The Gutenberg project and its eventual full-site editing feature is coming upon a major issue that will need to be solved. Block-based themes of the future are currently on a path toward a template system that will comprise of plain HTML files. While that will work for the majority of a theme’s output, the trouble is figuring out how the …
Build Custom Templates with the MB Views Add-On for Meta Box
Meta Box released its MB Views add-on plugin last week. The new extension allows developers to build custom templates from the comfort of their WordPress admin. The goal is to provide an easy-to-use interface for outputting custom fields without editing theme files, but its flexibility pushes the boundaries of full-site editing. Quick take: MB Views offers a solid developer experience …
GitHub Acquires npm, Plans to Improve Infrastructure and Experience
GitHub announced yesterday that it had acquired the popular JavaScript package service npm for an undisclosed amount. npm, Inc. was the company behind the Node package manager, npm Registry, and npm CLI. The company is shuttering its doors, but the future of the npm service looks bright with this acquisition. Currently, npm serves over 1.3 million packages with 75 billion …
Gutenberg 7.7 Ships Refreshed UI and First Iteration of Block Patterns
Last week, version 7.7 of the Gutenberg plugin shipped to users. In what is one of the more visually-striking updates in a while, the design team presented a refreshed UI. Users will also get their first chance to test the upcoming block patterns feature. Some users may get a surprise. Gutenberg 7.7 is the first version of the plugin to …
Women in Tech Salary Transparency Project: Addressing the Gender Pay Gap
Lizzie Kardon, Head of Content and Engagement at Pagely, was featured in a nationwide segment on NBC’s TODAY show last month. On the show, women talked about the wage gap and the issues faced by women in the workforce. Kardon is a part of a growing movement of women who are supporting other women in negotiating a fairer paycheck. NBC …
The Wacky World of Sorta Brilliant’s Sorta Fun Block Plugins
The Wacky World of Sorta Brilliant’s Sorta Fun Block Plugins You could say that I am a bit of a fanboy of the late 1990s and early 2000s web. I loved the funkiness of GeoCities. I enjoyed the random midi file that began playing when a new web page opened. I am nostalgic about an early web that felt like …
WooCommerce 4.0 Lands with New Admin Interface and Updated Onboarding Experience
Yesterday, Automattic launched version 4.0 of its WooCommerce plugin. Except for the new admin interface, which has been in testing for over a year, the development of this update began in January 2020. The update also includes an updated onboarding experience for new users. Version 4.0 is a major release of the plugin. Users should create a database backup before …
Advice for Newcomers to Remote Work: Lessons Learned
“What did you do today?” asked my aunt. “Take a nap? Watch TV?” “You know, I work a real job, Auntie? They pay me and everything.” Making some of my family and friends understand what I actually do from home is tough. If it is a family member I don’t really like, I sometimes respond, “I work — probably harder …
Editor Will Default to Fullscreen Mode in WordPress 5.4
WordPress editor in fullscreen mode. Riad Benguella announced on the core development blog last week the editor in WordPress 5.4 will ship in fullscreen mode by default. While some form of fullscreen or distraction-free writing has existed for years in the core platform, this marks the first time WordPress will make it the default experience. Not all installations will see …
BracketSpace Releases Library of Reusable Code for Plugin and Theme Development
BracketSpace, a WordPress-centric software development company based, released Micropackage a few weeks ago. The project is a collection of open-source repositories with reusable code for inclusion in WordPress plugins and themes. The library currently has 13 packages, including a filesystem wrapper, a template system, an Advanced Custom Fields block creator, and more. The company out of Poland specializes in project …