground, you fiddle with it, played with it, the moment you click close on the browser tab everything went away. That&#8217;s how it was designed. But he said that at some point in the near future, and maybe that moment has already been passed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:09] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> It&#8217;s here.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:09] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, so now we&#8217;ve got a more permanent version. Tell us about that. Are there any constraints on that? Like, can I close the browser tab? Can I shut my computer down, for example? I mean, will it last forever? Could I even use it as a, I don&#8217;t know, as a temporary website in, let&#8217;s say I work in a school and I want an intranet for my staff or something, could for those kind of things?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:29] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Well, it cannot be, it doesn&#8217;t have a domain or something like that. So that wouldn&#8217;t work. But yes, you can save. You have two options to save the site that you&#8217;re working on, so you can come back tomorrow. One is in the browser. So it uses the local storage of the browser and really downloads the whole WordPress stuff there. And then you open up the browser again, you get the site again. You cannot load it from another computer because it&#8217;s a different browser.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the second option is to load it in your local file system. So you can, it downloads the whole thing, gives you a directory and that&#8217;s your website, and you can load it then back into Playground a day later, or a week later, or two months later, because it&#8217;s still on your computer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also have multiple sites now in one Playground instance. So you can say, okay, save this site, and then now I use another blueprint, load it again and it&#8217;s another temporary site. And you load it, you save it again, then you have a second website there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:29] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> A curious version of version control or something like that. You&#8217;ve added this plugin in, I&#8217;m going to save a new version marking that this plugin got added. Let&#8217;s see how that works. And then if it doesn&#8217;t work, we can roll back to the, just delete that one and go back to the previous one. Oh gosh. So essentially permanent. Locally permanent maybe is the better way to describe it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:50] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> And you need to think about the saving part. If you do a second site and you close it, a browser without the saving part, it&#8217;s going to go away. Yeah, it&#8217;s still ephemeral there. Which is also a good thing sometimes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:02] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But obviously as you said, you know, the point of hosting in the end is that, you know, it connects to a domain name, it goes through the DNS process and you you can see it online. No.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:10] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> No, not yet.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> This is not. Oh, not yet. I wonder.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:12] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> No, no, I don&#8217;t think that&#8217;s ever going to be. But what can be, soon hopefully is kind of pushing it to a hosting company. And that, I think it needs to be just finalised which hosting is going to be there. And the Playground team learns a lot from wordpress.com, because the new development, local development system that wordpress.com has, Studio, is based on Playground. They develop some of the features also for, that wordpress.com can use them in their Studio. And what was the bug fixes? Come to Playground.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That makes real sense though, for hosting companies to be clamoring all over this, to build a Playground import functionality. Because then developers all over the world, you know, maybe if in teams it might be a little bit more difficult, but you know, a solo developer, certainly at the moment, you&#8217;ve been working on something. You&#8217;ve got this perfect version of the site, you&#8217;ve got all the plugins that you want, you&#8217;ve set it up, it&#8217;s working on my machine. Now I go over to my hosting company of choice, click the import Playground button and there it is. Why wouldn&#8217;t the hosting companies offer that frankly, it just seems too straightforward.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:17] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Syncing up with the live site or there&#8217;s also a GitHub deployment there. It opens so many ideas, yeah. And when you ask Adam, well, if I think about this, and can you do that? He said, sure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Give a few weeks. I&#8217;ll add it to list of 1,000 things that people have already suggested.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:32] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, we need to develop that. Yeah, the ideas are there, the prototypes are there, the proof of concept is already done. Just a matter of resources now, yeah. I can for instance see one thing is, if you have a documentation and you need people to contribute to documentation, you load the documentation in Playground, you make the changes, and then you push it to GitHub as a pull request. And then somebody can review it, load it in their own Playground and approve it so the documentation could be updated.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something like that is already in use. That scenario, that&#8217;s in prototype. It&#8217;s not there yet, but we know that it can work, because some theme developers have that process. They&#8217;re not developers per se, that they go into the files. They load the theme into Playground, use the Create Block Theme plugin. Make the changes to the theme. Save it and create the block theme, so it&#8217;s in files. Then push it to GitHub as a pull request for this theme, and then have all the changes there. So that&#8217;s how a lot of designers work with their developers on the themes. They don&#8217;t have to touch any code, but it&#8217;s still all saved in code.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It&#8217;s just such an interesting beginning of everything. It does feel like we are at a moment where there&#8217;s just so many different roads that could be taken, and lots of people coming up with lots of different ideas.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just quickly circling back to the Studio thing that you mentioned. So Studio is a local development environment. You&#8217;re going to be downloading this as a software bundle for your Mac or your Windows machine or what have you. You&#8217;re saying that&#8217;s a wrapper for Playground, is it?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:13] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Exactly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:13] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But that&#8217;s immutably stored. That&#8217;s not dependent on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:17] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> No, it&#8217;s on your machine, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:19] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Right. So it&#8217;s going for the files on the machine approach as opposed to being stored in the browser. So if you download and make use of Studio, you can close that machine down, come back to it whenever you like, it&#8217;s there until you decide to delete it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:32] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Like any other local environment that you can, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, okay. And that&#8217;s available free you to download for anybody.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:38] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Free, open source.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:39] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay. Is there anything else you wanted to cover off, apart from the fact that we&#8217;ve both got ridiculously excited about this. Was there anything curious, interesting, quirky, novel that you&#8217;ve seen out there that we haven&#8217;t yet touched?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:50] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> No, not yet. But I&#8217;m starting now to kind of dream about it. And sooner or later I come up with something, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I would want and what I want to pursue is that I can have a Playground instance for writers. And I know writers who are not very keen on using the Block Editor, because it gets in the way. But the Block Editor has these settings where you can do distraction free, where you can do, put the toolbar on top, yeah, and hide it as long as I write, and just let me have when I&#8217;m not writing kind of thing, and log in and not have to go to the menu.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, if I&#8217;m a blogger, I have to log into WordPress, and then I need to look at post, new post. This would give you, start writing, and don&#8217;t have to worry about the rest of it. And then click a button and then your WordPress site is updated with it. That&#8217;s kind of what I&#8217;m working on. I don&#8217;t know if really helpful, but.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:44] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> No, that&#8217;s really great. I mean, one of the things that I always thought was curious about it would be the idea in education, for educators literally standing in front of pupils, children who, you know, depending on what the kind of curriculum they&#8217;ve got. It might be we&#8217;re doing about poetry. We want everybody to upload and modify a poem, or comment on a poem or something like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And here&#8217;s the link. You know, we&#8217;re in an environment where everybody&#8217;s, we&#8217;re in the computer lab, everybody&#8217;s got a computer. Just click on this link, scan the QR code, whatever it may be. Give us your modifications, what have you. And I know that&#8217;s a sort strange example, but it&#8217;s the fact that instantly, very, very inexperienced users are in the same exact interface as all the other experienced users. And the level of difficulty was clicking a link. You just needed to click a link.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the educator didn&#8217;t need a great deal of technology to set it up. The pupils needed zero technology to access it. And so it&#8217;s that one to many thing, where lots and lots of people can access the same thing in a heartbeat. And I&#8217;m imagining that the tooling to create the Playground installs, and to create the Blueprints is going to make it more and more easy in the future. So possibly not the perfect example, but I do like the example of one to many.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:56] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah. What I like about it is that it&#8217;s not about WordPress. It&#8217;s about poetry. It&#8217;s about writing. It&#8217;s about, well, even image uploading and editing, yeah. You could certainly do that. Technology gets out of the way. And for the last 25 years, that&#8217;s always been in the way, yeah, and now it&#8217;s out of the way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well, because the internet is basically a reading experience. I mean, I know we&#8217;ve got forms, but really all you&#8217;re doing is submitting a form so that somebody can read that. But you go to any website and largely websites, you know, if you&#8217;re going to some sort of SaaS app, that&#8217;s a different thing, it&#8217;s configured probably to be more interactive. But broadly speaking, you&#8217;re going to consume information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in this, you click a link and you&#8217;re reading information, but then you can do things with it. Oh, I think it would be better if there was an image there in that poem. Or, I don&#8217;t know, it&#8217;s an explanation of some principle of physics or something, and a diagram would be really useful at this point, and I don&#8217;t like the way they describe that, that could go in bold. And you are interacting with the internet. And it&#8217;s totally free, and it will be easy to deploy, and it&#8217;ll take seconds to load. And all of a sudden the internet became more interactive. And it&#8217;s just the beginning. It&#8217;s very exciting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:05] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Yeah, it is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:06] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Birgit Pauli-Haack, thank you very much for talking to me today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:09] <strong>Birgit Pauli-Haack:</strong> Thank you for leading me down the road of all the ideas here.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:13] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Thank you for explaining it.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/bph/\">Birgit Pauli-Haack</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Birgit is a long time WordPress user, an influential voice in the WordPress community. She’s known for her role as the curator at the Gutenberg Times and host of the Gutenberg Changelog podcast. And brings her wealth of experience as a Core contributor to WordPress as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>She joins me today for an in-person conversation, recorded at WordCamp Asia in the Philippines, and we’re discussing Playground, a remarkable development that&#8217;s set to redefine the WordPress development landscape.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playground allows users to launch a fully functional WordPress instance directly in their browser. Without the necessity of a server, database, or PHP, Playground breaks down barriers, offering developers, product owners, educators and everyone in between a new way to interact with WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore how this technology not only simplifies the testing and development process, but also sets the stage for more interactive and immediate web experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore the concept of Blueprints within Playground, tailored configurations that enable a bespoke user experience by preloading plugins, themes, and content. This feature helps developers to present their work in a controlled environment, offering users an insightful hands-on approach that can significantly enhance understanding and engagement, and it’s all available with just one click. It really does eliminate the traditional hurdles associated with installing WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you’re curious about how the WordPress Playground is set to usher in a new era of friction-free web development, 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://gutenbergtimes.com/\"> Gutenberg Times</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p> <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/podcast/gutenberg-changelog/\">Gutenberg Changelog podcast</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Podcast with <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/122-adam-zielinski-on-how-playground-is-transforming-wordpress-website-creation\">Adam Zielinski on How Playground Is Transforming WordPress Website Creation</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://playground.wordpress.net/\"> WordPress Playground</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/block-visibility/\"> Block Visibility plugin</a> by Nick Diego</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2024/05/15/the-blueprint-gallery-share-your-wordpress-creations-with-playground/\">Playground  Blueprints Gallery</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/\">WordPress Developer Blog > News</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/data-liberation/\"> Data Liberation Project</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://spinupwp.com/\"> SpinupWP</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://blogvault.net/\"> BlogVault</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://pantheon.io/\"> Pantheon</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.com/studio/\">WordPress  Studio</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/create-block-theme/\"> Create Block Theme plugin</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, 02 Apr 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:10;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:67:\"Do The Woo Community: The Web Agency Summit 2025 with Andrew Palmer\";s: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=93794\";s: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/the-web-agency-summit-2025-with-andrew-palmer/\";s: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:195:\"The Web Agency Summit is a free event from April 7-11, 2025, focusing on web development, offering insights into AI, SEO, and networking opportunities for professionals across platforms and CMSs.\";s: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, 02 Apr 2025 10:22:53 +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:11;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:64:\"Do The Woo Community: When It’s Time to Let Go of Your Podcast\";s: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=93347\";s: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:65:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/when-its-time-to-let-go-of-your-podcast/\";s: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:\"Podcasting can be challenging, requiring time and effort. After managing eight podcasts, I learned the importance of knowing when to let go, recognizing that not all ideas sustain long-term success.\";s: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, 02 Apr 2025 10:14:21 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:12;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:53:\"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.8 Release Candidate 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=18662\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/04/wordpress-6-8-release-candidate-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:8518:\"<p>The second Release Candidate (“RC2”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>.<strong> Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites.</strong> Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC2 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test WordPress 6.8 RC2 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-RC2.zip\"> RC2 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Command Line</strong></td><td>Use the following<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/cli/\"> WP-CLI</a> command: wp core update &#8211;version=6.8-RC2</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 RC2 WordPress Playground instance</a> (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.</td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<p>The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is <strong>April 15, 2025</strong>.&nbsp; 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 further details.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s in WordPress 6.8 RC2?</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\"> Beta 1 announcement</a>. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC1, you can browse the following 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=2025-03-26&until=2025-04-01\">GitHub commits for 6.8</a> since March 25</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?id=63175%2C62887%2C63193%2C61219&milestone=6.8&group=component&col=id&col=summary&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=status&col=priority&order=priority\">Closed Trac tickets</a> since March 25</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? These recent posts cover some of the latest updates:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\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\n\n\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/2025/03/25/updates-to-user-interface-components-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Updates to user-interface components in WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/interactivity-api-best-practices-in-6-8/\">Interactivity API best practices in 6.8</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</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How you can contribute</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get involved in testing</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable.&nbsp; It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\">&nbsp;This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8.&nbsp; For those new to testing, follow<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/handbook/get-setup-for-testing/\"> this general testing guide</a> for more details on getting set up.</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.&nbsp; 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?&nbsp; 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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Search for vulnerabilities</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update your theme or plugin</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases. With RC2, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the <em>“Tested up to”</em> version in your<a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/how-your-readme-txt-works/\"> plugin’s readme file</a> to 6.8.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/\"> support forum</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Help translate WordPress</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? मराठी? ಕನ್ನಡ?&nbsp; You can<a href=\"https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp/dev/\"> help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages</a>. This release milestone (RC2) also marks the<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/glossary/#hard-freeze\"> hard string freeze</a> point of the 6.8 release cycle.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An RC2 haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Testing, 1, 2, 3</em><br /><em>It’s almost April fifteenth</em><br /><em>Squashing all the bugs</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/michelleames/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>michelleames</a>, <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/tacoverdo/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>tacoverdo</a>, <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/jopdop30/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>jopdop30</a>, <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/vgnavada/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>vgnavada</a>.</em></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:53:20 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:19:\"Jonathan Desrosiers\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:13;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\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:59:\"Do The Woo Community: Host Adam Weeks Covers 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=93611\";s: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/host-adam-weeks-covers-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:321:\"Our host Adam Weeks was busy during CloudFest and the Hackathon. And on top of that he was making sure we had content to share while he enjoyed the event. So kudos to Adam and here are recaps of his episodes. Episode 621: Inspiring Innovation through Hackathons A peek into the CloudFest Hackathon with insights [&#8230;]\";s: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, 01 Apr 2025 10:30:00 +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:14;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:70:\"Do The Woo Community: Engaging Young People in the WordPress 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:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=88452\";s: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:74:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/engaging-young-people-in-the-wordpress-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:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:248:\"The WordPress community must engage younger generations by simplifying onboarding, providing education, promoting career opportunities, and fostering connections, ensuring sustainable contributions to the platform’s future development and 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:\"Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:10:00 +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:15;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:123:\"Gutenberg Times: Field Guide, No-Code Theme, Pattern Library, why you might not need a Custom Block — Weekend Edition 323\";s: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=38176\";s: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:127:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/\";s: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:18889:\"<p>Hi,</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spring is here. On the weekend I saw Forsythia bushes in full bloom all over the city. Yesterday, I passed the National Museum and saw their Magnolia trees blooming as well. The temperatures are still too low for my taste, but not for long. 🌤️</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"367\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Forsythia-2025-Nationalmuseum-web.jpg?resize=652%2C367&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38245\" />\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Isn&#8217;t this a WordPress newsletter&#8221;, you might think. I know, I know. Let&#8217;s get on with it, then. <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpe_diem\">Carpe diem!</a> 🤗</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have a fabulous weekend! </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p>PS: The links for mentioned people are now going to their Blue Sky profile, and if I couldn&#8217;t find them, it&#8217;s till their X (formerly known as Twitter) profile.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow us on Bluesky  <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/bph.social\">@bph.social</a> and <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/gutenbergtimes.com\">@gutenbergtimes.com</a><br /></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/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#the-latest-dev-notes-for-wordpress-6-8\">The latest Dev Notes for WordPress 6.8</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#gutenberg-20-6\">Gutenberg 20.6 </a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#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/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#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/field-guide-no-code-theme-pattern-library-why-you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-weekend-edition-323/#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<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://pagebuildersummit.com/\"><strong>Page Builder summit 2025</strong></a> is on the calendar now: <strong><a href=\"https://x.com/anchenlr\">Anchen le Roux</a></strong> and <strong><a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/nathanwrigley.com\">Nathan Wrigley</a></strong> announced the eighth edition of the virtual conference will take place from <strong>12th to 16th of May 2025</strong>. Save the date, and add your name to the Waitlist, to receive info, when registration opens. &#8220;The summit is a 5-day event that will help WordPress developers, designers, freelancers, and agencies to build better websites faster and more efficient. As well as learn more about the page builders and the awesome things you can do with them. &#8220;, they wrote.</p>\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://atarim.io/summit/\">Web Agency Summit</a></strong> 2025 will happen <strong>April 7-11, 2025.</strong> &#8220;Learn proven strategies top agencies are using today to scale sustainably, streamline operations, attract high-value clients, and stay ahead of the curve.&#8221;</p>\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://wordsesh.com/\">WordSesh</a></strong> returns <strong>May 13–15, 2025</strong>. It is a virtual conference for WordPress professionals. Its host, <strong><a href=\"http://indieweb.social/@rzen\">Brian Richards</a></strong>, is a seasoned virtual conference producer and WordPress educator. His speaker and session curation is top-notch. Sign up to receive updates on the next event.</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><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-release-candidate-1/\"><strong>WordPress 6.8 Release Candidate </strong></a>1 is now available for testing. Final release is scheduled for April 15, 2025</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can check out the post <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\"><strong>Help Test WordPress 6.8</strong></a> with detailed instructions and videos on selected features. </li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/28/wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\"><strong>Field Guide</strong></a> holds relevant information for developers about the new version.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/\"><strong>Source of Truth</strong></a> compliments with detailed information on block editor features for end users, plugin, and theme developers.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-latest-dev-notes-for-wordpress-6-8\">The latest Dev Notes for WordPress 6.8</h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/27/new-rest-api-filter-for-exposing-menus-publicly-in-wordpress-6-8/\">New REST API Filter for Exposing Menus Publicly in WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/accessibility-improvements-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 6.8</a>. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/miscellaneous-developer-changes-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Miscellaneous developer changes in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><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>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/miscellaneous-block-editor-changes-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Miscellaneous Block Editor Changes in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/interactivity-api-best-practices-in-6-8/\">Interactivity API best practices in 6.8</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li><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>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/20/changes-to-the-screen-reader-text-class-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Changes to the .screen-reader-text class in WordPress 6.8</a>&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gutenberg-20-6\">Gutenberg 20.6 </h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>George Mamadashvili</strong> released Gutenberg 20.6 RC 1 version, and it&#8217;s ready for testing. What to expect in this version? </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Table of contents block received a new option to control the level of heading included. <strong>(</strong><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69063\">69063</a><strong>)</strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Navigation block now sports a slider to control the transparency for submenu background. <strong>(</strong><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69063\">69063</a><strong>)</strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li>The RSS block now has an option to allow opening the links in a new tab and set the <code>rel</code> attribute. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69641\">69641</a>) </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n		\n			<div class=\"jetpack-videopress-player__wrapper\"> <div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div></div>\n			\n			\n		\n		</div>\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-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\">Gutenberg Changelog 116 – WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, Field Guide, Gutenberg 20.5 and 20.6</a> with special guest JC Palmes, WebDev Studios</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"184\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-05-at-12.27.14.png?resize=652%2C184&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39894\" />\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><strong>Wes Theron</strong> created a video tutorial to teach you <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOXDUp7NBIM\"><strong>How to Build a WordPress Theme the No-Code Way</strong></a>. He shows you where to update your colors, choose your fonts, modify the Single page template and then use the Create block Theme plugin to save all the settings into a new theme&#8217;s file structure. </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>In this short video on X (former Twitter), <strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> shows us <a href=\"https://x.com/pootlepress/status/1905537846922113289\"><strong>How to create a One-Pager website with WordPress</strong></a>, using the site editor,  core blocks and some custom CSS. </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/mahdiali_\"></a><strong><a href=\"https://x.com/mahdiali_\">MahdiAli Khanusiya</a>,</strong> is the designer behind the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/patternswp/\"><strong>PatternWP</strong></a> plugin that offers a big library of WordPress block patterns and full-page templates. Using it will instantly increase the range of designs and layout you can offer your customers, and streamline your production process. There is also a pro version available. </p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/patternswp/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"358\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PatternWP.jpg?resize=652%2C358&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38280\" /></a>\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>Latest six block themes in the WordPress repository: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/digital-marketing-freelancer/\">Digital Marketing Freelancer</a> by Themes Cart, their <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/author/themescart/\">seventh block theme</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/the-food-reviewer/\">The Food Reviewer</a> by Superb Addons, a child theme to another theme</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/ecommerce-gadget-store/\">Ecommerce Gadget Store</a> by WP Radiant, the latest of <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/author/wpradiant/page/2/?tag_slug__and%5B0%5D=full-site-editing\">49 block themes</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/fire-fighter/\">Fire Fighter</a> by Peter Williams of  Ovation Themes, the newest theme out of <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/author/pewilliams/?tag_slug__and%5B%5D=full-site-editing\">48 block themes</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/biz-flick/\">Biz Flick</a> by Themegrove, the latest of <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/author/themegrove/?tag_slug__and%5B%5D=full-site-editing\">39 block themes</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/digital-creator/\">Digital Creator</a> by wpOpus Dev, their fourth block theme in the repository. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/themes/tags/full-site-editing/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"389\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-12.35.25.png?resize=652%2C389&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38239\" /></a>\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>In his post <a href=\"https://kinsta.com/blog/extending-wp-core-blocks/\"><strong>How to extend core WordPress blocks with Blocks API</strong></a>, <strong>Joel Olawanle</strong>, technical editor at Kinsta, introduced you to the basic extension methods like Block Styles and Block Variations with code examples and multiple ways to accomplish the tasks. </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://bsky.app/profile/elpuas.bsky.social\"><strong>Alfredo Navas</strong></a>, web developer at WebDev Studios, wrote a tutorial on <a href=\"https://elpuas.com/blog/you-might-not-need-a-custom-block-the-block-bindings-api/\"><strong>how to use the Block Bindings API and why you might not need a Custom Block</strong></a>. Navas walks you through registering a Custom Source, how to create a Block Variation with custom data and making it all work in the editor and on the front end. <br /></p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In last week&#8217;s livestream, <strong><a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/ryanwelcher.com\">Ryan Welcher</a></strong> created <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xoi4HAiOOQ\"><strong>a new WordPress block theme for the Block Developer Cookbook</strong></a> and gave it a new look. You can watch him turning change his color scheme and turn his existing theme into a style variation. </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>Brian Coords</strong> found a way to create <strong><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAbcmjhw64s\">Dynamic WordPress Playground Blueprints with Cloudflare Workers</a></strong> and shared in his video how he built a system to spin up demo WooCommerce stores. <a href=\"https://github.com/bacoords/woocommerce-worker\">The code lives on GitHub</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<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\" />\";s: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, 29 Mar 2025 09:21:31 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:16;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:83:\"Do The Woo Community: Christian Taylor Joins as Co-Host of the Creative Sparks Show\";s: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=93581\";s: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:82:\"https://dothewoo.io/christian-taylor-joins-as-co-host-of-the-creative-sparks-show/\";s: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:96:\"BobWP announces new co-hosts for the Content Sparks show, video content expert Christian Taylor.\";s: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, 28 Mar 2025 11:40:15 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:17;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:\"Do The Woo Community: Do the Woo Friday Shares, March 28, 2025 v12\";s: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=93556\";s: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-28-2025/\";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:206:\"This content highlights our carefully selected information and resources from the Woo and WordPress community, aiming to provide valuable insights and updates for users and enthusiasts in the digital space.\";s: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, 28 Mar 2025 08:42:11 +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:18;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:94:\"Do The Woo Community: WordPress Flexibility and Simplicity: Building for Users with Ben Ritner\";s: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=93525\";s: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:92:\"https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-flexibility-and-simplicity-building-for-users-with-ben-ritner/\";s: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:384:\"In today&#8217;s Woo ProductChat, co-hosts Katie Keith, founder and CEO at Barn2, and James Kemp, the core product manager at WooCommerce, sit down with Ben Ritner, the Senior Director of Product at StellarWP. They dive into the intricate balance between customizability and simplicity in WordPress products, particularly focusing on Ben&#8217;s work with the Cadence suite. [&#8230;]\";s: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, 27 Mar 2025 16:39:33 +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:19;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:78:\"Do The Woo Community: Leveling Out the Audio on a Podcast with Multiple Guests\";s: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=93358\";s: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:82:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/leveling-out-the-audio-on-a-podcast-with-multiple-guests/\";s: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:252:\"Podcasting requires managing sound levels effectively, especially during livestreams. Auphonic, with its Loudness Normalization feature, simplifies post-production, ensuring balanced audio quality and saving valuable time for creators, plus a lot more.\";s: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, 27 Mar 2025 12:26:21 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:20;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:68:\"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 14.3.4, 12.5.3 &amp; 11.4.4 Security Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:32:\"https://buddypress.org/?p=336835\";s: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:81:\"https://buddypress.org/2025/03/buddypress-14-3-4-12-5-3-11-4-4-security-releases/\";s: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:2347:\"<p id=\"block-35e8c6a5-dc8c-4b4a-b459-aa739313f8ca\"><a href=\"https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.14.3.4.zip\">BuddyPress 14.3.4</a>, <a href=\"https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.12.5.3.zip\">BuddyPress 12.5.3</a>, and <a href=\"https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.11.4.4.zip\">BuddyPress 11.4.4</a> are all now available. This is a security release. Please update as soon as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-80a9aeaa-f502-4d3b-972e-0f6995994f31\">14.3.4, 12.5.3 &amp; 11.4.4 fixed two bugs:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-bb57f61f-d125-49f4-9fa1-955d2dab822f\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Restrict bulk notification management to owner. Many thanks to Brian Mungah for responsibly reporting the problem.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve security of status update messages. Many thanks to mikemyers for responsibly reporting the issue.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-d8121097-c1de-4e92-9710-1673a94d4c59\">For complete details, visit the&nbsp;<a href=\"https://codex.buddypress.org/releases/version-14-3-4/\">14.3.4 changelog</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"></div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background no-border-radius wp-element-button\" href=\"https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.14.3.4.zip\">Get BuddyPress 14.3.4</a></div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-spacer\"></div>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-aa9a1610-e591-4dea-966f-0de3f7ded87c\">You can get the latest version by clicking on the above button, downloading it from the&nbsp;<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress/\">WordPress.org plugin directory</a>&nbsp;or checking it out from our&nbsp;<a href=\"https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/browser/branches/14.0\">Subversion repository.</a></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-8935e1e5-ef63-42ee-8c08-67fad827159a\">Many thanks to our 14.3.4 contributors&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a8b36bfc-7855-4e99-ba54-508a3776b715\"><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/emaralive\">emaralive</a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/jjj/\">jjj</a>, and <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/dcavins/\">dcavins</a>.</p>\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:\"Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:22:26 +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:\"David Cavins\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\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:80:\"WPTavern: #162 – Jo Minney on Website Usability Testing for WordPress Projects\";s: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=193251\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:94:\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/162-jo-minney-on-website-usability-testing-for-wordpress-projects\";s: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:54757:\"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, the efficacy of website usability testing for WordPress projects.</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>Today I bring you the first in a mini series of podcasts I recorded in person at WordCamp Asia in Manila. This flagship WordPress event brought together hundreds of WordPress professionals, enthusiasts, and all manner of interested parties under one roof for a three day event. One contributor day, and two days of presentations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I tracked down several of the speakers and workshop organizers and recorded them speaking about the subject they were presenting upon. I hope that you enjoy what they had to say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today, we have the first of those conversations, and it&#8217;s with Jo Minney.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jo based in Perth, Australia, is passionate about user experience, data-driven decision making, cats, pockets, and travel. She&#8217;s a small business founder, and works with organizations creating digital platforms with WordPress. She also freelances as a UX consultant. She volunteers with Mission Digital to address social issues using technology, and is an ambassador for She Codes Australia, promoting tech accessibility for women. Recognized as a 2023 Shining Star by Women in Technology, Western Australia, Jo is an international speaker on topics like user experience, accessibility, and gender equality. She&#8217;s committed to ensuring a seamless user experience, and today shares her insights from practical, everyday usability testing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Joe&#8217;s presentation entitled, Budget Friendly Usability Testing for WordPress, helped attendees understand what usability testing is, and clarified why it differs from other testing methods. She shares examples from her work showing how small changes can significantly impact user experience, which is better for you, the website builder, and your client, the website owner.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discuss how usability testing can transform a website&#8217;s effectiveness by improving conversions. Joe explains the importance of recruiting novice users for testing, and highlights how usability testing pushes for real, user-centered, improvements.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the end, Jo share&#8217;s practical advice on when and how to integrate usability testing into your process. Advocating for early and iterative testing to preemptively address potential issues.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking to gain a deeper understanding of usability testing and its benefits, 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 Jo Minney.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by Jo Minney. Hello, Jo.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:06] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Hi. It&#8217;s good to be back again Nathan.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, you&#8217;ve been on the podcast before. But this time it&#8217;s different because this time we&#8217;re actually facing each other. Last time we were doing it on, you know, something like Zoom or something like that, but here we are staring at each other because we&#8217;re at WordCamp Asia. We&#8217;re in the Philippines, Manila. It is the second day of the event, kind of. We had Contributor Day yesterday. Today is presentation day. It&#8217;s the first day of the presentations, and you are doing one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:29] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> I&#8217;ve done one actually. I did it at 11 o&#8217;clock this morning.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> How did it go?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:34] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> It went really well, I think. I had very good feedback from it. Half of the things on my slides didn&#8217;t work. I think that&#8217;s normal for a conference though, and I&#8217;m pretty experienced now at just winging it, and rolling with it anyway, so. It was really exciting because it&#8217;s a topic that I&#8217;m super passionate about and I haven&#8217;t had a chance to speak about it at a conference before. So, yeah, it was really nice to be able to share something that I do on a day-to-day basis and can stand up there and really confidently talk about.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ve ever spoken about this subject before in any of the podcasts that I&#8217;ve done. That is quite nice, and it&#8217;s novel. I&#8217;ll just introduce the topic. The presentation that you gave was called Budget-Friendly Usability Testing for WordPress. And obviously that sort of sums it up. We&#8217;re going to talk about usability testing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But before we do that, Jo, just to nail your colours to the mast a bit, tell us about you. Where you&#8217;re from. What you do for a job, and anything that you think is relevant to this podcast.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:22] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Okay, I really like cats and pockets.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I saw that in your show notes. Why pockets?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:27] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Okay. So I think pockets are a great example of something that can be both a fantastic and a terrible user experience. You are like, oh yeah, maybe I know what you&#8217;re talking about. But, let me ask, do you live with a woman?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:39] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:39] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> I know that&#8217;s a very personal question, sorry Nathan. But, how many times on average a month does she complain about not having pockets in her clothing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Never, she carries a bag.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:50] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, but why do we have to carry a bag, right? She has to carry a bag because her clothing doesn&#8217;t have pockets. So I spoke at a conference late last year, and I asked this question. This has been a life goal of mine, was to speak about pockets at a conference. And I managed to do it. I asked all of the women in the audience, hands up if you&#8217;ve ever thrown out clothes or gotten rid of them because they didn&#8217;t have pockets in? And every single woman stood up and was like, yes, I&#8217;ve gotten rid of clothes because they didn&#8217;t have pockets in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the people that were there were men. And I said, stand up if you don&#8217;t have pockets in your clothes right now. And 400 men stayed seated. But this is an example of something where, yes, there&#8217;s a subsection of the population that&#8217;s experiencing this problem, but it&#8217;s a big problem for us. It&#8217;s very frustrating. You&#8217;re at a conference, you don&#8217;t want to have to carry around a handbag. So, pockets. They&#8217;re a great example of user experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, I get it. I understand now. Tell us a little bit about your sort of day-to-day work, though. You work with WordPress, I guess.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:51] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> I do. So I run a small agency. We&#8217;re what I usually call a micro agency, and we have only three of us that are working on the WordPress team. We do website development, but specifically for charities, nonprofits, cause-based organisations, so a lot of social enterprises and that sort of thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, I also do consulting for user experience research. I&#8217;m not a designer. UX and UI often get lumped together. They&#8217;re very different. UI is about the interface and what people see, and UX is about user experience and how people use things. And they can&#8217;t be completely separated, but they&#8217;re also very different.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I am lucky because I work in the niche that I work in, that I&#8217;m able to do a lot of usability testing and it&#8217;s something that a lot of people don&#8217;t get the experience to do. And so I thought I would share what I&#8217;ve been able to learn over having this sort of unique opportunity to do so much usability testing, and share with people how they can do it more cost effectively, but also the benefit that it can have for a project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:54] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Let&#8217;s dig into it and I&#8217;m going to actually crib the questions which you posed to the audience today. You put four questions surrounding your subject. And the first one is this. And I&#8217;m sure that the listeners to this podcast, if they&#8217;re anything like me, they&#8217;ll probably have some impression that usability testing is a thing that you could do. And I think the word there is could, as opposed to do, do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I imagine most people have an impression of what it is, but whether or not they do it is another thing altogether. But that would then lead to this. What even is it? So what is usability testing, and what are you actually testing for? So that was a question you posed to the audience and now I&#8217;m throwing it right back at you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:34] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s a good question. It&#8217;s probably the sensible place to start. So usability testing is not the same as user testing, or user acceptance testing. And it&#8217;s focusing on, how do we identify what the problems are with something that we have created?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So a lot of UX research is focused on what we call quantitative testing. So, meaning we&#8217;re looking for quantities of something. It could be the amount of time it takes someone to do an action. It could be using heat maps. So we have a thousand users, let&#8217;s see where their cursors most often are going. Let&#8217;s see how often they scroll down the page. And quantitative testing is really good at showing you comparisons of whether one thing or another thing works better, but it&#8217;s not actually good at identifying what the problem is, only that there is a problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can do a lot of testing and still not know what the problem is. Usability testing is different because it&#8217;s what we call qualitative testing. So it means that we&#8217;re not looking for big numbers, we&#8217;re not looking for lots of data. We are looking for really deep user experience examples. And in a nutshell, the way that that works is you recruit some participants, usually five people per round is ideal. And often I get asked, well, how can you have statistically significant data with only five people? That&#8217;s not the point of qualitative testing. The point of qualitative testing is not to have statistically relevant data, it&#8217;s to have the actual user experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you recruit your people, you come up with your research questions and that&#8217;s the problem that you&#8217;re trying to solve or the question you&#8217;re trying to get an answer to. So, an example might be, are users going to recognise this label that I&#8217;ve used in my navigation? Is this button going to get clicked if I put it in this location? It&#8217;s often a thing that, if you&#8217;re working with a customer to develop a website for them, what we find is that often the things that we are testing for in usability testing are things that the customer and I disagree on, or things where they weren&#8217;t sure when they made the decision in the first place. And they&#8217;re a great example of things that you want to test for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the research questions are only the first part because if I say, the example I used in my talk today is that we had a support service directory. And this was for people who are experiencing family domestic violence. And they didn&#8217;t want to use the term directory because it&#8217;s a very harsh term. So they had called it support services, which sounds, on the surface like a good idea, but a lot of the people that are using their platform are not English first language. And they also tend to be in a really stressed out state as you can imagine.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so what we actually found is that when we said to them, can you imagine you&#8217;re helping someone, can you help them find a legal service that will enable them to get a restraining order or something like this? What we found is that repeatedly they didn&#8217;t go to support services to start with. The minute we changed that to service directory, they started to find the thing that we wanted them to click on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s such a small change, but it made a huge impact, the usability. Now, we found that out after the second test, which meant that we were able to change it after the second test, and then we had three more tests where we could show that every time they were able to find the thing that we wanted them to be looking for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So this is an example where the research question and the research task or the activity that we&#8217;re giving to the user, they&#8217;re not the same thing. If we said to them, find support services, find the service directory, if we use that language, obviously they&#8217;re going to look for that label. But instead we asked them to do an activity that would hopefully take them to the place we wanted them to go to.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then finally the last step is to iterate that and to actually take that data and make decisions, and make improvements to the project iteratively to try and make it better. That&#8217;s the goal, right? Is to find what the problems are and fix them. So we still have to work out how to fix them, but at least we know what the problems are and not just that people were not clicking on the button and we don&#8217;t know why.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:27] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I have a couple of follow up questions. First thing isn&#8217;t the question, it&#8217;s an observation. So that&#8217;s really cleared up in my head what it is, so that&#8217;s amazing. But one of the things that I want to know from that is, do you filter out people who, let&#8217;s say for example, you&#8217;ve got a website, the kind that you just described. Do you filter out people who are not the target audience? So in other words, I don&#8217;t know, maybe that&#8217;s not a perfect example. But let&#8217;s say, on some websites, would it be better to have really inexperienced users of the internet as your five candidates?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:59] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> That is exactly the ideal person.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:02] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So people who are just, I&#8217;ve never come across this before. You want people who are potentially bound to be confused. If somebody&#8217;s going to be confused, it&#8217;s you five.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:10] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> That is the ideal participant for a usability study. And often people say, I want to start learning how to do usability testing. Where should I start? And my advice to them is always the same, with your mum.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recruit a person that&#8217;s a generation older than you, because I can guarantee that in most cases, sorry to generalise, but they tend to be less efficient and less used to technology because they haven&#8217;t grown up with it. So for millennials and younger, we have had technology for all of our adult lives and most of our childhood.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For my parents&#8217; generation, they have had to learn that technology as an adult, and so their brains have a different mental model, and they don&#8217;t take for granted things that we take for granted. Like, when I click the logo, it will take me back to the homepage. I know that, you know that, your mum might not know that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think that is something that is really valuable is to understand the benefit of testing with people who aren&#8217;t as experienced with technology. Who don&#8217;t speak English as a first language. Who are experiencing some kind of accessibility challenge. Whether that&#8217;s using assistive technology, being colorblind. Things like that are really good things to try and get some cross-sectional representation in your testing participant pool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So the idea then is that you&#8217;ve got these novice users who hopefully will immediately illustrate the point. And it&#8217;s driven by questions. So it&#8217;s not just, we are just going to stand over your shoulder and watch you browse the internet, and when you do something and describe, you&#8217;re looking for something and you can&#8217;t find it, that&#8217;s not how it&#8217;s done.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s more, okay, here&#8217;s a defined task, do this thing and we&#8217;re going to ask you to do five things today, we want you to achieve them all and describe what you&#8217;re doing, but it&#8217;s more of that process.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then the idea is that you go from an imperfect website, slowly over time, iterating one problem after another towards a better website. The goal is never reached. It&#8217;s just an iterative process.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:01] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> That&#8217;s it. Perfection does not exist.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:03] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, so that&#8217;s interesting. So we start with the novice. We&#8217;ve got a small cohort of people. We ask them specific questions, and we get feedback about those specific questions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the other thing that I wanted to ask then is, when do you do it? Because it feels like you need to build the website first, then show it to people. So there&#8217;s got to be something. This isn&#8217;t process of discovery prior to the website. You need pixels on pages. Buttons that are potentially mislabeled or what have you. Is that the case? Build first, then usability test afterwards. There&#8217;s no usability testing prior to the initial build.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:37] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> It&#8217;s kind of a trick question because you can usability test at most stages. Probably the only stage you can&#8217;t usability test at is when you don&#8217;t yet have a site map. Having said that, my recommendation is, assuming you had unlimited budget and unlimited time, I would do at minimum two rounds of usability testing, and I would do one before you have any design, and I would do it just using wire frames.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we build interactive wire frames using WordPress. So for the demo that I did today, I spun one up. I used InstaWP. You can get like a seven day website or something through there. It took me 42 minutes to build out the website in just the block editor, with no design or anything, just the layout of it. And I was eating a loaded potato at the time. So if I can do that in 42 minutes, eating a loaded potato, and that&#8217;s not my job, I think it&#8217;s a pretty efficient and cost effective way of being able to do early usability testing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And often the thing that we&#8217;re testing for there is like, have I got the right navigation structure and hierarchy? Are the labels that I&#8217;m using sensible for people? Do they fit with the mental models of what our users are actually expecting? And the benefit of doing it that early is that when you don&#8217;t have a design applied, it&#8217;s a lot easier to identify problems.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because there is a thing that happens in human psychology, and there&#8217;s a lot of psychology in user experience. And there&#8217;s a thing that happens where if something&#8217;s pretty, we will say that it is easier to use. Our experience is that it&#8217;s easier to use because it&#8217;s nice to look at. And that&#8217;s great. That means that UI is really important, but it also means that, if you have a really nice UI, it can mask problems that you have in the background. It is great that things can be easier if they&#8217;re pretty, but imagine how much easier they would be if they worked well and were pretty, that&#8217;s what we should be aiming for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So typically we would do one round of usability testing when we just have a framework and just have the navigation. When someone lands on a page, sometimes we&#8217;ll just write a message on there and say, congratulations, you found the service directory where you can find this thing, this thing, this thing, this thing, and then we put a little button there. When they click it, it releases confetti on the page. So they get a dopamine hit and it&#8217;s like, yay, I completed the activity. You don&#8217;t have to have all of your content in place to be able to do testing, and identify early that you&#8217;ve got problems that you need to fix.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:02] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It sounds almost like an overly complicated design is the enemy of usability. We are drawn towards beautiful, but sometimes maybe beautiful just is overwhelming. You know, there&#8217;s lots of colors on the page, the buttons get hidden, there&#8217;s just too much text on there. Looks great, but it might be sort of masking the thing that you&#8217;re really trying to show. And it feels like there&#8217;s this tight rope act of trying to balance one thing against the other. Yeah, that&#8217;s really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, with the wire frame thing, in that case, you are really just testing, can the person find the thing? But I&#8217;m guessing once you&#8217;ve move beyond the wire frame stage and you&#8217;ve got a website, it&#8217;s literally out on the internet, it&#8217;s functional. It&#8217;s exactly what we hope would be the perfect version, then you&#8217;re drilling into more detail. You know, can a person find this resource? Do they know that this button is what we are intending them to click? Those kind of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:49] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah. So I think things like searchability and discoverability are much easier to test for in the early stages when you&#8217;re just doing, say, using like a wire frame or a prototype. And things like usability, you really do need to have the complete designed product to be able to test for them well. And I say that, there&#8217;s actually kind of four categories of the different types of tasks that we can do. I&#8217;ll give you the link to the blog post that I wrote that has all of this in detail because we do not have time to go deep into that today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But things like, does my search form work the way that I want it to? They&#8217;re the sorts of things that you do have to do some development to be able to get them working. So it&#8217;s not always practical to do that at the very early stages when you do want to start testing your navigation and stuff like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something that you can do is if you&#8217;ve only got enough budget, or enough time, to be able to do, say, five usability tests total, you could do two of them early, and then you could do three of them towards the end, after you have the majority of the design and the development work in place. Users are pretty forgiving when they&#8217;re doing a usability test. If you say, this is still a work in progress, there might be a couple of pages that look odd and aren&#8217;t quite ready to go live yet. If you get somewhere and you&#8217;re not sure, you can just go back, it&#8217;s okay.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not meant to be a perfect experience. The point is that you are getting their real time thoughts and feedback as they&#8217;re doing it. So it&#8217;s really important that you try and encourage them to follow the think aloud protocol, which is really outlining every single thing that goes through they&#8217;re head, just brain dump on me please. Like, I just want to hear all of your thoughts and thought processes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the only thing as the facilitator that I will say during a usability test is, tell me what you&#8217;re thinking. And other than that, I am completely silent. So even when it comes to giving them the activity, so if I&#8217;m asking you to do an activity like help somebody find a legal service that they can use in this particular state. I would actually send that task to you via the chat or something like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I would send the task to you via the chat, and then I would get you to read that task back to me, because I don&#8217;t want you to be thinking about how I&#8217;m saying it. I want you to be able to go back to that task and look at it, and think about it, and process everything inside your own head. But I want you to be telling me all of that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So often we&#8217;ll find people ask questions during that, like, what should I do next? And the answer to that is really hard to train yourself out of replying to them with anything other than, what would you do if I wasn&#8217;t here? And I think that&#8217;s the hardest thing about learning to facilitate a usability test.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, and in a sort of an ideal scenario, you wouldn&#8217;t even be in the room. But in some strange way, you&#8217;d be able to just get into their head and say, okay, now I want you to do this, but every time you&#8217;ve got problem, just figure figure it out, and we&#8217;ll watch. But you have to be there because you have to be able to listen to what they&#8217;re saying and what have you. Yeah, that&#8217;s curious.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:40] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, and we do, at the end of each activity, we&#8217;ll then ask them for feedback on how they found it. If they had any suggestions or things that they didn&#8217;t say out loud while they were doing it that they wanted to share with us. How confident were they with the activity, and did they think that they were successful in it, which is a really good way of telling, I wasn&#8217;t really sure what the activity was meant to do. Or I wasn&#8217;t really sure if what I found really met the needs that I was looking for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then we ask them, how certain are you with the answer that you just gave? And if they&#8217;re like, three out of five, you&#8217;re like, alright, this person didn&#8217;t understand what it was that I was asking them to do in the first place. Maybe the problem is actually with my question and not with the website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, so the whole process is, you&#8217;re not just asking for feedback about the website, there&#8217;s a whole process of asking for feedback about the process as well which is, that&#8217;s kind of curious. Meta, meta processing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:27] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Very meta, for sure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:29] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We&#8217;re in an industry where at the moment everything is trying to be automated.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:32] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Is this the AI question?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:34] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well, no, this feels like it&#8217;s a very human thing. You need actual bodies on the ground. So it&#8217;s really a question of economics. Because I&#8217;m wondering if this often turns out to be a fairly expensive process. And because of that, I wonder if people push against it, because the budgets may not be there. If this is something that clients typically would say, well, okay, tell me how much that&#8217;s going to cost. It&#8217;s a nice idea but, okay, it&#8217;s going to cost us X thousand dollars because we&#8217;ve got to put five people in a room and we&#8217;ve got to pay for your time to moderate the event, and come up with the questions and so on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do we manage that in an era of automation where everything is, the dollar cost of everything has got to be driven down. This feels like the dollar cost is going up because there&#8217;s humans involved.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:14] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s a great question. Have you ever run a Google ad before?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:17] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It&#8217;s expensive.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:18] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> It&#8217;s very expensive. It&#8217;s very expensive to get a new lead. It&#8217;s a lot more cost effective to convert a lead than it is to get a new one. And the point of usability testing is to improve conversion of people being able to do the thing that you want them to do on the website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So my first answer to that would be, look at the cost benefit analysis. It&#8217;s worth it in most cases to do usability testing. Something that we&#8217;ve found with positioning of usability testing is that if we offer it as an add-on, then people don&#8217;t want to do it because they don&#8217;t want to pay for it. They see the value in it necessarily. However, we don&#8217;t offer it as an add-on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We actually have it just as part of our proposal right from the start where we&#8217;re like, this is part of the point of difference between what you get when you build with us versus when you build with someone else. They&#8217;ll tell you what they think is the best way to do something. If we are unsure about the best way to do something or we disagree on it, it&#8217;s not going to ultimately be me making a decision or you making a decision. We&#8217;re going to test and we&#8217;re going to get real evidence from customers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And they&#8217;re the ones that are going to be developing it so you know that the final result that you get is going to be the best possible version of the website. And often we might be more expensive than our competitors, but people will go with us because we are not competing on price. We&#8217;re competing on offering a service that nobody else is offering. I asked today in the presentation who has done usability testing before and not a single person put their hand up.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:42] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That would&#8217;ve been my assumption actually.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:44] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah. And honestly, I don&#8217;t think any of the people that we&#8217;re competing against in the industry that I&#8217;m in are doing the same thing as what we&#8217;re doing. And so it is very much a point of difference. I think it&#8217;s not a well understood technique, but it&#8217;s so valuable that it is a really easy way to position yourself as being different, and really actually do a better job for your customers, for the people that you&#8217;re building websites for. Because ultimately you are going to have a better result at the end of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> The interesting thing there is, when I say usability testing, somehow in my head there is a connection between that and accessibility. And that&#8217;s not where I&#8217;m going with this question, but there&#8217;s just something about it being unnecessary. And I&#8217;m not binding that to the word accessibility. What I&#8217;m saying is clients often think, I don&#8217;t need to do that. Obviously, we&#8217;re moving into an era where legislation says otherwise. But I can just leave it over there. I don&#8217;t need to worry about that, usability testing, not for me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the lever that you&#8217;ve just pulled, it completely changes the dynamic because you&#8217;ve pulled an economic lever, which is that if we can get everybody to follow this action, I don&#8217;t know, fill up the cart with widgets and then press the buy now button, and go through the checkout process. If that&#8217;s the thing that you&#8217;re usability testing, you&#8217;ve made direct line. You&#8217;ve joined up the dots of, okay, user, money.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it&#8217;s not just about it being a better website so that people can browse around it all day. It&#8217;s also about connecting the economics of it. So the usability is about people buying, converting, getting the resource. And so there might not be an economic transfer there, but it will be some benefit to your business. There might be downloading that valuable PDF that you want everybody to see or whatever.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So that&#8217;s kind of interesting. That&#8217;s changed my thoughts about it a little bit. And it is more about that. It&#8217;s getting an understanding of what you want out the website, getting an understanding of what you think should be happening is actually possible and happening. Have I sort of summed that up about right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:40] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, I think that&#8217;s a really good summary it. I think the only thing I would add there is that a lot of the times the conversation around accessibility and the conversation around usability do have a lot of crossover. They are fundamentally different, but one of my favorite examples is actually something that I think applies to both.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So two of the common problems that we find very early on in design is often to do with colour. And so one of them is colour contrast and the other one is colourblind accessibility. And I think it&#8217;s a great way to get people to change their thinking, and their perception of the way we have these conversations is, if you have an e-commerce website, Nathan, what would you say if I said to you, I can instantly get you 8% more customers?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, I&#8217;d say that&#8217;s great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:24] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> And I&#8217;d be like, cool, change your buttons so that colourblind people can read them, because 8% of men are colourblind. So actually it&#8217;s only 4% of people because assuming half of them are men, then you&#8217;ve actually only got 4%. But still 8% of men are colourblind, that&#8217;s a big percentage of the population. So if your button is red and green, then you&#8217;re going to have a problem. People are not going to be able to find the thing that you want them to click to give you their money.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, if you want people to be able to use your website when they&#8217;re outside and using their phone in sunlight, then you need to have good colour contrast on your website. So often this conversation is around, well, I don&#8217;t have people who are disabled, I&#8217;m not trying to cater to people that are using screen readers. It doesn&#8217;t matter because not very many people that are using my website are blind. And I&#8217;m like, well, I&#8217;m not blind but I still struggle when I&#8217;m looking at something where the text is too faint, and I&#8217;m looking at it on my phone, and I&#8217;m standing outside in the sun because we naturally don&#8217;t visualise as much contrast there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I think being able to position it in a way where people can see the value to themselves. I want to use a website that has better contrast, and so it makes that conversation easier with a customer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I hadn&#8217;t really drawn the line between accessibility and usability, but it seems like they&#8217;re partner topics, basically. There&#8217;s like a Venn diagram, accessibility over here, usability over here, with a massive overlap somewhere in the middle.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:43] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> A hundred percent. That&#8217;s why we always encourage having that sort of intersection between accessibility and usability in our testing pool. So we always try and have one person who experiences some kind of accessibility challenge, whether that&#8217;s being colourblind, hearing impaired, if we&#8217;ve got a lot of video on the site, for example. And I think that it can be a really valuable way of collecting multiple data points at one time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> When you have a client that comes to you and they&#8217;ve obviously, by the time that they&#8217;ve signed the contract with you, usability is already part of the deal it sounds like. How do you decide, what&#8217;s the thing in round one that we&#8217;re going to pick up on? Is there sort of like a copy book that you go through? Is it like, I don&#8217;t know, buttons or the checkout or colour or? Where do you go first? And sort of attached to that question a little bit, this process never ends, right? In theory, you could do usability testing each month. But I was wondering if you did it like on an annual cycle or something, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:34] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> If you&#8217;re not changing stuff super often, I would say, there&#8217;s probably more cost effective ways that you can collect information about it. Typically we encourage, long-term, have things like heat maps and stuff like that. They will help you identify if there is a problem. If you know that there is a problem, let&#8217;s say you&#8217;ve got a heat map and you&#8217;re like, why is nobody clicking on our buy now link? That is a good instance of where you would do some usability testing to figure out what the problem is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if everything&#8217;s working and you&#8217;re getting conversions, then probably doing usability testing isn&#8217;t the most valuable thing that you can do. If you&#8217;re looking at making significant changes to the way that your website works, that&#8217;s another good time to introduce a round of usability testing. So we don&#8217;t do it just for the sake of doing it. We do it because we need to do it, and because there&#8217;s value in it for our customers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Do you keep an eye on your customer&#8217;s websites so that you can sort of get ahead of that, if you know what I mean? So let&#8217;s say that you put heat maps in, very often that would then get handed over to the client and it&#8217;s somebody in the client&#8217;s company&#8217;s job is to check the heat maps. Or do you keep an eye on that and, oh look, curiously, we&#8217;ve seen over the last 12 months, yeah, look at that. There&#8217;s not much going on over at that very important button over there. Let&#8217;s go back to the client and discuss that. That could be another round of usability testing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:44] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, so I think we&#8217;re not uncommonly, a lot of agencies now do have some kind of retainer program where they will maintain communication and assistance for their clients. So we call them care plans. I know everyone has a different name for it. I think it&#8217;s pretty standard now in the WordPress ecosystem. It&#8217;s a very common thing to do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of our care plans we have scheduled meeting with our clients once every three months or six months or 12 months, depending on how big the site is. And one of the things that we&#8217;ll do at that time is review their analytics, review the heat maps, that sort of thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask them, have they experienced any problems? Have they noticed a downturn in the people signing up for the memberships? Or have they noticed, have they had any complaints from people about something? Is there anything that they&#8217;re not sure about? Are they going to be changing the way that they operate soon, and introducing something new into their navigation that we need to consider where does that fit in the grand scheme of things?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I find if we&#8217;re having those conversations early and we are the ones starting those conversations, then often we are coming to them with solutions instead of them coming to us with problems.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s the key bit, isn&#8217;t it? If you can prove to be the partner that comes with, we&#8217;ve got this intuition that there&#8217;s something that we can explore here. You are proactive, you&#8217;re going to them not, okay, anything you want? Is there anything we can help you with, you know? And the answer to that is always, not really.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas if you go and say, look, we&#8217;ve got this idea, based upon some data that we&#8217;ve seen, we&#8217;ve got heat maps and what have you, shall we explore that further? That seems much more credible. You are far likely, I think to have an economic wheel which keeps spinning if you adopt that approach, as opposed to the is there anything you want doing, kind of approach?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:18] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Absolutely. I think every developer&#8217;s worst nightmare is having a customer come back to them and say, I&#8217;ve just noticed that I haven&#8217;t had anyone send through anything in my contact form for the last three weeks. And I&#8217;ve just noticed, when I went and tested it, that the contact form&#8217;s not working anymore.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m sure I&#8217;ve had that nightmare at least once. And I think if you can avoid being in that situation where they&#8217;re coming to you with something like, oh my God, it&#8217;s broken, how do I fix it? If instead you can go to them and be proactive about it and just kind of keep your finger on the pulse.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, there&#8217;s a little bit of ongoing work, but like honestly, I jump on, I check all of the analytics maybe once every three months for my clients. I set aside one day to do it. Go and have a look through that. If I notice anything, I can usually fix it, make sure that we&#8217;re collecting the data again before it becomes a problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then that way when there is an issue, we&#8217;ve got data that we can back up and we can start from there and go, okay, yes, we&#8217;ve identified, here&#8217;s where we need to do more research. And then we can apply something like usability testing to that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> How much of your time on a monthly basis, let&#8217;s say as a percentage, do you spend on usability of existing clients? Is this something that is a lot of the work that you do? What I&#8217;m trying to figure out here is, for people listening, is this something that they can turn into a real engine of their business?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you might get two days, three days work a week just on the usability of pre-existing clients. So in a sense, you&#8217;ve created interest and work out of thin air, because these clients already exist, they&#8217;re in your roster, but there&#8217;s a whole new thing that we can offer to them. So, how much do you spend doing it?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:50] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, so it&#8217;s a great question. I would say it&#8217;s cyclical. I couldn&#8217;t really say like, I always spend this much amount of time. There might be entire weeks that go by where my whole life is usability testing, and there might be a month that goes by where I don&#8217;t do any. And it really does often depend on where our projects are in the life cycle at any particular time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we&#8217;re often working on projects that will span over years. And because of that, they might introduce a completely new part of their project. And that&#8217;s a good time to reintroduce that usability testing. As I said, like you don&#8217;t really want to do it just for the sake of doing it, but at the same time, if you can show that there will be value in making a change, if you can show that there is a lost opportunity somewhere, then a hundred percent you can sell that, the value to them of, hey, you could spend $1,000 now, but you could be earning $5,000 more every month for the next several years. That&#8217;s a no-brainer, right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>People are happy to make investment if they can see that there&#8217;s going to be a cost benefit for them in the future. Or if the thing that they&#8217;re trying to do is maybe their government website or something, and they&#8217;ve got a particular thing that they need to meet, they&#8217;ve got KPIs. If you can show that you are able to help them meet those KPIs, then they are going to invest in doing that thing that you&#8217;re trying to offer them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:02] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We talked about the Venn diagram of accessibility and usability, and the fact that there&#8217;s a lot of an overlap. In the year 2025, this is a year where, in Europe at least anyway, accessibility, the legal cogs are turning and the screw is getting tighter. So accessibility is becoming mandated in many respects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I was wondering about that, whether there was any kind of overlap in legislation on the usability side. The accessibility piece is obviously easier to sort of define in many ways, and it&#8217;s going to become less optional. But I was wondering if there was any usability legal requirements. I don&#8217;t know quite how that would be encapsulated.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:41] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Sort of. An example that comes to mind is that there are a lot of practices that historically have been really prevalent on the internet, and they&#8217;ve been identified as being really bad for usability. And they&#8217;ve actually now been identified as being so bad that they&#8217;re almost evil. And they&#8217;ve started to crack down on those.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And an example of that is, have you ever tried to unsubscribe from a gym? It&#8217;s basically impossible. And so now if you, at least in Australia, I know if you have a subscription on your site, you legally have to have a way of people being able to unsubscribe without having to call someone or send an email somewhere.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that is an example where that is actually usability. And I think there are definitely things where we are picking up on stuff that is maybe a shady way of working, and a shady way of developing websites. And those things are starting, we&#8217;re starting to cut down on them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m not sure if that is purely usability, or just like not being being a bad person. But I think that there is definitely, the only reason that we know that those things are a problem is because we have all had those bad experiences. And ultimately that&#8217;s all user experience is, it&#8217;s just how good or bad is experience of using a platform.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:49] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I share your frustration with those kind of things because I&#8217;ve been through that process. Not just canceling a subscription but, I don&#8217;t know, something that you&#8217;ve got yourself accidentally into and you don&#8217;t want to be on that email list anymore. Seemingly no way to get off it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:01] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> They&#8217;ve changed the unsubscribe link so it doesn&#8217;t have the word unsubscribe in it. And now you just have to look for the word that&#8217;s not underlined, or highlighted in a different colour. That when you hover over it, something pops up and you&#8217;re like, oh, that&#8217;s the link. That thing that says manage preferences down the bottom, hidden in the wall of text. That is a shady practice. That is a poor user experience just as much as it&#8217;s just a bad thing to do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think it&#8217;s got the label of deceptive design now. It used to be called dark patterns, didn&#8217;t it? But deceptive design. This notion of doing things in such a way to just deliberately confuse the user so that the green big button, which is the exact opposite of what you want to click, is the one which is visible. And then there&#8217;s this tiny little bit of greyed out text, which is the one which, clearly, you&#8217;ve ended up at this page, that&#8217;s the one you want. That&#8217;s the enemy of usability in a way. But for the business, it may be exactly what they want because it keeps the economic engine rolling.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, that&#8217;s interesting. I wonder if there&#8217;ll be more legislation to tighten those things up so that they&#8217;re not allowed. Yeah, that&#8217;s fascinating.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last question. We&#8217;re running out of time. Last question. And it refers to something that we talked about earlier. I&#8217;m guessing this really never ends. This is a journey which you begin, you tweak it, you do a little bit, you fix, and then you start again a little bit later and what have you. Is there ever a moment though where you go to a client and say, we did it? This site, as far as we&#8217;re concerned, is now perfect. Or is it never a goal? It&#8217;s a journey and never a destination.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:23] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> I think you&#8217;ll probably agree with me here, Nathan, that it&#8217;s basically impossible to be perfect, because ultimately someone is always going to have a different opinion. Someone&#8217;s always going to think that your shade of purple is too dark. Someone is always going to dislike the font that you chose, because it&#8217;s not loopy enough, or it&#8217;s too loopy, right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I don&#8217;t think there is such a thing as perfect. But through doing five usability tests, five people, you can pick up at least 85% of the potential problems with your design. And I&#8217;m not aiming for perfect, but I know that for me, if I can confidently say to my customers that I&#8217;ve been able to identify 85% of the potential problems that they might experience in their project, then they can confidently go away and say, hey, we&#8217;re pretty happy with what we&#8217;ve got.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can definitely improve on that over time. But that is a huge milestone to be able to hit. And being able to have enough data, and enough research to confidently say that, I think is a really big win both for us and for our customers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:26] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Sadly, Jo, time is the enemy, and I feel like we&#8217;ve just pulled back the lid a teeny tiny bit on the big subject of usability. Honestly, I reckon I could talk for another two hours on this at least. You know, because you&#8217;ve got into colours there and all sorts, and there&#8217;s just so many tendrils that we haven&#8217;t been able to explore. But we&#8217;ve prized it open a little bit, and so hopefully the listener to this has become curious. If they have, where would they find you? What&#8217;s a good place to discover you online?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:53] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> Yeah, so I think the best place is to hit up my personal blog, jominney.com. So it&#8217;s J O M I N N E Y .com. And I have a lot of stuff on there about usability, usability testing. I have a blog post that I wrote specifically for this talk that shares all of the resources that I used to put together the slides and everything. The talk itself will be on WordCamp TV. If you&#8217;re on socials and you want to hit me up, pretty much the only platforms I&#8217;m active on nowadays are LinkedIn and Bluesky, and I&#8217;m Jo Minney on both of them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Jo Minney, thank you so much for chatting to me today. I really appreciate it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:27] <strong>Jo Minney:</strong> You&#8217;re most welcome, Nathan. Thanks for having me again.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, I bring you the first in a mini series of podcasts I recorded in person at <a href=\"https://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/\">WordCamp Asia in Manila</a>. This flagship WordPress event brought together hundreds of WordPress professionals, enthusiasts and all manner of interested parties under one roof for a three day event &#8211; one contributor day, and two days of presentations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I tracked down several of the speakers and workshop organisers, and recorded them speaking about the subject they were presenting upon. I hope that you enjoy what they have to say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today we have the first of those conversations, and it’s with Jo Minney.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jo, based in Perth, Australia, is passionate about user experience, data-driven decision-making, cats, pockets and travel. She&#8217;s a small business founder, and works with organisations creating digital platforms with WordPress. She also freelances as a UX consultant. She volunteers with Mission Digital to address social issues using technology, and is an ambassador for She Codes Australia, promoting tech accessibility for women. Recognised as a 2023 Shining Star by Women in Technology Western Australia, Jo is an international speaker on topics like user experience, accessibility, and gender equality. She&#8217;s committed to ensuring a seamless user experience, and today shares her insights from practical, everyday usability testing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jo’s presentation, entitled <a href=\"https://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/session/budget-friendly-usability-testing-for-wordpress/\">Budget-Friendly Usability Testing for WordPress</a> helped attendees understand what usability testing is, x and clarified why it differs from other testing methods. She shares examples from her work, showing how small changes can significantly impact user experience, which is better for you, the website builder, and your client, the website owner.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discuss how usability testing can transform a website&#8217;s effectiveness by improving conversions. Jo explains the importance of recruiting novice users for testing, and highlights how usability testing pushes for real, user-centered improvements.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the end, Jo shares practical advice on when and how to integrate usability testing into your process, advocating for early and iterative testing to preemptively address potential issues.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking to gain a deeper understanding of usability testing and its benefits, 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://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/\">WordCamp Asia in Manila</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jo&#8217;s WordCamp Asia 2025 presentation: <a href=\"https://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/session/budget-friendly-usability-testing-for-wordpress/\">Budget-Friendly Usability Testing for WordPress</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://instawp.com/\">InstaWP</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_aloud_protocol\">Think Aloud Protocol</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://jominney.com/\">Jo Minney&#8217;s website</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/jominney.bsky.social\">Jo on Bluesky</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, 26 Mar 2025 18:37:05 +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:22;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:102:\"Do The Woo Community: Building Trust and Converting Sales with Simple UX Decisions with Marc McDougall\";s: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=93465\";s: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:101:\"https://dothewoo.io/building-trust-and-converting-sales-with-simple-ux-decisions-with-marc-mcdougall/\";s: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 of Woo DevChat, hosts discuss UX design and CRO with Marc McDougall, who shares insights on common misconceptions, mistakes, and the evolving role of AI in enhancing user experience.\";s: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, 26 Mar 2025 15:58:22 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s: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:23;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:69:\"Do The Woo Community: Get Ready for the Atarim Web Agency Summit 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=93450\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/get-ready-for-the-atarim-web-agency-summit-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:359:\"The Atarim Web Agency Summit 2025, scheduled for April 7-11, is a free virtual event for web professionals. Featuring over 40 expert-led sessions, it offers actionable insights for agency growth, networking opportunities, and access to industry leaders. Registration is free, with replay options available, making it essential for anyone in the digital space.\";s: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, 26 Mar 2025 15:08:27 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"BobWP\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\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:135:\"HeroPress: With open arms – friendships in the WordPress community – Su atviromis rankomis – draugystės WordPress bendruomenėje\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=7820\";s: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:180:\"https://heropress.com/essays/with-open-arms-friendships-in-the-wordpress-community/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=with-open-arms-friendships-in-the-wordpress-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:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:19273:\"<img width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/3025/03/032525-min.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Pull Quote: I am truly thankful that the WordPress community has welcomed me with open arms.\" /><p><a href=\"https://heropress.com/feed/#lithuanian\">Šį rašinį galima rasti ir lietuvių kalba.</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truth be told, unlike my husband, I have never been the most social person. At a party, you’ll usually find me talking to the dog (or cat). Throughout my life, I’ve only had a few close friends, and I’d rather be reading a book than going to a concert. While WordPress has been a huge part of the growth of my business, I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss something much more important &#8211; the friendships that I have formed through this wonderful community. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Due to WordPress, I have some truly spectacular friends in my life. </p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>While we may have started as strangers, we moved into attending each other’s weddings, laughing until we’re crying while packing hundreds of swag orders, holding hands in a hospital bed and being there for each other through thick and thin. Being a privacy lawyer, I won’t name any names here but you’ll probably be able to tell pretty quickly if I’m writing this about you.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_98f5b2-d1 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>A little backstory&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When I was finishing up law school, I worked at a small web design agency in Chicago as their COO. I met my husband, Hans, who was the owner of a different agency when he came to buy us out. It was love at first sight (yes, really) and we have been inseparable ever since. We shared our struggles and annoyances over dinner one night &#8211; writing Privacy Policies for clients was monotonous for me and he had no idea what to do when a client asked him about website policies. So we created Termageddon &#8211; an auto-updating website policies solution for agencies and their clients. Since we started an agency partner program, we knew that we had to find agencies who would be willing to try our new product and that’s when we came across WordCamps and the WordPress community.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_4b5f95-0c wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Our first WordCamp&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress has a huge community and going to a large WordCamp such as WordCamp US when you don’t know anyone can be really scary (especially for an introvert like me) so we thought that we’d get our feet wet with a smaller WordCamp nearby. Enter WordCamp Jackson, Michigan. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Driving into the most adorable small city that we have ever visited, we were very nervous &#8211; what if no one wanted to talk to us?&nbsp;</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>These fears were quickly dispelled when we walked into a room with about 30 friendly faces. Even the mayor was in attendance! During a break, we all sat on couches and our new friends helped us come up with the design for our very first swag item: a t-shirt with a pirate asking “Arrrr you compliant?”. I still smile every time I put it on. The next thing we know, the informative presentations are over and we’re all piling into cars and going to an escape room. The friendships formed during that event have lasted many years. In fact, one of our friends from that very first WordCamp helped us build our chicken coop.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_9ad00d-0c wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Come on over!&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A while later, my husband went to London and met a friend through a non-WordPress event and they truly hit it off (seriously, they have a standing call twice per month for five years now). A few months later, it was time for our first WordCamp US and our friend flew from the UK to Chicago to stay with us and our plan was to take a road trip and drive from our home to the WordCamp. Well, it just so happened that his other friend who was also going to WordCamp (someone we haven’t met before), missed his flight. Our friend called us to explain the situation and asked whether he could change his flight to Chicago, stay with us and join our road trip. We said “come on over!” Well, that missed flight led to the best trip of all time and a lifelong friendship.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I’ll always remember him walking me to the store to buy some tea on a cold evening, all of us posing for a picture next to the St. Louis arch, hanging out in various hotels and Airbnb’s throughout the years, sharing stories from our youth, marveling at the excitement and joy of growing families, and supporting each other’s business ventures. We’ve seen each other many times throughout the years on various trips and WordCamps and I think of us as our core group at these events &#8211; a safe space amidst all of the chaos.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_fed9f2-cd wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Better together&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you start establishing yourself in an industry or a community, you may think of other people in the space as competitors. While it’s certainly not the best trait that humanity has to offer, I think that this happens more frequently than we would like to admit. When I was new in the WordPress community, there was an established privacy attorney who had been a part of that community for much longer than I have. Going to WordCamp US, I knew that she was going to be giving a speech on the California Consumer Privacy Act and how to comply with this privacy law. To be honest with myself and you, I was extremely nervous about meeting her. What if she thought that I was a competitor? What if she disliked me? What if there’s not enough room for two privacy lawyers at this event? Should I just hide throughout the entire event to make sure that she doesn’t see me?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It’s true that we create these extreme scenarios in our minds but reality is usually much different (and less scary). We quickly bonded over the fact that we were the only two people there who knew what CCPA even is and, by the end of the night, we were jammed together in an Uber going to a bar. Throughout the years, we have supported each other’s projects, participated in long evenings of conversations, shared our struggles and wins. Due to her kindness and welcoming nature, we did not head towards competition but are able to enjoy the benefits of a wonderful symbiosis and a true friendship.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_3b4a8f-db wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Family for life&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hanging out with your friends at WordCamps is fun but it’s even more fun when your friendship progresses to the point where your friends fly over to hang out at your home. Well, in this case, we only got to hang out for one day before my friend got very sick. Not the “I have the flu” kind of sick, the over a week in the ICU and months in the hospital kind of sick.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout that time, we met her family, who stayed with us for a while as we live very close to the hospital. While this time was certainly grueling for everyone involved, it also shed a new perspective on how friends get through tough times. Whether it was rides to the hospital, sitting together, crying together, making home cooked meals, celebrating every win, no matter how small, the friendship, the community, and the knowledge that we were there for each other let us make it through this difficult time. The day that she got out of the hospital was truly miraculous. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>And now, we are most certainly not just WordCamp friends, we’re family &#8211; for life.&nbsp;</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_9ed1fb-ed wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>The little things&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Up to this point in my life, I have been a part of many communities &#8211; from school, to dance groups, to attorney associations, to my local neighborhood, each community has had something special to offer. However, I have never been involved with another community that is as welcoming or that has led to the formation of so many wonderful friendships as WordPress. From sharing a beer (or a boot of beer), to attending our wedding through Zoom (2020), to making a flower crown, to eating so much sushi that I could barely walk back to the Airbnb, to corn mazes and petting zoos, and touring a submarine together, I am truly thankful that the WordPress community has welcomed me with open arms and I hope that I can do the same for others!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id7820_98ca3a-9c alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\" id=\"desktop\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7820_0ce1fa-54\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<h2 id=\"work-environment\" class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_ee2be6-f0 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\">Donata&#8217;s Work Environment</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We asked Donata for a view of her office this is what she sent!</p>\n\n\n	<div class=\"hotspots-image-container\">\n		<img width=\"1512\" height=\"2016\" src=\"https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/donata-desktop.webp\" alt=\"Donata Stroink-Skillrud&#8217;s Desk\" class=\"hotspots-image skip-lazy\" />\n	</div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_c82817-0e wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-9-background-color has-background\">HeroPress would like to thank <a href=\"https://wpdrawattention.com/\">Draw Attention</a> for their donation of the plugin to make this interactive image!</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n\n\n<h1 id=\"lithuanian\" class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_8d3626-a3 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Su atviromis rankomis – draugystės WordPress bendruomenėje</strong></h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiesą sakant, kitaip nei mano vyras, niekada nebuvau pati socialiausia asmenybė. Vakarėlyje mane dažniausiai rastumėte kalbančią su šunimi (ar kate). Visą savo gyvenimą turėjau tik keletą artimų draugų, o knygos skaitymas man visada buvo malonesnis nei koncerto lankymas. Nors WordPress atliko didžiulį vaidmenį plėtojant mano verslą, norėčiau pasinaudoti šia proga ir pakalbėti apie kai ką daug svarbesnio – draugystes, kurias užmezgiau šioje nuostabioje bendruomenėje. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Dėl WordPress turiu iš tiesų nuostabių draugų savo gyvenime.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Nors pradėjome kaip svetimi, mes tapome tais, kurie dalyvauja vienas kito vestuvėse, juokiasi iki ašarų pakuodami šimtus reklaminių dovanų, laiko vienas kitam ranką ligonines lovoje ir būna kartu per storą ir ploną. Kadangi esu privatumo teisininkė, nemininesiu vardų, tačiau tikriausiai greitai suprasite, jei rašau apie jus.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_2b2aa1-eb wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Trumpa istorija</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kai baiginėjau teisės studijas, dirbau mažoje interneto dizaino agentūroje Čikagoje kaip COO. Ten sutikau savo vyrą Hansą, kuris buvo kitos agentūros savininkas, kai jis atvyko mus nupirkti. Tai buvo meilė iš pirmo žvilgsnio (taip, tikrai), ir nuo to laiko mes esame neatskiriami. Vieną vakarą dalinomės savo sunkumais ir nepasitenkinimais – man buvo nuobodu rašyti privatumo politikos dokumentus klientams, o jis net nežinojo, ką daryti, kai klientas paprašydavo interneto svetainės politikos. Taip gimė Termageddon – automatiškai atnaujinamas interneto svetainių politikos sprendimas agentūroms ir jų klientams. Kadangi pradėjome agentūrų partnerių programą, turėjome rasti agentūras, kurios būtų pasiruošusios išbandyti mūsų naują produktą, ir tada mes atradome WordCamps ir WordPress bendruomenę.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_b441b2-d1 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Mūsų pirmasis WordCamp</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress turi didžiulę bendruomenę, o vykstant į didelį WordCamp renginį, pavyzdžiui, WordCamp US, kai nieko nepažįsti, gali būti labai baisu (ypač tokiai intravertei kaip aš), todėl nusprendėme pradėti nuo mažesnio WordCamp netoli mūsų. Taip mes atsidūrėme WordCamp Jackson, Mičiganas. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Važiuodami į vieną mieliausių mažų miestelių, kokius tik esame matę, labai nervinomės – o kas bus jei niekas nenorės su mumis kalbėtis?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Šios baimės greitai išnyko, kai įėjome į kambarį su maždaug 30 draugiškų veidų. Netgi miesto meras dalyvavo! Per pertrauką visi susėdome ant sofų, o naujieji draugai padėjo mums sukurti mūsų pirmojo reklaminių dovanų daikto dizainą: marškinėlius su piratu, klausiančiu &#8220;Arrrr you compliant?&#8221; (Ar esate atitinkantys?). Vis dar šypsausi, kai juos apsivelku. Nespėjome apsidairyti, o jau po naudingų pranešimų visi susėdome į automobilius ir vykome į pabėgimo kambarį. Draugystės, užmezgtos šio renginio metu, tęsiasi jau daugelį metų. Tiesą sakant, vienas iš mūsų draugų iš to pirmojo WordCamp padėjo mums pastatyti vištų tvartą.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_e8e690-2e wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Užeikit!</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kiek vėliau mano vyras išvyko į Londoną ir susipažino su draugu per ne-WordPress renginį, ir jie tikrai susidraugavo (rimtai, jie kalbasi kas dvi savaites jau penkerius metus). Po kelių mėnesių atėjo metas mūsų pirmajam WordCamp US, ir mūsų draugas nuskrido iš JK į Čikagą, kad apsistotų pas mus, o mūsų planas buvo keliauti automobiliu nuo namų iki WordCamp. Tačiau nutiko taip, kad jo kitas draugas, kuris taip pat vyko į WordCamp (mes jo dar nebuvome sutikę), praleido savo skrydį. Mūsų draugas paskambino mums, paaiškino situaciją ir paklausė, ar jo draugas gali pakeisti skrydį į Čikagą, apsistoti pas mus ir prisijungti prie mūsų kelionės. Mes pasakėme: &#8220;Užeikit!&#8221; Tas praleistas skrydis privedė prie geriausios kelionės gyvenime ir viso gyvenimo draugystės.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aš visada prisiminsiu, kaip jis lydėjo mane į parduotuvę nusipirkti arbatos šaltą vakarą, kaip visi kartu pozavome nuotraukai prie Saint Louis arkinio paminklo, kaip per daugelį metų leisdavome laiką įvairiuose viešbučiuose ir Airbnb, dalijomės jaunystės istorijomis, stebėjomės augančių šeimų džiaugsmu ir jauduliu bei palaikėme vieni kitų verslo sumanymus. Per daugelį metų matėmės daugybę kartų įvairių kelionių ir WordCamp renginių metu, ir aš mus laikau pagrindine grupe šiuose renginiuose – saugia vieta viso šurmulio apsuptyje.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_e1e042-43 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Geriau kartu</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kai pradedate įsitvirtinti tam tikroje pramonėje ar bendruomenėje, galite pagalvoti, kad kiti žmonės šioje srityje yra konkurentai. Nors tai tikrai nėra geriausia žmonijos savybė, manau, kad taip nutinka dažniau, nei norėtume pripažinti. Kai buvau naujokė WordPress bendruomenėje, buvo viena pripažinta privatumo teisininkė, kuri buvo šios bendruomenės dalis daug ilgiau nei aš. Važiuodama į WordCamp US,&nbsp; žinojau kad ji ketina skaityti pranešimą apie Kalifornijos vartotojų privatumo įstatymą (CCPA) ir kaip laikytis šio privatumo įstatymo. Būsiu atvira – man buvo labai neramu ją sutikti. O kas, jei ji manytų, kad esu konkurentė? O jei jai nepatikčiau? O jei šiame renginyje nepakaktų vietos dviem privatumo teisininkėms? Gal man geriau viso renginio metu slėptis, kad tik ji manęs nepastebėtų?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiesa ta, kad dažnai kuriame kraštutinius scenarijus savo galvose, bet realybė dažniausiai būna visai kitokia (ir mažiau bauginanti). Greitai susidraugavome, nes supratome, kad esame vienintelės dvi moterys renginyje, kurios iš viso žinojo kas yra CCPA. Vakaro pabaigoje jau spraudėmės kartu į Uber važiuodamos į barą. Per tuos metus palaikėme viena kitos projektus, dalijomės ilgais pokalbiais vakarais, kartu išgyvenome sunkumus ir džiaugėmės pasiekimais. Dėl jos geranoriškumo ir svetingumo nepasukome konkurencijos keliu, o galėjome džiaugtis nuostabia simbioze ir tikra draugyste.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_545e9b-43 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Šeima visam gyvenimui</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Leisti laiką su draugais „WordCamp“ renginiuose yra smagu, bet dar smagiau, kai draugystė tampa tokia stipri, kad draugai atskrenda pas jus tiesiog pabūti kartu. Na, šiuo atveju, mes spėjome pabūti tik vieną dieną, kol mano draugė labai susirgo. Ne „turiu gripą“ lygio susirgo, o taip, kad teko praleisti daugiau nei savaitę reanimacijoje ir kelis mėnesius ligoninėje.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tuo sunkiu metu susipažinome su jos šeima, kuri kurį laiką gyveno pas mus, nes gyvename labai arti ligoninės. Nors šis laikotarpis tikrai buvo alinantis visiems, jis taip pat suteikė naują perspektyvą, kaip draugai išgyvena sunkius laikus kartu. Nesvarbu, ar tai buvo kelionės į ligoninę, sėdėjimas kartu, verksmas kartu, naminiai patiekalai ar kiekvienos, net ir mažiausios pergalės šventimas – draugystė, bendruomenė ir žinojimas, kad esame vieni kitiems, padėjo mums išgyventi šį sunkų laikotarpį. Diena, kai ji išėjo iš ligoninės, buvo tikras stebuklas. </p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Dabar mes tikrai ne tik WordCamp draugės – mes šeima visam gyvenimui.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"kt-adv-heading7820_9faddf-98 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\"><strong>Mažos smulkmenos</strong>&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Iki šiol mano gyvenime buvo daugybė bendruomenių – nuo mokyklos, šokių grupių, teisininkų asociacijų iki mano vietinės kaimynystės – kiekviena bendruomenė turėjo ką nors ypatingo. Tačiau niekada nebuvau dalis kitos bendruomenės, kuri būtų tokia svetinga ir kuri būtų padovanojusi tiek daug nuostabių draugysčių kaip WordPress. Nuo alaus bokalo (arba alaus bato) dalijimosi, iki mūsų vestuvių stebėjimo per Zoom (2020 m.), iki gėlių vainikų pynimo, iki tiek daug sušio valgymo, kad vos galėjau pareiti atgal į „Airbnb“, iki kukurūzų labirintų ir gyvūnų ūkių lankymo, ir net povandeninio laivo ekskursijos – esu nuoširdžiai dėkinga, kad WordPress bendruomenė mane priėmė atviromis rankomis, ir tikiuosi, kad galėsiu padaryti tą patį kitiems!</p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://heropress.com/essays/with-open-arms-friendships-in-the-wordpress-community/\">With open arms &#8211; friendships in the WordPress community &#8211; Su atviromis rankomis – draugystės WordPress bendruomenėje</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://heropress.com\">HeroPress</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 26 Mar 2025 01:00:00 +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:23:\"Donata Stroink-Skillrud\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\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:53:\"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.8 Release Candidate 1\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=18639\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-release-candidate-1/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:9186:\"<p>The first Release Candidate (“RC1”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>.<strong>&nbsp; Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites.</strong>&nbsp; Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC1 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone.&nbsp; While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test WordPress 6.8 RC1 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.&nbsp; (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-RC1.zip\">RC1 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Command Line</strong></td><td>Use the following<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/cli/\"> WP-CLI</a> command: <code>wp core update --version=6.8-RC1</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 RC1 WordPress Playground instance</a> (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.</td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<p>The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is <strong>April 15, 2025</strong>.&nbsp; 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 further details.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What’s in WordPress 6.8 RC1?</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\">Beta 1 announcement</a>.&nbsp; For more technical information related to issues addressed since Beta 3, you can browse the following 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=2025-03-18&until=2025-03-25\">GitHub commits for 6.8</a> since March 18</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=03%2F18%2F2025..03%2F25%2F2025&milestone=6.8&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id\">Closed Trac tickets</a> since March 18</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? These recent posts cover some of the latest updates:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\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\n\n\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/2025/03/25/updates-to-user-interface-components-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Updates to user-interface components in WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/24/interactivity-api-best-practices-in-6-8/\">Interactivity API best practices in 6.8</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</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How you can contribute</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development.&nbsp; The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get involved in testing</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable.&nbsp; It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute.&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.&nbsp; For those new to testing, follow <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/handbook/get-setup-for-testing/\">this general testing guide</a> for more details on getting set up.</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.&nbsp; 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?&nbsp; 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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Search for vulnerabilities</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 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.&nbsp; 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<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update your theme or plugin</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases.&nbsp; With RC1, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the <em>“Tested up to”</em> version in your<a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/how-your-readme-txt-works/\"> plugin’s readme file</a> to 6.8.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the<a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/\"> support forum</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Help translate WordPress</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you speak a language other than English?&nbsp; ¿Español?&nbsp; Français?&nbsp; Русский?&nbsp; 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? मराठी?&nbsp; You can<a href=\"https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp/dev/\"> help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages</a>.&nbsp; This release milestone (RC1) also marks the<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/glossary/#hard-freeze\"> hard string freeze</a> point of the 6.8 release cycle.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An RC1 haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>March fades, nearly there,<br />Six-eight hums—a steady beat,<br />RC greets the world.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>joemcgill</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamin_zekavica/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>benjamin_zekavica</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/courane01/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>courane01</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/mkrndmane/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>mkrndmane</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>audrasjb</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/areziaal/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>areziaal</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/ankit-k-gupta/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>ankit-k-gupta</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupajnanda/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>krupajnanda</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/bph/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>bph</a>.</em></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:19:41 +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:26;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:67:\"Do The Woo Community: A Continued Saga About the Life of Blog Posts\";s: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=93306\";s: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:71:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/a-continued-saga-about-the-life-of-blog-posts/\";s: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:225:\"BobWP chats about the importance of adding content instead of removing it, expressing commitment to producing more podcasts, videos, and blog posts despite claims of blog irrelevance, valuing audience engagement over metrics.\";s: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, 25 Mar 2025 13:01:00 +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:27;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:89:\"Do The Woo Community: On the Floor at CloudFest 2025 with Adam Weeks and Christian Taylor\";s: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=93275\";s: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:88:\"https://dothewoo.io/on-the-floor-at-cloudfest-2025-with-adam-weeks-and-christian-taylor/\";s: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:226:\"Adam Weeks and Christian Taylor explore CloudFest, assessing booth designs and marketing strategies. They discuss visual engagement, effective messaging, and the significance of interactive experiences in attracting attendees.\";s: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, 25 Mar 2025 07:46:41 +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:28;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:70:\"Do The Woo Community: How AI is Reshaping Enterprise WordPress in 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=91953\";s: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:74:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/how-ai-is-reshaping-enterprise-wordpress-in-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:191:\"AI is transforming enterprise WordPress through coding tools and personalization, but poses risks requiring careful integration and oversight amidst evolving challenges and security concerns.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:40:00 +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:29;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:111:\"Gutenberg Times: Get ready for WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, a book, and code with AI — Weekend Edition 322\";s: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=38031\";s: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:115:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/get-ready-for-wordpress-6-8-source-of-truth-a-book-and-code-with-ai-weekend-edition-322/\";s: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:21287:\"<p>Hi, the spring is coming to Munich this weekend, or that&#8217;s what the forecast tells us. With temperatures around 18 °C / 64° F, I will spend a few hours outside on long walks in the <em><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englischer_Garten\">Englisch Garden</a></em> and possible get my bicycle working again. I am looking forward to getting away from the screens all together and having in-person conversations with my cousin and his wife. They are accomplished musicians and different kind of nerds. </p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<p>🔖 What kind of activities are in your future and are they also determined by the weather like mine? Hit reply and let me know. </p>\n</div>\n\n\n<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p>PS: I just started my travel preparation for WordCamp Europe. Want to meet me? <a href=\"https://bit.ly/WCEUMeetBirgit\">bit.ly/WCEUMeetBirgit</a></p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://bit.ly/WCEUMeetBirgit\"><img width=\"651\" height=\"153\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-21-at-15.15.09.png?resize=651%2C153&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38151\" /></a>\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/get-ready-for-wordpress-6-8-source-of-truth-a-book-and-code-with-ai-weekend-edition-322/#0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/get-ready-for-wordpress-6-8-source-of-truth-a-book-and-code-with-ai-weekend-edition-322/#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/get-ready-for-wordpress-6-8-source-of-truth-a-book-and-code-with-ai-weekend-edition-322/#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/get-ready-for-wordpress-6-8-source-of-truth-a-book-and-code-with-ai-weekend-edition-322/#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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-word-press-release-information\">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-3/\"><strong>WordPress 6.8 Beta 3</strong></a> was released on March 18, 2025, and it is ready for testing. If you need inspiration and instruction on how and what to test, the test team&#8217;s post is for you. <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2025/03/04/help-test-wordpress-6-8/\">Help Test WordPress 6.8</a>. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Joe Dolson</strong> published the dev note on <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/20/changes-to-the-screen-reader-text-class-in-wordpress-6-8/\"><strong>Changes to the .screen-reader-text class in WordPress 6.8</strong></a>  The <code>.screen-reader-text</code> class replaces the deprecated <code>clip</code> property with <code>clip-path: inset(50%)</code> for modern browser compatibility and accessibility improvements. Focus styles remain unchanged to ensure visibility during keyboard navigation. Developers should update themes and plugins using <code>.screen-reader-text</code> to align with these changes for future-proofing.</p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>A group of contributors collaborated on the <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/\"><strong>Source of Truth (WordPress 6.8)</strong></a>. Learn everything about enhanced data views, query loops, and block interactions. Also about the more cohesive design experience through the Zoom Out editing approach, expanded style controls, and improved typography options. WordPress 6.8 is scheduled to be released on April 15, 2025</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"367\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/create-a-highly-detailed-high-resolution-featured-image-for-a-blog-edited.png?resize=652%2C367&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38146\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>George Mamadashvili</strong> released <strong>Gutenberg 20.5 </strong>and the <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/releases/tag/v20.5.0\">changelog is available on GitHub</a>. Among the updates you&#8217;ll find</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the ability to create a new page from the button block added to a site navigation, (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69368\">69368</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>the pages list in the site editor can now display hierarchical relationship similar to the current pages list page, (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69550\">69550</a>)</li>\n\n\n\n<li>developers can now control the modal size called via DataViews action functions (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69302\">69302</a>)</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Troy Chaplin</strong> published <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/?p=5091&preview=1&_ppp=85603a7674\"><strong>What’s new for developers? (March 2025)</strong></a> on the WordPress Developer blog. He covers Gutenberg 20.3 and 20.4 as well as updates around the WordPress 6.8 release cycle. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>As one of the first to cover the upcoming major release, <strong>Nithin Sreeraj</strong> at WP-Content posted <strong><a href=\"https://wp-content.co/wordpress-6-8-expected-features-and-changes/\">WordPress 6.8 Expected Features and Changes</a>.</strong></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-116-wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\">Gutenberg Changelog 116 – WordPress 6.8, Source of Truth, Field Guide, Gutenberg 20.5 and 20.6</a> with special guest JC Palmes, WebDev Studios</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"652\" height=\"184\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-05-at-12.27.14.png?resize=652%2C184&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39894\" />\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><a href=\"https://x.com/BuntyWP\"><strong>Bhargav (Bunty) Bhandari</strong></a> takes building <a href=\"https://x.com/BuntyWP/status/1899447490723897556\">in public </a>quite literally. This time he created <strong>a Poll block for WordPress.</strong>  It allows you to create interactive polls directly within the WordPress Block Editor, with design tools, voting options and results in real time. The code is <a href=\"https://github.com/BhargavBhandari90/polls-block\">available on GitHub</a> until he submits it to the WordPress repository.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://github.com/BhargavBhandari90/polls-block\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"257\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-19-at-12.20.49.png?resize=652%2C257&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38109\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> runs an always friendly and welcoming <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/gutenberghub/\"><strong>WordPress Gutenberg Facebook group</strong></a>! The description read: &#8220;A community for Gutenberg users to learn, share, and explore tips on building WordPress websites using the Blocks Editor.&#8221; It&#8217;s a private group, too. Marsland <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jamesmarsland_this-is-your-weekly-reminder-that-i-run-activity-7308436177781510145-QhZJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAAkKaoBHI9qqM4OcmXfJb1QeGFMlLI6W4o\">wrote</a>:  &#8220;Whether you need help with WordPress editing or want to share your knowledge, we’d love to have you.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/gutenberghub/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"248\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FAcebook-Gutenberg-group.jpg?resize=652%2C248&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38120\" /></a>\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>Some people like to learn via videos; other people prefer books. </p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/olein/\">Koji Kuno</a></strong>, a web developer from Japan and contributor to WordPress, published a book called <a href=\"https://www.amazon.de/Creating-Website-Twenty-Twenty-Five-English-ebook/dp/B0DC53C7KK\"><strong>Creating a Website with Twenty-Twenty-Five</strong></a> in late 2024. This book is designed for beginners who want to learn how to create websites using WordPress 6.7 and its newest theme, Twenty-Twenty-Five.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book starts by explaining the basics of WordPress, including how its block themes, block editor, and site editor work. Once readers understand these concepts, Kuno dives deeper into the Twenty-Twenty-Five theme. He provides a detailed overview of the theme’s files, layout structures, style options for blocks and fonts, and how templates and patterns connect to each other.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kuno also includes step-by-step guides for building two types of websites: a blog site and a coffee shop site. He uses clear explanations and helpful graphics to make everything easy to follow, even for beginners. While most of the instructions focus on using WordPress’s site editor, Kuno also touches on the underlying code for certain features, such as supporting post formats.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall, the book strikes a good balance between practical tutorials and technical insights. It’s an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn website design with WordPress in an approachable way.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.amazon.de/Creating-Website-Twenty-Twenty-Five-English-ebook/dp/B0DC53C7KK\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"392\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-20-at-18.47.29.png?resize=652%2C392&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38128\" /></a><em>Screenshot of Patterns and how they fit into the template structure of Twenty-Twenty-Five. (Page 44) </em>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Elliot Richmond</strong> <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVumLgR6Z5I\">experimented with <strong>Cursor AI to build a Block Theme</strong></a>. You can follow along on YouTube and see he is using Cursor AI for refactoring and code generation, about the challenges and results of AI-generated block themes, and some lesson learned turned into best practices . </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>In his post <a href=\"https://silvanhagen.com/writing/additional-block-styles-child-theme/\"><strong>Additional Block Styles for Child Themes</strong></a>, <strong><a href=\"https://x.com/neverything\">Silvan Hagen</a></strong> shares how you can block styles by copying the relevant CSS file from the parent theme to the child theme and making adjustments. Hagen also provides a code snippet to append custom block styles from the child theme without overwriting the parent styles, by adding a function to the child theme’s <code>functions.php</code> file that enqueues the custom styles.</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>In his post, <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/03/19/local-wordpress-development-workflows/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Local WordPress Development Workflows Using Studio</strong></a> , <strong>Nick Diego</strong> walks you through two development workflows using Studio by WordPress.com. He covers using Git Deployments to WordPress.com for  your newly developed plugin or theme. In the second part of the article you’ll learn how to structure a complete website build, share a preview with clients and colleagues, and sync to a live site on WordPress.com.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/03/19/local-wordpress-development-workflows/\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"467\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/local-dev-overview.jpg?resize=652%2C467&ssl=1\" alt=\"Using Studio for local development. Workflows\" class=\"wp-image-38113\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Muhammad Muhsin</strong>, developer at Awesome Motive, used the WordPress&nbsp;Interactivity API&nbsp;to build a simple <strong><a href=\"https://github.com/m-muhsin/stopwatch-block\">Stopwatch block</a></strong>. He is also working on a tutorial to go along with it. Meanwhile, you can study his code on <a href=\"https://github.com/m-muhsin/stopwatch-block\">GitHub</a> next to the <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/reference-guides/interactivity-api/\">documentation of the Interactivity API</a>. </p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In this week&#8217;s live stream, <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/ZHTMLvydYN0\"><strong>How to build incredible WordPress Blocks with Cursor AI</strong></a>, <strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> and <strong>Nick Diego</strong> explored how AI can help you create great WordPress blocks. They shared useful tips and cool AI tools to improve your block-building skills and make things easier. Don’t miss this chance to discover new possibilities for your WordPress site!</p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/ZHTMLvydYN0\"><img width=\"652\" height=\"379\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AI-Ryan-Nick-march19-2025.jpg?resize=652%2C379&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38121\" /></a>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The <code>@wordpress/data</code> package introduces a data layer to the WordPress Block Editor, enabling efficient state management and interaction with the editor’s ecosystem. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>In two of his live streams, <strong>JuanMa Garrido</strong> embarked into the depth of the data package and discuss how to work with the data package. In<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18zDV5KIDog\"> <strong>Data in the Block Editor</strong>, part one</a>, he explores the various stores, how to retrieve and update store data and dispatch actions. In <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlowE1b11Jk\"><strong>Data In the Block Editor</strong>, part two</a>, Garrido continues to work through the block editor documentation and the date layer course on learn.WordPress.org</p>\n\n\n<div width=\"100%\" class=\"wp-block-newsletterglue-showhide ng-block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"toolbelt-video-wrapper\"></div>\n</div>\n</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>In his live stream, <strong>Ryan Welcher</strong> walked his viewers through the work necessary to <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK1fV6-P-n8\"><strong>add tests to his Advanced Query Loop plugin</strong></a> so developers who want to extend on the plugin can test custom hooks. </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>On his video channel, <strong>Jon Bossenger</strong> streams on his adventure using AI for coding. You find out with him what works and what doesn&#8217;t. In his latest video <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq41aVYPqJg\"><strong>Let&#8217;s Vibe,</strong> </a>he wanted to find out what Vibe Coding is all about and if it actually can produce functional software.</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><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: <em>Garage door and wall with rectangles of various colors painted on them for decoration Photo by Marcus Burnette found on WordPress.org/photos</em></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, 22 Mar 2025 05:29:00 +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:30;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:33:\"Matt: Automattic Operating System\";s: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=140810\";s: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:26:\"https://ma.tt/2025/03/aos/\";s: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:5146:\"<p><em>I was interviewed by Inc magazine for almost two hours where we covered a lot of great topics for entrepreneurs but almost none of it made it into the <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/12/inc-hit-piece/\">weird hit piece they published</a>, however since both the journalist and I had recording of the interview I&#8217;ve decided to adapt some parts of it into a series of blog posts, think of it as the Inc Article That Could Have Been. This bit talks about some of the meta-work that myself and the Bridge team at Automattic do.</em><br /><br />At Automattic, the most important product I work on is the company itself. I&#8217;ve started referring to it as the &#8220;Automattic Operating System.&#8221; Not in the technical sense like Linux, but the meta layer the company runs on. The company isn&#8217;t WordPress.com or Beeper or Pocket Casts or any one thing. I&#8217;m responsible for the culture of the people who build those things, building the things that build those things. It&#8217;s our hiring, our HR processes, our expenses, the onboarding docs; it&#8217;s all of the details that make up the employee experience — all the stuff that shapes every employee&#8217;s day-to-day experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take expense reports. If you&#8217;ve got to spend two hours taking pictures of receipts and something like that, that&#8217;s a waste of time. You&#8217;re not helping a customer there. We switched to a system where everyone just gets a credit card. It does all the reporting and accounting stuff automatically. You just swipe the card and it just automatically files an expense report. Sometimes there&#8217;s an exception and you have to work with the accounting rules, but it just works and automates the whole process most of the time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another commonly overlooked detail is the offer letter. We think so much about the design of our websites and our products. We have designers work on that and we put a lot of care and thought into it. But I realized we didn&#8217;t have the same attention to detail on our offer letter. When you think about it, getting an offer letter from a company and deciding to take it is a major life decision, something you only do a handful of times in your life.  This is one of the things that determines your life path. Our offer letter was just made by attorneys and HR. No designer had looked at it right. We hadn&#8217;t really thought about it from a product experience point of view. And so it was just this, generic document with bad typography and not great design. But it&#8217;s important, so one of the things we did was redesign it. Now it has a nice letterhead, great typography, and it&#8217;s designed for the end user.<br /><br />I realized that the salary and stuff was buried in paragraph two. It was just a small thing in the document! Well, what&#8217;s key when you&#8217;re deciding whether to take a job? Start date, salary, you know, that sort of thing, so we put the important parts at the very top.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there&#8217;s the legal language. All the legal stuff, which is different in every country. We have people in 90 countries, so there&#8217;s all the legal stuff that goes in there. And then it has this nudge inspired by the behavioral economics book, Predictably Irrational.<br /><br />There&#8217;s the story about how, if you have an ethics statement above where you sign the test or something, people cheat less. So I thought, well, what&#8217;s our equivalent of that? <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2011/09/automattic-creed/\">We have the Automattic Creed</a>. It&#8217;s an important part of our culture. So we put the creed in, it says</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I will never stop learning. I won’t just work on things that are assigned to me. I know there’s no such thing as a status quo. I will build our business sustainably through passionate and loyal customers. I will never pass up an opportunity to help out a colleague, and I’ll remember the days before I knew everything. I am more motivated by impact than money, and I know that Open Source is one of the most powerful ideas of our generation. I will communicate as much as possible, because it’s the oxygen of a distributed company. I am in a marathon, not a sprint, and no matter how far away the goal is, the only way to get there is by putting one foot in front of another every day. Given time, there is no problem that’s insurmountable.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not legally binding, but it&#8217;s written in the first person, you read it and you kind of identify with it and then you sign below that. We want people who work at the company who identify with our core values and our core values really are in the creed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These sorts of things are key to our culture. And they&#8217;re universal. Again, we have people from over 90 countries. These are very different cultures, yes, and very different historical backgrounds and cultural makeups. But what&#8217;s universal? We have our philosophies that we apply every day regardless of where you were born or where you work.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 21 Mar 2025 22:15:05 +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:31;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:64:\"Gravatar: Digital Business Card Examples With Professional Flair\";s: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=3083\";s: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:68:\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/03/21/digital-business-card-examples/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:19747:\"<p>Looking for digital business card examples that actually work? Networking has changed, but the need to make a strong first impression hasn&#8217;t, and business cards are a big part of it. So, if you’re looking for inspiration, we’ll show you real digital business cards from various industries that successfully blend professional presentation with practical functionality.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our list includes sleek corporate profiles and creative designs for artists and freelancers, each a great example of how to make your information accessible while maintaining your personal brand.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the end of this article, you&#8217;ll have actionable ideas for creating your own digital business card. And the best part? You can set up a free, customizable digital business card in minutes using <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a> – no coding or design skills required.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Universal Digital Business Cards with Gravatar</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1755\" height=\"1323\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ronnie-new-gravatar-profile.png\" alt=\"Ronnie Burt Gravatar profile\" class=\"wp-image-3086\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Looking at <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/ronnie\">my Gravatar profile</a>, you can see how it functions as a complete <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/11/08/creating-a-digital-business-card/\">digital business card</a> that travels with me across the web. I’ve personally included a professional headshot, custom banner image, some interesting images, and verified links to all my social profiles. These sections are completely customizable, and what you include depends entirely on your goals.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What makes this especially <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/02/17/how-to-be-better-at-networking/\">useful for networking</a> is the QR code functionality. When <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/06/16/how-to-network-at-a-conference/\">meeting someone at a conference or event</a>, I can quickly pull up my Gravatar profile QR code from my phone’s digital wallet. With one quick scan, my new contact instantly has access to all my professional information.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"1368\" height=\"1112\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-1.png\" alt=\"Adding a Gravatar profile QR code to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet\" class=\"wp-image-3088\" />\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p>Anyone who scans my QR code can immediately connect with me through multiple channels – they can view my contact details, send me money, or browse through my featured photos for a more personal touch. No more fumbling with paper cards or manually typing contact info into phones.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>As a technical professional, my Gravatar profile is quite literally the foundation of my online presence. When I contribute to <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a>, post on <a href=\"https://stackoverflow.com/\">Stack Overflow</a>, or communicate through <a href=\"https://slack.com/\">Slack</a>, my Gravatar profile appears automatically, helping me build a more <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2025/01/10/personal-branding-social-media/\">recognizable personal brand</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"374\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ronnie-github-profile-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Ronnie Burt profile in GitHub\" class=\"wp-image-3090\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The best part? I only need to update my information in one place. If I change roles or add new contact methods, updating my Gravatar profile instantly refreshes my presence across all integrated platforms – saving time and ensuring consistency.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to create your own universal digital business card? <a href=\"http://gravatar.com\">Sign up at Gravatar.com</a> using just your email address. It takes minutes to set up but provides lasting professional benefits everywhere you go online.</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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Industry-Specific Showcases: Real Estate to Tech Professionals</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Real estate agents face unique networking challenges – they need to connect instantly with potential buyers and showcase properties efficiently. Digital business cards can help in this process by offering scannable QR codes that provide immediate connections with house hunters.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/liznitzbozeman\">Liz Nitz&#8217;s</a> digital business card as an example.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"518\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/liz-nitz-gravatar-profile.png?w=660\" alt=\"Liz Nitz Gravatar profile\" class=\"wp-image-3091\" />\n\n\n\n<p>As a Bozeman-based real estate agent, her Gravatar profile functions as a powerful lead generation tool. When potential clients scan her QR code, they gain instant access to her contact information plus direct links to her real estate website, where current property listings are just a tap away. This approach eliminates friction in the buying process – no typing long URLs or searching for contact details.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The benefits go beyond real estate into technical fields where showing your expertise is extremely important. Tech professionals use digital business cards to highlight their portfolios, technical skills, and ongoing projects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://github.com/simonw\">Simon Willison</a>, founder of <a href=\"https://datasette.io/\">Datasette</a>, demonstrates this approach effectively through his <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a> profile.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"504\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/simon-willison-github-profile.png?w=660\" alt=\"Simon Willison GitHub profile\" class=\"wp-image-3093\" />\n\n\n\n<p>His presence includes links to his technical blog and personal projects, creating a comprehensive snapshot of his expertise. Visitors can easily contact him while exploring his work samples – all from a single profile.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What makes this especially powerful for tech professionals is GitHub&#8217;s integration with Gravatar. When developers update their Gravatar profile picture, those changes automatically appear on GitHub and ensure a consistent, professional presence without requiring multiple updates.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For many industries, digital business cards eliminate the limitations of paper while adding dynamic elements like direct portfolio access, property listings, and instant contact options – turning a simple introduction into a potential business opportunity.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Creative examples for freelancers and artists</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For creative professionals, first impressions matter tremendously. Digital business cards give artists and freelancers a powerful advantage – the ability to showcase their actual work during initial meetings rather than just talking about it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gravatar.com/talkingbullgames\">Jonathan H. Kantor&#8217;s</a> digital business card perfectly demonstrates this advantage.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"544\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jonathan-h-kantor-gravatar-profile.png?w=660\" alt=\"Jonathan H. Kantor Gravatar profile\" class=\"wp-image-3094\" />\n\n\n\n<p>As an illustrator at <a href=\"https://www.thegamecrafter.com/designers/talkingbull-games\">Talking Bull Games</a>, his Gravatar profile displays samples of his artwork directly on the card itself. New contacts can immediately see his illustration style and quality before clicking through to his full portfolio website. This visual introduction creates an instant connection that paper cards simply cannot match.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/smcutts\">Shannon Cutts</a> uses her digital business card to establish her credibility as a freelance writer.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"397\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/shannon-cutts-gravatar-profile.png?w=660\" alt=\"Shannon Cutts Gravatar profile\" class=\"wp-image-3095\" />\n\n\n\n<p>Her profile links directly to her writing samples and service pages, allowing potential clients to quickly assess her style and expertise. This immediate access to her work helps her stand out in competitive pitching situations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Jonathan and Shannon have enhanced their cards with integrated QR codes connected to payment systems. This smart addition means that when someone appreciates their work, they can commission or purchase it on the spot by sending payment directly to the artist&#8217;s designated eWallet. No invoicing delays or payment friction – just a seamless transaction from introduction to sale, all through a digital business card.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Corporate digital cards that mean business</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Corporate professionals require business cards that convey expertise, professionalism, and comprehensive information. <a href=\"https://gravatar.com/thomasmccorry\">Thomas McCorry&#8217;s</a> digital business card exemplifies this approach perfectly.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"459\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/thomas-mccorry-gravatar-profile.png?w=660\" alt=\"Thomas McCorry Gravatar profile\" class=\"wp-image-3096\" />\n\n\n\n<p>His Gravatar profile is like a mini-CV, with a detailed bio section outlining his professional history and accomplishments. The card includes direct links to his personal website, portfolio of work, and <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/\">LinkedIn</a> profile – all organized in a clean, accessible format alongside professional photographs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This structured approach gives potential clients and contacts an immediate sense of Thomas&#8217;s experience and capabilities at a glance. Rather than trying to cram limited information onto a paper card, his digital version provides depth without overwhelming the viewer. Someone meeting Thomas can quickly understand his background and then access more detailed supporting materials about specific projects or expertise areas with a single tap.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://it.gravatar.com/charlesleisure0\">Charles Leisure</a> takes corporate networking a step further by connecting a QR code to his digital business card.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"493\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/charles-leisure-gravatar-qr-code.gif?w=660\" alt=\"Charles Leisure Gravatar profile with QR code\" class=\"wp-image-3097\" />\n\n\n\n<p>This practical addition allows him to instantly <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/11/08/creating-a-digital-business-card/\">share his complete professional profile</a> during meetings or conferences by simply opening the QR code stored in his Apple or Google Wallet. Contacts can scan the code with their smartphone and immediately have all his information saved – eliminating the traditional business card exchange and ensuring his information never gets lost in a pocket or briefcase.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Create Your Perfect Digital Business Card with Gravatar</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a professional digital business card doesn&#8217;t require design skills or technical expertise. Anyone can set up a functional, customizable card like the examples showcased in this article by <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/11/08/creating-a-digital-business-card/\">signing up for a free Gravatar profile</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting started takes just minutes, and the process is straightforward:</p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sign up using your email address</strong> – Visit Gravatar.com and click &#8220;Get Started Now.&#8221; Enter your email address and follow the verification steps. If you already have a WordPress.com account, you can connect it to speed up the process.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"455\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/create-your-profile-page-gravatar-2.png?w=660\" alt=\"Creating a free profile with Gravatar\" class=\"wp-image-3099\" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add a professional headshot</strong> – Upload a high-quality photo that represents you well. The image will be cropped to a square format, so choose one where your face is clearly visible. For business purposes, opt for good lighting and a neutral background.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"360\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-uploading-profile-picture-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Adding an image to your profile\" class=\"wp-image-3101\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Insert verified links and social media profiles</strong> – Add your website, portfolio, and social media accounts. Gravatar verifies these connections, adding credibility to your profiles with a verification badge that builds trust with new contacts.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"478\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-verified-accounts-section.png?w=660\" alt=\"Adding verified links and social profiles \" class=\"wp-image-3102\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add a professional bio</strong> – Craft a concise, compelling description that highlights your expertise and unique value. Think of this as your elevator pitch in written form – clear, engaging, and focused on what makes you stand out.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"385\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-about-information-setup-1-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Adding a bio\" class=\"wp-image-3103\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add relevant images</strong> – Beyond your profile picture, you can add additional images that showcase your work, which is especially helpful for creative professionals wanting to display their portfolio directly on their card.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"485\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-upload-photos.png?w=660\" alt=\"Adding relevant images \" class=\"wp-image-3104\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Create a QR code for easy profile sharing</strong> – Once your profile is complete, you can generate a QR code that links directly to your digital business card. This code can be added to your Apple or Google Wallet for easy sharing during in-person networking events.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"466\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-qr-code-example-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Generating a QR code\" class=\"wp-image-3105\" />\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"7\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Customize the style and feel</strong> – Personalize your digital business card with custom backgrounds, banner images, and button styles that align with your personal or corporate branding.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"469\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/profile-design-customization-in-gravatar.png?w=660\" alt=\"Customize the style of your profile\" class=\"wp-image-3106\" />\n\n\n\n<p>With these seven simple steps, you&#8217;ll have a professional digital business card that works across platforms and makes networking more efficient and effective.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customization features and design possibilities</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar offers extensive customization options that let you create a truly personalized digital business card:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Background options</strong>: Add unique solid colors or image backgrounds that align with your personal aesthetic or company branding.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Custom header/banner images</strong>: Feature your logo, portfolio samples, or professional photography that represents your work.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"312\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-header-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Header customization\" class=\"wp-image-3107\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Button style customization</strong>: Match link buttons to your overall design theme for a cohesive, professional appearance.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"293\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-profile-buttons-and-links-color-settings.png?w=660\" alt=\"Customizing buttons on your profile\" class=\"wp-image-3108\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Section rearrangement</strong>: Position the most important elements (like payment options) at the top of your profile for better usability.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"398\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-layout-settings.gif?w=660\" alt=\"Rearranging sections on your profile\" class=\"wp-image-3109\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://support.gravatar.com/custom-domains/\"><strong>Custom domains</strong></a>: Transform your profile from <em>username.gravatar.com</em> to <em>yourname.social</em> (or other extensions like .bio, .contact, and more).&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Privacy is also thoughtfully integrated into the design system. Gravatar gives you control over which information remains public (like your avatar and display name) and which stays private (such as phone numbers or birth dates).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"660\" height=\"512\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/gravatar-general-privacy-settings-1.png?w=660\" alt=\"Adjusting privacy settings\" class=\"wp-image-3110\" />\n\n\n\n<p>When a new site or app requests access to your non-public information, Gravatar will ask for your confirmation first.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This privacy-first approach highlights one of Gravatar&#8217;s main strengths – functioning as a <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/02/27/gravatar-manifesto-one-profile-everywhere/\">universal profile</a>. Update your information once, and those changes instantly sync across all integrated platforms like WordPress, GitHub, and Slack, making your digital business card both customizable and remarkably efficient.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Start Building Your Professional Digital Presence</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A free Gravatar profile offers the perfect solution for professionals seeking to establish a consistent online presence. More than just a digital business card, it functions as your unified identity across the web, appearing automatically on compatible platforms whenever you interact.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting started takes just minutes. Visit Gravatar.com, enter your email address, and follow the simple verification steps to create your profile. Add a professional photo, customize your information, and start connecting your social accounts. The process is straightforward and designed for users of all technical skill levels.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What truly sets Gravatar apart is its automatic synchronization capability. Once set up, your digital business card will appear seamlessly across <a href=\"http://wordpress.com\">WordPress.com</a>, <a href=\"https://github.com/\">GitHub</a>, <a href=\"https://stackoverflow.com/\">Stack Overflow</a>, and numerous other integrated platforms.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start building your professional digital presence with <a href=\"https://gravatar.com\">Gravatar</a> today!</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:\"Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:26:48 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+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:40:\"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.8 Beta 3\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=18634\";s: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-3/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5533:\"<p>WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 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. Instead, it is recommended you evaluate Beta 3 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 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.&nbsp; (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-beta3.zip\">Beta 3 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Command Line</strong></td><td>Use the following<a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/cli/\"> WP-CLI</a> command: <code>wp core update --version=6.8-beta3</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 3 WordPress Playground instance</a> to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.</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>: Read the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-1/\">Beta 1</a> and <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2025/03/wordpress-6-8-beta-2/\">Beta 2</a> announcements 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 3 version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/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 Alpha/Beta area 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?&nbsp; 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 3 updates and highlights</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.8 Beta 3 contains more than 3 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 2 release, including 16 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 3 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=2025-03-12&until=2025-03-17\">GitHub commits for 6.8</a> since March 12, 2025</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=03%2F12%2F2025..03%2F17%2F2025&milestone=6.8&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id\">Closed Trac tickets</a> since March 12, 2025</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Beta 3 haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beta three refines,<br />WordPress shapes with steady hands,<br />Code grows into form.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><em>Props to <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamin_zekavica/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>benjamin_zekavica</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupajnanda/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>krupajnanda</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/ankit-k-gupta/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>ankit-k-gupta</a> <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>joemcgill</a> 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, 18 Mar 2025 15:35:14 +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: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: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:74:\"WPTavern: #161 – Robert Jacobi on WordPress, Security, and the OSI Model\";s: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=188282\";s: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:86:\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/161-robert-jacobi-on-wordpress-security-and-the-osi-model\";s: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:52014:\"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, WordPress, security, and the OSI model, which underpins the entire internet.</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 Robert Jacobi. Robert has a long standing history with the tech and CMS industry, having worked in senior positions at Joomla, Cloudways, Perfect Dashboard and more. He&#8217;s now the Chief Experience Officer at Black Wall, a company formally known as BotGuard.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert talks with me today about the transition from proprietary systems to open source, and the seven layer OSI model that underpins the internet. Drawing from his experiences in tech, Robert and I try, and perhaps fail, to break down the complexities of how website traffic is rooted over the internet. This is done to try to understand how Black Wall can position itself to mitigate risks before they reach hosting companies infrastructure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discuss the evolution of bot traffic on the web, where upwards of 10% of internet traffic is identified as malicious. This kind of insight is particularly important for those interested in the security aspect of web hosting and website management.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also get into Black Wall&#8217;s rebranding journey, and its continued dedication to the WordPress community by participating in events like WordCamp Asia and Europe.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever wondered about the unseen layers of internet security and infrastructure, or the strategic moves involved in rebranding a tech company, 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 Robert Jacobi.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by Robert Jacobi. Very nice to have you on. I think I&#8217;m going to muddle up the company that you work for, because a little bird tells me that in the very, very recent past, the company that you work for became, well different in some way. Perhaps a name change, a logo change. Who did you work for and who do you now work for? And are they the same thing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:08] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Well, I still have my original swag, the BotGuard polo, which all of us have at the team, but we are now Black Wall. So Black Wall, formerly known as BotGuard. So we&#8217;ve done a full rebrand. I&#8217;m sure a lot of folks have seen already. But yep, just bringing it forward. Allowing ourselves to take on more of what we do, on top of the highly focused bot security monitoring and mitigation.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay. That&#8217;s a perfect introduction then. So give us your potted bio in tech, in CMSs. I&#8217;m not going to say WordPress because it&#8217;s a bit bigger than that. And maybe just throw in the BotGuard, Black Wall bit at the end there, and what your role is there. So just a couple of minutes. Just tell us who you are and whatnot.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:49] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Minutes, I could spend all day talking about myself. So I&#8217;ve been in the industry for a number of years. Mumble, mumble, how long it&#8217;s been. Let&#8217;s go with CMSs because, actually a big passion way back in the day, had an agency where we created our own, of course proprietary CMS because that&#8217;s what you did.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then moved into open source for a number of reasons. Primarily, which I hope all agencies don&#8217;t need to talk about anymore, because I think it&#8217;s pretty obvious. It was the hit by a bus theory that, we put all our eggs into a proprietary basket, and we get hit by a bus, then that customer is stuck. With open source, there&#8217;s the community of the ecosystem, and it&#8217;s huge.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, you&#8217;ll always have your preferred vendors for many, many, reasons, but if something happens, you&#8217;re not locked into that code. You&#8217;re not blindsided. That was a fairly quick transition, and wound up working at the time, sorry WordPress universe, went to Joomla because hey, back in that day Mambo slash which became Joomla, was honestly just more of a stack that our team leaned towards. It was MVC based. It was geeky. There were tons of features, and functions that the types of customers we were working with, it resonated with. Especially multilingual at the time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward, let&#8217;s say 10 years, and now WordPress is beyond a competing product. It&#8217;s got an ecosystem a, value with its name brand, and literally the immense community that&#8217;s been built around it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>From there went to, transitioned off of the Joomla space, and popped into a company called Perfect Dashboard. Oh, I forgot, I actually was the president of Joomla, briefly, so.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Just a little fact there, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:32] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> You know what, I should not forget that because that one year felt like 10. It&#8217;s a lot to work with a huge community, for many, many reasons. You have so many stakeholders. People whose lives depend on the product, the solution, the community, the ecosystem. Certainly not going to get into WordPress drama, but I understand how difficult it is to bear those responsibilities. And, it&#8217;s a lot. Immense amount of work. And WordPress has done amazing things in sustaining that for decades.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, moved over to the WordPress side of the universe. Company called Perfect Dashboard. We were acquired. Moved to running the WordPress business unit of Cloudways, also now acquired by Digital Ocean. And today I&#8217;m at Black Wall. I&#8217;m the Chief Experiences Officer for Black Wall. So that includes community, includes evangelism, includes investor in government relations. It&#8217;s really making sure that there&#8217;s an ability to communicate all the things that we do to the right people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And what does well formally BotGuard, now Black Wall, what do they do? What do they offer up into the market? Is it a WordPress thing, or is it more of a, we&#8217;ll get into the OSI model in a minute, but is it more of an operating system thing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:46] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It&#8217;s at the top of the stack. So while, let&#8217;s just call it 50%, I know that&#8217;s not the exact number, but it&#8217;s close enough that I, think it&#8217;s fair to say, 50% of the web is run by WordPress. We&#8217;re still very heavily involved in the community. So we were just at WordCamp Asia. We&#8217;ll be at WordCamp Europe. These are places want to meet folks, communicate our solution, and engage with hosting providers because, when we get to running through our little OSI stack that you and I are obviously super experts in, we&#8217;ll kinda see where WordPress falls into it and where security matters, up and down that stack.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re trying to help WordPress end users and hosting companies before you ever actually have to get to WordPress, because we already see that a significant portion of internet traffic, 40% of internet traffic is bots. AI agents, whatever you want to call them. And 25% of that 40%, so 10% is completely malicious. And you don&#8217;t want to get near the hosting company, the actual application, or anywhere further down the stack if you can avoid it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So it sounds, just the name, and I confess, I don&#8217;t know much about what BotGuard, Black Wall do, did. But it sounds to me from the naming of it, that it&#8217;s a bit like you are literally a sentinel. You are standing in the way of things. Examining things that are coming your way and saying, no, you may not pass, but you may.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And a bit like throwing it into dev null, if something is unable to pass, you are just black walling it, as it were. You are just saying, nope, off you go, drop, you&#8217;re outta here. Is that basically the principle? You are a security firm preventing things that are bad happening to whoever it is that uses your services.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:25] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Some of it&#8217;s super, super bad, so you&#8217;re going to dev null it. And then there&#8217;s a spectrum of how bad those connections can be. We want to focus on humans getting to human content. Our key, sort of value propositions, humans are secure, humans are actually visiting your site. That&#8217;s what&#8217;s important.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there are good bots, and there are good bots who accidentally do bad things. And then there are the bad, bad bots. We obviously want Google to index our sites. We may or may not want Open AI indexing our sites. We certainly don&#8217;t want it. causing an accidental denial of service by how much it&#8217;s scraping our content. Which we have seen many a time. Where it&#8217;s like, great Open AI, come on in, take one quick look and get out. But it&#8217;s like, I&#8217;m going to stay there and I&#8217;m going to churn through everything. And we&#8217;ve seen it and it knocks sites out. And the AI engines, agents are particularly bad about that, because they&#8217;re trying to fill in and understand that data.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. Okay, so we&#8217;ve got some idea of what you do. Just as an aside, what a shame that the internet has a need for a company like yours. I don&#8217;t mean to take the food off your table, but back 20 years ago this just wasn&#8217;t really a thing. Just this promise of the internet to be this philanthropic place with unicorns and rainbows everywhere, where we were all going to throw our content in, and we were all going to consume it and it would be wonderful.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now we have well, human beings presumably started the whole thing, but now human beings have written codes such that they can step away and let their robots carry on. And what a shame that we need to have things like captchas on forms. and we need to pay security companies to do all of this stuff.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And again, I&#8217;m not trying to say that your business doesn&#8217;t have a place. Clearly it does. But from a philosophical point of view, I wish that they didn&#8217;t need to exist, because the place was benign and harmless all the time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:19] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> I&#8217;m going to poke a tiny hole in that bubble.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:21] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Please do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:22] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Actually, this is not a bad thing because we&#8217;ve actually moved most of the troublemaking away from us locally. You want to go back 20 years ago and we&#8217;re dealing with Norton Antivirus on everything, and crossing our fingers and praying that something doesn&#8217;t sneak into our immediate homes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve actually been able to, because we&#8217;ve gone to cloud, push a lot of that super local personal risk a bit further downstream. So these security issues didn&#8217;t magically appear, they were much more, in fact, they were much more terrifying before. And I, oh my god, my Windows PC got hacked and now I have to like completely just throw it on the grill, light it on fire five times, and then reinstall Windows.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most folks don&#8217;t worry about doing that with their laptops, with their phones or whatnot anymore. The scalable risks are completely different, because me getting hacked was one person. Now a cloud website platform application, and then I&#8217;m, 10 million people get hacked. But we&#8217;re pushing it further away and away and away.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s interesting. I remember in the dawn of computers that I had, I didn&#8217;t begin my computer journey right at the very, very beginning. You could walk into a store and walk out with a computer in more or less, every town and village in the country, when I began using them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the media, the way that you got things onto the computer was a physical thing. You held the object in your hand. It was either a CD or some kind of media that you could physically hold. And now of course literally nobody is installing anything off a CD. And so I guess the, inexorable rise of the internet, and everything coming down a, well, telephone line, and we&#8217;ll get into that in a moment. Putting it in the cloud makes way more sense, doesn&#8217;t it? It doesn&#8217;t really seem to have so much utility having the antivirus, if you like, on the computer. I know it does, don&#8217;t get me wrong. But I can see that the shift to mitigating the risk and detecting the risk and doing something about the problem in the cloud. Obfuscated, abstracted away, so that you never even really know what&#8217;s going on is probably the best way forward. So, yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:25] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> For 99.9 9, 9 9 9% of people, they&#8217;re not going to know or understand that they just want it to work. They don&#8217;t want to be robbed from, or in danger online. I always put it, as techy as I appear to be, I am the worst car person on earth. So when I think about internet security and what most people want to know about it, it&#8217;s pretty much what I want to know about cars.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I want my car to turn on. Go forward, go backward, get me to where I need to be as safely as possible. I don&#8217;t know, or care about anything else that&#8217;s going on under the hood. It&#8217;s a tool that I use and I want it to work like I expect it to work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. Given the population at large, it must be, one in a hundred thousand who care about the internals of their machine, probably even less so. Doesn&#8217;t matter really what you&#8217;re using, be it Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook, whatever it is, you just to flip the lid open and you want to just.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:18] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Check my email, log into my social media, buy something, call it a day.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But because it&#8217;s becoming an increasingly crucial part of our lives. Certainly where I live in the UK, more or less everything has gone online that&#8217;s of any use. So shopping has gone online. Appointments for doctors have gone online. Dentists, it&#8217;s gone online. Pharmacy appointments, it&#8217;s all gone online. Paying your taxes, it&#8217;s online.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so we really do need to protect this stuff. Really need to protect this stuff, because if it&#8217;s possible to, I don&#8217;t know, inject some problem in that path, we&#8217;re not just going to take out the beautiful experience of buying from a shop. We&#8217;re going to take out our ability to get fuel into our houses and into our cars and all of that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:58] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Yeah, if you need that prescription, you don&#8217;t want that to go down, so.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:01] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It&#8217;s become almost like, almost like a human right. That seems a bit of a ridiculous thing to say, but on some level, it seems like the internet or access to the internet is almost on that level. It certainly feels like it is as important as other key parts of the country&#8217;s infrastructure. So power and gas all of that, and the road network and what have you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:20] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It is the information utility. So you have your power utilities, you have an information utility. It&#8217;s got to be available. In the States we always have our last mile issues, especially for very rural folks, about how connected are they, how fast is it? We always do this to ourselves. We got this great new toy, now let&#8217;s see how, great we can make it. Yeah, but if you&#8217;re not running at a hundred megabits a second your experience might really not be functional.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So we&#8217;re going to talk today about something that I confess, I don&#8217;t know anywhere near enough of. So, Robert and I have shared an article, and I&#8217;ll put the article in the show notes. And essentially this thing that we&#8217;re going to talk about is what&#8217;s called the OSI model. And the OSI model comprises various different layers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And basically, dear listener, if you&#8217;ve never thought about the gubbins of your computer, you, might just have this fairy tale notion that you open it up and start typing and it just works. I can send an email, of course I can send an email, you just click send and it&#8217;s gone and that recipient receives it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the breathtaking quantity of things going on in the background disguised from you. Really, honestly, Robert, none of this should work, and yet it does work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:36] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Which is why I love my car analogy. I have no idea what is going on 99% of the time. I still have a gas car, so I know there&#8217;s a larger motor than an electric car. I know gas gets in there and lit on fire and moves pistons around, but really, in the most abstract sense of it. It goes, and that&#8217;s what I want it to do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:56] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> There&#8217;s explosions happening all the time, and fuel is being funneled around, and things are turning because they&#8217;ve been lubed with oil and all of that. And honestly, your car is nothing compared to the internet. The complexities in the internet, because I know that electric cars have taken over from, or are taking over from gasoline cars, but broadly speaking, the gasoline engine probably hasn&#8217;t changed terrifically much in the last a hundred years. Whereas I think the infrastructure comprising the internet, although the OSI model probably hasn&#8217;t changed much either.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The things that are coming down the pike, and the things that have happened in the last 20 years, it&#8217;s breathtaking. So, dear listener, get out your tinfoil hat as Robert and I attempt and probably butcher what the OSI model is. And if you&#8217;ve got the capacity. Perhaps pause this podcast, go to the wptavern.com website, search for this episode and read the article. And the one that Robert came up with, which was a good one, is called What is the OSI model? It Standardizes How Computer Networks Communicate, and it&#8217;s on bluecatnetworks.com, but I&#8217;ll provide the link.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:00] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> The best one I found that had the good pictures to also help. Because visually it&#8217;s hard to, you think you have a server, some wires and a browser and it&#8217;s like me saying I have an engine, some gas, and a steering wheel. There&#8217;s a lot of pieces that go in between all those parts.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> The amazing thing is this all happens really at the speed of light and. Okay, a perfect example is Robert is literally half a world away from me, and I&#8217;m talking to him through a browser, and I imagine that there is the most fractional delay between the words that I&#8217;m saying and him hearing it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s probably like a thousandth of a second or something. And yet somehow that sound and that image is getting consumed by my camera. Traveling down a cable. Getting into my computer. The computer&#8217;s making decisions about, what the heck am I going to do with this? And then pushing it down a wifi network.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That wifi network is then thinking, where do I put this thing? And then it puts it there. That then decides to shunt it along somewhere else, which shunts it along somewhere else. And eventually it gets to Robert&#8217;s computer. Robert&#8217;s computer does all of it in reverse. Unpacks it rather than packing it up, and puts it on the screen. And it&#8217;s all happening like thousands of times a second, and it shouldn&#8217;t work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:20] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It&#8217;s more live than live.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:22] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:22] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Because not only do we have the video, we have a chat window on the side. It&#8217;s all encapsulated. Use some of these acronyms, but, we have our streaming protocol for the actual video and audio. And then we have our standard internet protocols for the content and everything else that&#8217;s holding the streaming protocols together.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s crazy. Why I&#8217;m excited to have this conversation with you is like, I feel, very anecdotally, but people are like, I&#8217;m just going to spin up a WordPress site. I&#8217;m going to be a WordPress agency. And they just do it. And there&#8217;s just all this stuff in the mix that, while it&#8217;s great to take for granted, it might help to know just a few of the pieces that are critical in that security portion of infrastructure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:05] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it feels to me like a bit like you&#8217;ve been to a really nice restaurant and you&#8217;ve eaten a fabulous meal, and then you realize the 12 hours of labor that went into creating that tiny little sauce on the side or something like that. And you get real appreciation for it. And hopefully something like that will come out of this.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, caveat emptor, we&#8217;re not going to get everything right. Please feel free to give us a comment when we do get things wrong. But the OSI model is basically, it&#8217;s a seven layer stack and I think we&#8217;ll start at layer seven, because it sounds easier to describe it from the top down. So seven through one. And I&#8217;ll just say what all the layers are.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So they go from the application layer, that&#8217;s layer seven. Presentation layer is six. The session layer is five. Four is transport. Three is network. Two is data link. And then the final one is the physical layer. And this point, I completely stand back and say, Robert, tell us a little bit about the top one, and Robert puts his hands on his head, the application layer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:06] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It&#8217;s funny, it&#8217;s like the top most layer and the bottom most layer are the, I feel, the easiest to like grok. Let&#8217;s use geek terms, to understand.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The application layers is as well as a WordPresser, I can explain. It&#8217;s really the top, you&#8217;re connecting from the client, your client application, so a browser, email, whatever, with specific protocols.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And what we primarily use is TCP IP, because that&#8217;s that magical thing that is able to grab a bunch of information, split it up into a billion pieces, and somehow put it all back together. How are we communicating with other devices is the way I look at that layer. It&#8217;s very high level, very abstract, it&#8217;s sort of fundamental. It&#8217;s like the air we need to breathe to actually get stuff done.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It&#8217;s the layer, if I&#8217;m correct, it&#8217;s the layer closest to us, the user. It&#8217;s the layer which we can most readily understand, because it&#8217;s the layer closest to which we do things. So I think maybe a poor example, or an incorrect example, would be to imagine it&#8217;s something like Microsoft Word or something like that. Because it isn&#8217;t, the application itself isn&#8217;t that layer. It&#8217;s more how that interacts with the protocol underneath. So it might be HTTPS or FTP or something like that. But you are writing an email or something like that, and you hit send, and then the application layer gets in the way and says, what do we do with this?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:38] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Bingo. That&#8217;s exactly it, so we use all these, and generically they&#8217;re just called clients. So whether it&#8217;s Word, Microsoft Word, whether it is Safari, whether it&#8217;s Chrome, whether it&#8217;s Apple Mail. This will only entertain a few people, or Eudora mail. Just taking it back. Those are discreet applications on our devices.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then the application, to your point, you hit send, you hit go on your browser. And now we&#8217;re like going crazy, okay, what do we do? We have a request. A request needs to go somewhere. That&#8217;s where the application layer kicks in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So we have this protocol in the application layer, which then makes decisions about what to do. And each of the layers is collapsing into the layer below it. And that layer then takes something that the previous higher layer gave to it and does, some shenanigans with it, and we get something which can then move into the layer below.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:30] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Everyone knows the application layer, because we&#8217;ve all typed in HTTPS://. That is literally the application layer request.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, so in the case of a browser, it&#8217;s the capacity for the browser to send something through HTTP, what have you. And then we get into the presentation layer, which is the layer beneath. And I think, again, I&#8217;m just cribbing from this article, if I&#8217;ve parsed this correctly, it says that this layer comprises things like translation, encryption, decryption compression. And it turns all of the bits and pieces into machine readable data. So for example, it says it will convert all of the binary ones and zeros into machine readable data. If the devices are using a different communication method, the presentation layer translates that data into something understandable, so that it can be received from layer seven.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And there&#8217;s a lot more to it than that. It&#8217;s like this layer of converting what came to it, into something else, which can then be moved down the stack into five.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:34] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Bingo, that&#8217;s literally exactly it. And it&#8217;s something us as humans completely don&#8217;t interact with unless you&#8217;re the person building out that infrastructure. It&#8217;s really just we&#8217;re having computers talking to computers at this point. So when you typed in HTTPS WP Tavern, that was your human interaction. Now we&#8217;re all like, what is the process? So presentation is making sure that that data moves forward the stack.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:59] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And my understanding as well is that this is the moment where encryption and decryption occur. And so it&#8217;s high up in the stack. That is to say it&#8217;s near the layer seven, because you obviously can&#8217;t have it encrypted before you do anything with it. It&#8217;s high up in the stack so that at this moment, before it&#8217;s gone anywhere, it has become encrypted, before it&#8217;s passed down the stack and sent down the wires. But also, this is the moment if it&#8217;s coming up the stack, towards you so that you can read it in your browser, so that it&#8217;s getting decrypted at the last possible moment as well. So the encryption, I guess is at the first possible point on the way out, and the last possible point on the way back in. Have I got that right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:40] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Yeah, and that&#8217;s a great way to look at it is, when we look from the top of the stack to the bottom of the stack, it&#8217;s almost in physical proximity to you as the human end user.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:49] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Because at first you&#8217;re typing in something. Now something&#8217;s happening, that encryption is happening locally, because otherwise it wouldn&#8217;t be safe. And as we get further down the stack, you are physically further away from what&#8217;s going on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:02] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. And the other thing that&#8217;s going on here is compression. So you&#8217;ve got some giant blob of data that the stack can compress to make it more efficient to fly over the wires, then that will be handled at this layer as well, is my understanding.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:17] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> We have compression on the servers as well in the applications layer as well. Don&#8217;t forget, you can compress data on the protocol.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:22] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So that all sounds really remarkable, but also quite humanly understandable, because everything that I&#8217;ve said makes perfect sense. And we start from five down. It starts to be really the domain of networking experts, and people who really obsess about computers and understand this stuff. But if you&#8217;re just the person using the web and WordPress casually, honestly, it may be that you&#8217;ve never come across this stuff, and I found it just breathtaking, to be honest.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So layer five, is called the session layer, and it is literally that. It&#8217;s managing sessions, so it&#8217;s figuring out who&#8217;s connected to who. How that communication should begin. How it should end. When it&#8217;s decided that, okay, that connection should be destroyed. We&#8217;re not using that anymore, but okay, now we&#8217;ve got something else that we need to do. And it figures out, yeah, sessions basically, which I guess is the easiest way to describe it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:15] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Everyone knows what a session is. It&#8217;s me being connected, and my information being managed for me, so that when I log in, Nathan doesn&#8217;t get all my information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And also, an understanding here is that usernames and passwords, so authentication is happening at this layer as well. And again, that kind of makes sense. So you would have to authenticate before the decryption happens in the layer above and vice versa. But yeah, this is opening up connections between, in this case, you and I are chatting in a browser, so we&#8217;re occupying one session, and then there are million, literally millions of packets of data just flying around over the internet via who knows what route. They&#8217;re all going in completely different routes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:57] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Some of these packets can literally be going through Australia or South Africa or Brazil, and back and forth and they, catch up.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:05] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Incredible, isn&#8217;t it? Literally. It&#8217;s like, I don&#8217;t know. Imagine getting a handful of rice and chucking it all down on the floor, but it assembles itself into a tower. It just lands and it just assembles itself. That&#8217;s basically what we are dealing with.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:19] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> That&#8217;s a good one. Yeah, like I have my own rice tower at home. I throw it on the ground. It gets shipped by FedEx to you, but when you open up the box, it reassembles itself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Just in perfect condition, yeah. So the next layer four, is the transport layer. And this is the bit which actually I guess begins the process of sending my stuff to you, and your stuff to me. And typically the protocols for that are something called UDP, which is User Datagram Protocol or TCP Transmission Control Protocol.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And my understanding, which is very basic, is that UDP differs from TCP in that UDP can be more of a stream of data, because it doesn&#8217;t require everything to come through perfectly to say, yeah, that&#8217;s now finished. So a perfect example would be us talking to each other, streaming. If bits get lost along the way, it doesn&#8217;t want to say, right end the call.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We haven&#8217;t got one bit. We need to just stop. Until that bit has been found, it just keeps going and just disregards the missing bits. Whereas TCP, this is just incredible. This is the rice tower, isn&#8217;t it?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:28] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> TCP is the rice tower, exactly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:30] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It requires every single piece to be sent. Acknowledged. Counted out. Counted in at the destination, and for the both ends of the connection to be saying, did you get that bit? Yeah, I got that bit. What about this bit? Did you get that bit? Yeah, I got that bit. 23, did you get 23? No, 23 has gone. Where, where&#8217;s 23? Oh, I&#8217;ll send 23 again. Here it is. A million times a second for this conversation that we&#8217;re having. Well, it&#8217;s probably not a million times a second, but you know what I mean.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I&#8217;ve summed that up very badly, but these packets of data that are flying around. They egress my computer. They go through 7, 6, 5, now we&#8217;re in 4, and they&#8217;ve got to go through further layers. But they&#8217;re not just going in a straight pipe, like a hose pipe from your faucet, spraying the garden. These are just going anywhere they choose. So one packet, like you said, might go via Australia, one might go through South Africa, and then somehow they just reassemble themselves magically at the other end.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:26] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Routers, because that&#8217;s what those do. Obviously that&#8217;s a physical component further down the pipe. They&#8217;re saying, this is the order of information. I&#8217;m going to just spew out, and everyone else needs to figure out how to put it back together, one piece. It&#8217;s crazy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:38] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it is crazy. My understanding is that back in the day, when the internet was conceptualized, I think it was possibly something like Darpanet, or something like that, but it was a, I think it was a military endeavor, the enterprise was something along the lines of, we need a communication system which if various nodes are taken out, let&#8217;s say, I don&#8217;t know, bombed out of existence, or just the power is cut, the system is intelligent enough to just work round the problem, and figure, okay, we can&#8217;t go there anymore, let&#8217;s just go a different way. And that is what we now have.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:12] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It&#8217;s all about redundancy. I&#8217;m going to take just a slight tangent on federated social media. Any kind of federated application. Those exist in a lot of ways to ensure redundancy. I&#8217;m going to go way, way back, to where most of the audience probably wasn&#8217;t born. So we had these things called modems, and they would be attached to a phone, and you would run something called a bulletin board system. Those were single points of failure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you actually saw groups of independent bulletin board system providers create these distributed federated networks. So if you sent an email to a specific person, at a specific BBS, if that phone line was busy, it could go to another one that would take it, and keep pushing it along until you actually got it to the right place. This idea of distributed and federated systems is really what makes the internet functional because we take care of failure points. We ignore them and just work around them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:17] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And obviously we know that works as well because parts of every country&#8217;s infrastructure are breaking all the time. One router somewhere will just go down, even if it&#8217;s a crucial router, it doesn&#8217;t in the end stop the system. It probably creates bottlenecks in various places.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:31] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Slow it down.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Slow the egress of traffic around, yeah. But in layer four we&#8217;re dealing with the ports that things fire out of as well. And then when we get down to layer three, that&#8217;s when the actual data is divided up into little packets and little segments. So data four and data three, honestly, to some extent they feel very similar in my head at least anyway.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But layer three is using things like IP addressing, to decide where this packet&#8217;s going to go. And I think wraps the packets up in the IP address, if you like. It&#8217;s almost like wrapping up a Christmas present and as it travels down the stack, by the time it gets to layer three, it&#8217;s being told, this is not what it&#8217;s being told, but this encapsulates it. This is a gift for Robert Jacobi. You must find Robert Jacobi.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then it reads that, and then finally, it&#8217;ll rip off the wrapping and finally give you the gift at the end as it goes back up the stack. So, there&#8217;s not a lot to say on layer three, I don&#8217;t think, other than it&#8217;s using things like IP v4 and IP v6 to make decisions about how it&#8217;s going to be spread around. Have I got that about right? Do you think?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:35] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> That works for me. I think that&#8217;s enough information for most folks. Again, we&#8217;re trying to give a taste of how complex security is, for what we do day to day. But also how we can apply it to how WordPress understands it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And then we&#8217;ve got the two layers where, the data link layer and the physical layer. The data link layer is handling the data transferred. So the actual data moving around. So it&#8217;s getting pushed around on the same network is my understanding for layer two. So that&#8217;s when you are, for example, in the same office building. I think layer two is just for that. I could be wrong.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:11] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> It&#8217;s getting to your router and then your router will start moving stuff around. Cause don&#8217;t forget, your router is on your network as well as any other computer in that closed. So, our 192&#8217;s. Our internal network, so that&#8217;s the closest on the networking side, that hardware side, because as soon as it hits our router it goes to the cable, or whoever you&#8217;re using, outside of your office, home, your LAN.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:35] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And then the final layer, the physical layer is the cables, the actual infrastructure out there in the world outside of your house, basically. Or your office building. Well, maybe there&#8217;s some of it in the office building as well, but the majority of it, the miles and miles of things are all in the physical layer. And it says here on the bit that I&#8217;m reading. Finally, this layer encompasses the equipment that carries data across the network, such as fiber network switches, and so on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so finally, our packets of data that we started off at the beginning, writing the email to Robert Jacobi. Finally, that packet has made it out. It&#8217;s escaped into the wild, and is now just rattling around on the internet desperately being told, very quickly, where to go. And then hopefully it&#8217;ll arrive. Travel to Robert&#8217;s computer. Travel in the reverse direction of the stack, and he&#8217;ll get a nice email from me with cat pictures in it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:27] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Why is it always cat pictures?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:29] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Why not? Okay, so all of that shenanigans is happening, and honestly, I feel a, it&#8217;s very difficult if you&#8217;re inexperienced like me, to get the words out in the correct order so that I have demonstrated that I understand it. Because I do on a very, very slight level.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I know that entire careers, very, very, well paid careers can be built upon really understanding what we&#8217;ve just spoken about. But in there, I presume, is the capacity for threats, and the capacity for things to go wrong, and the capacity in all of these layers for people to inject things which shouldn&#8217;t be there. For clever people to figure out ways to disrupt that information. To take that information. To delete that information. To rewrite that information. And is that essentially what your company does? Prevent those things?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:18] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> So when I look at it from a CMS stack, and again, let&#8217;s focus on WordPress. My mental model that is slightly different. I&#8217;ll use, I think what most of us feel like is WordPress infrastructure. I know, the really smart folks are going to yell at me for this. You have a server somewhere. It has an operating system, it has PHP, MySQL, it has WordPress, and then whatever else is in front of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there&#8217;s a whole stack and layer on layers of communication that go from when I hit my browser and type in WP Tavern and hit go. And let&#8217;s move away from all the really highly technical networking protocol issues.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>At some point, it&#8217;s going to make a request to a hosting company that needs to be able to say, oh, yes, let&#8217;s give them the WP Tavern homepage. In that process there are caching services, firewall products, local security on the networking side of that hosting company. What I feel personally, but also which is what makes products like Black Walls critical is, detect and defend as far away from the website as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if there are a million bots coming at you, get them before they even hit the hosting company&#8217;s infrastructure. Some will always sneak through because it&#8217;s a battle that&#8217;s just never ending and, you&#8217;re going to keep learning and fighting and learning and fighting. Mitigate the risks as close to the bad actor, and as far away from the site as possible. So, mitigate, mitigate, mitigate, mitigate, mitigate. And there are tools and solutions up and down that entire stack.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you&#8217;re going to have stuff way before you hit the hosting company. You&#8217;re going to have some solutions closer to the hosting company. You&#8217;re going to have solutions directly on WordPress. There are security plugins that are running on your install of your site. Those are great. I personally feel that you don&#8217;t want to even get that close if you&#8217;re a bad actor. Mitigate that problem as quickly, as soon as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And even solutions that work at the operating system level, or at least the language level. There are products out there that are constantly monitoring, looking for and mitigating PHP corruption. So, you really don&#8217;t want to let everyone have access all the way down to that level, because then you&#8217;re already, you will have problems, how to put it nicely. We don&#8217;t say bad words on the show.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:53] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So do you sell your product into the WordPress space? So, you know, to freelancers, agencies, or are you more at the hosting level, or is it even more like infrastructure level? So at the router level. So in our case, this sort of physical layer that we were talking about. Is that the kind of place where your products go? I honestly don&#8217;t know where your product sits in all of that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:16] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> So, if you look at it from a hardware perspective, there&#8217;s going to be the end user is going to make request. It&#8217;s going to get routed somewhere. We sit between where it&#8217;s getting routed and the hosting company. So our goal is to prevent the hosting company from wasting physical resources. Now we need to amp up our service because there&#8217;s so much traffic coming in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we need to amp up our customer support because more stuff is happening with our virtual machines or hosted infrastructure. So that&#8217;s our place in the universe. Get the bad guys before they get to the critical infrastructure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:51] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> And another question, forgive my ignorance. Is Black Wall&#8217;s solution, is it software? Is it code that sits on an operating system? Or maybe you even have hardware that sits in the way of things, the packets have to transfer through your hardware and be inspected in a way, like a router might get in the way of those things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:10] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Our secret sauce is that we are software that emulates the hardware that used to be required. So there are hardware companies buy this kind of routing and prevention, traffic mitigation. And we do it on the software side so that you as an agency or MSP, if you&#8217;re running a bunch of virtual machines, you can deploy this on your own. Certainly as a hosting company, you can deploy this across your entire enterprise.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So you are dealing with very technical, the people that purchase from you they&#8217;re not me, for example. They are very technical. They&#8217;re in the data centers. The sort of technical end of the hosting companies. They understand what I&#8217;ve just butchered during this episode.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not like a freelancer market. You will not be selling Black Wall as a plugin. You are dealing with, directly with hosting companies and the tech side of those hosting companies.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:01] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> There&#8217;s a wonderful German word called Jein. So yes and no.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, that is a good word.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:05] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> For all the Germans listening. You still want to be able to control a lot of times exactly what kind of traffic comes in. You might want to get scraped by AI bots more than someone else does. Or you might want to turn off all scraping if you&#8217;re an e-commerce store and you&#8217;re worried about people taking your pricing and not allowing you to sell at your level.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve had, and are currently reworking our entire WordPress plugin, to enable that end user control of that infrastructure. So it&#8217;s not running on your WordPress install, which is great because it&#8217;s not taking up resources, filling up your hard drive. But you can control, as an end user, the granularity of the traffic that&#8217;s able to access your site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, so you have a plugin, so you are reading what the hosting company is doing. You can view it through a GUI on your WordPress website, but you are not actually, it&#8217;s nothing to do with your WordPress install. You&#8217;re getting the data from your hosting company, and that is another layer away from you. Okay. That&#8217;s interesting. I didn&#8217;t realise that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:04] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Yes, it empowers all these website owners, agencies, MSPs, to fine tune, for lack of a better term.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:10] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. And then do you offer a sort of GUI for data breakdown, tables, graphs, charts, and ways to block things that you imagine are suspicious, and alerting and things like that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:20] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Yep, as well as defaults for all sorts of things of course, just to make life easier for folks. You can go and visit our site and get some initial monitoring for your site for free. We enjoy having that as part of just an offering of the reporting and monitoring, you can see it. My traffic has been great, and then all of a sudden you look and it&#8217;s oh wait, it&#8217;s just been Chat GPT.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Sad realization that the million visitors that seemed to be going to your excellent article were in fact Chat GPT.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:47] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Bots stealing that information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:49] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Sadly, time has got the better of us. We&#8217;re at the time where Robert has to walk away. I know he&#8217;s got a hard stop. Firstly, my apologies, dear listener for utterly butchering the OSI model. I&#8217;m sure there&#8217;s a lot of geeks out there who were just throwing things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:42:01] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> They&#8217;re going to kill, but my hope is everyone looks it up, a lazy Sunday afternoon understanding.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:42:06] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Exactly. And that, really was my capacity to understand it. Doesn&#8217;t matter how much more I read it, I will be able to get no more out of it. But an important conversation, and one that we&#8217;ve never had before. We never get into the weeds of all of that. It&#8217;s always WordPress all the way down.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And this is what&#8217;s happening before, WordPress gets to put the bits and your screen. So really important and hopefully, like Robert said, it will encourage people to go and have a little look.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert Jacobi, thank you so much for chatting to me today, and good luck with the new rebranding of BotGuard into Black Wall. I hope that goes well too. Thank you so much.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:42:39] <strong>Robert Jacobi:</strong> Thank you Nathan.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-jacobi/\">Robert Jacobi</a>.<br /><br />Robert has a long-standing history with the tech and CMS industry, having worked in senior positions at Joomla, Cloudways, Perfect Dashboard, and more. He&#8217;s now the Chief Experience Officer at <a href=\"https://blackwall.com/\">Black Wall</a>, a company formerly known as BotGuard.<br /><br />Robert talks with me today about the transition from proprietary systems to open source, and the seven-layer OSI model that underpins the internet. Drawing from his experiences in tech, Robert and I try, and perhaps fail, to break down the complexities of how website traffic is routed over the internet. This is done to try to understand how Black Wall can position itself to mitigate risks before they reach hosting companies infrastructure.<br /><br />We also discuss the evolution of bot traffic on the web, where upwards of 10% of internet traffic is identified as malicious. This kind of insight is particularly important for those interested in the security aspect of web hosting and website management.<br /><br />We also get into Black Wall&#8217;s rebranding journey, and its continued dedication to the WordPress community by participating in events like WordCamp Asia and Europe.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever wondered about the unseen layers of internet security and infrastructure, or the strategic moves involved in rebranding a tech company, this episode is for you.<br /></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Useful links</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://blackwall.com/\">Black Wall</a> (formerly BotGuard)</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.joomla.org/\">Joomla</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.cloudways.com/en/\">Cloudways</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.digitalocean.com/\">Digital Ocean</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://bluecatnetworks.com/glossary/what-is-the-osi-model/\">What is the OSI model? It standardizes how computer networks communicate</a></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 18 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: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:103:\"Do The Woo Community: The Challenges and Wins of Creating a Suite of WordPress Plugins with Steve Burge\";s: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=92722\";s: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:102:\"https://dothewoo.io/the-challenges-and-wins-of-creating-a-suite-of-wordpress-plugins-with-steve-burge/\";s: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:183:\"In this episode host Mark Westguard chats with Steve Burge, founder of PublishPress, discussing their journeys, the evolution of WordPress plugins, and strategies for business 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:\"Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:26:00 +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: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:48:\"Gutenberg Times: Source of Truth (WordPress 6.8)\";s: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=38037\";s: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:57:\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/\";s: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:52790:\"<p>Ahead of WordPress 6.8 Beta release and in absence of Anne McCarthy, we publish the Source of Truth a second time on the Gutenberg Times. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>With me, I mean all the collaborators on this post: Krupal Lakhia, Justin Tadlock, Jonathan Bossenger, and JuanMa Garrido. </p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"changelog\">Changelog</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Any changes will be cataloged here as the release goes on. The links below are all anchor links to the respective sections in this post.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"upd43\"><strong>Updates April 3, 2025</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Added <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#starter\">Starter Content modal now available for all post types</a> note</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added link for the <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#important-links\">Field Guide WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added note of <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#bug\">a bug for <strong>Zoom out </strong>view</a> in context of the <strong>Show Template</strong> check</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added a shot video on<a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#querytotal\"> how to use the Query Total Block</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Updates March 26, 2025</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Added link to <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/accessibility-improvements-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 6.8</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Updates March 25, 2025</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Removed Query loop block Formats filter as they were already in WordPress 6.7.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#parents\">Set Depth Limit to Query Loop</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li><s>Added <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#showtemplate\">default of show template</a> per post type</s> <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/8557#top\">Reverted </a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#iAPI\">Added additional changes </a>to Interactivity API </li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added section <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#new-functions-and-filters\">New Functions and Filters</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added the <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/03/whats-new-for-developers-march-2025/\">What&#8217;s new for developers (March 2025)</a> to the links </li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#addnavigation\">additional modifications</a> to the Navigation Block</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added <code>blocktype.parent</code> <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#typeparent\">enforced as array</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added link to Dev note about <a href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/#components\">user-facing components</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find missing features, please ping me on WPSlack or DM on Bluesky (<a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/gutenbergtimes.com\">@gutenbertimes.com</a>)</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"important-note-guidelines\">Important note/guidelines</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Please do not copy and paste what is in this post since this will be shared with many people. This should be used to inspire your own content and to ensure that you have the best information about this release. If you do copy and paste, keep in mind that others might do the same, opening the door for some awkwardness around duplicated content out on the web.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Each item has been tagged using best guesses with different high level labels so that you can more readily see at a glance who is likely to be most impacted.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Each item has a high-level description, visuals (if relevant), and key resources if you would like to learn more.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overview\">Overview&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-background-color has-accent-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-a85028a54332c7cdc396d5f2b4559ede\"><em>Note: As always, what’s shared here is being actively pursued, but doesn’t necessarily mean each will make it into the final release of WordPress 6.8.</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-8/\">WordPress 6.8</a> is set to be released on April 15th, 2025. This release continues refining foundational features introduced in previous versions, focusing on improving data views, query loops, and block interactions. It introduces a more streamlined design experience with a Zoom Out editing approach, expanded style controls, and enhanced typography options. API developments, including the Block Hooks and Interactivity API, aim to enhance extensibility, while speculative loading integration and performance optimizations seek to improve site speed. Accessibility improvements and ongoing support for PHP 8.x ensure WordPress remains user-friendly and forward-compatible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of note, this release includes Gutenberg 19.4 &#8211; 20.4.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"important-links\">Important links:</h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/02/06/roadmap-to-6-8/\">Roadmap 6.8</a>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-8/\">WordPress 6.8 Development Cycle</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/28/wordpress-6-8-field-guide/\">6.8 Field Guide</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li>What’s new for developers: <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2024/11/whats-new-for-developers-november-2024/\">November</a>, <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2024/12/whats-new-for-developers-december-2024/\">December</a>, <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/01/whats-new-for-developers-january-2025/\">January</a>, <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/02/whats-new-for-developers-february-2025/\">February</a>, <a href=\"https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2025/03/whats-new-for-developers-march-2025/\">March</a> </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-8-assets\">6.8 assets:&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this <a href=\"https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1WBc_QOYSSaQCbz6KTPBsrcLtPNtAPDzh\">Google Drive folder</a> you can view all assets used in this document.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tags\">Tags</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make this document easier to navigate based on specific audiences, the following tags are used liberally:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[end user]: end user focus.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[theme author]: block or classic theme author.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[plugin author]: plugin author, whether block or otherwise.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[developer]: catch-all term for more technical folks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[site admin]: this includes a “builder” type.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[enterprise]: specific items that would be of interest to or particularly impact enterprise-level folks</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If no tags are listed, it’s because the impact is broad enough to impact everyone equally.&nbsp;</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 class=\"has-large-font-size\">Table of contents</p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#changelog\">Changelog</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#important-note-guidelines\">Important note/guidelines</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#overview\">Overview </a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#important-links\">Important links:</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#6-8-assets\">6.8 assets: </a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#tags\">Tags</a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#priority-items-for-6-8\">Priority items for 6.8</a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#global-styles-available-on-the-main-site-editor-sidebar\">Global Styles available on the main site editor sidebar </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#swifter-hiding-and-showing-the-template\">Swifter hiding and showing the template </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#style-book\">Style Book </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#zoom-out-view\">Zoom Out View </a></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#design-tools\">Design Tools </a></li></ol></li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#updated-core-blocks\">Updated Core Blocks </a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https://gutenbergtimes.com/source-of-truth-wordpress-6-8/#buttons\">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 id=\"bug\"><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/69777\">A late bug report </a>surfaced that the Zoom out view is disabled when Show Template is checked off. As soon as you click on Show Template in the Preview Tab, the icon for the Zoom out view also appears. </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<p id=\"querytotal\">I received some questions on how to access the Query Total block. It can only be added inside a Query Loop block, similar to the Pagination block. The below video shows how. </p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\n</div>\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<p id=\"starter\">Once added to the <code>Post Types</code> attributes of pattern headers, the starter pattern modal now works for Posts, and Custom post types,  not just for Pages. (<a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/69753\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">69753</a>)</p>\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>. The dev note has all the details: <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/2025/03/25/accessibility-improvements-in-wordpress-6-8/\">Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 6.8</a></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:16:00 +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:66:\"Do The Woo Community: My Content Journey Leading to 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:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=92890\";s: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:70:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/my-content-journey-leading-to-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:222:\"BobWP reflects on their journey with audio and content creation, from childhood 