I am a writer. That gives me a license — not to be overused — to steer into hyperbole once in a while. I get to be critical, sometimes overly, because I can come back the next day and shower the WordPress project with praise. Perhaps, at times, I forget to be as fair or kind as I should be. …
WordPress Theme Lock-In, Silos, and the Block System
For many years, I was a hardcore advocate of separating any non-design functionality from themes into their own plugins. I wrote extensively on the issue. Whether it was shortcodes, custom post types, user metadata, and any number of things related to a user’s content/data, I drew a deep line in the sand. This belongs in a plugin. If you have …
Understanding the Query Block and Its Importance in Site Editing
I really don’t understand this Query block even though it’s been mentioned in several Tavern posts. My eyes seem to gloss over when reading about it – ha! Is it important that regular WordPress users understand this block, or is it really a block for developers? Marcus I have given the Query block a lot of attention as of late. …
On Politics and WordPress
I wish we lived in a world in which we could discuss code each day, not allowing political opinions to seep into the discourse. We could talk about the next exciting project around the corner. We could chat about a small startup getting its first big break or new investments into WordPress companies. However, I also wish we lived in …
Should WordPress Provide an API for Third-Party Editors?
Imagine a future where you log into your website’s admin. You head over to the editor. This particular editor has all the tools and features in place that make you more efficient at producing whatever content you put out for the world to see. You immediately start tapping keys or dragging your mouse around the screen, satisfied with what the …
Will Page Builders Remain Competitive in the Block Era?
Screenshot courtesy of the Elementor plugin. As Elementor, the most-used WordPress page builder, celebrated its first round of funding at $15 million, some of our readers questioned whether this was a sound investment. With movement in the Gutenberg plugin toward a full-site editing solution, which will eventually make its way into core WordPress, it is a valid concern. Will page …
Can the Block Directory and Business Interests Coexist?
WordPress.org is not an official marketplace for plugins and themes. Except for some plugins that are strictly SaaS products, all extensions to the platform are publicly available for the low cost of $0. Despite not directly selling through WordPress.org, the plugin directory is a huge source of income for many individual developers and companies via product and service upsells. Plugins …