WP Builds

In this episode of the WP Builds podcast, Nathan Wrigley and Rae Morey recap major WordPress news from the past quarter. They discuss key events like PressConf, CloudFest, WordCamp Asia, and the new altctrl.org event. Highlights include changes to Oxygen and Elementor page builders, plugin and hosting acquisitions, the launch of StellarSites, diversity challenges in WordPress leadership, the shift to one major WordPress release per year, AI-powered tools, accessibility debates, and the reinstatement of previously banned community members. If you're curious to know what's been happening in the WordPress space over the lsat few months, this episode is for you.

In "This Week in WordPress #335," Nathan Wrigley is joined by Tim Nash, Tammie Lister, and Piccia Neri to discuss rebuilding trust in the WordPress community, recent reforms proposed by Executive Director Mary Hubbard, and comparisons between WordPress and Drupal governance. The panel dives into the surge of plugin submissions, largely fueled by AI-generated plugins, and the challenges this poses for moderation and quality control. They also touch on accessibility initiatives, the importance of kindness in community interactions, and showcase new and interesting WordPress blocks and tools.

In this episode, I chat with Zach Hendershot about Miruni, an AI-powered tool designed to streamline edit requests for WordPress agencies. Miruni lets clients mark up website changes via screenshots, then uses AI to automate most updates. Agencies just review and approve. Zach explains how Miruni handles various content types, including Elementor, and upcoming features like video and audio requests. We also discuss Miruni's simple SaaS pricing model, its focus on saving agencies significant time, and the importance of keeping humans in the approval loop for quality control. If you're an agency and could do with saving a little bit of time with your client requests, perhaps Miruni is worth a look?

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 12th May 2025. Join Nathan Wrigley, Remkus de Vries, Tim Nash, Corey Maass as we discuss the news from the last 7 days. We dive into speed optimisation, with Remkus de Vries sharing why image optimisation isn't everything. The panel discusses AI's growing role in WordPress, accessibility, the end of the WordPress Media Corps, notable community updates, and new plugins like a media library tool and cart sidebar for WooCommerce. We also get into issues with Figma Sites' code, WordCamp event updates, and the importance (and pitfalls) of obsessing over optimisation scores. It's all coming up on This Week in WordPress.

In this episode of WP Builds' “At the Core,” Nathan Wrigley is joined by Birgit Pauli-Haack and Fabian Kaegy to discuss recent developments in WordPress, especially the 6.8 release. They highlight new features like enhanced details / accordion blocks, improvements to the style book, pattern section styles, gallery image expansion, and template editing. The conversation also covers the shift to slower, more focused WordPress core releases, changes in the development process, and new plugins such as ClassifAI and ThemeSwitcher Pro, which help with AI integration and gradual block theme migration. If you want to keep up with the changing pace of WordPress core development and get practical takes on the latest features, this episode is for you.

Episode 333 of "This Week in WordPress," hosted by Nathan Wrigley with guests Wendie Huis in t Veld, Dave Grey, and John Overall, covers WordPress news and community updates. They discuss canonical plugins, particularly their use for accessibility improvements and the debate over whether such features should be in WordPress core or as separate plugins. WordPress 6.8.1's release is highlighted, along with the upcoming Page Builder Summit and speaking opportunities at WPLDN. The episode touches on challenges in launching and marketing new WordPress products, strategies for broader reach, and the newly updated WordPress Mercantile swag store. Other topics include observations from the recent PressConf event, reinstating previously banned WordPress.org contributor accounts, trends in global WordPress contributions, emerging email tools like MailerPress, and both the benefits and frustrations of AI in customer support. The hosts emphasise inclusivity, community growth, and the evolving landscape of WordPress.

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Arpit G Shah, founder of Creative Work Designs, about WPSyncSheets plugins. Arpit shares how his tools enable bi-directional syncing of WordPress and WooCommerce data with Google Sheets, making tasks like import/export, inventory management, and bulk edits easier, no need to manage data directly within WordPress. He also discusses pricing, large-scale data handling, upcoming AI features, and future plans for integrating with other platforms like Airtable. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to streamline WordPress and WooCommerce data workflows. If you're a WordPress or WooCommerce user who relies on Google Sheets, or wishes their site and their spreadsheets “just talked to each other”, this episode is for you.

Another week, and we're bringing you the latest WordPress news from the last seven days. Join Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette and Tim Nash. We cover the PressConf event highlights, discuss the new Theme Switcher Pro plugin, and explore Joost's reflections on unintended consequences in SEO tools. We share updates on Patchstack security alerts, and WordPress 6.8, mention upcoming events like WordCamp Canada, and introduce Tim Nash's new WordPress security course. There's chat about new tools including BetterFox for Firefox and WP Descriptor for AI-generated image alt tags. The episode is lighthearted, featuring fun audience banter inspired by a mysterious “of the chickens” sign, as well as practical and community news from the WordPress ecosystem.

In this episode, I talk with Gabriella Laster, Product Marketing Director at Elementor, about the upcoming Elementor v4 release. Gabriella explains why a major codebase rewrite was needed, highlighting significant performance improvements, a new CSS-first approach, more intuitive UI changes, and enhanced workflow features. She reassures existing users that v3 and v4 will coexist, ensuring a smooth transition without breaking sites. The episode also covers their commitment to developer documentation, ongoing user education, and no planned pricing changes. You can expect incremental rollouts throughout 2025 with opportunities to participate in early testing. If you rely on Elementor for your livelihood, or even just your own website, and want to know what Elementor v4 will mean for you, this episode is for you.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 14th April 2025. Join Nathan Wrigley, Mark Westguard, Wendie Huis in 't Veld, Steve Burge as we talk about the WordPress news from this week. We discuss the upcoming Page Builder Summit, the release of WordPress 6.8 (the only major update for 2025), and new features like speculative loading for faster page speed. We explore the environmental and practical impacts of prefetching, the shift to an annual WordPress release cadence, and concerns about AI's growing role in web development. The panel also touches on community events like WordCamp Europe, the importance of human connection, and shares news about plugins, accessibility tools, and open-source site projects.

Today, I'm chatting with Sherry Holub about her journey in the WordPress space. Sherry discusses her background in art, transitioning from graphic design to running her own agency and her early adoption of WordPress for custom designs. We talk about how she utilises custom fields to build unique, easily modifiable websites tailored to client needs. Sherry highlights the importance of balancing creativity with functionality and shares how her approach caters to small businesses and nonprofits. The conversation also touches on the evolving nature of web design and WordPress's adaptability. Go Listen...

In "This Week in WordPress #330," Nathan Wrigley, Taco Verdonshot, Piccia Neri, and Corey Maas discuss various topics, starting with Google wanting merchants to share marketing emails for better service insights. Piccia introduces Canva's expansion into website building and promotes her course on accessible data visualisations. Corey presents his new Chrome extension, Pause Tab, designed to help manage browser tabs more effectively. The episode also highlights the sale of the Newsletter Glue plugin by Leslie Sim, stressing its impact on the WordPress community. Additionally, there's excitement around WP APAC, a new collective for WordPress professionals in the Asia Pacific. They discuss WordPress 6.8's upcoming release, the final for 2025, and the implications of reduced WordPress releases' perception. Lastly, the conversation touches on controversial ads appearing in the block editor and Progress Planner's integration with Yoast SEO for improved site maintenance.

In this episode of "The Nice Show" from WP Builds, hosts Nathan Wrigley and Mark Westguard discuss the importance of positivity. They share stories of meeting nice people, like Derek Ashauer and Miriam Schwab, and mention useful WordPress plugins like Conversion Bridge. They explore online tools like Loveable for web design and highlight community events like PressConf, WP Accessibility Day, and the Page Builder Summit. The conversation lightens with real-world anecdotes, delightful short videos, and curious news about bringing extinct animals back to life, all in the spirit of spreading niceness.

The WordPress news from the last week with Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Tammie Lister, Tim Nash. We discuss a variety of WordPress topics. Michelle launches a new events-focused podcast with Bob WP, and starts a weekly series of talks at Post Status. We explore potential alternatives to Figma, Automattic's recent workforce restructuring, and the implications of a reduced WordPress release cadence. We also cover upcoming events like Press Conf and the Page Builder Summit, and discuss the challenges of engaging Gen Z with WordPress, highlighting the need for modern design and effective communication.

In this WP Builds episode, Nathan talks with guests Wes Tatters and Mike Eisenwasser about Rapyd Cloud, a high-performance hosting solution for dynamic WordPress sites. Wes, the managing director, developed the infrastructure designed to dynamically scale resources based on demand. Mike, the co-founder and chief product officer, details their focus on sites needing significant resources, like social networks and e-commerce platforms. They offer managed WordPress hosting with advanced security and performance monitoring. Rapyd's pricing starts at $50/month, appealing to serious site owners seeking robust, scalable, and efficient hosting solutions. So, if you've been seeking a reliable, high-performance, and dynamic hosting solution for your WordPress site, this episode might just provide the answers you're looking for with Rapyd Cloud as a promising option on the horizon.

Join Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Corey Maass, Bob Dunn as they discuss the WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 24th March 2025. There's a lot to talk about but also a lot of technical gremlins! We discuss various topics related to WordPress, including accessibility, AI, and recent news in the WordPress community. Featured items include the new Elementor A11Y tool, the announcement of the Page Builder Summit, and updates on WordPress 6.8 accessibility improvements. We also delve into the practicalities of using AI in website development and recap highlights from the CloudFest hackathon.

In this episode of WP Builds entitled "Feeling Insecure? Episode #3," Nathan Wrigley and Tim Nash explore various aspects of WordPress security. Tim shares insights into his background in cybersecurity, including his past experience with physical penetration testing. We discuss the Patchstack report on WordPress security, noting an increase in vulnerabilities but reassuring listeners that more vulnerabilities being found isn't necessarily alarming. We get into the complexity of vulnerabilities, security measures like hashing and encryption, and changes coming in WordPress 6.8. The episode highlights the importance of updates and ends with a positive outlook on security advancements. It's a tin foil hat episode, and I hope that you enjoy it!

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 17th March 2025. Today we're joined by Remkus de Vries, Anna Hurko and Jonathan Overall. We discuss the proposed move to one major WordPress release annually, sparking concerns about developer and user impacts. We explore Visa challenges for WordCamp Asia 2026 attendees and the implications of WordPress's update frequency on market competitiveness. The episode highlights Cloudflare's AI Labyrinth security feature and discusses the pros and cons of speculative loading in WordPress 6.8. Attendees' experiences at CloudFest, a large European event with diverse tech showcases and hackathons, are also shared.

In this WP Builds episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Leonardo Losoviz about his new project, "Gato AI Translations for Polylang." Leo explains how his new plugin leverages the existing Gato GraphQL technology to automate the translation of WordPress content. By connecting to AI services like ChatGPT and Google Translate, the plugin translates posts, pages, and more into various languages, streamlining the process significantly. Leo highlights the plugin's ease of use and flexibility, including the ability to handle complex content types while maintaining the structure. Future plans for additional plugins are also discussed. If you're currently managing a multilingual site, or if you've been curious about the potential of AI in your WordPress projects, this episode is for you.

In this episode of WP Builds, I talk with Akshat Choudhary, founder of Block Vault, about his new product, Airlift. Airlift is a WordPress optimisation tool that promises to speed up websites with the click of a button by automatically implementing performance enhancements like caching, CDN, and image optimisation. Akshat discusses the challenges and importance of making websites faster for user engagement and conversions. Although building Airlift took longer than anticipated, with three-and-a-half years of development, the goal is to make fast websites accessible to everyone, emphasising the impact on user experience and engagement. Go listen.

"Things hard won will not be easily lost" - This Week in WordPress #326. Join Taco Verdonschot, Marieke van de Rakt, Marcus Burnette as we discuss the WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 3rd March 2025.

In this episode of the WP Builds podcast, Nathan Wrigley and guest Matt Medeiros discuss the role and impact of AI in web development, particularly within WordPress. They explore Matt's journey in developing an app called Pulse WP using various AI tools, such as chat GPT, Claude, Bolt, and Replit. The conversation touches on AI's potential benefits, challenges, and its implications for future web development. They also consider how AI may democratise technology but express concerns about its rapid growth and the need for understanding and adaptation within the WordPress community. Go listen...

Today we're with Michellle Frechette and Andrew Palmer to discuss the WordPress news from the last week.

On the podcast today, we have Simon Harper. He's here to discuss the current challenges and dynamics of the WordPress community. He explores the fragmentation within the community, sparked by tensions from a trademark dispute between WP Engine and Matt Mullenweg of Automattic. The conversation touches on the challenges of managing a large, diverse community, the impact of money in open-source projects, and potential strategies for fostering positivity and unity, such as emphasising contributions and uplifting the community's achievements amidst ongoing disputes. So, if you are interested in the future of WordPress and its community dynamics, this episode is for you.

Today, we're with Tony Zeoli, who shares his journey from being a DJ and club promoter to founding Netmix and developing radio station-related WordPress plugins. Tony discusses the history of Netmix, his experience with streaming audio online in the '90s, and his project's evolution into modern tools for radio stations on WordPress. He highlights the differences between live radio and podcasting, the ongoing relevance of radio, and introduces features of his "Radio Station" and "Radio Station Pro" plugins. Tony also narrates his move to North Carolina and involvement in academia and other startups. Go check it out...

In this episode of the WP Builds podcast, I'm joined by Rae Morey once again to discuss various updates in the WordPress community, including the launch of a new event called PressConf, the release of WordPress 6.7, and significant acquisitions like Group One acquiring GT Metrics. We get into the legal battle between Automattic and WP Engine, the sudden shutdown and subsequent reopening of WordPress.org services, and contributions to the WordPress project. Additionally, we touch upon community contributions, the future direction of WordPress development, and even mention innovations in quantum computing by Google. Join us for an informative podcast as we explore what just happened in the WordPress world and beyond!

The WordPress news from the last week. Join Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Tim Nash and Corey Maass as we talk about the WordPress news from the past 7 days. It's always fun!

In this episode, I interview Daniel Post about his WordPress plugin, Autoblue, designed to integrate Bluesky, a decentralised social network, with WordPress. Daniel shares his background in WordPress development, the recent rise in popularity of Bluesky, and details how Autoblue works, including automatic post sharing and comment synchronisation. We discuss the potential future features, user engagement, and the technical aspects of the Bluesky API. Daniel underscores the plugin's aim to merge social media interaction with website comments to enrich user experience.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 27th January 2025. Join Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Ross Morsali and Cami MacNamara as we talk about the WordPress News from this week.

In this episode of WP Builds, I discuss recent developments in WordPress with guests Birgit Pauli-Haack and Anne McCarthy. They cover several significant updates, including collaborative editing features, phase three of the Gutenberg project, data views, style books, and the evolving WordPress Playground. The conversation highlights the practical applications and future implications of these features for developers and users. Birgit and Anne provide insights into ongoing and upcoming enhancements, aiming to make WordPress more versatile and user-friendly, especially for content creation and collaboration.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 20th January 2025. Join us myself and Mark Westguard, Tim Nash, Marc Benzakein as we chat about the news from the previous 7 days.

In this episode of WP Builds, I'm chatting with Ryan Logan about InfluenceWP, a platform connecting WordPress consumers with trusted partners, deals, and unbiased information. Ryan explains his background in IT and WordPress, the non-affiliation policy of InfluenceWP, and the ethical principles guiding the platform. He discusses the nominal paywall for consumers and collaboration opportunities, emphasising his commitment to community and moral integrity. Despite personal and financial investments, Ryan is motivated by his passion and the desire to give back to the WordPress ecosystem. Whether you're a WordPress developer, an agency, or someone looking to build your first website, this episode offers insights into how you can find trusted resources and partners through InfluenceWP.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 13th January 2025. Join Nathan Wrigley, Taco Verdonschot, Nicky Bulmer, and Corey Maass as we discuss the WordPress news from the past 7 days.

In this episode of the WP Builds podcast, "The 'Nice Show' with Mark Westguard - Ep 1", I'm joined by... erm... Mark Westguard to introduce a new, lighthearted show focused on positivity, and silliness. We chat about nice people like Michelle Frechette and Joe Dolson, highlight Mark's recent updates to WS Form, discuss upcoming WordPress community events, and explore the merits of the Bluesky social network. We share personal stories and end with a humorous short video recommendation for those who like burping. The goal is to provide an antidote to online negativity and foster a cheerful atmosphere. I hope that we succeed!

"Singing, weirdness and the week where nothing happened". The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 6th January 2025, with Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Tim Nash, Corey Maass.

Today's episode cannot be found. It's 404! This is my sad attempt at humour, and it's about as funny as I get, sadly! What actually happens is that Alan Fuller discusses the complexities of transitioning WordPress plugins from shortcodes to blocks, addressing caching issues, Eventbrite API limitations, and the rise of visually-driven tools like Elementor. He reflects on pricing mistakes, AI advancements, and balancing development with user preferences, while continuing to support his successful plugin business. Join us as we explore these themes in-depth, and examine the current landscape, and future directions, of WordPress development.

Today we have an exciting and essential conversation for all WordPress enthusiasts and developers. In this episode, titled "Feeling Insecure? Risks and Regulations", I'm joined by Sir Tim Nash to chat about the crucial topic of WordPress security. It's the second of our new show, which will be dropping about once every quarter. Thanks Tim! From securing your devices to balancing usability with top-notch security, it all gets covered. So, get out your tin foil hats, sit back, un-relax, and let's allow Tim the chance to scare us all silly.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 9th December 2024.

Today, I'm joined by Aaron Bowie, a seasoned WordPress developer based in Aberdeen, Scotland. He's here to talk about his WooCommerce payment gateway plugins, emphasising customer-centric development and the advantages of traditional payment gateways like Barclaycard over Stripe and PayPal. Key topics include PCI compliance, cost considerations, and the complexity of integrating payment solutions. Aaron stresses the importance of seamless onboarding, transparent support, and cost-saving benefits of direct bank connections. He also compares fees and security measures, highlighting the unique offerings of various providers. The overall focus is on providing tailored, reliable payment solutions for e-commerce businesses. Have a listen...

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 2nd December 2024.

In this WP Builds episode, I chat with Remkus de Vries and dive into website optimisation. Remkus, co-founder of Scanfully, a site health monitoring tool, shares his expertise on caching strategies, optimal hosting, and addressing plugin inefficiencies. He emphasises the importance of integrating performance throughout the build process, not just at the end. Remkus also discusses the upcoming features for Scanfully and highlights useful optimisation tools like Code Profiler and Query Monitor. The conversation underscores that user experience and quick load times are crucial for site success. So join us and have a listen...

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 25th November 2024.

Today is a big day. It's episode #400 of the WP Builds podcast. This is an important milestone, and as suck I'm going to do absolutely nothing of any kind whatsoever to celebrate it, aside from this paragraph of text. So there! I'm joined on the podcast by Bud Kraus. Bud is a WordPress educator and content creator, best known for his educational materials on joyofwp.com. His expertise in WordPress and his engaging instructional style have made him a pillar in the WordPress community. In this episode, we dive deep into Bud's journey, exploring how his passion for teaching and creating content started. We'll also talk about his podcast, "Seriously BUD?" which offers a refreshing departure from traditional WordPress content by focusing on stories and light-hearted conversations. Bud shares his motivation behind starting the podcast and the joy he finds in uncovering fascinating personal stories from his guests. So, join us as we celebrate Bud Kraus's contributions to the WordPress ecosystem, share some intriguing personal stories, and gain insight into what makes the WordPress community so special.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 18th November 2024.

Joining us is Joost de Valk, the mastermind behind the immensely popular Yoast SEO plugin. But today, Joost is here to share his latest project, Progress Planner - a tool designed to revolutionise the way we maintain and update our websites. Imagine a blend between a "Fitbit for websites" and Duolingo. That's precisely what Progress Planner aims to be, combining gamification techniques with practical maintenance strategies to keep users engaged and their sites up-to-date. In our chat, Joost unveils the features, from special badges and weekly activity emails to a task management dashboard right inside of WordPress. We explore how these elements work together to reduce procrastination and make website upkeep a fun, interactive endeavour. So, whether you're a non-tech-savvy business owner struggling to keep your site relevant, an agency looking for ways to enhance client interaction, or someone simply curious about innovative WordPress tools, this episode has something for you.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 11th November 2024.

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley and Rae Morey discuss key events in the WordPress community. Highlights include an automated plugin review system achieving zero backlog, the expansion of the Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship to WordCamp Europe and Asia, and HeroPress' call for sponsorship. They address the ongoing conflict between Automattic and WP Engine, including legal disputes and community fallout, alongside the departure of WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomposy and Mary Hubbard's new leadership. Despite the drama, the episode offers insights into WordPress's design updates, featured events, and efforts to improve gender diversity. Check it out...

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 4th November 2024.

In this episode of WP Builds, I'm joined by Ben Butler, who runs the Headless Hostman static WordPress hosting solution. Ben shares insights on their approach to enhancing security and performance for WordPress sites. The challenges faced by sites running things like NitroPack and WooCommerce. And dynamic functionalities managed via CloudFlare. They plan a Shopify plugin extension soon, and are actively developing a WooCommerce static solution. Their innovative infrastructure boasts high traffic handling and many other features discussed in the episode. Ben also highlights their seamless integrations with Elementor, WP Rocket, and WPML, aiming to help enterprises manage large-scale, traffic-heavy websites effectively.

The WordPress news from the last week which commenced Monday 28th October 2024.

Today we have the first instalment of our (yet another) new quarterly show. This one is called "At The Core,", and I'll bet you can't guess what it's about!?! Erm... WordPress Core, and all the recent updates that we can squeeze into 45 minutes! For this new show I'm joined by Birgit Pauli-Haack. She's an Automattician, massive fan of Gutenberg, and all around lovely person! She's also the founder of the Gutenberg Times, which you really should check out. In this premiere episode (ha!), we talk about the latest and greatest developments in the WordPress universe; spotlighting WordPress Playground, a revolutionary tool that allows users to effortlessly spin up websites directly in their browsers - no hosting or database required. We discuss its cutting-edge features, including managing multiple sites from one browser and the much-anticipated blueprints for easy site setup. This episode is packed with resources and discussions, so check it out right away...