Frustrations are mounting, as WordPress.org plugin developers plead with WordPress leadership to restore access to the active install growth data for plugins after it was removed last weekend without any public discussion. A ticket calling for bringing back the charts is home to a heated discussion on the matter but so far the developer community has not been able to …
WordPress.org Removes Active Install Growth Data for Plugins
Over the weekend, WordPress.org meta contributors removed the active install growth charts for plugins, a key metric that many developers and a handful of services rely on for tracking. “Insufficient data obfuscation” is the cryptic reason cited for the charts’ removal, but the decision-making process was not transparent. In a ticket titled “Bring back the active install growth chart,” RebelCode …
iThemes Patches Vulnerability in BackupBuddy, Wordfence Tracks 5 Million Exploit Attempts
BackupBuddy, a commercial plugin from iThemes that performs scheduled backups with remote storage options, has patched a vulnerability that allowed for arbitrary file download by unauthenticated users. iThemes published an advisory for its users, indicating that the vulnerability affects versions 8.5.8.0 through 8.7.4.1 and is being actively exploited. Wordfence reviewed its data and found that attackers began targeting this vulnerability …
WP-Optimize Denies Allegations of Cheating Performance Tools
Yesterday, we published allegations from Gijo Varghese against UpdraftPlus, the makers of WP-Optimize. Varghese is founder of FlyingProxy, a competing company, and identifies himself as a “performance enthusiast.” He accused the plugin of “cheating Pagespeed and other tools” by hiding JavaScript files from loading when users test their sites through popular performance testing tools. The code uses an odd set …
WP-Optimize Plugin Accused of Cheating PageSpeed and Other Performance Testing Tools
Gijo Varghese, a developer who calls himself a “web performance enthusiast,” shocked WordPress users around the world over the weekend when he tweeted a screenshot of how WP-Optimize is explicitly preventing select JavaScript files from loading when users test their sites through popular performance testing tools. “When a site is loaded, the JavaScript files are loaded only when the user-agent/browser …
How To Offer Custom Design Services To Your Web Development Clients
Offering custom design services as part of your overall web development service can help increase your appeal, your revenue, and allow you to add more value for clients. Learn, step-by-step, how it’s done in this article. Looking to expand your services beyond general web development work? Or maybe you’re learning new web design skills and looking for a profitable way …
Akismet 5.0 Adds New Spam Detection Feature That Analyzes How Comments Are Posted
For years, the vast majority of Akismet releases have been centered around bug fixes and improving compatibility with various plugins. Version 5.0 was released today, following 4.2.5 earlier this month, with a new feature that should improve Askismet’s ability to detect spam comments. Akismet engineer Christopher Finke explained how the plugin will now analyze how a comment is posted, in …
New Free Plugin Offers Beautiful Block Patterns for Food Bloggers
Last month WPZOOM released a free plugin called Block Patterns for Food Bloggers that I finally got the chance to test. Food blogs commonly have a strong focus on category and tag-driven grid layouts with big featured images and multiple sections showcasing different types of recipes. Prior to the block editor, customizing these types of layouts would be beyond reach …
WordPress Performance Team Proposes Developing a New Plugin Checker Tool
WordPress’ Performance team is kickstarting a proposal for developing a plugin checker tool similar to the theme check plugin, which ensures themes are meeting the latest standards and best practices. In 2021, WordPress’ Meta team built a code scanner that detects potential security risks, such as unescaped SQL queries in plugin code, with the goal of reducing the Plugin Team’s load through …
Awesome Motive Acquires WP Charitable Plugin
Awesome Motive, makers of popular plugins like OptinMonster, WPForms, and MonsterInsights, acquired WP Charitable this week. The plugin is used by more than 10,000 non-profits for creating fundraising campaigns and collecting online donations. It does not charge any transaction fees and currently has a 4.9/5-star average rating on WordPress.org. “Wes and I launched Charitable in 2015 because we were tired …