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Learn how this shift in focus values the ongoing impact, and often invisible effort, of independent WordPress media—and seeks to help them more easily deliver engaging, high-quality WordPress content to their audiences.";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:9:"enclosure";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:0:"";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:3:{s:3:"url";s:51:"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2024/05/WPB079.mp3";s:6:"length";s:1:"0";s:4:"type";s: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:"Brett McSherry";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:11956:"\n<p>There’s a new initiative in the WordPress community: the WordPress Media Corps. In today’s episode of the WordPress Briefing, you’ll find out how it came to be, first as a nugget of an idea during the pandemic and now as an active experiment. Learn how this shift in focus values the ongoing impact, and often invisible effort, of independent WordPress media—and seeks to help them more easily deliver engaging, high-quality WordPress content to their audiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Host:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a><br>Editor:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br>Logo:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br>Production:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a><br>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/03/20/making-a-wordpress-media-corps/">Making a WordPress Media Corps</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/04/29/wordpress-media-corps-next-steps/">WordPress Media Corps Next Steps</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/media-corps/2024/05/03/wordpress-media-corps-initial-roadmap/">WordPress Media Corps Initial Roadmap</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C0723V9S7CY">#media-corps</a>&nbsp;Slack channel</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/04/23/wordpress-6-6-call-for-volunteers-update/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordPress 6.6 call for volunteers update</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2024/05/wordpress-6-5-3-maintenance-release/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordPress 6.5.3 maintenance release</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse/2024/04/16/introducing-collection-views-for-tags-creators-and-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Openverse Introduces Collection views for Tags, Creators, and Sources</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2024/schedule/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordCamp Europe 2024 Schedule Released</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? Submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@WordPress.org">WPBriefing@WordPress.org</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>\n\n\n\n<span id="more-17253"></span>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:00]&nbsp;<strong>Josepha:</strong>&nbsp;Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project, some insight into the community that supports it, and get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:28] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:39] <strong>Josepha:</strong> If you&#8217;ve been keeping an eye on the WordPress marketing space for the past few months, today&#8217;s topic will be no surprise to you. Today, we&#8217;re talking about the WordPress Media Corps. It&#8217;s a bit of a controversial topic; there&#8217;s no point denying that, so today, I want to take a little journey through its history.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WordPress Media Corps is an idea that goes back probably four, maybe five years ago. I don&#8217;t know what year it is—four years, five, four, or five years ago. It was the height of our COVID isolation. So I was spending a lot of time with our WordPress media folks, people who hosted podcasts, who gathered weekly roundups, and who were writing these nuanced and thoughtful newsletters.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:19] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And during the prep phases for these, I was witnessing all the work that goes into them, researching questions and topics, marketing both before and after any appearance, and consistently engaging with the audiences they had grown over time. Over the course of the year, I wound up in two or three different conversations with these hosts about how this does or doesn&#8217;t fit in the WordPress project as a way to contribute.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, invisible contributions are a persistent concern for any open source project and is one of the problems I am often most desperate to solve. As with so many long-standing problems, if the solution were easy, it wouldn&#8217;t still be a problem. And that&#8217;s the case here as well. I&#8217;ve got a quick side note on why this is a hard problem to solve at the end of the episode. It&#8217;s relevant to the overall discussion, but not if you&#8217;re only here to learn about how we arrived at the Media Corps. So, choose your own adventure!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:16] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So, during one of those discussions, Allie Nimmons reminded me that we have always relied on third-party supporters to share information about WordPress. It was a smaller group than we have now, much less variety in the format, but they didn&#8217;t have contribution acknowledgments either, right?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And she was right. They were included in something called the WP Planet. And I remember that I said to her what I wouldn&#8217;t give to be able to acknowledge the value that WordPress media folks bring to our ecosystem. These folks who have more flexibility than us can be a little more, more nimble who are canonical power users of WordPress, sharing not only what they are excited about now and in the near future but also the things that they had to learn in order to get the most out of the features and the software.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:07] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Like that&#8217;s practically a gold standard of the people that we want to have talking about us.&nbsp; And, for folks who&#8217;ve worked with Allie, you probably can predict what&#8217;s next. You know she&#8217;s not afraid to call it like she sees it, and she called me on my excessive dreaming. She asked me what actually was stopping me from getting that done. I don&#8217;t recall if I had an answer for her at the time. I, I probably didn&#8217;t, but ultimately, I think the answer was, most likely, that I was afraid to try. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you might be asking yourself, what has changed my mind since then? What has changed since 2020, when I was maybe too scared to get this done? Why does now feel like the right time compared to when I was first thinking through it? Well, for starters, when we look at then, we look at the context of then; it was my second year leading us. It was 2020, the year of COVID. And I was desperately trying to roll out a disaster recovery plan, incomplete though it was.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:06] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I wasn&#8217;t sure how much more disruption we as a community could stand, so I didn&#8217;t want to take any more risks than I had to. Which brings us to today. One of my big obstacles to tackle this year is our plateauing growth. I said it right there in my big-picture post for 2024. Re-engaging those gold standard users who are talking about us while making it clear that their contributions add to the success of the project seems like a high-impact opportunity to me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve kicked off our initial experiment for the Media Corps. As with many high-impact projects, there&#8217;s also a high potential for risk, so I&#8217;m trying to get a clear indication of success as early as possible. Because of that, the experiment is time-limited and has pretty strict guidelines up front. It&#8217;s also being paired with a pause on the current work with the marketing team, just so that we can focus as much attention to get that signal sooner rather than later.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Not everyone agrees with this plan, which is to be expected. There are so many seasoned marketing professionals in WordPress, myself included, and I mean, our software is a primary tool in so many marketing tool belts. It probably would be odd if we didn&#8217;t have any marketers around. So there you have it, a brief explanation of how we got to today&#8217;s Media Corps experiment.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quick side note on why it&#8217;s a hard problem is that a good first step to acknowledging invisible work is removing the need for human recognition of the work. I&#8217;ve worked with teams, guided them since I got here to define contributions as granularly as possible so that we can find ways to attach automated triggers to them so that you don&#8217;t have to do a ton of invisible things for someone to notice them and give you props for them. Obviously, the more automation, the more dehumanization, and of course, the work of breaking things into tiny chunks feels like micromanagement; it feels like value assessment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> It also often felt like kind of a toxic tallying of who was doing what where. None of that is what any of us wanted when I started that work, and it&#8217;s certainly not what I want now. But because it is so often misread as a way to, like, separate out good contributions from bad, not all teams have embarked on that journey with me. And for those who have done that with me, not all of them have actually implemented, kind of that definition of the individual types of contributions you can make so that we can do that kind of automated acknowledgment of the work.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:40] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:47] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Which brings us now to our small list of big things. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>First on our list is WordPress 6.6. It&#8217;s our next major release. There are still a few volunteer roles that are available. I think documentation lead is one. So, if you are the sort of folk who just loves to write the docs, it&#8217;s been a while since you have done that for the WordPress project, with the WordPress project. That&#8217;s a great opportunity for you to kind of dip your toe in and see what&#8217;s going on in the world of WordPress. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:15] <strong>Josepha:</strong> The second thing on our list is a minor release that actually came out last week. It&#8217;s a maintenance release, but it&#8217;s one of those where it&#8217;s really important to get upgraded and make sure that you have the latest security and maintenance releases on all of your sites that are in production.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third thing on our list is about Openverse. Openverse is now offering a new way to explore our collection. We&#8217;ve got over 800 million images and audio files in there. And so, the collection search makes it easier to view works that are belonging to an individual tag, creator, or source. It just kind of helps you filter it out a little bit more so that there are more decisions than there are options available in there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the fourth thing on my list is that the WordCamp Europe 2024 schedule has been released. We&#8217;ll be talking a bit more about this event as we get closer and closer to it. We are racing our way. It&#8217;s like a month away as we go. So take a look, plan your activities, and come and check out our community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:16] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And that, my friends, is your small list of big things. Don&#8217;t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app or subscribe directly on WordPress.org/news. You&#8217;ll get a friendly reminder whenever there&#8217;s a new episode. If you liked what you heard today, share it with a fellow WordPresser. Or, if you had questions about what you heard, you can share those with me at WPBriefing@WordPress.org. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Thanks for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing, and I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:44] (Music outro)&nbsp;</p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17253";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:6:{s:4:"data";s:57:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"WordPress 6.5.3 Maintenance Release";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://wordpress.org/news/2024/05/wordpress-6-5-3-maintenance-release/";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, 07 May 2024 16:42:58 +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:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"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:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17246";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:338:"WordPress 6.5.3 is now available! This minor release features 12 bug fixes in Core and 9 bug fixes for the block editor. You can review a summary of the maintenance updates in this release by reading the Release Candidate announcement. WordPress 6.5.3 is a short-cycle release. The next major release will be version 6.6 planned [&#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:12:"Aaron Jorbin";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:7679:"\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WordPress 6.5.3 is now available!</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This minor release features <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;milestone=6.5.3&amp;group=status&amp;col=id&amp;col=summary&amp;col=owner&amp;col=type&amp;col=priority&amp;col=component&amp;col=version&amp;col=keywords&amp;order=priority">12 bug fixes in Core</a> and <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/61299">9 bug fixes for the block editor</a>. You can review a summary of the maintenance updates in this release by reading the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/05/02/wordpress-6-5-3-rc1-is-now-available/">Release Candidate announcement</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.5.3 is a short-cycle release. The next major release will be <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-6/">version 6.6</a> planned for July 2024.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have sites that support automatic background updates, the update process will begin automatically.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.5.3.zip">download WordPress 6.5.3 from WordPress.org</a>, or visit your WordPress Dashboard, click “Updates”, and then click “Update Now”.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on this release, please <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-6-5-3">visit the HelpHub site</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you to these WordPress contributors</h2>\n\n\n\n<p class="is-style-default">This release was led by <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin">Aaron Jorbin</a> and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/grantmkin/">Grant M. Kinney</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class="is-style-default">WordPress 6.5.3 would not have been possible without the contributions of the following people. Their asynchronous coordination to deliver maintenance fixes into a stable release is a testament to the power and capability of the WordPress community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class="is-style-wporg-props-long"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin">Aaron Jorbin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein">Adam Silverstein</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adrianduffell">adrianduffell</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wildworks">Aki Hamano</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alanfuller">Alan Fuller</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/anlino">Anders Norén</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/oandregal">André</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/afercia">Andrea Fercia</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/azaozz">Andrew Ozz</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andrewserong">Andrew Serong</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/afragen">Andy Fragen</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu">annezazu</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dextorlobo">Arun Sharma</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aslamdoctor">Aslam Doctor</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benlk">Ben Keith</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/britner">Ben Ritner &#8211; Kadence WP</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bernhard-reiter">bernhard-reiter</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ironprogrammer">Brian Alexander</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/poena">Carolina Nymark</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/costdev">Colin Stewart</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/CookiesForDevo">CookiesForDevo</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/colorful-tones">Damon Cook</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/talldanwp">Daniel Richards</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/darerodz">darerodz</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davecpage">Dave Page</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidbaumwald">David Baumwald</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/justlevine">David Levine</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/DrewAPicture">Drew Jaynes</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ellatrix">Ella</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kebbet">Erik</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/evanltd">evanltd</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/flixos90">Felix Arntz</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mamaduka">George Mamadashvili</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/grantmkin">Grant M. Kinney</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gziolo">Greg Ziółkowski</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/isabel_brison">Isabel Brison</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/macmanx">James Huff</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jason_the_adams">Jason Adams</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb">Jb Audras</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/JeffPaul">Jeffrey Paul</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeherve">Jeremy Herve</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luminuu">Jessica Lyschik</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson">Joe Dolson</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill">Joe McGill</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jordesign">jordesign</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorgefilipecosta">Jorge Costa</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/verygoode">Joshua Goode</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevin940726">Kai Hao</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevinwhoffman">Kevin Hoffman</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/khokansardar">Khokan Sardar</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luisherranz">luisherranz</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mmaattiiaass">Matias Benedetto</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/webdevmattcrom">Matt Cromwell</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/devsahadat">Md Sahadat Husain</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mukesh27">Mukesh Panchal</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/narenin">Narendra Sishodiya</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ntsekouras">Nik Tsekouras</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy">Pascal Birchler</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/peterwilsoncc">Peter Wilson</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ramonopoly">ramonopoly</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/roytanck">Roy Tanck</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/salcode">Sal Ferrarello</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikachan">Sarah Norris</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/SergeyBiryukov">Sergey Biryukov</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabernhardt">Stephen Bernhardt</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stevejonesdev">Steve Jones</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tomjcafferkey">Tom Cafferkey</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nestea29950">WilliamG</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yguyon">Yannis Guyon</a></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to contribute</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To get involved in WordPress core development, head over to Trac, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/6">pick a ticket</a>, and join the conversation in the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW">#core</a> and <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C06U06K50Q5">#6-6-release-leads</a> channels. Need help? Check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/">Core Contributor Handbook</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class="has-text-align-right"><em>Thanks to <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/team/UGP7D7TBP">@grantmkin</a>, </em><a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/angelasjin/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>angelasjin</a><em>, </em>and <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeffpaul/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>jeffpaul</a><em> for proofreading.</em></p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17246";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:2;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:61:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:7:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:83:"WP Briefing: Episode 78: Guided Growth: Cultivating Contributors Through Mentorship";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:104:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/episode-78-guided-growth-cultivating-contributors-through-mentorship/";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, 29 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +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:8:"category";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"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:"";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"wp-briefing";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://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=17229";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:378:"Explore the transformative world of the WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program with guest host Angela Jin and special guest and sponsored contributor Hari Shanker. Whether you''re a long-time WordPress enthusiast or new to the scene, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and tips to help you engage more deeply with one of the most passionate open source communities.";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:9:"enclosure";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:0:"";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:3:{s:3:"url";s:53:"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Enhanced.mp3";s:6:"length";s:1:"0";s:4:"type";s: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:"Brett McSherry";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:23878:"\n<p>Explore the transformative world of the WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program with guest host Angela Jin and special guest and sponsored contributor Hari Shanker. Whether you&#8217;re a long-time WordPress enthusiast or new to the scene, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and tips to help you engage more deeply with one of the most passionate open source communities.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Guest host: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/angelasjin/">Angela Jin</a><br>Guest speaker: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/harishanker/">Hari Shanker</a><br>Editor:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br>Logo:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br>Production:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eidolonnight/">Nicholas Garofalo</a><br>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/5">Five for the Future</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/contributor-day/contributor-working-group/contributor-mentorship-program-for-wordpress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">About the Contributor Mentorship Program</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/contributor-day/contributor-working-group/contributor-mentorship-program-for-wordpress/contributor-mentorship-program-cohorts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Details of Mentorship Program Cohorts</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2024/04/08/wordpress-contributor-mentorship-2024-q1-cohort-graduates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mentorship Program Cohort 2 Graduation Post</a> &#8211; Express interest in the next cohort by&nbsp;leaving comment or sending a message to @harishanker in the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/chat/">Making WordPress Slack</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/support/2024/04/brainstorming-a-support-team-contributor-ladder/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brainstorming a Support Team Contributor Ladder</a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2019/06/17/observations-on-wordpress-contributor-team-structure/">Observations on WordPress Contributor Team Structure</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpressfoundation.org/news/2024/kim-parsell-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apply for the Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship for WordCamp US 2024</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upcoming WordPress events:\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2024/">WordCamp Europe 2024</a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2024/tickets/">Tickets</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find upcoming events in your area on <a href="https://events.wordpress.org/">events.WordPress.org</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? Submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@WordPress.org">WPBriefing@WordPress.org</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>\n\n\n\n<span id="more-17229"></span>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Angela:</strong> Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project, some insights into the community that supports it, and get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks. I am your guest host, Angela Jin.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s go!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:30] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:40] <strong>Angela:</strong> I am delighted to be guest hosting this episode of the WordPress Briefing and to talk about the Contributor Mentorship Program, a community-driven initiative in the WordPress space that is proving to really support contributor journeys. And joining me today is special guest, Hari Shanker, Five for the Future Program Manager. Welcome, Hari!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:02] <strong>Hari:</strong> Thank you, Angela. Excited to be here.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:04] <strong>Angela:</strong> Now, before we dive into the Contributor Mentorship Program, can you first tell me a bit about yourself? I&#8217;d love to know a bit more about your role as Five for the Future Program Manager.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:16] <strong>Hari:</strong> Sure. So, my name is Hari Shanker. I live in India in a city called Kochi. And I&#8217;d like to share some context to explain what I do. I am a sponsored contributor working full-time on WordPress, and I have been contributing primarily to the WordPress Community Team full-time since April 2020, where I am a Community Program Manager, formerly known as a Super Deputy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since September 2022, I have been working exclusively on projects that bolster the WordPress contributor experience. A key part of this work is my role as the Program Manager for the Five for the Future program, where my day-to-day work involves supporting and empowering companies and individuals that have pledged a part of their time to contribute to WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:00] <strong>Hari:</strong> In parallel, I also lead the Contributor Working Group of the WordPress Community Team, which has the goal of making the contributor experience in WordPress the best it can be. Our recent focus has been on running an experimental contributor mentorship program as well. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:16] <strong>Angela:</strong> Excellent. Thank you. So, I was recently at Open Source Summit, and figuring out funding and commitments to projects was a very hot topic. And people were really interested in Five for the Future. And so, Hari, would you mind giving us a quick overview of what Five for the Future is, and how it aims to support the WordPress open source project?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:44] <strong>Hari:</strong> Absolutely. The Cofounder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg, launched Five for the Future in 2014 as a call to action for organizations and individuals who have benefited from WordPress, either the CMS or the community, to contribute up to 5 percent of their resources to the continued success of the WordPress project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:03] <strong>Hari:</strong> In 2019, this idea was formalized as a program with a pledging page that lives in the URL WordPress.org/five. Right now, this program attempts to foster generous collaboration towards the long-term health and stability of our project for the future. So, like any large and successful open source project, WordPress has a lot of big goals and tasks, not all of which can be accomplished by volunteers in that available time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s where sponsored contributors come in. Sponsored contributors have more time, availability, and bandwidth to make an impact on a lot of these tasks. They also work on some routine but important administrative and housekeeping tasks that are essential to keep the project running smoothly. At this time, the program has 868 contributors from 183 companies, who have pledged 7,722 hours of contribution time per week for the program. I can also share that roughly 70% of contribution activity in WordPress is coming from these sponsored contributors. That is the Five for the Future program in brief.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:15] <strong>Angela:</strong> Thanks, Hari. That&#8217;s incredible that so much of our contribution comes through sponsored time and clearly is very necessary to keep the WordPress open source project running. Wonderful. All right, well, I would love to dig into the Contributor Mentorship Program. Can you tell us a bit more about how this came to be? What is the Contributor Mentorship Program?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:41] <strong>Hari:</strong> Oh, absolutely. It is one of my favorite programs and one of the best things that I&#8217;ve worked on personally. So, the Contributor Mentorship Program aims to onboard new contributors to WordPress by providing them one-on-one and cohort-based mentorship for a period of typically four to six weeks. The mentorship program typically coincides a major WordPress release.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:04] <strong>Hari:</strong> And the idea behind the program is to help new contributors kickstart their WordPress contributor journey by providing them an in-depth overview of the WordPress project as well. To talk a bit about how this started, it all began in 2022-2023 when I started researching on the WordPress contributor experience. I discovered that there were gaps in the onboarding experience for new contributors. And I did some research on how we can solve this issue.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, while those gaps can be fixed by improving the overall WordPress contributor onboarding experience through technical changes or changes in the program. Mentorship really stood out as an excellent solution to solve the problem. Based on my discovery from this research, I worked on revitalizing the WordPress Contributor Working Group of the Community Team. And together, our group we started working on building a mentorship program. We did a few months of collaborative discussions and brainstorming. And as a result, the group put together the idea for a pilot cohort-based mentorship program, which paired up 13 new contributors as mentees with one mentor each. The cohort worked together for four weeks, and 11 of these mentees graduated after making impactful contributions to the project, with over half of the cohort staying on to make long-term contributions. In fact, we just wrapped up the second cohort of the program in February 2024, which had 52 participants, of which 44 graduated from the program.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:34] <strong>Angela:</strong> Amazing. Congratulations. And I speaking just for myself, I know how important mentorship was to, to a lot of my journeys, both within WordPress and outside of, and so I think it&#8217;s wonderful that we&#8217;re able to bring mentorship to this space. What sort of benefits are there to participating in this program, either as a new WordPress contributor or as a mentor?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:04] <strong>Hari:</strong> There&#8217;s a bunch of benefits for both new contributors and mentors in this program, starting with new contributors. First and foremost, new participants in this program they get to kick off their WordPress contributor journey by making initial contributions. So, in my mind, the biggest benefit that they get is they get a chance to actually make their first contributions in the area of their choice with help from a mentor. The other main benefit that I see is that these mentees or new contributors. They get to learn a lot about the WordPress project and how it works. They get to learn about the WordPress release process broadly. And in short, participants in this program also get a chance to network with and learn from experienced WordPress contributors.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, this program is a great opportunity for mentees or new contributors to pick up a lot of valuable skills that they can use in the real world. For mentors, they also get a lot of benefits from this program. In fact, to share another anecdote, some of our mentors they contributed for the first time to WordPress core in the last cohort.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:14] <strong>Hari:</strong> So, that is also something that they also get to learn, which means mentors also get to learn new skills when they be a part of this program. So, for mentors, even they get to enhance their skills, they get to expand the network within the WordPress community, but in my mind, the biggest benefit that they gain is they gain fulfillment from guiding new contributors. And personally, as a mentor myself, it&#8217;s one of the most valuable thing that you can gain from such a program. That feeling of belonging, that feeling of, you know, fostering sustainability and innovation in the project. I also feel that mentoring new contributors is a great way to bolster your leadership and communication skills, which is extremely valuable in any professional context.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:54] <strong>Angela:</strong> Absolutely. I definitely see that being able to share your experience and mentor others is a really valuable way to help the next generation of WordPressers be successful in our space. Now, you&#8217;ve talked a bit about what results you&#8217;re seeing from this program, and it&#8217;s really exciting to see that so many mentees are successfully graduating from this program. I&#8217;d love to hear more about the impact and results that you&#8217;re seeing from the mentorship program. Could you give us more details there?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:32] <strong>Hari:</strong> Absolutely. So, I shared some numbers earlier. We had 11 mentees out of 13 graduating from the 2023 cohort and 44 outta 52 mentees from the 2024 Q1 cohort graduating. From the first cohort we have six of these mentees continuing to make impactful contributions to the project, but we have more encouraging results from the second cohort, in fact. So, ten of our mentees in the second cohort got props for contributing to WordPress 6.5, and one of our mentees was a noteworthy contributor. That&#8217;s about 22% of all the mentees. Fourteen mentees from the latest cohort, which is 31%, they have committed to join the WordPress 6.6 release squad. And the program actually gave eight new core contributors to the project, which includes mentors, as I mentioned earlier.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:21] <strong>Hari:</strong> We did pre and post-cohort surveys, and the results are very interesting. I can definitely share some numbers here. So, we had a question on contributor familiarity. The familiarity of contribution for new contributors went up from 53% to 80%, that&#8217;s around 26% increase. The contribution confidence went from 57% to 82%, which is around 28%-29%. We asked if the mentees how many of these mentees were satisfied by the program. We heard that 88% of all the mentees were satisfied. 80% of mentees achieved their personal goals as part of the program. A key part of the program experience was that we asked mentees to create contribution plans to make future contributions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:06] <strong>Hari:</strong> 62% of our mentees actually made a future contribution plan. So which means, which is a 30, 60, 90-day plan. So, these mentees they&#8217;re gonna follow a plan to contribute to WordPress for the next three months. Finally, we also created a ton of learning materials for these mentees, and we are in the process of releasing them. So these are, most of these are videos, so we plan to release them in WordPress or TV and in the Learn WordPress platform. So, in my mind, seeing these mentees out in the world making impactful contributions that is the biggest impact that I&#8217;m seeing. So, having them in the project as long-term contributors. That is, in my mind, one of the biggest impacts that we&#8217;ve had from this program.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:46] <strong>Angela:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s really incredible to see that new contributors to WordPress, upon joining this program, able to better navigate this vast ecosystem and make important contributions to our space. And that they&#8217;ve made these connections, so they are sticking around and staying with us and continuing to help us build WordPress. That&#8217;s incredible.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:14] <strong>Angela:</strong> Now, I understand that between the first cohort and the second cohort, the Contributor Working Group made some important updates and iterated on the cohort itself. And one of the big changes, I understand, was to design cohorts around contributor projects. I&#8217;m curious now that we&#8217;ve talked about how fantastic this program is. Are there plans for future cohorts, and what might those cohorts look like?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:44] <strong>Hari:</strong> Absolutely. So, we have received a lot of interest in future cohorts. So, our working group just did a chat last week, and there was overwhelming positive interest and from all our working group members and other participants saying that we would love to be in a future cohort. So, short answer, yes, we will have a ton of these cohorts going forward. And we are, in fact, hosting a new cohort alongside WordPress 6.7. In October-November, 2024. And we will most likely continue to host at least one mentorship cohort every year. Ideally two, but I&#8217;m just saying one to make sure that we are sustainable. It is hard to predict how future cohorts will look like, but based on all the discussions our working group has had, I can definitely tell you how the next cohort is going to look like.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:35] <strong>Hari:</strong> So, as per current plans, we will have around 20 to 30 mentees supported by mentors. And the cohort will most likely start early on in the 6.7 release process. The idea is that we would like our mentees to be more deeply involved in the 6.7 release as early as possible. We also plan to have a lot more learn-up sessions in the next cohort.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One feedback that we heard was our mentees really enjoyed some of the learn-up sessions, and they would like these sessions to be scheduled in advance as much as possible so that they can attend as many of them as possible. So, more learn-up sessions. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:14] <strong>Hari:</strong> And finally, you mentioned projects when you spoke of the latest cohort. We are going to double down on projects in the next cohort. So the hope is to have a host of projects for folks to work on and, ideally, have all mentees work on some project or the other. So, we had projects as an experiment for the earlier cohort. Some mentees did work on projects, while some they were broadly contributing. So, ideally, for the next cohort, every mentee in the program will be a part of some project or the other. It could be a small one. It could be a big one, but there will be some project of some sort for every mentee in the program, ideally. And finally, some contributors in our cohort, they received a scholarship to participate in the last cohort. We hope to expand that. We hope to provide more opportunities for scholarship for contributors.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:05] <strong>Hari:</strong> I&#8217;m not sure how viable it is, but we did see that the folks who received scholarship, they got a chance to contribute more. So we would ideally like to provide more opportunities for scholarship, especially for folks from underrepresented backgrounds, so that they can contribute to WordPress and, you know, upskill as part of this program.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:23] <strong>Angela:</strong> Fantastic. Well, hopefully, we have convinced our listeners today to get involved in the Contributor Mentorship Program. And so, if somebody wanted to get involved, either as a mentee or a mentor, how should they go about doing so?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:42] <strong>Hari:</strong> That&#8217;s a great question. We have not opened up signups for mentors and mentees for the next cohort yet. As I mentioned, it&#8217;s going to happen later this year. However, those interested in the next cohort of the program can comment on the post. I think we can share the link in the show notes. We just published a post announcing the graduation of our mentees, and we had asked folks who are interested in joining the next cohort comment there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:07] <strong>Hari:</strong> So if you&#8217;re interested in joining the next cohort, either as a mentor or a mentee. You can comment on that post. Alternatively, you can also DM me. If you&#8217;re not comfortable commenting in a public space, my name is Hari Shanker. I am Hari Shanker, which is H-A-R-I-S-H-A-N-K-E-R. That&#8217;s my username in the Make WordPress Slack. You can DM me there expressing your interest, and I will make sure that we send you the call for interest form when it&#8217;s published.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, and this is especially to all the mentor applicants, we have a Contributor Working Group, which meets every third Thursday of the month in the Community Team channel on a text chat. It&#8217;s called a mentorship chat. It happens every month, and you can find a link to it in the Make WordPress meetings, P2 blog. So, if you&#8217;re interested in being a mentor, or if you&#8217;re interested in building the Contributor Mentorship Program, or contributing to the Contributor Mentorship Program, I would invite you to join our chat. So, the next chat is being held in May. Please join our next chat. That&#8217;s also a great way to contribute to this program, especially if you are interested in being a mentor.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:10] <strong>Angela:</strong> Wonderful. Thank you so much for joining me today, Hari. It&#8217;s been a pleasure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:16] <strong>Hari:</strong> Thank you. It&#8217;s been an honor, and thank you for inviting me to be a part of this program.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:19]&nbsp;(Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:27] <strong>Angela:</strong> And now it is time for our small list of big things. We&#8217;ve got three things for you this week. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first is a proposal to explore the Support Team contributor ladder. If you are not familiar with the concept of the contributor ladder, it is based on the five stages of volunteering, which examines how a volunteer gets onboarded and steps into progressive roles. By thinking through the contributor ladder, Make WordPress teams are able to improve onboarding, engagement, and connection with contributors and generally improve the health of their team. If this is of interest to you, we have a great overview post about the contributor ladder, and you can see the discussion in action over on the Support Team.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:14] <strong>Angela:</strong> Second, is that the WordPress Foundation has just announced the Kim Parcell Memorial Scholarship for 2024. This scholarship is in honor of Kim Parcell, an incredible long-time contributor, and is awarded to a current WordPress contributor who is a woman, has not previously attended WordCamp US, and requires financial assistance to attend this year&#8217;s event.&nbsp;The scholarship will provide travel assistance for the recipient to attend WordCamp US this year in Portland, Oregon, and covers travel from your home city, hotel, and your ticket to the event. The application is open through May 30th, and you can apply on the WordPress Foundation page.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Third is a reminder of our next big WordPress event, WordCamp Europe, which will be in beautiful Torino, Italy, June 13th through the 15th. You can still get tickets on their website. If you can&#8217;t make it to Italy, never fear. This time of year sees a good number of WordPress events around the world, and they are a great way to connect with WordPress friends and hear all about the latest and greatest in WordPress. You can go find upcoming events on events.WordPress.org to see what events are happening in your area. If there isn&#8217;t a WordPress event near you, you can become an organizer and start hosting events locally.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:42] <strong>Angela:</strong> And that, friends, is your small list of big things. Don&#8217;t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app. Or subscribe directly on WordPress.org/news. You&#8217;ll get a friendly reminder whenever there&#8217;s a new episode. If you liked what you heard today, share it with a fellow WordPresser, or if you had questions about what you heard, you can share those by emailing WPBriefing@WordPress.org. I am your guest host, Angela Jin. Thanks so much for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing. In a couple of weeks, Josepha will be back as your regular host for the next episode.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:21] (Music outro)&nbsp;</p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17229";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:63:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:38:"How WordPress Is Creating a Faster Web";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://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/how-wordpress-is-creating-a-faster-web/";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, 15 Apr 2024 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:8:"category";a:3:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"General";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:11:"Performance";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:2;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"Updates";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=17208";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:190:"WordPress''s massive reach of over 40% of the web comes with a similarly large responsibility. Read about what the WordPress project is doing to enhance performance for its users and the web.";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:"Felix Arntz";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:6779:"\n<p>Today, WordPress powers <a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management">more than 40% of the web</a>. That’s a massive reach—one that comes with a similarly large responsibility. With so many people using the CMS, the WordPress community should always consider strategies for improving the visitor experience. This is where website performance plays a crucial role.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How fast a web page loads, how quickly a page reacts when you click a button, or how smoothly it scrolls can all significantly impact the end-user experience. A more performant site can lead to <a href="https://web.dev/case-studies/vitals-business-impact">higher reader engagement and more conversions</a>. Thankfully, over the past few years, the WordPress project has made major performance improvements across the board for the core platform, plugins, and themes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many enhancements are available out of the box, with no configuration required. They improve the website frontend&#8217;s performance—the part visitors see—and various parts of the administrative experience, such as the editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here’s a partial list of performance upgrades from the past year:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>WordPress 6.3 brought several <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/09/19/analyzing-the-core-web-vitals-performance-impact-of-wordpress-6-3-in-the-field/">enhancements to image loading</a>. This resulted in an improvement of up to 21% in loading time for any WordPress page with a hero image.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>WordPress 6.5 launched with a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/11/08/merging-performant-translations-into-core/">more efficient translation engine</a>. In benchmark testing, it improved WordPress response time by 23% for all localized WordPress sites. <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/stats/">More than 55% of all WordPress sites</a> worldwide use a language other than US English and would benefit from this enhancement.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>WordPress 6.5 also included several performance optimizations for the Block Editor, leading to <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/57935">5x faster typing processing and 2x faster load times</a> when creating or editing content in the site and post editors.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the Core enhancements listed above, the WordPress project continues to work on several efforts that indirectly benefit the ecosystem&#8217;s performance.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, WordPress Core leverages <a href="https://codehealth.vercel.app/project/wordpress">automated tooling for continuously monitoring its performance</a>, covering every product update. This helps measure new features&#8217; performance improvements and enables contributors to detect potential performance problems during the development of a new feature or release so any issues can be proactively addressed long before end users are affected. A project is currently underway to make the same tooling used by WordPress Core developers available to plugin and theme authors as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the new <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/plugin-check/">WordPress plugin checker</a> allows checking any plugin for performance best practices, among other requirements and recommendations. The plugin checker should lead to more performance awareness in plugin authors and, eventually, faster plugins. If you develop plugins, consider integrating this tool into your development and testing workflow.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, WordPress 6.5 introduced the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/04/interactivity-api-dev-note/">Interactivity API</a>, which is a technical foundation that facilitates more performant user interactions. This new infrastructure drastically simplifies the implementation of interactive website features and can even centrally control certain aspects of performance, keeping multiple independent plugins operating efficiently.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These performance updates result from a collaborative effort from all corners of the community, including the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/performance/handbook/about-the-team/">WordPress Performance Team</a>. This team, founded in 2021, underscores the WordPress project’s commitment to performance. And the results are substantial: Compared to a year ago, 8% more WordPress sites <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/12/19/wordpress-performance-impact-on-core-web-vitals-in-2023/">deliver good load time performance at scale</a>—significantly better than the overall web’s 5.5% load time improvement. The web is getting more performant, and WordPress is leading the way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress contributors are determined to continue this trend by working on further performance iterations. Whether you’re a WordPress end user, administrator, site builder, or developer, you can contribute to this effort. Anyone can test the performance features before being released in Core through individual feature plugins. Each feature can be tested via the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/performance-lab/">Performance Lab plugin</a>, so please try them! Testing features early helps the team assess their impact and collect valuable feedback.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you eager for more WordPress performance news and updates? Then check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/performance/roadmap-2024/">2024 performance roadmap</a>. Thanks to the entire community for your hard work. Not only does it ensure WordPress’ continued improvement and growth, but it benefits the entire open web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class="has-text-align-right"><em>Thank you to <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>annezazu</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/clarkeemily/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>clarkeemily</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/tweetythierry/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>tweetythierry</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>swissspidy</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/westonruter/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>westonruter</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>adamsilverstein</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>joemcgill</a> for content review and <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/provenself/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>provenself</a> <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/dansoschin/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>dansoschin</a> for editorial review.</em></p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17208";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:61:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:7:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:59:"WP Briefing: Episode 77: Let’s Talk About Data Liberation";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:78:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/episode-77-lets-talk-about-data-liberation/";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, 15 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +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:8:"category";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"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:"";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"wp-briefing";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://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=17205";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:429:"Explore the WordPress Data Liberation project in this exclusive behind-the-scenes episode discussing WordPress migrations. Joining us is WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy, along with special guest and sponsored contributor Jordan Gillman. Together, they''ll look at how the project is expanding opportunities to benefit from the freedom and flexibility WordPress offers. Don''t miss this enlightening discussion!";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:9:"enclosure";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:0:"";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:3:{s:3:"url";s:51:"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/WPB077.mp3";s:6:"length";s:1:"0";s:4:"type";s: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:"Brett McSherry";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:43611:"\n<p>Explore the WordPress Data Liberation project in this exclusive behind-the-scenes episode discussing WordPress migrations. Joining us is WordPress Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy, along with special guest and sponsored contributor Jordan Gillman. Together, they&#8217;ll look at how the project is expanding opportunities to benefit from the freedom and flexibility WordPress offers. Don&#8217;t miss this enlightening discussion!</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Host:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a><br>Guest:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jordesign/">Jordan Gillman</a><br>Editor:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br>Logo:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br>Production:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eidolonnight/">Nicholas Garofalo</a><br>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/2023/04/13/idea-translate-wordpress-org-tour/">Idea: translate.wordpress.org tour</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://playground.wordpress.net/">WordPress Playground</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/data-liberation/">Want to get involved with Data Liberation?</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://github.com/wordpress/data-liberation">GitHub &#8211; Data Liberation</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/chat/">Making WordPress Slack</a> &#8211; <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C069AKUBPHB">data-liberation channel</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://us.wordcamp.org/2024/tickets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordCamp US 2024 Tickets are now on Sale</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/download/releases/6-5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordPress 6.5 Available to Download</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/04/08/dropping-support-for-php-7-1/">Dropping support for PHP 7.0 and 7.1</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? Submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@WordPress.org">WPBriefing@WordPress.org</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>\n\n\n\n<span id="more-17205"></span>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:00]&nbsp;<strong>Josepha:</strong>&nbsp;Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project, some insight into the community that supports it, and get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:28] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:40] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Today, I want to talk about the Data Liberation project that we first introduced at State of the Word. It&#8217;s a very big project with a lot of philosophical underpinning. So today, I have with me Jordan Gillman, who&#8217;s going to help us dig in a little bit deeper.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jordan, welcome to the show. It&#8217;s so great to have you here.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:57] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Thank you. It&#8217;s lovely to be here.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:59] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Before we get started, why don&#8217;t you tell us a little bit about yourself? Like what parts of the WordPress project you contribute to, and how long you&#8217;ve been hanging around in open source?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:09] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, beautiful. I would love to. My name is Jordan. I live on the east coast of Australia, about an hour out of Sydney—about 10 minutes from the beach, which is a pretty great place to live. My relationship with WordPress began 19 or 18 years ago, I guess. I was tinkering with Movable Type, and they changed their license.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I went, I need to find something that&#8217;s free. And at that point, I had no idea what open source was. I just knew that I could use this WordPress platform for free to you know, tinker around and build websites. At the time, I was a graphic designer and, so web stuff was just fun. But gradually, that kind of took over, and I ended up doing a lot of front-end development and eventually freelancing for about ten years, building WordPress sites for churches and schools and kind of non-profit organizations like that. And through that, I&#8217;ve also then ended up doing some support for WordPress and landed being lucky enough now to be sponsored to contribute full-time into the WordPress project. I do a lot of work with the support team, so working in the public forums, particularly on core WordPress plugins and themes like Gutenberg and bundled themes, Twenty Twenty-Four.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:15] <strong>Jordan:</strong> But also working with the team itself, trying to make sure the forums are a nice place for people to hang out and answer questions and get their questions answered. And I also help out with a few other things around the place. I have an eye on the work the plugins team&#8217;s doing, working with the WordPress Foundation on a few different things. I&#8217;m lucky to have my fingers in a few pies but the biggest pie at the moment I have is the Data Liberation project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:36] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. So let&#8217;s talk about that. We&#8217;re going to give everyone a quick like starting line. If, for some reason, you have not read or seen anything about the WordPress project plans so far in the last four months, you may not know what the Data Liberation project is, and that&#8217;s fine, too. Because Jordan and I are here to help you understand what it is. But, the Data Liberation project is something that Matt introduced to the project at State of the Word last year in December. And you, Jordan, are the one who are really helping us to take this project into a space where we have everything that we need, all the kind of tools and guides that users will need in order to do what exactly? Like, let&#8217;s go through what this Data Liberation project is from your standpoint and what made you excited to work on it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:27] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Thank you. Yeah, so the general idea of the Data Liberation project is it should be super duper easy for anyone to bring their site to WordPress. That&#8217;s the first main part of it, is that regardless of the platform you are on currently, be it something that&#8217;s pretty open, be it something that&#8217;s really kind of walls and closed, be it a social media platform, another web building platform, it should be really easy to bring your content over to a WordPress site, because once it&#8217;s in a WordPress site, it&#8217;s essentially free. You can then take it and do what you want with it once it&#8217;s in WordPress, but we want to make it as easy as possible to get it here, basically.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:03] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Free as in liberated, not free as in like, now the stuff that was in your mind has no value.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:10] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, free as in liberated, free as in you own it and can do what you want with it. So that&#8217;s a big part of it. It&#8217;s, let&#8217;s get, make it easier for people to come to WordPress. I think it&#8217;s also important that if we&#8217;re talking about Data Liberation and freedom of content and democratizing publishing, that also means we make it easier for people to take their content from WordPress and use it somewhere else if that&#8217;s the decision that they make. And there&#8217;s some moves we can make to make that easier and nicer for people as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:37] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So, recently, we just finished up an outreach period where we were making sure that we were talking to, like, folks in the community and anyone, anyone who uses WordPress that wanted to talk to us about what they needed, what they were hoping for, what issues, what pain points they&#8217;ve had when they were looking at site migrations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what, to the best of your knowledge at the moment, like what are the big themes that you got out of that feedback loop? Out of that outreach?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:08] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, thank you. That was really enjoyable, actually. I was lucky enough to, I got to speak to a bunch of people in person at WordCamp Asia, which was great. We&#8217;d done some, some online, did a hallway hangout, and we&#8217;ve had a survey out for a while to folks predominantly kind of in the hosting agency freelancer space. So, folks who are working with end users who are often the ones doing migrations. We got a lot of feedback about WordPress to WordPress migration and the challenges of different hosting platforms and access from users and a bunch of information, which is useful and interesting but not immediately relevant to the comparison to migrating to WordPress from another platform entirely.<br><br>But at the same time, talking to particularly agencies who do a lot of big-scale migrations, there&#8217;s a lot of challenges just when it comes to, for starters, getting the content out of the platform. Some platforms are kind of helpful, and they&#8217;ll even provide a WordPress formatted export. For every one of those, there are&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:03] <strong><strong>Josepha:</strong> </strong>That&#8217;s very helpful.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:05] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, those are super helpful. For every one of those there are probably two or three who aren&#8217;t as helpful, and you start to resort to tricks with, you know, manually exporting databases or getting RSS feeds and trying to convert them, or a lot of agencies said, &#8220;You know what? Often, we end up just copying and pasting page by page from the source site into a brand-new WordPress site.&#8221;<br><br>[00:06:27] <strong>Jordan:</strong> So, there&#8217;s challenges about the access to the content. There&#8217;s lots of challenges around getting the content from the shape of one platform into WordPress. What constitutes a page? What constitutes a post? How do we handle all of the extra metadata of images and dates and taxonomies, and anything else that might be associated with a blob of content in one platform?<br><br>How do we translate that into the way WordPress likes to handle those things? And particularly taking that to another level, even just bringing it into the Block Editor? It was great to hear how many people are just migrating straight to the Block Editor like they want the content in blocks, which is wonderful to hear.<br><br>[00:07:05] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yay!<br><br>[00:07:05] <strong>Jordan:</strong> But there are challenges. I know it&#8217;s great. But there are some, there are challenges with that and getting it to kind of format the way they expect, when it comes in particularly because there&#8217;s some kind of functional challenges with that in validating the way the content comes in because it all happens client side in the browser. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s hard to do that in big batches. So, there was some really great feedback around all of those kinds of places. It was really interesting to see how much of it centers around that getting the content and then getting the content, and yeah, for the agencies I spoke to, they do a lot of trial and error of, you know, custom scripts, and let&#8217;s try it. Oh, that did this. Let&#8217;s try again with a few tweaks. So I&#8217;m excited to see how we can kind of make that easier for them and, you know, maybe get it happening first time.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:49] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. It has been a long time since I migrated any sites personally, but I remember the first time that I tried to migrate a site. So, I was on Xanga before Xanga was on WordPress, and I remember that when I was like, I can&#8217;t figure out this WordPress thing, but I think I need some stuff in it so that, like, I know what it&#8217;s going to look like.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:11] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I know what to move around cause I didn&#8217;t know the names for anything in, in CSS or HTML. Like I didn&#8217;t know what to look for in the code, but if I had a piece of content in it, I could be like, find the content in the code and then move that. And so I was like, I&#8217;m going to export everything because there was an export option in Xanga. And move it into WordPress, and WordPress was like if you can manage to get it out of Xanga, super easy to get it in. But it was actually really difficult to figure out how to get it out. And fortunately, I&#8217;d only been writing on it for like four years, three, four years at that point. So there wasn&#8217;t like, a huge amount of content, but also, I was a pretty prolific writer. I was a bad writer, but the only way to get better at things you&#8217;re bad at is to do it a lot. So, I did a lot of bad writing for three or four years. And I think that in the end, I did, like, just pay some service to scrape everything that was public on it, and then go through and get the private things and pull it out later.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:08] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I think later on down the road, I did an actual like full migration when it was easier to get it done and got all the content out, including like drafts and private posts and things. So that&#8217;s good. But yeah, it was really difficult then. And then, like, we have the blocks now that are supposed to help get a little bit more consistency in the way that you can move content in and out of a WordPress site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And is that something that we are then focusing on with the Data Liberation project? Is that something that&#8217;s being done in concert with our Gutenberg plugin, or like how are we accounting for that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:46] <strong>Jordan:</strong> That is a great question. The way things are looking at the moment, having come out of this feedback and the way we&#8217;re looking at going forward that, that work on getting content coming into blocks is going to be a really, really major part of Data Liberation. And it kind of sits in the middle of things to my mind.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:01] <strong>Jordan:</strong> The improvements that we can make with handling the way content is transformed into blocks gives us the potential of wins in a lot of places. So, as long as we can get to the content, this work on HTML to blocks for a better, lack of a better way of putting it, gives us wins with importing from another platform because we can take the content in whatever form it is, turn it into blocks in the post editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It gives us wins with migrating from classic editor because, similarly, we can take the HTML of the classic editor generates and turn it into blocks. That already kind of happens, but there&#8217;s definitely some work that we can do to keep improving that. It gives us potential wins around the spaces of moving from between proprietary builders and block libraries and things. Because if we start to have a better-standardized set of ways to handle HTML into blocks. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, you can essentially move from whatever form your content is in into, you know, core native blocks in the editor. So, I think work there is going to be really important because it gives us a foundation to aim for from whatever the migration is happening from.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:09] <strong>Jordan:</strong> So, there&#8217;ll be some work there. There&#8217;s already work happening on the HTML API. Like, ongoingly and regularly and so we&#8217;ll be talking to those folks. There&#8217;s obviously going to be a lot of overlap with the work within Gutenberg as well, which is doing you know, parsing of content into blocks. So, it&#8217;s going to take a lot of collaboration and a lot of work from everyone, but I&#8217;m really excited because if we can get that foundational platform of transforming HTML into blocks really, really smooth, then what we can do is we can, you know, activate contributors in the community say, we&#8217;ve got this part figured out. If you can get it to here, it&#8217;s going to come in beautifully. So what we want your help with is to say, how do I get out of this platform to a format that we can do the rest? So, hopefully, we&#8217;re getting a common flow for a big part of that important migration process. And then we can throw it open to others to say, &#8220;You&#8217;ve got expertise with this platform. That&#8217;s excellent. Can you get us to here? And we&#8217;ll take it from there.&#8221; And maybe we&#8217;ll get some wins by doing that work in parallel, and we&#8217;ll really start to see some movement.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:13] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And speaking of the, we&#8217;ll take it from there. I know that also, in addition to the work that you are doing with Data Liberation and that is happening on the Gutenberg side and WordPress core in general, we also have a little bit of work happening on the after you get it to here point.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the folks over at Playground have been doing a bit of research about how to use the guides and tools that are in the Data Liberation repo. To run all of that through Playground so that you can not only like import it, but you can put it into Playground and check it before you launch it in someplace else, which I think is a great user-facing, like, super important thing for an everyday user to be able to have at their fingertips that way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But then also the tour plugin that was built, I think specifically for the Polyglots team, is where we are looking at using, and I can&#8217;t remember which little project we&#8217;re doing some research on to make this possible, but we&#8217;re looking at taking that tour plugin and making it so that anyone can build a tour on anyone&#8217;s version of something in a browser so that you can just say, okay, so I did these things. I got it to here as you requested. I&#8217;m moving it to here. But now that I have got it into WordPress, what are the literal buttons I have to press in order to make sure it&#8217;s live? What do I literally have to press in order to make sure that I&#8217;m in the right time zone? Like, things like that. And we tested it on Wix, and it was able to work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:40] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Not that we&#8217;re trying to get anyone to Wix. But on the subject of, like, getting things out of WordPress and into someone else, that sounds counterintuitive for folks, like, you&#8217;re here listening to a WordPress podcast, and we&#8217;re talking about how and why we want to make it easier for people to get their content to us, of course, but then also, if needed, get it out of a version of WordPress and either into a different version of WordPress with a new host or, whatever.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or if this is not your long-term destination, which we think it will be once you figure us out, but like, if it&#8217;s not, like, how to get out of it, too. So, from your perspective, how does that fit with the basic philosophies of open source or of WordPress in general?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:24] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, thank you. If I may, there&#8217;s a couple of things I wanted to touch on from what you&#8217;ve said. First of all the other work that is going on in the project at the moment that you mentioned, the tour guide and the Playground, I think both of those are going to be super important to the approach we take to Data Liberation.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wanted to elaborate just a little bit on the Playground because I&#8217;m particularly excited about the potential that gives for two particular scenarios two particular use cases for migration. One is, where I&#8217;ve already set up a WordPress site, I&#8217;ve got the theme that I&#8217;d like, and I&#8217;ve got some, you know, some plugins, maybe I&#8217;ve got a little bit there, but I want to import content, but I want to check how it is the potential for the Playground to make essentially a staging copy of my site and migrate the content into that staging copy so I can see how it lands in my chosen theme and check everything out and then go, yep, that looks great. And apply it. That&#8217;s great for it&#8217;s safe. You can check how it looks before it&#8217;s, you know, committed. So that&#8217;s brilliant. I&#8217;m excited about that. I&#8217;m also excited about the potential it has for people who don&#8217;t know WordPress, or don&#8217;t have a WordPress site, or they don&#8217;t have a host, they don&#8217;t have anything.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:30] <strong>Jordan:</strong> But if they can say, I want to see how this would go in WordPress. Playground, through some platform, somewhere, will allow them to just have an immediate in-browser preview of what their site would look like on WordPress. And if they like it, we then move them. We help them find a host. We help them export that in a way that they can use, but it helps the people who already have sites.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I think, more importantly, it helps those who don&#8217;t have a site yet. And they don&#8217;t have to set up an empty WordPress install in order to start migrating. They can just get into it.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And also, you don&#8217;t have to, like know who your host needs to be before you can take a look at the back end of a WordPress site and see if it makes sense to you. Like I think that that is a huge, huge win on behalf of users, current users, and future users of WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s the try before you buy. Come kick our tires without having to find a server. If you all don&#8217;t know what we&#8217;re talking about, if you have not heard of Playground yet, you can go to playground.WordPress.net and give it a try. It&#8217;s a one-click, serverless local version of WordPress that you can test out themes on and plugins, and just like put all your data into all your content into, and pretty soon also be able to export or just load directly onto the host of your choice. It&#8217;s really, really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:44] <strong>Jordan:</strong> It&#8217;s, it&#8217;s pretty much magic, I think.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:47] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yes, I remember the first hackathon where we took it because we took it basically on a hackathon roadshow for six months. I remember the first one we took it to. Routinely, we could get developers, not me, routinely, Adam Zieliński could get a developer to do the thing, and they&#8217;d be like, I can do it if you&#8217;re next to me telling me what to do, but it&#8217;s literal magic. I don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s happening. And he was like, okay, I&#8217;ll come explain it to you. And like, he was using English, but also I was like, that is still magic. I&#8217;m so glad someone understands it. It&#8217;s brilliant.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:18] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, so the Playground I&#8217;m super excited by. I think it&#8217;s going to be really important. The tour stuff the tour functionality is going to be really important as well. Because on some level, We&#8217;re going to have to wrap all of this work on improving HTML to blocks, the process of taking an export file and importing it into WordPress, the process of telling people how to get the content, all that&#8217;s going to have to be ideally wrapped up in a nice user-friendly way so that users aren&#8217;t having to, you know, read plain text articles and then going and installing a plugin and all of those kinds of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think the potential for the tours is we may have some kind of wrapper plugin or something which will detect the platform of your existing site if you put the URL in, and it will start walking you through the steps. So, part of that might be action you need to take on your existing platform, and we have some of that information already in the guides on the Data Liberation site at WordPress.org/data-liberation. That information is already there, but I&#8217;m hoping that we can start pulling those guides into the WP Admin so you just get walked through it while you&#8217;re there. And we can start using the tour functionality to really specifically pinpoint: you need to go here, now you can do this, go and click this, and just walk users through that migration process a little bit more neatly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:37] <strong>Jordan:</strong> I&#8217;m really excited that we&#8217;re going to be able to utilize a lot of these existing projects that are exciting and happening at the moment. And I think, ideally, they&#8217;re all going to make it much easier for users to not have to jump through so many hoops. And the hoops that they do have to jump through, we can hold their hand while they do it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:54] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. Create safe scaffolding for fun, I used to say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:59] <strong>Jordan:</strong> So those are the two projects existing that are happening at the moment that I&#8217;m excited about rolling into and working with for the Data Liberation work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:07] <strong>Jordan:</strong> You also asked about the getting content back out, which is something that I&#8217;m particularly passionate about, I suppose. Which may be ironic when a lot of the aim of this project is to get people into WordPress. But I&#8217;m a really firm believer that if our mission is to democratize publishing, then that doesn&#8217;t mean just get everyone onto WordPress and go, yes, now you&#8217;re trapped. It&#8217;s like the Hotel California, you can never leave. If we&#8217;re going to be, you know, fully all in on democratizing publishing, then that means giving folks the freedom to take their content to do with it, whatever they want. It&#8217;s fair to say at the moment that that is possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you can export your content from WordPress. We don&#8217;t hang onto it. We don&#8217;t lock it down. You can take it. At the moment, the format that you get that content in has some limitations. It&#8217;s fair to say it doesn&#8217;t handle bringing the media of your site particularly well unless you&#8217;re turning it into another WordPress site somewhere else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the export functionality is very, very focused at the moment on migration to another host, or to a local site, or to another WordPress installation, basically. But if you want to use that content for something else, maybe another platform. Maybe you just want to have a copy of your blog posts that you can.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:17] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Print it into a book.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:18] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Yeah, to put into a book. Maybe you want to put it on a thumb drive and put it in a lockbox somewhere. Maybe you want some kind of hundred-year archive of your intellectual property that you&#8217;ve written and created. And so I think we&#8217;ve got some room to make improvements there. Not only to the way we provide content for other platforms to pick up and bring in but also just in the ways that we provide content to users who just really want to have a physical, digital copy of what they&#8217;ve created.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are some challenges at the moment when you get an export, if you&#8217;ve got shortcodes in your content, if you&#8217;ve got content that&#8217;s generated by plugins, all kinds of dynamic content that is great when it&#8217;s a website, and WordPress is wonderful. And there&#8217;s all of these options, but if you take an export, you have references to those functions, and you have references to those shortcodes, which aren&#8217;t actually fully realized. So I think there&#8217;s some room for us to investigate what does a better export for other platforms look like and what does a better export for &#8220;I want to print it out or turn it into a book or just have a static version of that&#8221; content look like. And so I&#8217;m particularly excited about that, even though it&#8217;s kind of, bring it in, and we want to let them get it out. But that&#8217;s part of the whole liberation of data, I suppose, is, you know, the freedom to do with it what you want.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:40] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yes, absolutely. And everything that increases freedom on the open web, I think we are in favor of. So, I don&#8217;t know if you follow many, like WordPress futurists, our people who are out there saying, if only WordPress had these additional 2,500 hours worth of work, then we could do this with it. Like, I don&#8217;t know if you follow a lot of them.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:02] <strong>Josepha:</strong> But, a lot of them look at that thing that Matt said, like, I want to say, five years ago about WordPress becoming the operating system of the web and putting some thought into what would be required to make that possible. And when we look at composable CMSs, like the option to have something that is a framework and a core of what you are doing in your digital experience of the web. And making it possible to add anything to it required.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think that also the work that we&#8217;re doing with Data Liberation to provide a little bit more consistency and just standardization of the way that content comes in and out, I think, can only help with that potential future implementation of WordPress as the operating system for the web so that you have this basic place where you hold and manage all your content and also not only does WordPress cooperate nicely with all these other tools and applications that you can put on top of it but also all of the content has standard conversational touch points and so everything moves quickly in and out including the dynamic content that is maybe being created inside your WordPress core itself. I think that is also a really important not primary focus, but certainly future-like, if only we could get to that state kind of focus.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:31] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I&#8217;m really interested. I think that the Data Liberation project is big, and I know that we expected primarily only new contributors to work on it, but honestly, we know that&#8217;s not the case. It&#8217;s you&#8217;re working on old WordPress in here and so not necessarily new contributors. But I think that you&#8217;re right that the place for new contributors to help us is saying like we can get the content to here, we can get the data to here, and then we need help getting it into WordPress or help getting it into something else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, as like a last question here, or if you have things to add to that, and then I can do last question.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:04] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Okay, so to loop back to your conversation about futurists and moving content and stuff, I am really excited about this idea that the open web at the moment, I think, is really, really exciting. I just started mucking around with federating my content in the fediverse. Again, recently, I tried it a little while ago and really struggled, but I&#8217;ve just started again, and it&#8217;s sitting really comfortably with me, and it&#8217;s, it&#8217;s feeling like it&#8217;s a great time for posting and owning your content, and then syndicating it elsewhere. I have seen a couple of really interesting conversations about what you were saying about, like I&#8217;ve seen the conversations in the past about, you know, operating system of the web, but also some talk and ideas recently about what would it look like if we stored all of our data in a WordPress instance?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if all of my photos aren&#8217;t on Instagram? They are on my WordPress site. What if I pull in my Fitbit or my Strava information and just store it in WordPress so that I can do with it what I want once it&#8217;s there? What if I, I don&#8217;t know, what if I pull in kind of all of my different sources of data and I, and I house them in WordPress and then I can do with them what they want, would do with them what I want.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:08] <strong>Jordan:</strong> And that is when the Data Liberation stuff becomes especially important because if it&#8217;s your everything, you want to take your everything somewhere else. But I&#8217;m really excited for kind of all of that kind of space at the moment and giving people the freedom to own that data and when they create stuff.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In actual fact, this is one of the things that you said in your talk at WordCamp Asia, which has really stuck with me was, and I can&#8217;t remember the exact phrase, but you said if you&#8217;re going to do all of this work of creating something, you may as well do it somewhere where you own it and can keep it. And that, for me, is just such a strong driver for getting people onto WordPress. Particularly from, at the moment, social media platforms. I&#8217;ve got two young daughters who are just getting to the age where they&#8217;re creating videos at home, which aren&#8217;t being published anywhere, but they&#8217;re starting to. They&#8217;ve got friends who are doing YouTube channels, and they&#8217;ve got friends on Instagram.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I&#8217;m looking at all of that going, I get the urge to create, and I get the urge to publish, but I want them to have an alternative to do all of that so that in five years&#8217; time, ten years time, whatever it is, when they go, wow, I did all of this stuff. I don&#8217;t want that owned by someone else. I&#8217;ve created all this, and I&#8217;m excited by the possibility of having that become a simpler, more user-friendly, accessible option to folks, where it becomes just as easy to have a WordPress site, which is your Instagram feed or a WordPress site, which is your YouTube channel or something like that, where you own it, and you just create it, and it exists. And Data Liberation means you want to take a copy of all that stuff, go for it, download an archive, you know, print out the photos, do whatever you want, but they&#8217;re yours. You have them. And so, it&#8217;s really feeling like all of that is coalescing together a little bit at the moment. I think it&#8217;s a really exciting time.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:52] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And also, like, since we&#8217;re just meandering around in philosophical spaces, two philosophical thoughts. One, I really, really feel like it&#8217;s important and valuable for people to document their lives. I have a pretty private social media presence; mostly, if you&#8217;re following me on social media, it&#8217;s because, like, you have literally been in my living room or you&#8217;re looking for WordPress news. Like that&#8217;s it. But I am constantly am documenting my life just for myself, like the folks who are listening, which is everybody, because we don&#8217;t do video, will not know that I have back behind me a shelf that is nothing but journals from my leadership journey, like from the moment that I realized that like leadership was something that was a skill and could change people&#8217;s lives like I&#8217;ve done nothing but document like I ran into this problem. This is the research that I did to figure out what was happening and not, and just like it&#8217;s really mundane things in my work now. But the work and the process of documenting, like, what&#8217;s happening for you and with you in your life and how you&#8217;re interacting with it, like, it&#8217;s just important for your mental health and for your understanding of the passage of time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:05] <strong>Josepha:</strong> But then also you were talking about, like, having a hundred-year archive of your thoughts and things, like, there will be a point at which digital information being ephemeral because it&#8217;s just electricity wandering around between screens, like, it&#8217;s prone to getting lost in the same way that physical things are prone to getting lost, but the loss is less acute in the moment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so you can accidentally lose it. And I think that that&#8217;s a real long-term not problem for society necessarily, but I think it is something from a societal standpoint where we&#8217;re gonna, at some point in the near future, realize that some of us have huge missing gaps where we, like just got rid of everything that we ever documented because we had a moment on social media or because it seemed like the only way to reclaim our content or our data or our privacy or whatever it was. And so I have a yeah. I love it. I love everything that we&#8217;re talking about, about the speculative future and WordPress. And so yes, now, well, now everybody knows all my thoughts on speculative WordPress.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:06] <strong>Jordan:</strong> There&#8217;s an interesting philosophical conversation which we&#8217;re like coming towards of what&#8217;s the equivalent in a hundred years, in 200 years of now, of the Library of Congress for philosophical and powerful writing. There is so much great stuff that is written on the web, and it just exists there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a hundred years, when people are writing about the early work of an artist or a politician or, you know, a notable figure, we don&#8217;t, we&#8217;re not going to have handwritten letters. We&#8217;re not going to have correspondence. But we&#8217;ll have tweets. We could have blog posts. Like, it interests me to think, like, the stuff that we take for granted of historical creation is happening digitally now. And so, equivalently, in the future, how, how is that gonna get retained? How much amazing knowledge and thinking is gonna just, you know, have their hosting account expire and get removed? And it&#8217;s an, it&#8217;s it&#8217;s a big conversation, but it&#8217;s an interesting one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:09] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. Oh, what a fascinating discussion we&#8217;ve had today. So, by way of wrapping up our discussion here, why don&#8217;t you give us a sense for, like, if you are a user of WordPress and you were like, this sounds really interesting, I want to learn more, where can they go? But also, if you are someone who wants to learn how to contribute to WordPress and this sounds like a good opportunity for you to get started with that. Where can people find more about this project, about how to get started, how to contribute, all that stuff?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:38] <strong>Jordan:</strong> If you are someone who is hearing about this for the first time and coming to it pretty fresh and haven&#8217;t been working in the WordPress community much before. The best place to go will be WordPress.org/data-liberation, that will give you not only access to the tools and guides that exist but also some information on where the development and discussion is happening.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s the easiest pathway to find your way into those conversations as well. For folks who already have a little bit of experience and, it may be contributed code or a part of discussions already. The place to go to would be github.com/WordPress/data-liberation. That&#8217;s where there&#8217;s a lot of discussion. That&#8217;s where the existing tools and guides are being managed and worked on. So, if you really want to dive in. Please come and join us there. There are discussions to be had. There are ideas to be floated. That&#8217;s where all of the boots-on-the-ground work is going to be happening.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:25] <strong>Jordan:</strong> The other great place is within the Make WordPress Slack organization. And we have a Data Liberation channel in there. That is primarily where we have higher-level conversations, and we chat about stuff, and I&#8217;m hoping that becomes a real hub for work-adjacent discussion. So GitHub is going to be for all of this is where all the work&#8217;s happening, but the Slack channel is where people can share their thoughts on what&#8217;s possible, and big picture ideas, and that kind of stuff. So those will be the three best places. WordPress.org/data-liberation for the overview, github.com/WordPress/data-liberation for where the work&#8217;s actually happening, and WordPress Slack in the Data Liberation channel. If you want to come and chat more about the possibilities and, you know, helping get the future of the open web happening.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:17] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I mean, that is an enticing call to action. We&#8217;ll have links to all of the, all three of those in the show notes, as well as links to everything that we kind of mentioned over the course of our conversation. But Jordan, thank you so much for joining me today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:32] <strong>Jordan:</strong> Thank you so much for having me. It&#8217;s been great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:34] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:41] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And now it&#8217;s time for our small list of big things. I&#8217;ve got three things for you this week.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing on the list is that WordCamp US tickets are now on sale. So that event is happening from September 17th through the 20th in Portland, Oregon. There are general admission tickets and micro sponsor tickets available. And if you have seen the cost of the ticket but had not quite noted the length of the event, I just want to assure you that the cost per day is the same now as it was and has been for years. It&#8217;s still that same 25-dollar-a-day ticket that you&#8217;ve got; it&#8217;s just that it&#8217;s four days long this time. We&#8217;ll have a link to the tickets in the show notes, but then also you can always wander over to us.wordcamp.org, and it&#8217;ll take you right there.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second thing on our list is that WordPress 6.5 is here. It is named Regina. If you listened to our show last week, you know that it was a huge release and kind of has something for everyone. So, if you have not yet downloaded it to take a look at it, do that. If you have not updated your sites yet, run a backup because you should always do a backup and then get that on your site and start testing everything out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the third thing on our big list, our small list of big things, is actually that we&#8217;re looking at dropping support for PHP 7. 0 and 7. 1 in upcoming releases of WordPress this year. It should not be too disruptive a change. However, it is going to take a lot of people to test it and make sure that everything&#8217;s working as we want it to work and as we need it to work. And so while we head toward that, I want to make sure you&#8217;ve got the resources that you need to know what&#8217;s happening, where it&#8217;s happening, how it&#8217;s going to affect you. I&#8217;ll leave some resources in the show notes for that as well.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:27] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And that, my friends, is your small list of big things. Don&#8217;t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app or subscribe directly on WordPress.org/news. You&#8217;ll get a friendly reminder whenever there&#8217;s a new episode. If you liked what you heard today, share it with a fellow WordPresser, or if you had questions about what you heard, you can share those with me at WPBriefing@WordPress.org. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Thanks for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing, and I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:54] (Music outro)&nbsp;</p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17205";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:60:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"WordPress 6.5.2 Maintenance and Security Release";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:84:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/wordpress-6-5-2-maintenance-and-security-release/";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, 09 Apr 2024 22:00:18 +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:8:"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:"";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"Security";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=17195";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:325:"Note: Due to an issue with the initial package, WordPress 6.5.1 was not released. 6.5.2 is the first minor release for WordPress 6.5. This security and maintenance release features 2 bug fixes on Core, 12 bug fixes for the Block Editor, and 1 security fix. Because this is a security release, it is recommended that [&#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:12:"Aaron Jorbin";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:4869:"\n<p><strong>Note: Due to an issue with the initial package, WordPress 6.5.1 was not released. 6.5.2 is the first minor release for WordPress 6.5.</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p>This security and maintenance release features <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;id=!60398&amp;milestone=6.5.2&amp;group=status&amp;order=priority">2 bug fixes on Core</a>, <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/60577">12 bug fixes for the Block Editor</a>, and 1 security fix.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Because this is a security release, it is recommended that you update your sites immediately.</strong> Backports are also available for other major WordPress releases, 6.0 and later.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.5.2.zip">download WordPress 6.5.2 from WordPress.org</a>, or visit your WordPress Dashboard, click “Updates”, and then click “Update Now”. If you have sites that support automatic background updates, the update process will begin automatically.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.5.2 is a short-cycle release. The next major release will be <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-6/">version 6.6</a> and is currently planned for 16 July 2024.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Security updates included in this release</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The security team would like to thank the following people for responsibly reporting vulnerabilities, and allowing them to be fixed in this release:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Avatar block type; reported by <a href="https://johnblackbourn.com/">John Blackbourn</a> of the WordPress security team. Many thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/stealthcopter">Mat Rollings</a> for assisting with the research.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you to these WordPress contributors</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This release was led by <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion/">John Blackbourn</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/isabel_brison/">Isabel Brison</a>, and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/">Aaron Jorbin</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.5.2 would not have been possible without the contributions of the following people. Their asynchronous coordination to deliver maintenance and security fixes into a stable release is a testament to the power and capability of the WordPress community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p class="is-style-wporg-props-medium"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/">Aaron Jorbin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wildworks">Aki Hamano</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andraganescu">Andrei Draganescu</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/artemiosans">Artemio Morales</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iCaleb">Caleb Burks</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/colind">colind</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/talldanwp">Daniel Richards</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ocean90">Dominik Schilling</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fabiankaegy">Fabian Kägy</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mamaduka">George Mamadashvili</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gziolo">Greg Ziółkowski</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/isabel_brison">Isabel Brison</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb">Jb Audras</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill">Joe McGill</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion">John Blackbourn</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/desrosj">Jonathan Desrosiers</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/thelovekesh">Lovekesh Kumar</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mmaattiiaass">Matias Benedetto</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mukesh27">Mukesh Panchal</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy">Pascal Birchler</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/peterwilsoncc">Peter Wilson</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sean212">Sean Fisher</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/SergeyBiryukov">Sergey Biryukov</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/coffee2code/">Scott Reilly</a></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to contribute</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To get involved in WordPress core development, head over to Trac, <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/6">pick a ticket</a>, and join the conversation in the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW">#core</a> channel. Need help? Check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/">Core Contributor Handbook</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thanks to <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion/">John Blackbourn</a>, <em><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ehtis">Ehtisham S.</a>,</em></em> <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb">Jb Audras</a>, <em>and <em><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/angelasjin/">Angela Jin</a></em> for proofreading.</em></p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17195";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:6;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:61:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:7:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:51:"WP Briefing: Episode 76: A WordPress 6.5 Sneak Peek";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://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/episode-76-a-wordpress-6-5-sneak-peek/";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, 02 Apr 2024 20:18:00 +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:7:"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:"";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"wp-briefing";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://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=17158";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:276:"Join WordPress Executive Director, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, as she offers an exclusive preview of the upcoming WordPress 6.5 release, accompanied by special guest Dave Smith, one of the Editor Tech leads for this release. Don’t miss this opportunity for an insider’s look!";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:9:"enclosure";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:0:"";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:3:{s:3:"url";s:51:"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/WPB076.mp3";s:6:"length";s:1:"0";s:4:"type";s: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:"Brett McSherry";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:40462:"\n<p>Join WordPress Executive Director, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, as she offers an exclusive preview of the upcoming WordPress 6.5 release, accompanied by special guest Dave Smith, one of the Editor Tech leads for this release. Don&#8217;t miss this opportunity for an insider&#8217;s look!</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Host: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a><br>Guest: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/get_dave/">Dave Smith</a><br>Editor: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br>Logo: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br>Production: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a> and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eidolonnight/">Nicholas Garofalo</a><br>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/download/">WordPress Download</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-5/#:~:text=To%20get%20involved%20in%20WordPress,leave%20feedback%20on%20the%20ticket.">WordPress 6.5 Development Cycle</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/07/unblocking-wp6-5-font-library-and-synced-pattern-overrides/">Unblocking WP6.5 – Font Library and Synced Pattern Overrides</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/reference-guides/packages/packages-dataviews/">Data Views</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/12/admin-design/">WP-Admin Redesign</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59166">Font Library</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2024/02/29/an-introduction-to-block-based-mega-menus/">An Introduction to Block-Based Mega Menus</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/daveonwp">Dave on WP</a>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyJRYAbU_M">These TINY Link Editing CHANGES Just Made WORDPRESS 6.5 So Much Better</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/04/interactivity-api-dev-note/">Interactivity API in 6.5</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2024/01/13/early-opportunities-to-test-wordpress-6-5/">Opportunities to Test WordPress 6.5</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2024/03/08/asia-meetup-revival-project-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Asia Meetup Revival Project 2024</a> </li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meetings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upcoming WordPress Meetings</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/03/20/making-a-wordpress-media-corps/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Making a WordPress Media Corps</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a question you’d like answered? Submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@WordPress.org">WPBriefing@WordPress.org</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>\n\n\n\n<span id="more-17158"></span>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project, some insight into the community that supports it, and get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:28] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:39] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Dave, I&#8217;m so excited to have you here with us today. Welcome.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:42] <strong>Dave:</strong> Thank you. I&#8217;m really excited to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:46] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. So before we get much further, how about you tell us a little bit about what you do on the WordPress project? And if I recall correctly, that you have a role on the release squad. So just let us know a bit about what that role is and what that looks like.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:00] <strong>Dave:</strong> Sure. Absolutely. Well, obviously said I&#8217;m Dave Smith. I&#8217;m from England in the United Kingdom, and I am full-time contributor to WordPress. I&#8217;ve focused primarily on the Block Editor during that time. And I&#8217;ve been doing it for about three years now. And fortunately for me, I am sponsored by Automattic, so that allows me to contribute full-time to the project, which is fantastic.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But my history of WordPress goes back a fair way longer than that, and I used to work in agency land, and so I used WordPress for making things for a living before I worked in WordPress if you see what I mean.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:35] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I, no, I definitely understand. I also was agency before WordPress.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:40] <strong>Dave:</strong> I think it&#8217;s a common origin story, if you see what I mean. And yes, you&#8217;re absolutely right. I&#8217;ve been fortunate enough in this release, WordPress 6.5, to be the Co-editor Tech Lead. Obviously alongside my colleague which is Riad Benguella. Some of you may know him. He is the lead architect of Gutenberg. So yeah, it&#8217;s been fantastic to work alongside him.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, excellent. One of these days, I&#8217;m going to get Riad on here. I think I&#8217;ve never had him on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:05] <strong>Dave:</strong> Oh, you should definitely.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:06] <strong>Josepha:</strong> He&#8217;s so kind and reasonable. And I was just gonna tell a personal anecdote about Riad, and I don&#8217;t know that it makes any sense, but I&#8217;m gonna do it anyway. I&#8217;m gonna do it anyway. I saw him at an event like right after he came back from his most recent sabbatical, and he was like, it was great being away, but also like, I had forgotten what kind of energy events like this really bring in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And he has always struck me as an introvert, but I think maybe he&#8217;s like an outgoing introvert or something. Cause normally, like, introvert introverts are not like, this gives me so much energy. They&#8217;re like, I know that this is important work, and I&#8217;m here. And so that&#8217;s my personal anecdote about Riad, I am, gonna get him on here someday, but be that as it may, we&#8217;re delighted to have you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, 6.5 is coming out are you excited, number one?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:54] <strong>Dave:</strong> I am very excited. Yeah, it&#8217;s been a long road into this release. As you may know, well, as you do know, it&#8217;s, it was delayed by one week. That was actually, I think was, was a good decision. We&#8217;ve had a lot of work needing to go into the Font Library feature. I&#8217;ve seen a few posts saying there were bugs.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:09] <strong>Dave:</strong> I think mainly it was a decision about where to upload fonts to, which seems quite amazing when you think about it. I was talking to my wife about it the other day, and she said, really, you&#8217;re delaying a release because of where to upload things. But, yeah, this is software that runs a considerable part of the web.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when we make these decisions about where things uploaded, we&#8217;ve got to be really confident that they are the right decisions. And so, yeah, that decision to delay the release has been good. And we&#8217;ve had an opportunity to make sure the release is fully robust and ready to go out. So yeah, I&#8217;m super excited to see it land.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:40] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. I have some follow up questions about just like, how doing all of that work in public feels. But probably, we should get through the bulk of the sorts of things that people tune into this episode for, so like, let&#8217;s talk about some of the big features that are going into 6.5 so that folks have a sense for that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then we&#8217;ll take a look at just like things that you&#8217;re excited to get in, things that I&#8217;m excited to get in. And maybe like if there&#8217;s a hidden surprise for users, things that will be really beneficial to users, but they don&#8217;t quite see it yet. We can maybe cover that too, but like, what are the big things going into this release from your perspective?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:17] <strong>Dave:</strong> Sure. There&#8217;s some highlights, I think that the key highlights, and we should probably cover them. So the first one we&#8217;ve already touched on it is the Fonts Library. And this has been brewing for a while now, and it&#8217;s finally come to fruition. And it basically allows you to manage, install, and upload custom fonts for use on your website. And it&#8217;s really, really powerful. It&#8217;s, I think it&#8217;s going to really change the way people create themes and create their websites. It is unlocking a lot of power for users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:46] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And for folks who&#8217;ve been listening to this podcast for a long time, you have heard me say for, I think, like a year, basically every release podcast where we&#8217;re looking at what&#8217;s coming up. I&#8217;m like, and this time it&#8217;s fonts. I&#8217;m so excited. And so I&#8217;m saying it again this time, &#8217;cause it&#8217;s really happening this time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:03] <strong>Dave:</strong> It&#8217;s finally here. Yeah, it&#8217;s a great feature. There&#8217;s a lot of work gone into it. It&#8217;s really, really good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:07] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So much work. We&#8217;ve been working on it for like two or three years. And it&#8217;s at the point where like getting it out in front of people is the only way to figure out where the remaining problems will be. And it is the most scary part of any software release, I assume, the things where you&#8217;re like, this is time for people to tell us how it&#8217;s broken. Please look at it and break it for a while.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:29] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. We&#8217;ve been working on resolving any bugs that we could find, but there&#8217;s always going to be things we haven&#8217;t noticed. So yeah, we can&#8217;t wait for users to get their hands on it. Exactly. Other than fonts, we&#8217;ve also got revisions that are now in place in the Site Editor. And this is more than just undo, redo that people may be already familiar with in the editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It actually gives you the ability to fully revert your site back to any state that you previously had it. So you could make some changes in the editor. You could completely close down your computer, go away for a week, come back. And you&#8217;ve still got the opportunity to say, &#8220;Ah, do you know what? I don&#8217;t like the way that looks. I&#8217;m just gonna; I&#8217;m gonna roll that back.&#8221; And there&#8217;s a nice UI that shows you what it will affect. And you can even roll back styles, you know, like style changes. So it&#8217;s, it&#8217;s super, super powerful. And it&#8217;s just something we&#8217;ve been waiting for for such a long time. Just, it&#8217;s fantastic to see it land.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:17] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I&#8217;m really excited about this one personally because I have been to so many meetup events with like new users being taught how to do things with WordPress. And invariably, in the last two or three years, the people who are presenting to new users are saying consistently like, &#8220;You can do any experimental thing that you feel like you need to do with your sites because there&#8217;s an undo button. WordPress wouldn&#8217;t let you do things that fully break your site.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like there is a lot of trust in our kind of like time machine, roll-it-back kind of implementations. And so I&#8217;m really excited about this one. I think that for all of our new and mid-level users. Who like, have a little bit of fear, but mostly joy around it. Like, this will only increase that and so I&#8217;m super excited for this one to go in there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:09] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, it&#8217;s really nice. Other than that, the two things I wanted to touch on as well, which is we&#8217;ve got these new views now for key objects in WordPress. So things like pages, patterns, templates, and template parts in the Site Editor. You can now view these in a sort of a table layout or in a grid layout. So it gives you a much easier way to sort them, find them, filter them. And I think it points us forward to the possibilities we&#8217;ve got in the future for the editor sort of taking some parts of WP Admin and making them more accessible without having to leave the Site Editor. And it&#8217;s extremely powerful; you can search in real-time, find things very, very quickly, do all the things you&#8217;re used to from the post listing screen, but all within the Site Editor. And it&#8217;s for these key objects that you use quite a lot of the time. So I think it&#8217;s going to be really, a really great thing for users to get hold of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:55] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Is this related to the Data Views work that we&#8217;ve been doing in the first part of the year here?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:00] <strong>Dave:</strong> Exactly that exactly. The Data Views work has been a major feed into this, and this is where we see the fruits of all that work coming to the fore for the first time. And I expect to see more of that in future releases as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:12] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. For folks who are really, really watching, like, our administrative side of things, you probably are aware that we, I don&#8217;t know, I wouldn&#8217;t say that we paused the phase three roadmap for this, but I do think that we made a clear choice to get this Data Views work done first so that we could, in parallel with phase three, do a bit of work on the WP Admin redesign, the dashboard redesign, which we all know, like, we love this dashboard, but also this dashboard, it needs a sprucing up, it needs a little bit of, of polish and a little bit of 2024 style I was going to say design. I don&#8217;t know if the design folks would love if I just was like, it needs to be modernized that way, but also like it, it does, right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:00] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, and I mean, you know, we all know that the Site Editor is being used more and more. If you&#8217;ve got a Block theme, you&#8217;re using the Site Editor increasingly, and you&#8217;re spending less and less time sort of going between screens in WP Admin. So it makes sense that, you know, these things are accessible within that one interface of the Site Editor. So, yeah, it&#8217;s only going to be a good thing for users going forward.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:20] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. I probably should have like a whole episode about Data Views and what it&#8217;s intending to do, what it&#8217;s actually doing, what it&#8217;s going to look like as it goes because that&#8217;s such a big project. And so many things rely on it. And so, note to self and all listeners, that&#8217;s the thing that you should keep an eye out for. We&#8217;re going to get it done. But you said you had a final thing also.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:40] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, I&#8217;ve got one more which is this is for our users of classic themes. We haven&#8217;t forgotten about you. Basically, we now have support for appearance tools. So in prior releases, the Block themes have got these really cool design tools like ability to set border colors, border radius, link colors, you name it. We&#8217;ve got all these tools, but they haven&#8217;t been always available to classic themes. And classic themes can use the Block Editor; they may not be using the Site Editor in the same way, but they can use the Block Editor. And we&#8217;ve not made those things available in the same way, but there&#8217;s been work going into this release to allow that to happen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:11] <strong>Dave:</strong> So now you can opt into those if you so wish. And it is an opt-in basis. So none your themes will break out of the box if you&#8217;ve got classic theme or classic site. But it is a powerful tool to those people who are using classic themes, and that&#8217;s completely legitimate.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:26] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And so is the opt in like something that you can do for yourself or something that your developer needs to do?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:32] <strong>Dave:</strong> You would need to do it in your theme code. So you&#8217;d need to do that with PHP. So, your theme developer, if they choose to update their theme and provide support for these things. Then, they would obviously need to test their theme works with those new tools, make sure it&#8217;s ready, and then they would ship that update.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so maybe after 6.5 is released, you may see some themes incrementally adding support. My understanding at the moment is that the core themes, the Block themes, will not automatically add those straight away. I think they need more time to allow them to bed in and more time to get them ready for prime time if you see what I mean, but you know the fact that they&#8217;re there and ready means that the wider theme audience and theme developers can start taking advantage of them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:15] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Nice, nice. I have been wondering lately, this is only marginally related, but I&#8217;m gonna wonder it out loud anyway. I&#8217;ve been wondering lately if like, our classic themes, our most favorite, our most loved classic themes do need a little bit of help moving into a Block theme future. And I think that this will help. I think, on the one hand this will help, and on the other hand, like, what would it take for us to just say, and you&#8217;re not the theme person I know, but like, what would it take for us to just say, &#8220;These are our top five most favorite, most used, classic themes that we&#8217;ve got in WordPress. Let&#8217;s rebuild it in blocks and just ship the block version of it and help the classic themes users that love the design, love the look, love the features get introduced to this new block territory so that they can see that not only do they have the look, the feel, the features, but also the flexibility that comes with that and a little bit more feeling of safety as they wander around modifying themes.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:18] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I have no fear of any code changes and didn&#8217;t when I started working with WordPress, as opposed to working in WordPress, but I think that that&#8217;s not the way that that works right now. Like there&#8217;s a whole lot of like, I need to get it right-ish with folks who are using our software. And so I just wonder if that will help everybody feel a little more confident in what they&#8217;re doing, knowing they&#8217;re not going to break things because we&#8217;ve built it so you can&#8217;t.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:45] <strong>Dave:</strong> It could do, it could do. And I was just thinking as you were talking, like, do we have any themes that already do that? And, of course, we do have 2021. If you can think back that far into the mists of time, we had 2021 classic, which is that it&#8217;s called 2021, but we also 2021 blocks, which is doing very much what you&#8217;ve just described.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:03] <strong>Dave:</strong> So we haven&#8217;t pursued that for the new default themes or block themes, but, you know, it might be something to look at for onboarding if there are any of classic themes from the more distant past, you know, maybe some of those could do with a block theme equivalent just to let people on board to that experience and just feel comfortable. Yeah, interesting, interesting. You should definitely talk to the theme people about that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:23] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I&#8217;m going to. They&#8217;re going to love it. They&#8217;re going to be like, Yay! Of course! Of course! I don&#8217;t know, actually. I don&#8217;t know if anyone ever loves the things that I suggest, but that doesn&#8217;t mean that they&#8217;re not going to get suggested. I have all these ideas, and they got to come out somewhere. Okay. So do you have something that you worked on that&#8217;s not in this big list of features or that you helped people to really shepherd into the release that you think is really cool? Like, maybe it&#8217;s not going to be super visible or something, but like that you&#8217;ve personally felt was like a cool feature, excited for it to get into the release.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:53] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, there are a couple of things, a couple of things at the top of mind. One of them is user-facing and one of them is more developer-facing features. So, I&#8217;ll start with the developer feature first. And this one is a change to an API. Now, that API is always a slightly intimidating word, I think, but it just means a set of tools, a standardized set of tools that developers can use to do something. And in this case, it&#8217;s the allowed blocks API.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:20] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Sounds so fun.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:21] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, I know it&#8217;s riveting, isn&#8217;t it? But trust me, it does come with some benefits. So the Navigation block is a good example. It&#8217;s a block that acts as a container and it&#8217;s got child blocks. Okay. But you can only insert certain blocks. You can insert links, you can insert social icons, you can insert search. But if you want to insert, I don&#8217;t know, an Icon block, for example. You can&#8217;t do that, but you can with WordPress 6.5 because of the change to the allow box API. And what it allows you to do is say, &#8220;I want to additionally allow the following blocks to be inserted as well.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So as a developer, you can hook into this filter and change those blocks. Now, okay, so far, so good. &#8220;What&#8217;s the big deal?&#8221; you might say, well, it&#8217;s open the door, is open the door to some very, very interesting explorations. Some of which I&#8217;ve no doubt that you and your listeners would have already encountered. And one is by a colleague of mine called Nick Diego. And I think it&#8217;s on the WordPress Developer blog right now. I think he&#8217;s done a fantastic inspiration into mega menus in the navigation block. I&#8217;m someone who&#8217;s worked on the Navigation block extensively in the past, and I&#8217;m very aware of how much users want mega menus to be a part of the Navigation block.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:30] <strong>Dave:</strong> I was never convinced it was going to be something we were going to do in core, because it requires so many different things. But Nick has actually managed with this allow blocks API and some other tweaks as well to build a mega menu as a plugin for WordPress using the standard Navigation block.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think that&#8217;s just one example of the utility of this API. But for example, I mentioned that you could add icons to your Navigation block and you can&#8217;t really do that at the moment. It&#8217;s pretty powerful. It&#8217;s kind of hidden away. It&#8217;s in the release notes, but it&#8217;s not massively clear, but it does open some pretty big doors. And I think if you&#8217;re a developer or a theme author, indeed, you should you should definitely be looking into that and see what it enables for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:06] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, we&#8217;ll put a link to Nick&#8217;s post in the show notes, and we&#8217;ll share it around the social spaces. So like, I hear you saying it&#8217;s buried, it&#8217;s hard to see, it won&#8217;t necessarily be exciting now, but will be exciting later, but like mega menus and sliders, those are the most contested things that people want to put on sites all the time. Like from my agency days, like when I was thinking in the mindset of a strategist, a data person, that&#8217;s what I was doing. Like, I never wanted sliders. I never wanted mega menus because it just implied that we didn&#8217;t have a decision about the sites we were making, like we had not decided the primary purpose, and also it was just hard to track, but it was always literally every single time people are like well if Amazon has it why can&#8217;t we have it? You&#8217;re like, yeah, I know, but they&#8217;re Amazon. They&#8217;re not the same like mega menus sliders. I know that from a project perspective that we&#8217;re like, that should be a theme thing. That should be in theme territory. But I think it makes sense to have in core because so many people want to be able to do it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:14] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And just because like someone like me feels like it&#8217;s not the right call for your business doesn&#8217;t mean that you shouldn&#8217;t be able to make that decision for yourself, you know, I think that&#8217;s a, I think that&#8217;s a great, a great feature to call out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:28] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, absolutely. I completely agree. I can look for my agency days. I can exactly imagine that sort of thing. We have a lot of people, a problem that a lot of people are facing. So it&#8217;s really important that we provide the tools to allow people to do that now. And we can always look at if it&#8217;s valid to include it in core later, then we can look at that as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah. So that&#8217;s, that&#8217;s the first one I had. The second one is a little bit more user-facing. I would say it&#8217;s hidden away. But I&#8217;m not 100 percent sure it is. I mean, Josepha, how often do you create links when you&#8217;re working with WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:58] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Like every time that I&#8217;m in WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:00] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, exactly. Same here. I do it all the time, right? And a lot of people do. And for a long while, contributors to the editor have been sort of collecting and collating the feedback that&#8217;s come in from people about their frustrations with the built in link interface in the Block Editor. So if you&#8217;re creating a hyperlink to, you know, hyperlink to another page or, you know, you&#8217;re going to link to Nick&#8217;s mega menu article, you&#8217;re going to be doing that a lot, right?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s something that people do when they&#8217;re creating content in WordPress. And so we worked a lot to refine that with a contributor who, who you may know, Rich Tabor. Who&#8217;s also, I think, on the release squad as well. An influencer in the WordPress space as well. He spent a lot of time looking at the UX and myself and a number of other contributors have spent a lot of time in this release refining that. And I think it&#8217;s surprisingly difficult to get right, but I think we&#8217;ve, I think we&#8217;ve made some nice improvements to that will be nice quality of life for people who, to do this sort of content creation quite a lot.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there&#8217;s things like now when you create the link for the first time, it remains open on the initial creation of the link. So that means you can quickly then easily adjust the link. I mean, it seems obvious, doesn&#8217;t it? Yeah, but it&#8217;s not happening. It just used to just automatically close, and the people are like, &#8220;Hey, I wanted to make more adjustments.&nbsp;&#8220;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:08] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I wasn&#8217;t done yet.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:10] <strong>Dave:</strong> Exactly. Yeah, exactly. We&#8217;ve, we&#8217;ve streamlined the UI. We&#8217;ve removed a lot of clutter, but we&#8217;ve also added some useful tools, like ability to copy a link and remove the link directly from the control itself. And lastly along with lots of other accessibility changes in this release. We have worked a lot on refining the implementation.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So that is discoverable for, for users of assistive tech because we spent a lot of time talking to core accessibility team and other people, and they were finding it very hard to perceive that the UI was there because of the way that keyboard interactions work and you&#8217;ve got the block toolbar in the way and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We think we&#8217;ve nailed on a really good solution now that works for, not only uses assistive tech, but actually provides benefits for sighted users as well. It&#8217;s kind of difficult to talk about. I mean, I have got a video covering this on my YouTube channel, which kind of shows it in a bit more detail, but we&#8217;re happy it&#8217;s in a much better place.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:02] <strong>Dave:</strong> And yeah if people have got feedback about it, and when, when 6.5 comes out, we&#8217;re always happy to hear that. And you can go to the WordPress GitHub repository and raise an issue. And one of us will jump on it and see what we can do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:13] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And we can include a link to that video also. So like, for folks where this sounded intriguing, but they don&#8217;t quite get the concept, like video content all day, let&#8217;s pop it into our show notes. And everybody can take a look at it there. I think that&#8217;s a great idea.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:28] <strong>Dave:</strong> Great. Yeah, I appreciate that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:30] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So final question, maybe, maybe final question, final planned question. Is there anything from a user-facing perspective again that you feel has not really gotten the airtime that it needs so far?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:44] <strong>Dave:</strong> I think there&#8217;s a lot of technical changes that have happened in this release. So it&#8217;s easy to look at those. I mean, we&#8217;ve covered quite a lot of the key ones that will be user-facing in terms of Font Library and Revisions. We&#8217;ve got things that are going to this release that enable things a lot for people to experience in the future, I think, so underlying changes like the Interactivity API becoming public. Now that&#8217;s public, plugin developers can start to make sites much more interactive on the front of the site rather than just in the editor. So I think that once 6.5 has gone in, and people have started to explore the Interactivity API in more detail, we might see more plugins offering sort of interactivity on the fronts of their sites. An example is obviously the lightbox you&#8217;ve got with images in core, but I can; there&#8217;s way more stuff that you can do with that. So we&#8217;re going to see more of that.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:28] <strong>Dave:</strong> We&#8217;ve got Block Hooks that have landed in 6.5, and this is going to open for things like ecommerce plugins and to be able to add, you know, cart blocks or log in, log out blocks to things like navigation, for example, or you might want a ability to like all your comments, and you can do that with Block Hooks and then a plugin developer can just, you know, when the plugin is enabled, they can just make it so that those things just appear on your site, but you still got control over the design.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there&#8217;s a lot of like hidden things I think are going to uncover new features for users over time as a result of the community getting involved and changing their plugins and themes to do these take advantage of these new tools.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:07] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah, so the Interactivity API, obviously it has &#8220;API&#8221; on it. And so no one&#8217;s thinking, well, this is a user-facing thing. And while the API is not a user facing thing, like, I think that you&#8217;re right. That what it enables absolutely is going to be really useful and hopefully really engaging for like end-to-end users, like the users that are not listening to this podcast and they don&#8217;t know we exist, like they don&#8217;t know that WordPress has a community building it, they&#8217;re just like, it exists, there&#8217;s a software that came out of nowhere, like, I&#8217;m really excited to see how our developers in the community start to use that in their plugins and themes and get that out to end users. I&#8217;m really, really excited to see how creative they get with it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you have a final thing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:51] <strong>Dave:</strong> There&#8217;s a lot of design changes, I think. I mean, we can&#8217;t cover them all, obviously, in verbal form in this podcast, but some things that are just standing out to me if we look at the source of truth for, for WordPress 6.5, it is, it is big. There&#8217;s a lot in this release. But there&#8217;s some very cool things for, I don&#8217;t know, quality. I like to see them as like quality of life design design changes. Things like, if you drop an image, as a background image of a cover block, it automatically sets the overlay color for that cover block to match the most prominent color of the background image. Like things like that, they seem small, but over time, they just, you just drop that thing, and it just does it. And it&#8217;s like, this is nice. And it feels like a nice tool to use that just is intuitive. And I think there&#8217;s, we&#8217;ll see a lot of those things landing in this release that can just make the experience of working with WordPress and working in the Site Editor much, much nicer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:41] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. I remember when I first ran into that particular thing, it was on the Showcase, our most recent redesign of it. We&#8217;re using that functionality in there before it was available in core. Obviously, I know, but it was really fascinating. I&#8217;m not great with color combinations. Like, I don&#8217;t have a sense for, like, oh, that&#8217;s the primary thing. That&#8217;s not. And so having that being done kind of automatically so that my stuff looks good anyway, despite what my color sense said to do or not. I thought it was great. Makes you look good as somebody who&#8217;s running a business. You don&#8217;t have to know how things work in order to have excellently functional, really beautiful things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:21] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And I think that&#8217;s a great thing about all of our releases. Obviously, everything is supposed to work that way, but like this one has a lot of really cool things like that available. I think those are really the questions that I had. Is there anything you want to make sure to share before we kind of give last thoughts and head out?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:39] <strong>Dave:</strong> Yeah, I was, I was thinking a lot about, you know, the community we&#8217;ve got with WordPress, and I think that people outside of WordPress may not really understand that how amazing this community is that we&#8217;ve got here, but I wanted to say to people like don&#8217;t shy away from contributing to WordPress. I get that, you know, people like myself are fortunate enough to be sponsored to do it. But there&#8217;s always something that people can do, even if that&#8217;s just spending like 30 minutes testing a release or donating some of your time to run one of the meetings. It can really make a difference overall. Even just filing a bug report for something you see in WordPress 6.5 or testing 6.5 before it goes out, those little things do make a big difference. And if you&#8217;re not sure where to go, then we can signpost you with links, no doubt in this, in the podcast description with where where&#8217;s to go. But yeah, I just want to encourage people to get involved, basically.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:27] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Yeah. And it&#8217;s all working out in public, like we&#8217;ve got developers, designers, marketing folks, community folks like all doing this work out where everybody can see it. And so that, I know, can look really kind of overwhelming. But I want to just highlight, like, you don&#8217;t have to know everything about what&#8217;s happening in the project in order to get involved in the project. Like every small bit of contribution toward like finding a new bug or confirming that a bug happens across other devices, other setups, things like that, like those all help make things better and keep things moving as quickly as we are able to make them move. And so, yeah, I&#8217;ll second that every little thing that you think like that won&#8217;t make a difference. It does. We can&#8217;t tell that things are broken or things are working or things are in need of some care unless you highlight those for us. And this is the best way to do it is to show up and give 30 minutes to send out a group testing invite to your meetup group or whatever it is that you all have been thinking you should do, like, this is your sign. You can do it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:34] <strong>Dave:</strong> Everyone should get involved if they can.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:37] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I agree. I agree. Dave, this has been such an excellent conversation. Thank you so much for joining me today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:42] <strong>Dave:</strong> Oh, thank you very much. It&#8217;s a pleasure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:43] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:49] <strong>Josepha:</strong> What an interesting release we&#8217;ve got coming out this week. I&#8217;m so glad you all made it this far in the pod, and now it&#8217;s time for our small list of big things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:00] <strong>Josepha:</strong> First up, following up on the WordPress meetup reactivation project that we had in 2022, we aim to revive some meetup groups in big cities that are inactive or help the local WordPress community that are not yet part of our meetup chapter program to join our program. There is a post out on the community P2 on the community site. That is titled Asia Meetup Revival Project 2024. I&#8217;ll leave a link to that in the show notes if you want to read more about that and figure out how to get involved.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And speaking of getting involved, we have roughly a million meetings. Because it&#8217;s a new month, we&#8217;re in April now. New month, new opportunities. There are a lot of things happening in April. We will be coming out of a major release, obviously, and so there will be some minor release follow up to do. There will be a lot of discussion about what&#8217;s coming next, what&#8217;s in trunk, what&#8217;s not in trunk. But also a lot of work being done around our next big major events, our next big major training initiatives. There&#8217;s just so much happening. Spring is a time when we are looking at stuff that&#8217;s new, what we want to invest in, what we want to grow. And so if you have not attended one in a while or even at all if you&#8217;ve never attended a meeting in the community, then this is a great time to start and join your fellow community members trying to make WordPress better every day.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:23] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And then the final thing on our small list of big things is I am looking at helping to shift the focus of our WordPress marketing community. We&#8217;ve had a bit of a struggle over the years to figure out what our primary focus and our primary impact can be. So there&#8217;s a post up called &#8216;Making a WordPress Media Corps&#8217;. It&#8217;s gotten quite a bit of attention, and I do really think that it has a lot of potential for solving some of the issues that we have and kind of getting some quick wins into our recent history of that team so that we can move forward confidently together. So pop on over, give it a read, share your thoughts. And if you are one of these qualified media partners, also let us know.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:08] <strong>Josepha:</strong> That, my friends, is your small list of big things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app or subscribe directly on WordPress.org/news. You&#8217;ll get a friendly reminder whenever there&#8217;s a new episode. And if you liked what you heard today, share it with a fellow WordPresser, or if you had questions about what you heard, you can share those with me at WPBriefing@WordPress.org. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Thank you for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing, and I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17158";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:7;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:66:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:26:"WordPress 6.5 “Regina”";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:42:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/04/regina/";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, 02 Apr 2024 18:42:28 +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:4:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"General";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:"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:"";}i:2;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3:"6.5";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:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"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:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17132";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:202:"WordPress 6.5 "Regina" is here! Named in honor of Regina Carter, renowned jazz violinist and educator, this release was made possible by over 700 contributors. Download WordPress 6.5 “Regina” today.";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:"Matt Mullenweg";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:73173:"\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1" alt="WordPress 6.5 &quot;Regina&quot;" class="wp-image-17178" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Release-Edition-Inline-Image.png?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Say hello to WordPress 6.5 “Regina,” inspired by the dynamic versatility of renowned jazz violinist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Carter">Regina Carter</a>. An award-winning artist and storied jazz educator known for transcending genre, Regina’s technical foundations in classical music and deep understanding of jazz have earned her the reputation of boldly going beyond what’s possible with the violin.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let the stunning twists and subtle turns of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO1WEiVo?si=534335c984804713" data-type="link" data-id="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO1WEiVo?si=534335c984804713">Regina’s genre-bending sound</a> surprise you as you explore everything 6.5 offers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This latest version of WordPress puts more power into the details. It offers new and improved ways to fine-tune and enhance your site-building experience, letting you take control in ways that make it your own. You’ll find new ways to manage your site’s typography, more comprehensive revisions available in more places, and a collection of Site Editor updates paired with impressive performance gains to help you get things done smoother and faster.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Regina&#8221; also marks the introduction of some breakthrough developer tools that will start transforming how you use and extend blocks to craft engaging experiences. The Interactivity API opens up a world of creative front-end possibilities, while the Block Bindings API makes dynamic connections between blocks and data seamless. These, among other developer-focused improvements and updates, are ready to help you evolve how you build with WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">\n<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://wordpress.org/download/">Download WordPress 6.5 &#8220;Regina&#8221;</a></div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s inside 6.5</h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Add and manage fonts across your site</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The new Font Library puts you in control of an essential piece of your site’s design—typography—without coding or extra steps. Effortlessly install, remove, and activate local and Google Fonts across your site for any Block theme. The ability to include custom typography collections gives site creators and publishers more options when it comes to styling content.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Font-Manager-2.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17167" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Font-Manager-2.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Font-Manager-2.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Font-Manager-2.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Font-Manager-2.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get more from your revisions—including revisions for templates and template parts</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Work through creative projects with a more comprehensive picture of what’s been done—and what you can fall back on. Get details like time stamps, quick summaries, and a paginated list of all revisions. View revisions from the Style Book to see how changes impact every block. Revisions are also now available for templates and template parts.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Revisions-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17168" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Revisions-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Revisions-1.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Revisions-1.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Revisions-1.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Play with enhanced background and shadow tools</h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Control the size, repeat, and focal point options for background images in Group blocks so you can explore subtle or splashy ways to add visual interest to layouts.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set aspect ratios for Cover block images and easily add color overlays that automatically source color from your chosen image.&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add box shadow support to more block types and create layouts with visual depth, or throw a little personality into your design.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/design-tools-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17169" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/design-tools-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/design-tools-1.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/design-tools-1.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/design-tools-1.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Discover new Data Views</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every piece of your site comes with a library of information and data—now, you can find what you need quickly and organize it however you like. Data views for pages, templates, patterns, and template parts let you see data in a table or grid view, with the option to toggle fields and make bulk changes.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Data-Views-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17165" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Data-Views-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Data-Views-1.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Data-Views-1.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/Data-Views-1.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Smoother drag-and-drop</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Feel the difference when you move things around, with helpful visual cues like displaced items in List View or frictionless dragging to anywhere in your workspace—from beginning to end.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/drag-and-drop-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17170" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/drag-and-drop-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/drag-and-drop-1.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/drag-and-drop-1.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/drag-and-drop-1.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Improved link controls</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Create and manage links easily with a more intuitive link-building experience, like a streamlined UI and a shortcut for copying links.</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="656" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/link-controls-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-17171" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/link-controls-1.png?resize=1024%2C656&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/link-controls-1.png?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/link-controls-1.png?resize=768%2C492&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/04/link-controls-1.png?w=1320&amp;ssl=1 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" data-recalc-dims="1" /></figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s fresh for developers in 6.5</h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bring interactions to blocks with the Interactivity API</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/04/interactivity-api-dev-note/">Interactivity API</a> offers developers a standardized method for building interactive front-end experiences with blocks. It simplifies the process, with fewer dependencies on external tooling, while maintaining optimal performance. Use it to create memorable user experiences, like fetching search results instantly or letting visitors interact with content in real time.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Connect blocks to custom fields or other dynamic content</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Link core block attributes to custom fields and use the value of custom fields without creating custom blocks. Powered by the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/06/new-feature-the-block-bindings-api/">Block Bindings API</a>, developers can extend this capability further to connect blocks to any dynamic content—even beyond custom fields. If there’s data stored elsewhere, easily point blocks to that new source with only a few lines of code.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Add appearance tools to Classic themes</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Give designers and creators using Classic themes access to an upgraded design experience. Opt in to support for spacing, border, typography, and color options, even without using theme.json. Once support is enabled, more tools will be automatically added as they become available.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Explore improvements to the plugin experience</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s now an <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/05/introducing-plugin-dependencies-in-wordpress-6-5/">easier way to manage plugin dependencies</a>. Plugin authors can supply a new <code>Requires Plugins</code> header with a comma-separated list of required plugin slugs, presenting users with links to install and activate those plugins first.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">From fast to faster: Performance updates</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This release includes 110+ performance updates, resulting in an impressive increase in speed and efficiency across the Post Editor and Site Editor. Loading is over two times faster than in 6.4, with input processing speed up to five times faster than the previous release.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Translated sites see up to 25% improvement in load time for this release courtesy of <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/27/i18n-improvements-6-5-performant-translations/">Performant Translations</a>. Additional performance highlights include <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/23/wordpress-6-5-adds-avif-support/">AVIF image support</a> and improvements for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/02/29/performance-improvements-for-registering-block-variations-with-callbacks/">registering block variations with callbacks</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A tradition of inclusion</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This release includes more than 65 accessibility improvements across the platform, making it more accessible than ever. It contains an important fix that unblocks access to the admin submenus for screen reader users and others who navigate by keyboard. This release also adds fixes to color contrast in admin focus states, positioning of elements, and cursor focus, among many others, that help improve the WordPress experience for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Learn more about WordPress 6.5</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the new&nbsp;<a href="https://wordpress.org/download/releases/6-5/">WordPress 6.5 page</a>&nbsp;to learn more about the numerous enhancements and features of this release—including short demos of some of the highlighted features. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Explore <a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/">Learn WordPress</a> for quick how-to videos, <a href="https://learn.wordpress.org/social-learning/">online workshops</a>, and other free resources to level up your WordPress knowledge and skills.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/15/wordpress-6-5-field-guide/">WordPress 6.5 Field Guide</a> for detailed technical information and <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes-6-5/">developer notes</a> to help you build with WordPress and get the most out of this release. Don’t forget to subscribe to the <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/news/">Developer Blog</a> for developer updates, feature tutorials, and other helpful WordPress content from a developer perspective.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about installation, file changes, fixes, and other updates, read the <a href="https://wordpress.org/documentation/wordpress-version/version-6-5/">6.5 release notes</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The 6.5 release squad</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every release has many moving parts with its own triumphs and challenges. It takes a dedicated team of enthusiastic contributors to help keep things on track and moving smoothly. 6.5 is made possible by a cross-functional group of contributors, always ready to champion ideas, remove blockers, and resolve issues.</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Release Lead: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matt/">Matt Mullenweg</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Release Coordinators: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/akshayar/">Akshaya Rane</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/priethor/">Héctor Prieto</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/marybaum/">Mary Baum</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Core Tech Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidbaumwald/">David Baumwald</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy/">Pascal Birchler</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Editor Tech Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/get_dave/">David Smith</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/youknowriad/">Riad Benguella</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Core Triage Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chaion07/">Ahmed Kabir Chaion</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/">Jb Audras</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rajinsharwar/">Rajin Sharwar</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Editor Triage Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/">Anne McCarthy</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fabiankaegy/">Fabian Kägy</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Design Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamin_zekavica/">Benjamin Zekavica</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/richtabor/">Rich Tabor</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing and Communication Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dansoschin/">Dan Soschin</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/laurlittle/">Lauren Stein</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Documentation Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/estelaris/">Estela Rueda</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/leonnugraha/">Leonardus Nugraha</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stevenlinx/">Steven Lin</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Performance Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/">Joe McGill</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mukesh27/">Mukesh Panchal</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/oglekler/">Olga Gleckler</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lumiblog/">Patrick Lumumba</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vipuljnext/">Vipul Ghori</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li>Default Themes Leads: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/poena/">Carolina Nymark</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you, contributors</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress believes in democratizing publishing and the <a href="https://opensource.org/osd-annotated">freedoms that come with open source</a>. Supporting this idea is a global and diverse community of people collaborating to strengthen the software.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress 6.5 reflects the countless efforts and passion of around 700 contributors in at least 57 countries. This release also welcomed over 150 first-time contributors!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their collaboration delivered more than 2,500 enhancements and fixes, ensuring a stable release for all—a testament to the power and capability of the WordPress open source community.</p>\n\n\n<p class="is-style-wporg-props-long alignfull"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benniledl/">!Benni</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/_ck_/">_ck_</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/">Aaron Jorbin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aaronrobertshaw/">Aaron Robertshaw</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/abmamun007/">Abdullah Mamun</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/webcommsat/">Abha Thakor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fitehal/">Abhishek Deshpande</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/abletec/">abletec</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/acosmin/">acosmin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adampickering/">Adam Pickering</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adamsilverstein/">Adam Silverstein</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adarshposimyth/">Adarsh Akshat</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ajmcfadyen/">admcfajn</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/adrianduffell/">adrianduffell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chaion07/">Ahmed Chaion</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/engahmeds3ed/">Ahmed Saeed</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ajithrn/">Ajith R N</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/skyakash12/">Akash Muchandikar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wildworks/">Aki Hamano</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/atachibana/">Akira Tachibana</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/akmelias/">akmelias</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wpfy/">Akramul Hasan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/akshayar/">Akshaya Rane</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/schlessera/">Alain Schlesser</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alanfuller/">Alan Fuller</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ahoereth/">Alex</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/xknown/">Alex Concha</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexkingorg/">Alex King</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/akirk/">Alex Kirk</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ajlende/">Alex Lende</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/viper007bond/">Alex Mills</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexstine/">Alex Stine</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexandrebuffet/">Alexandre Buffet</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alexanderkoledov/">AlexKole</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/alh0319/">Amber Hinds</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabreuse/">Amy Hendrix (sabreuse)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/amykamala/">Amy Kamala</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/anandau14/">Anand Upadhyay</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/anlino/">Anders Nor&#233;n</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/afercia/">Andrea Fercia</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andraganescu/">Andrei Draganescu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/euthelup/">Andrei Lupu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andrewhayward/">Andrew Hayward</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/l1nuxjedi/">Andrew Hutchings</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nacin/">Andrew Nacin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/norcross/">Andrew Norcross</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/azaozz/">Andrew Ozz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andrewserong/">Andrew Serong</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andrewleap/">andrewleap</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andbalashov/">Andrii Balashov</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/oandregal/">André Maneiro</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/afragen/">Andy Fragen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/apeatling/">Andy Peatling</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aneeshd16/">Aneesh Devasthale</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ankit-k-gupta/">Ankit K Gupta</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ankitmaru/">Ankit Panchal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/">Anne McCarthy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/antpb/">Anthony Burchell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ant1busted/">Antoine</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/antonlukin/">Anton Lukin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/atimmer/">Anton Timmermans</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/antonvlasenko/">Anton Vlasenko</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lighthouse79/">Antonella</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/colomet/">Antonio D.</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/antonisme/">Antonis Lilis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/arena94/">arena94</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aristath/">Ari Stathopoulos</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/passoniate/">Arslan Kalwar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/artemiosans/">Artemio Morales</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/arthur791004/">Arthur Chu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iamarunchaitanyajami/">Arun Chaitanya Jami</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dextorlobo/">Arun Sharma</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ideag/">Arunas Liuiza</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iamasadpolash/">Asad Polash</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ashfame/">Ashish Kumar (Ashfame)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mohonchandra/">Asish Chandra Mohon</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aslamdoctor/">Aslam Doctor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audunmb/">audunmb</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/aurooba/">Aurooba Ahmed</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/filosofo/">Austin Matzko</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/axwax/">axwax</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ayeshrajans/">Ayesh Karunaratne</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/beryldlg/">B&#233;ryl de La Grandi&#232;re</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bahia0019/">bahia0019</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/balub/">Balu B</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bangank36/">bangank36</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/barry/">Barry</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/barryhughes-1/">Barry</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bartkalisz/">Bart Kalisz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bartkleinreesink/">bartkleinreesink</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/beafialho/">Beatriz Fialho</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/beaulebens/">Beau Lebens</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bedas/">Beda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benharri/">ben</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/scruffian/">Ben Dwyer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ubernaut/">Ben Hansen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/husobj/">Ben Huson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benlk/">Ben Keith</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/blobaugh/">Ben Lobaugh (blobaugh)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/britner/">Ben Ritner - Kadence WP</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/retlehs/">Ben Word</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamingosset/">Benjamin Gosset</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjamin_zekavica/">Benjamin Zekavica</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benjaminknox/">benjaminknox</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benoitchantre/">Benoit Chantre</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/benoitfouc/">benoitfouc</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bernhard reiter/">Bernhard Reiter</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bernhard-reiter/">bernhard-reiter</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/billseymour/">billseymour</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bplv/">Biplav</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bph/">Birgit Pauli-Haack</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bobbingwide/">bobbingwide</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/boonebgorges/">Boone Gorges</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/born2webdesign/">born2webdesign</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjorsch/">Brad Jorsch</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bradparbs/">Brad Parbs</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/williamsba1/">Brad Williams</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kraftbj/">Brandon Kraft</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/drrobotnik/">Brandon Lavigne</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ironprogrammer/">Brian Alexander</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bacoords/">Brian Coords</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fischfood/">Brian Fischer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bgardner/">Brian Gardner</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/masteradhoc/">Brian Haas</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/brianhenryie/">Brian Henry</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/brookemk/">Brooke</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/burnuser/">burnuser</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/icaleb/">Caleb Burks</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ecc/">camya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/karl94/">Carlo Cannas</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbravobernal/">Carlos Bravo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/carlosgprim/">Carlos G. P.</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/poena/">Carolina Nymark</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cenkdemir/">cenkdemir</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cfinnberg/">cfinnberg</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shireling/">Chad Chadbourne</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chasedsiedu/">chased@si.edu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mel_cha/">chiilog (Chiaki Okamoto)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chouby/">Chouby</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chrisdavidmiles/">Chris David Miles</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jazzs3quence/">Chris Reynolds</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chriscct7/">chriscct7</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/itschristiandale/">christian-dale</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/christopherplus/">Christopher</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chrystl/">Chrystl</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/codepo8/">codepo8</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cdevroe/">Colin Devroe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/costdev/">Colin Stewart</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/colind/">colind</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cookiesfordevo/">CookiesForDevo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/coreyw/">Corey Worrell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbirdsong/">Cory Birdsong</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/courane01/">Courtney Robertson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/creativeslice/">Creative Slice</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/crstauf/">crstauf</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cwhitmore/">Cullen Whitmore</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cu121/">Cupid Chakma</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cvorko/">cvorko</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/didierjm/">cybeardjm</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cyberchicken/">Cyberchicken</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/colorful-tones/">Damon Cook</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dansoschin/">Dan Soschin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/danielbachhuber/">Daniel Bachhuber</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mzaweb/">Daniel Dvorkin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mapumba/">Daniel K&#228;fer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/talldanwp/">Daniel Richards</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/schutzsmith/">Daniel Schutzsmith</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/danieldudzic/">danieldudzic</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mte90/">Daniele Scasciafratte</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/danieltj/">danieltj</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nerrad/">Darren Ethier (nerrad)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/darshitrajyaguru97/">Darshit Rajyaguru</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/darssen/">darssen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davecpage/">Dave Page</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/darerodz/">David Arenas</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dartiss/">David Artiss</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidbaumwald/">David Baumwald</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidbinda/">David Biňovec</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dpcalhoun/">David Calhoun</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dlh/">David Herrera</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/justlevine/">David Levine</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dglingren/">David Lingren</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/davidperez/">David Perez</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/get_dave/">David Smith</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dsas/">Dean Sas</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/denis-de-bernardy/">Denis de Bernardy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dingo_d/">Denis Žoljom</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dionysous/">Dennis Hipp</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dmsnell/">Dennis Snell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dennysdionigi/">Dennys Dionigi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/derekblank/">Derek Blank</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/valendesigns/">Derek Herman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/derekspringer/">Derek Springer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/designsimply/">designsimply</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/desrosjbot/">Desrosj Bot</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dernin/">Devin Curtis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dlocc/">Devin Walker</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dharm1025/">Dharmesh Patel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dhrumilk/">Dhrumil Kumbhani</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dhruvishah2203/">Dhruvi Shah</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dilipbheda/">Dilip Bheda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dd32/">Dion Hulse</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ocean90/">Dominik Schilling</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dougal/">Dougal Campbell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/drewapicture/">Drew Jaynes</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lots0logs/">Dustin Falgout</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/elrae/">Earle Davies</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ehtis/">Ehtisham Siddiqui</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ellatrix/">Ella van Durpe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/codex-m/">Emerson Maningo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/emirpprime/">emirpprime</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/manooweb/">Emmanuel Hesry</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/endymion00/">Endymion00</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/enwikuna/">Enwikuna</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ericlewis/">Eric Andrew Lewis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ethitter/">Erick Hitter</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kebbet/">Erik</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/estelaris/">Estela Rueda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/evanltd/">evanltd</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fabiankaegy/">Fabian Kägy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gaambo/">Fabian Todt</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fabiorubioglio/">Fabio Rubioglio</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/faisalahammad/">Faisal Ahammad</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/faisalahmed29/">Faisal Ahmed</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/faisal03/">Faisal Alvi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fanly/">Fanly</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/feastdesignco/">Feast Design Co.</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/felipeelia/">Felipe Elia</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/flixos90/">Felix Arntz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fgiannar/">fgiannar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/flhz/">Florent Hernandez</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/francina/">Francesca Marano</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/francescocarlucci/">FrancescoCarlucci</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fotodrachen/">Frank J&#228;ger</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nexflaszlo/">Frank Laszlo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wazeter/">Frank Wazeter</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fushar/">fushar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gajendrasingh/">Gajendra Singh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ecgan/">Gan Eng Chin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/garibiza/">Garbi&#241;e</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pento/">Gary Pendergast</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gavande1/">gavande1</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/soulseekah/">Gennady Kovshenin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mamaduka/">George Mamadashvili</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/georgestephanis/">George Stephanis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gerardreches/">Gerard Reches</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/geriux/">Gerardo Pacheco</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/girishpanchal/">Girish Panchal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/giuseppemazzapica-1/">Giuseppe Mazzapica</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/glendaviesnz/">Glen Davies</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/goldenapples/">goldenapples</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/grantmkin/">Grant M. Kinney</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gziolo/">Greg Ziółkowski</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gregbenz/">gregbenz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wido/">Guido Scialfa</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/poran766/">H.M. Mushfiqur Rahman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hanneslsm/">hanneslsm</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hztyfoon/">Hanzala Taifun</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hardik2221/">Hardik Raval</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hareesh-pillai/">Hareesh S</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/harshgajipara/">Harsh Gajipara</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/harsh175/">Harsh Patel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hasanuzzamanshamim/">Hasanuzzaman Shamim</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/halounsbury/">Heather Wilkins</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/muhme/">Heiko L&#252;bbe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/helen/">Helen Hou-Sandi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/helgatheviking/">HelgaTheViking</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tejwanihemant/">Hemant Tejwani</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kurudrive/">Hidekazu Ishikawa</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/panchalhimani711/">Himani Panchal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hbhalodia/">Hit Bhalodia</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hiteshtalpada/">Hitesh Talpada</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/h71/">Hossein</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/howdy_mcgee/">Howdy_McGee</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hrrarya/">Hridoy Mozumder</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hrithikd/">Hrithik Dalal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hlashbrooke/">Hugh Lashbrooke</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ganon/">Hugo Chinchilla</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hugod/">hugod</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/huubl/">huubl</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/huzaifaalmesbah/">Huzaifa Al Mesbah</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/priethor/">Héctor Prieto</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ianbelanger/">Ian Belanger</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iandunn/">Ian Dunn</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/idad5/">idad5</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/igmoweb/">Ignacio Cruz Moreno</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ignatiusjeroe/">ignatiusjeroe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shaampk1/">Ihtisham Zahoor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fnpen/">Ilya Zolotov</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/isabel_brison/">Isabel Brison</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iseulde/">iseulde</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/itpathsolutions/">IT Path Solutions</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/itecrs/">itecrs</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ivanzhuck/">Ivan Zhuck</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jacobcassidy/">Jacob Cassidy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jadpm/">jadpm</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jamescollins/">James Collins</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/macmanx/">James Huff</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jameskoster/">James Koster</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/james roberts/">James Roberts</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jamieblomerus/">Jamie Blomerus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/perrelet/">Jamie Perrelet</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/janthiel/">Jan Thiel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jane/">jane</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/whiteshadow/">Janis Elsts</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jsandtro/">jansan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/japh/">Japh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jsnajdr/">Jarda Snajdr</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jarednova/">jarednova</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jason_the_adams/">Jason Adams</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/boogah/">Jason Cosper</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pbking/">Jason Crist</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/coolmann/">Jason Crouse</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jsnjohnston/">Jason Johnston</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/madtownlems/">Jason LeMahieu (MadtownLems)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiercasares/">Javier Casares</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jayadevankbh/">Jayadevan k</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jbobich/">jbobich</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/">Jean-Baptiste Audras</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jffng/">Jeff Ong</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cheffheid/">Jeffrey de Wit</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeffpaul/">Jeffrey Paul</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jdy68/">Jenny Dupuy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeremyfelt/">Jeremy Felt</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeherve/">Jeremy Herve</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeryj/">jeryj</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/amieiro/">Jes&#250;s Amieiro</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luminuu/">Jessica Lyschik</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jghazally/">jghazally</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jipmoors/">Jip Moors</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jivygraphics/">jivygraphics</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jltallon/">jltallon</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joanrodas/">Joan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/morehawes/">Joe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joedolson/">Joe Dolson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joehoyle/">Joe Hoyle</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/">Joe McGill</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joelcj91/">Joel James</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joen/">Joen Asmussen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnbillion/">John Blackbourn</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnjamesjacoby/">John James Jacoby</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnciacia/">johnciacia</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jb510/">Jon Brown</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/duck_/">Jon Cave</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jonsurrell/">Jon Surrell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/psykro/">Jonathan Bossenger</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jbrinley/">Jonathan Brinley</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/desrosj/">Jonathan Desrosiers</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/spacedmonkey/">Jonny Harris</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joppuyo/">joppuyo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jordesign/">jordesign</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorgefilipecosta/">Jorge Costa</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorgevilchez/">Jorge Vilchez</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jornp/">jornp</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joefusco/">Joseph Fusco</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joshcanhelp/">joshcanhelp</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/verygoode/">Joshua Goode</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joshuatf/">joshuatf</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/joyously/">Joy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrtashjian/">JR Tashjian</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jsmoriss/">JS Morisset</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/juanfra/">Juan Aldasoro</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/juanmaguitar/">JuanMa Garrido</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/juhise/">Juhi Saxena</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/">Juliette Reinders Folmer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/greenshady/">Justin Tadlock</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ashikur698/">K M Ashikur Rahman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kadamwhite/">K. Adam White</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kafleg/">KafleG</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevin940726/">Kai Hao</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bosskhj/">Kamrul Hasan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/karinclimber/">Kari Anderson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/karlijnbk/">Karlijn Bok</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/karolmanijak/">Karol Manijak</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/thekt12/">Karthik Thayyil</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tadamarketing/">Katka</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kawsaralameven/">kawsaralameven</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ryelle/">Kelly Choyce-Dwan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kbat82/">Kevin Batdorf</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevincoleman/">Kevin Coleman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevinwhoffman/">Kevin Hoffman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ktaron/">Kevin Taron</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kharisblank/">Kharis Sulistiyono</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/khokansardar/">Khokan Sardar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kirasong/">Kira Schroder</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kishanjasani/">Kishan Jasani</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kitchin/">kitchin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kjellr/">Kjell Reigstad</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kkmuffme/">kkmuffme</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/knutsp/">Knut Sparhell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/koen12344/">Koen Reus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/koesper/">Koesper</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/obenland/">Konstantin Obenland</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupajnanda/">Krupa Nanda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/krupalpanchal/">Krupal Panchal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kurtpayne/">Kurt Payne</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kushang78/">Kushang Tailor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kdowns/">Kylen Downs</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/laumindproductscomau/">lau@mindproducts.com.au</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lada7042/">Laura Adamonis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/laurlittle/">Lauren Stein</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wplmillet/">Laurent MILLET</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lakshmananphp/">Lax Mariappan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/0mirka00/">Lena Morita</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/munizleo/">Leo Muniz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/leonnugraha/">Leonardus Nugraha</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lgladdy/">Liam Gladdy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/liammcarthur/">LiamMcArthur</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rudlinkon/">Linkon Miyan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/liviopv/">liviopv</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lkraav/">lkraav</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/logikal16/">logikal16</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/thelovekesh/">Lovekesh Kumar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luboslives/">luboslives</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lucasbustamante/">lucasbustamante</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zaguiini/">Luis Felipe Zaguini</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/luisherranz/">Luis Herranz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lpawlik/">Lukas Pawlik</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wpfed/">Lukasz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lukefiretoss/">Luke Cavanagh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/maartenbelmans/">Maarten</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mrdollu/">Madhu Dollu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/madhudollu/">Madhu Dollu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/onemaggie/">Maggie Cabrera</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mhimon/">Mahbub Hasan Imon</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mahnewr/">mahnewr</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/maahrokh/">Mahrokh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/malae/">Malae</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/manfcarlo/">manfcarlo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/manyourisms/">manyourisms</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/marc_j/">Marc_J</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fullofcaffeine/">Marcelo de Moraes Serpa</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mciampini/">Marco Ciampini</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/marcoevich/">Marcoevich</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/margolisj/">margolisj</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chaton666/">Marie Comet</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tyxla/">Marin Atanasov</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/santosguillamot/">Mario Santos</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/clorith/">Marius L. J.</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/markhowellsmead/">Mark Howells-Mead</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/markjaquith/">Mark Jaquith</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/markoheijnen/">Marko Heijnen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/markoserb/">Marko Ivanovic</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/flootr/">Markus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/martinkrcho/">martin.krcho</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/marybaum/">Mary Baum</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mathewemoore/">mathewemoore</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mmaattiiaass/">Matias Benedetto</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matveb/">Matias Ventura</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matiasrecondo77/">matiasrecondo77</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/webdevmattcrom/">Matt Cromwell</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matt/">Matt Mullenweg</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matteoenna/">Matteo Enna</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cadic/">Max Lyuchin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/maxpertici/">Maxime Pertici</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mayur8991/">Mayur Prajapati</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mhshohel/">Md Hossain Shohel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hrshahin/">Md HR Shahin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/devsahadat/">Md Sahadat Husain</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/megphillips91/">Meg Phillips</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/megane9988/">megane9988</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/">Meher Bala</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/melchoyce/">Mel Choyce-Dwan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/melcarthus/">melcarthus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meta4/">meta4</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/metropolis_john/">metropolis_john</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/254volkan/">mevolkan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wpscholar/">Micah Wood</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mshowes/">Michael Showes</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/czapla/">Michal Czaplinski</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/michalooki/">Michalooki</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mcsf/">Miguel Fonseca</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/miguelsansegundo/">miguelsansegundo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/miikkamakela/">Miikka</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mbijon/">Mike Bijon</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikejolley/">Mike Jolley (a11n)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikeschinkel/">Mike Schinkel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikeschroder/">Mike Schroder</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikinc860/">Mikin Chauhan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gonzomir/">Milen Petrinski - Gonzo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mimitips/">mimi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mkismy/">mkismy</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mnydigital/">mnydigital</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/batmoo/">Mohammad Jangda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/boemedia/">Monique Dubbelman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/monzuralam/">Monzur Alam</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/man4toman/">Morteza Geransayeh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mreishus/">mreishus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mrwweb/">mrwweb</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/seusmaniqbal/">Muhammad Usman Iqbal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/devmuhib/">Muhibul Haque</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mujuonly/">mujuonly</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mukesh27/">Mukesh Panchal</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/faguni22/">Mumtahina Faguni</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tanjimtc71/">Musarrat Anjum Chowdhury</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nahidkhanseo/">Nahid Khan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/naoki0h/">Naoki Ohashi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/narenin/">Narendra Sishodiya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nareshbheda/">Naresh Bheda</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nateallen/">Nate Allen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/navjotjsingh/">Navjot Singh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nhrrob/">Nazmul Hasan Robin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/neffff/">neffff</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/neilorangepeel/">Neil Hainsworth</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nendeb55/">nendeb</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nerdpressteam/">NerdPress</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ndiego/">Nick Diego</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/celloexpressions/">Nick Halsey</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sessioncookiemonster/">Nick Martianov</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nickpagz/">nickpagz</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nico23/">Nico</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nicolefurlan/">Nicole Furlan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bgnicolepaschen/">Nicole Paschen Caylor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nidhidhandhukiya/">nidhidhandhukiya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nielslange/">Niels Lange</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nihar007/">Nihar Ranjan Das</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ntsekouras/">Nik Tsekouras</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nko/">Nikita</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nikmeyer/">nikmeyer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rabmalin/">Nilambar Sharma</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nilovelez/">Nilo Velez</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dhrupo/">Niluthpal Purkayastha</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/niravsherasiya7707/">Nirav Sherasiya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nithi22/">Nithin John</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nithins53/">Nithin SreeRaj</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/noahtallen/">Noah Allen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nosilver4u/">nosilver4u</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nvwd/">Nowell VanHoesen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nudge/">Nudge Themes</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nwjames/">nwjames</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/obliviousharmony/">obliviousharmony</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ockham/">ockham</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/oguzkocer/">oguzkocer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/okat/">okat</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dargus/">Old account</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/olegfuture/">olegfuture</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/oglekler/">Olga Gleckler</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/paaljoachim/">Paal Joachim Romdahl</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pablohoneyhoney/">Pablo Honey</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pacicio/">Pacicio</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pannelars/">pannelars</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/partyfrikadelle/">partyfrikadelle</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/swissspidy/">Pascal Birchler</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/patricia70/">Patricia BT</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lumiblog/">Patrick Lumumba</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pbearne/">Paul Bearne</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pbiron/">Paul Biron</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pauldewouters/">Paul de Wouters</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/paulkevan/">Paul Kevan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/djpaul/">Paul Wong-Gibbs</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pavelevap/">pavelevap</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pbaylies/">Peter Baylies</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/provenself/">Peter Rubin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/westi/">Peter Westwood</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/peterwilsoncc/">Peter Wilson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/petitphp/">petitphp</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tyrannous/">Philipp Bammes</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/philipp15b/">Philipp15b</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/phillsav/">Phill</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nekojonez/">Pieterjan Deneys</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mordauk/">Pippin Williamson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pitamdey/">Pitam Dey</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pmeenan/">pmeenan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/webtechpooja/">Pooja Derashri</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pooja1210/">Pooja N Muchandikar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pooja9712/">pooja9712</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pouicpouic/">pouicpouic</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pmbaldha/">Prashant Baldha</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pratikthink/">Pratik Kumar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pratiklondhe/">Pratik Londhe</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/freewebmentor/">Prem Tiwari</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/presskopp/">Presskopp</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/presstoke/">presstoke</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/prionkor/">prionkor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rafiq91/">Rafiq</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rajinsharwar/">Rajin Sharwar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rahmohn/">Ramon Ahnert</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rcorrales/">Ramon Corrales</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ramonopoly/">Ramon James</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rashiguptaa/">Rashi Gupta</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ratneshsonar/">Ratnesh Sonar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rawrly/">rawrly</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rcain/">rcain</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rebasaurus/">rebasaurus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tabrisrp/">Remy Perona</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/renathoc/">Renatho (a11n)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/renehermi/">Rene Hermenau</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/retrofox/">retrofox</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/youknowriad/">Riad Benguella</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rdcoll/">Rich Collier</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/richtabor/">Rich Tabor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rcreators/">Rishi Mehta</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rishishah/">Rishi Shah</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/noisysocks/">Robert Anderson</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ravanh/">Rolf Allard van Hagen</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/room34/">room34</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/roytanck/">Roy Tanck</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ryan/">Ryan Boren</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmccue/">Ryan McCue</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/welcher/">Ryan Welcher</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/pogidude/">Ryann Micua</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/looswebstudio/">Ryo</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sereedmedia/">S&#233; Reed</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sebastienserre/">S&#233;bastien SERRE</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabbirshouvo/">Sabbir Hasan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sachyya-sachet/">Sachyya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sadizaman/">Sadi Mohammad Zaman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sadpencil/">sadpencil</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/introvertedbot/">Sahil</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tohincoderex/">Saiduzzaman Tohin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sakibsnaz/">Sakib MD Nazmush</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/salcode/">Sal Ferrarello</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/samba45/">samba45</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/viralsampat/">Sampat Viral</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kim88/">Samuel R&#252;egger</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/samuelsidler/">Samuel Sidler</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/otto42/">Samuel Wood (Otto)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sacerro/">Santiago Cerro L&#243;pez</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mikachan/">Sarah Norris</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sarathar/">Sarath AR</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/satishprajapati/">Satish Prajapati</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hellosatya/">Satyam Vishwakarma (Satya)</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/saxonfletcher/">Saxon Fletcher</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/saxonafletcher/">Saxon Fletcher</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sayful/">Sayful Islam</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sc0ttkclark/">Scott Kingsley Clark</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/coffee2code/">Scott Reilly</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wonderboymusic/">Scott Taylor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/scribu/">scribu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sean212/">Sean Fisher</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sergeybiryukov/">Sergey Biryukov</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sgr33n/">Sergio De Falco</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/smrubenstein/">Seth Rubenstein</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shahariaazam/">Shaharia Azam</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shailu25/">Shail Mehta</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shanef/">ShaneF</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cafenoirdesign/">Shannon Smith</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shaunandrews/">shaunandrews</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shooper/">Shawn Hooper</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shidouhikari/">shidouhikari</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shiponkarmakar/">Shipon Karmakar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shreyash3087/">Shreyash Srivastava</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/shubhamsedani/">Shubham Sedani</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rsiddharth/">siddharth ravikumar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/siobhyb/">Siobhan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sirajummahdi/">Sirajum Mahdi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sjregan/">sjregan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/soean/">Soren Wrede</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/virtality-marketing-solutions/">SourceView</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sruthi89/">sruthi89</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stacimc/">stacimc</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ryokuhi/">Stefano Minoia</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabernhardt/">Stephen Bernhardt</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stephencronin/">Stephen Cronin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/netweb/">Stephen Edgar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stephenh1988/">Stephen Harris</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stevejonesdev/">Steve Jones</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/stevenlinx/">Steven Lin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/strarsis/">strarsis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/subrataemfluence/">Subrata Sarkar</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sumisubedi/">Sumi Subedi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sumitbagthariya16/">Sumit Bagthariya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sumitsingh/">Sumit Singh</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sunil25393/">SunilPrajapati</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/svitlana41319/">Svitlana Sukhoveiko</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/syamraj24/">syamraj24</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cybr/">Sybre Waaijer</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/smub/">Syed Balkhi</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nuhel/">Syed Nuhel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/synchro/">Synchro</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/iamtakashi/">Takashi Irie</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/inc2734/">Takashi Kitajima</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/karmatosed/">Tammie Lister</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/voboghure/">Tapan Kumer Das</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sparklingrobots/">Tara King</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/buley/">Taylor</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/taylorde/">Taylor Dewey</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/taylorgorman/">Taylor Gorman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tazotodua/">tazotodua</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tykoted/">Teddy Patriarca</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tellyworth/">Tellyworth</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/thakordarshil/">Thakor Darshil</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/themes-1/">them.es</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/thinkluke/">thinkluke</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/griffinjt/">Thomas Griffin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kraftner/">Thomas Kr&#228;ftner</a> · <a 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href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ugyensupport/">Ugyen Dorji</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/upadalavipul/">upadalavipul</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/up1512001/">Utsav Patel</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/utsav72640/">Utsav tilava</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ukdrahul/">Uttam Kumar Dash</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eboxnet/">Vagelis</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/valerogarte/">valerogarte</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vcanales/">Vicente Canales</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gvgvgvijayan/">Vijayan</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vikram6/">vikram6</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/viliamkopecky/">viliamkopecky</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vipuljnext/">Vipul Ghori</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vivekawsm/">vivekawsm</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vladimiraus/">vladimiraus</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vortfu/">vortfu</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vrajadas/">Vraja Das</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wasiur195/">Wasiur Rahman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/welaunchio/">welaunchio</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/westonruter/">Weston Ruter</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/whsajid/">WHSajid</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/nestea29950/">WilliamG</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wpcorner/">WP Corner</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/xlthlx/">xlthlx</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yansern/">Yan Sern</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yguyon/">Yannis Guyon</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fierevere/">Yui</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yuliyan/">Yuliyan Slavchev</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yuvrajsinh2211/">Yuvrajsinh Sisodiya</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/tollmanz/">Zack Tollman</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zanematthew/">Zane Matthew</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zebaafiashama/">Zeba Afia Shama</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zieladam/">zieladam</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zunaid321/">Zunaid Amin</a> · <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chesio/">Česlav Przywara</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over <a href="https://translate.wordpress.org/stats/">70 locales have translated 90 percent</a> or more of WordPress 6.5 into their language. Community translators are working hard to ensure more translations are on their way. Thank you to everyone who helps make WordPress available in 200 languages.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, thanks to the volunteers who contribute to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/">support forums</a> by answering questions from WordPress users worldwide.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get involved and contribute</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Participation in WordPress is not limited to coding. If contributing appeals to you, learning more and getting involved is easy. Discover the teams that come together to <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/">Make WordPress</a>, and use <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/contribute/">this interactive tool</a> to help you decide which is right for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">One more haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>6.5 is here!<br>Play, interact, build better,<br>Stronger and faster.</p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17132";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:8;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:72:"\n		\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:33:"WordPress 6.5 Release Candidate 4";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/2024/03/wordpress-6-5-release-candidate-4/";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, 28 Mar 2024 16:34:00 +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:6:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Development";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:7:"General";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:2;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"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:"";}i:3;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3:"6.5";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:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"development";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:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"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:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17136";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:214:"WordPress 6.5 RC4 is ready for download and testing. Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. Check out what''s coming in this release and how to get involved with the open source project.";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:"Lauren Stein";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:6752:"\n<p>The latest release candidate (RC4) for WordPress 6.5 is ready!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This release candidate is an addition to the existing WordPress 6.5 release cycle. It allows more time for testing to ensure every feature and improvement is in the best shape possible.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The updated target for the WordPress 6.5 release is <strong>April 2, 2024</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-5/">6.5 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/6-5/">6.5-related posts</a> for further details.&nbsp;If you’re looking for more detailed technical notes on new features and improvements, the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/15/wordpress-6-5-field-guide/">WordPress 6.5 Field Guide</a> is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What to expect in WordPress 6.5 RC4</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There’s been a lot of helpful feedback regarding one of this release’s highlighted features: the Font Library. This has resulted in some <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/03/25/wordpress-6-5-release-delayed-1-week/">additional improvements needed</a> to make sure the greatest number of sites possible can benefit from this anticipated new feature.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This release also includes six<strong> </strong>bug fixes for the Editor and 10+ <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;changetime=03%2F13%2F2024..03%2F19%2F2024&amp;resolution=fixed&amp;milestone=6.5&amp;col=id&amp;col=summary&amp;col=milestone&amp;col=owner&amp;col=type&amp;col=priority&amp;order=id">tickets for WordPress Core</a>. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC3, you can browse the following links: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.5?since=2024-03-20&amp;until=2024-03-28">GitHub commits for 6.5</a>&nbsp;</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;changetime=03%2F20%2F2024..03%2F28%2F2024&amp;resolution=fixed&amp;milestone=6.5&amp;col=id&amp;col=summary&amp;col=milestone&amp;col=owner&amp;col=type&amp;col=priority&amp;order=id">Closed </a><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;changetime=03%2F13%2F2024..03%2F19%2F2024&amp;resolution=fixed&amp;milestone=6.5&amp;col=id&amp;col=summary&amp;col=milestone&amp;col=owner&amp;col=type&amp;col=priority&amp;order=id">Trac</a><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&amp;changetime=03%2F20%2F2024..03%2F28%2F2024&amp;resolution=fixed&amp;milestone=6.5&amp;col=id&amp;col=summary&amp;col=milestone&amp;col=owner&amp;col=type&amp;col=priority&amp;order=id"> tickets</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to test</h2>\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 RC4 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.5 is the best it can be.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test WordPress 6.5 RC4 in four ways:</p>\n\n\n\n<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><th>Plugin</th><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><th>Direct Download</th><td>Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.5-RC4.zip">RC4 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><th>Command Line</th><td>Use the following <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command:<br><code>wp core update --version=6.5-RC</code>4</td></tr><tr><th>WordPress Playground</th><td>Use the <a href="https://playground.wordpress.net/#%7B%20%22preferredVersions%22:%20%7B%20%22php%22:%20%228.0%22,%20%22wp%22:%20%22beta%22%20%7D,%20%22features%22:%20%7B%20%22networking%22:%20true%20%7D,%20%22steps%22:%20[%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22login%22,%20%22username%22:%20%22admin%22,%20%22password%22:%20%22password%22%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wpaccessibility/a11y-theme-unit-test/master/a11y-theme-unit-test-data.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/WordPress/theme-test-data/master/themeunittestdata.wordpress.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22query-monitor%22%20%7D,%20%22options%22:%20%7B%20%22activate%22:%20false%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22create-block-theme%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22debug-bar%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22health-check%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22test-reports%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22user-switching%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D%20]%20%7D">6.5 RC4 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></figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here comes the haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With some extra time<br>Test, rinse, repeat, and refresh<br>WordPress will really shine</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: <a href=''https://profiles.wordpress.org/dansoschin/'' class=''mention''><span class=''mentions-prefix''>@</span>dansoschin</a>.</em></p>\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:30:"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1";a:1:{s:7:"post-id";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"17136";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:69:"\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:4:{s:0:"";a:6:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:33:"WordPress 6.5 Release Candidate 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:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/03/wordpress-6-5-release-candidate-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:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:19:30 +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:5:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Development";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:"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:"";}i:2;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3:"6.5";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:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"development";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:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"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:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17110";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:214:"WordPress 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My name Is Nathan Wrigley.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jukebox is podcast which Is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, one person&#8217;s story about the struggles of transitioning from a freelancer into an agency manager.</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 forward slash feed forward slash podcast. And you can copy that URL in to 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 forward slash contact forward slash jukebox, and use the form there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today, we have Alexander Gilmanov. Alexander comes to us today from Belgrade, Serbia. He&#8217;s a full stack developer with a rich heritage of freelance and agency work. His company officially launched in 2014 and they&#8217;ve continued to work with clients as well as creating a range of WordPress plugins, and their own SaaS apps.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slightly unusually for this podcast, I decided to break the content up into two parts. You&#8217;ll hear the first part today, and part two will be coming out in the next episode.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re a developer and are in the weeds of writing code, perhaps you&#8217;ve thought about a change of direction. This could be changing the place where you work, but it could also mean starting an agency and moving towards a more managerial role. This is what Alexander did, and this podcast charts, his journey. The highs and the lows, the epiphanes and the moments of regret.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore Alexander&#8217;s transition from hands-on coding to strategic management. 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And how this realization led him to restructure his business operations to optimize efficiency and output.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a fascinating conversation, and if you&#8217;ve wanted to start an agency, but have concerns about what that might bring, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>A quick note before we begin the recording quality on Alexander&#8217;s side, wasn&#8217;t superb, but I&#8217;ve done my best to make the audio as easy to listen to as possible.</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 forward slash 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. Alexander Gilmanov.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:07] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I am joined on the podcast today by Alexander Gilmanov. Hi, Alexander.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:18] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Hi. Thank you for having me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You are really welcome. You were brought to my attention, actually, what I&#8217;m about to say is not entirely true, and I&#8217;ll tell you why in a moment. But you were brought to my attention recently by Tammie Lister, who was recently on this podcast, and she mentioned that on a different podcast, she had been chatting to you about a subject which is going to be the main course of the podcast today. It&#8217;s all about moving away from being a developer, into being a manager.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the reason that I have known about you, if not spoken to you before, is because of the products that you&#8217;ve got in the WordPress space. And so let&#8217;s talk a little bit about that. First of all, Alexander, would you mind just introducing yourself? Maybe talk about the plugins that you&#8217;ve got in the WordPress space, just so that we know a little bit about you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:04] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Of course. Yeah, so as you already mentioned, I am the founder and CEO at the software products company. My own background used to be full stack development, a little bit of desktop development, and web development, and WordPress development. And I had a transition from being a developer to becoming a manager, and the founder, and the CEO of the company. Currently we are at 43 people, and still growing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, it was quite a journey. But before talking with Tammie and Jonathan, I didn&#8217;t realise actually that it might be of interest, and it might be useful to some developers out there, that are maybe also considering switching to managerial roles, or becoming founders.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then a couple of words on the products. Our first product that helped us to start the company was wpDataTables. It was initially a data management, but more a table plugin, a plugin that helped you create interactive tables on the website. Later we added charts, data management, database management, and now it does more and more in the area of data management, data visualisation, data manipulation, and so on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other plugin that probably more people know is called Amelia. It&#8217;s a booking plugin, mostly appointments, bookings for businesses like salons, healthcare industry, home services, photographers. We have so many different use cases. So practically, any business that provides certain services within certain timeframes, and can use scheduling tools, accept online bookings, online payments, and there are lots of things around it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And our third product is called Trafft. It is actually something like a SaaS version of Amelia. It&#8217;s not a WordPress plugin, it&#8217;s a standalone platform, but we do have a native integration with WordPress. And the reason for that, why we decided to make it as a separate product, was because we saw that once businesses get to grow, they no longer want to manage the website, and the bookings from the same dashboard, from the same place.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And also, many of them don&#8217;t want the burden of monitoring, backing things up, et cetera. Everything that an average WordPress hosting, many hostings don&#8217;t do that. And we do that for them on our platform. So yeah, that&#8217;s in short what we do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:39] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s great. Thank you. A really interesting collection of products there. We are going to be telling the story really though of a part of your life. We&#8217;re not going to get into the personal things, but we&#8217;re going to talk about a real change in your life. Your move away from being a developer to being a manager of, currently, a company of 43 people. Which is no small task, I&#8217;m sure.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You were saying to me, before we hit record, that you weren&#8217;t really sure that this story would be of interest to people. And obviously I&#8217;m in disagreement with that, because I&#8217;ve got you on the podcast to have that conversation. But there&#8217;s going to be a very large amount, I would&#8217;ve thought, of developers who listen to this podcast, people who are writing the code, working in an agency.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And maybe there&#8217;s a proportion of them who are thinking about, well, what could I do with my life differently? Do I always have to be a developer? Is that something that I can move away from? And maybe management, owning a company, running a company, and all of that, would be of interest to them. So, okay, let&#8217;s rewind the clock. How far are we going back in time, before you had an intuition that development, for you, wasn&#8217;t going to be the rest of your life?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:48] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> I can&#8217;t think of an exact moment in time when it clicked. And also, I really have hopes that I will get the chance to code again one day. I really miss it, to be honest. But I would say, for me, it was a transition from being a developer, to being an entrepreneur and a founder. And being a manager is just one of the roles within being an entrepreneur.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think, almost from the beginning of my career, I did have an ambition of creating something of my own. So it was out there more or less all the time, I just didn&#8217;t know how to do that. I transitioned through being a developer. I didn&#8217;t start my company right away, but I created my first plugin, my first piece of code, and started selling it. And this was maybe the moment when the exact transition happened.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But some changes in the mindset, I would say, happened before that, because I was freelancing a lot. I was doing a lot of freelance development back in my hometown, for some local companies. Later started working on some platforms like, I&#8217;m not going to call the names, but there are many freelance based platforms where you can get either a website, or part of the website to develop, as a freelancer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think being a freelancer really trains you for being your own manager. And that&#8217;s the first thing you learn, to first manage your own time, your own budgets, expectations of the client, all that. It helps you to start managing other people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that managing other people is quite a skill. So being able to manage your own time is one thing, I&#8217;m okay at that. But if that were to stretch beyond the confines of my own life, I think that would be really difficult. And my guess would be that you&#8217;ve probably, in the growth of your business, you&#8217;ve probably had moments where it&#8217;s gone really well, and the management of the people has gone really well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Equally, I&#8217;m sure that there&#8217;s moments where you&#8217;ve looked at yourself and thought, oh gosh, this is not going so well. Are there any kind of fundamental skills, looking back over the last period of time, you think that you are equipped with? Whether that was through education, or whether that was just through the genetics that you were given. Are there any things that you think, looking back, okay, this thing equipped me to be a boss, and without that thing, have a long, hard think about acquiring that thing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:14] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yeah, there were a few things in my career, and my personal life that helped me with that. And I think there are two parts of that. First is, I&#8217;d say managing tasks and understanding the whole, and then dividing the whole into subtasks. Seeing the wider picture, and then dividing it into details, is like one skill.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very important for a manager, for a product manager, whatever you name it. I mean, it can have different variations. It can be just developer manager, or like engineering manager. But more or less, this is the fundamental skill.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need first to understand, what are we working on? What is something we want to achieve, the end value? We want to give our users, our customers, and then divide it into independent tasks. This is not something that to get equipped with, I&#8217;d say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, I think the first very large project was my PhD study, because it&#8217;s project that lasts for, for me it lasted almost four years. It had lots of components, very different ones like writing the study itself, writing the software, preparing the scientific part, writing scientific publications, leading some courses in the university, finding opponents in the scientific world.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of this takes a lot of time. Most of the things won&#8217;t go as planned. You need to take a step back 9 out of 10 times. This trains your brain to approach this very calmly, not rush things. This creates sort of a skillset you need to manage. First manage yourself, then other people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is, I&#8217;d say, more or less a hard skill. Something you can manage through project management software, task lists, checklists, this sort of thing. But more importantly, you need to understand how to communicate with people. How to talk with people. How to explain things to people. So all of this falls under soft skills.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think it was one of the key things for me, because I always worked with computers. And then you start working with human beings that don&#8217;t have algorithms, don&#8217;t have buttons, procedures. You have two developers, but both have different characters, and you need to approach them differently.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yeah, this is also not something I&#8217;d say you come equipped with, and you need to learn that. For example, initially I tried to solve every issue that arises with an email. And sometimes when I was a little bit scared of something or frustrated, I would write a very angry email, and write it to the whole company and say like, this is your final warning, and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it took me maybe a year or two to realise that it&#8217;s actually the wrong way to solve things, and I only create internal pressure and frustration for people, and create more distance between us, and ultimately doesn&#8217;t serve the end purpose.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yeah, for me, as a developer, it was maybe one of the hardest parts. To have internal meetings with the team, to speak with people one-on-one, in the team meetings have retrospectives, share openly what maybe frustrates me, and allow them to share openly what frustrates them, and not be afraid that I as a boss, as a manager, will punish them somehow. So I&#8217;d say those are the categories of skills you need to develop to become a manager.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s really interesting. You know, you talked about the PhD, obviously this giant four year project, where you can imagine the goal, the goal line, the finish line, four years away, and you&#8217;re on day one. You know that this giant thing is stretching out ahead of you, I guess it is a process of just, okay, breaking it down. What can I do this year, this month, this day?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that atomising of it all, just sort of trying to distill it into different jobs, that&#8217;s really important. I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;m good at that. I&#8217;m sure that my characteristics aren&#8217;t very good at taking in the whole, and breaking it down in a calm way. But having that capability, I guess could be learnt. But learning and having that capability over time, really important.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But also, like you said, the human element is maybe even more important at the end of the day. Because you&#8217;re not going to get anything out of your coworkers, your employees, if they don&#8217;t feel compelled to work with you, and for you. If there&#8217;s just tension or, goodness, even hatred, then the whole thing is going to collapse like a house of cards.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But forgive me, dear listener, you are listening to this. I have this intuition that developers, now, this is not going to be the case for everybody, but I think that developers can have a certain tendency to, there&#8217;s just a way of being a developer, isn&#8217;t it? There&#8217;s a certain mindset which works effectively with code, and it doesn&#8217;t always translate into working with humans.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so being able to stop yourself and say, oh hang on, that is not an algorithm standing over there. If I tell it to do this thing, it might go off and do something entirely unexpected, and I need to be able to accommodate that. I need to be able to understand that. So identifying that in yourself is, yeah, it&#8217;s pretty impressive.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the fact that you&#8217;ve been able, over time, to unpick that in yourself and say, well, hang on Alexander, slow down. Don&#8217;t write that email because they&#8217;re not an algorithm. Think about the human, we&#8217;ll see where this goes. Okay, this is really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:16:33] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Just one thing came to my head. One thing I remembered while we were talking. One of the switches I had in this process was, at first when I started working with a team, the team of developers, I tried approaching those people as processors, servers, something like that. And like really giving them detailed instructions on what we need to do, and how we need to do this.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then when something didn&#8217;t quite work out, I think, okay, maybe the instruction isn&#8217;t detailed enough, so let&#8217;s take every step, and give an instruction for every step. And in the end, it turned out to be harder to prepare all those instructions, instead of just doing things all by myself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s sometimes easier to write a piece of code myself, than to create an instruction on like how the coach should look, where to put all the classes and methods, and all that. And this is something, it didn&#8217;t come overnight. I realised that, first of all, you need to hire the right people for the job. So you can&#8217;t just hire a student and give a senior grade task, and expect it to be delivered.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then when you have the right person, yes, you do need to give them guidelines, and the end goals, and the problem, and good description of what we need to achieve in the end, but you don&#8217;t need to guide them all the way through. And especially for developers, when you are managing developers, you are like taking away all the juice from their job if you&#8217;re giving them too precise instructions. Because they want to create, they want to think of their own architecture, how they write their own elegant code. And if they receive an instruction, like if they&#8217;re a script or a server, it&#8217;s just not interesting for them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s really interesting. The idea being that, obviously as a manager, you have to manage. There has to be a certain amount of that. But also there has to be an element of, okay, here&#8217;s the task, just go ahead and do it. Not prescriptively writing the exact instruction for every single facet of that job.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, enough instruction so that the job can be understood by that person, but not standing over them every minute of every day just worrying about whether it&#8217;s going to be achieved. I guess the better employees will figure that out for themselves. They&#8217;ll go away, they&#8217;ll have autonomy, if they&#8217;re confused, they&#8217;ll come back, you can have a conversation. It&#8217;s not always top down that works most effectively.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:18:48] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> I would say you need to approach different employees differently. So when interns just join us, developer interns, actually they do want this kind of instruction. And it&#8217;s better to have someone mentor them, do peer review, give them guidance, and provide instructions for how to develop a task. They would actually enjoy it much more because, if they join a company after, for example, graduating, and they didn&#8217;t yet have some practical coding experience, they want this from the company. They want to get some guidance, some mentoring, some senior developer to evaluate their code, and point the mistakes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as they get more senior, actually autonomy is a very important motivation factor. And if you take it from them, you demotivate them. Because seniors want to research modern technology, libraries, services. And if they receive instructions like, use this library, the task gets too dull for them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:48] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, so having a handle on each employee, and judging where they are in the hierarchy of all of that. So, like you said, somebody that&#8217;s new may want to be shepherded and guided much more, because they are really unfamiliar with the company culture, the expectations of the work that they need to output on a monthly basis. But as experience develops, and your relationship with them grows, I guess, you know where the boundaries lie a little bit more, because you&#8217;ve built up that relationship.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know that if you give them an incredibly difficult task, and don&#8217;t give them too many instructions, they can do it. But that other person over there, they might need a bit more shepherding, even though they&#8217;re, I don&#8217;t know, more senior. Okay, so getting to know your employees is a crucial part.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I have to say, Alexander has shared with me some show notes which are amazing. It&#8217;s very rare that the guest goes into such enormous detail, and so I&#8217;m incredibly grateful for that. I know that it&#8217;s also so that you can structure your own thoughts about blog posts, and things in the future about this topic.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But one of the sections which I thought was of most interest was how you charted your personal journey from, well, the different kind of work that you did. So from being a freelance, to working with friends. And I&#8217;d just like you to jump through that history for us, because it may be that somebody listening to this is somewhere on that ladder of different things. And the evolution that you&#8217;ve gone through over time, beginning with freelancing, maybe it&#8217;s hard for you to sum all of that up, but I&#8217;m going to hand it over and see if you can do that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:21:11] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> So yes, I mentioned initially, and as you mentioned right now, I started with freelancing, and it taught me a lot about managing. Because management, especially when you&#8217;re not the owner, and when it&#8217;s more like an agency work, where you develop something for clients, is about organising tasks, about organising time, maybe managing others. But it&#8217;s also about managing the client&#8217;s expectations, understanding what they want.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And this is sometimes the hardest part, especially for freelancers. People keep coming back and saying, they know what they don&#8217;t want, but they&#8217;re not sure about what they want to achieve in the end. And getting a specific requirement out of this conversation is very hard. But it&#8217;s also a very tough school, and it helped me later in the journey.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as my freelancing evolved, at one point the projects started growing, and at one point it wasn&#8217;t just small website that I could develop in three, four weeks. It was something like a web app that people want developed maybe in a month or two, and this is something I cannot deliver on my own. I had to start thinking about building a team back then.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I had a couple of friends, and naturally we started working with them. And because they were my friends, we were relatively similar in the coding styles. We understood each other really well. The management part came very natural. So I would just prepare the requirements, divide it between three of us. And we sat in the same room, and it was very easy to think. And actually the first experience was very inspiring. We were able to deliver things. We scaled the development and it went well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Can I just interrupt there? Just very briefly. Do you ever look back on that time and think, I wish I&#8217;d stayed there? Because that sounds like a really, a nice environment to work in. I mean, obviously, you know, the financial reward of that probably isn&#8217;t quite so great. Maybe the complexity of the work that you can take on, maybe isn&#8217;t so great. But I imagine there&#8217;s a lot of people who are there and thinking, well, actually that&#8217;s okay. I&#8217;ve got my friends around me, the code is something that we can all share and understand, life&#8217;s good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:19] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Sometimes it is. For me particularly, it wasn&#8217;t, because it was still early in the journey, the level of projects wasn&#8217;t something which I wanted to have. The good thing is, one of the friends is right here with me today in the office, so he stayed with me on the journey.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It does sound, from what you&#8217;ve just said there, that you&#8217;ve always maybe been driven by growth, complexity, a difficult challenge.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:44] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s the entrepreneur gene, I would say. There is something inside entrepreneurs that always pushes us to develop, to grow, to find for what&#8217;s next, all the time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:55] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay. So, sorry for the interruption. You were working with your friends and I&#8217;ll let you continue.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:59] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> When we could work on the same project, it was great. But at certain points they had projects of their own, because they were also freelancing. And I started my first experiments with hiring other freelancers that I didn&#8217;t know. Finding them through job ads, tried finding them through also freelance platforms like subcontractors. Tried finding them through recommendations. And that&#8217;s where my first real life entrepreneurial and managerial challenges came in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the managers go through all these steps. They find a guy that, he&#8217;s the right guy for the job. We start working, everything is fine for the first few days, and then he disappears, or he delivers something that is far from what was agreed, or he&#8217;s constantly late, or they try to cut corners. Developers can identify pretty easy when logic is mixed with templates, or things like that. Which is much faster to code, but then it doesn&#8217;t scale, and creates constant problems for ongoing development.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, all those things started happening to me, and the first failures came when some of them disappeared completely, like two days before the deadline, without sharing the code with me. Things like that happened, and oftentimes I would say it&#8217;s just easier to stay freelancing on my own. If you want something done right, do it yourself. Yeah, this is kind of the belief that is common between many people, but I don&#8217;t find it to be true today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:28] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I&#8217;m going to interrupt there just summarise, if that&#8217;s alright? So the journey begins with you freelancing. The freelancing then gets mixed up with friends and colleagues, and people that you know. Then the complexity of that, because you&#8217;ve got projects and you need more people, you have to begin finding people. And so at this point, problems start to occur because the people don&#8217;t do what you expect them to do. So maybe there&#8217;s a story in there about how you communicate with what are essentially complete strangers, you know, what&#8217;s the level of that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But also, you know, they&#8217;ve just got their own agendas, and they miss work, they cut corners, and what have you. And so all of a sudden, you want to grow this business, but you&#8217;re now, everything&#8217;s collapsing around you a little bit, because of unexpected problems that the first time around you wouldn&#8217;t anticipate. You&#8217;re not going to go into it thinking people are going to let me down, presumably. You&#8217;re going to go into it thinking, well, I&#8217;m going to hire somebody, they&#8217;ve got a good reputation, they&#8217;re going to deliver me quality code, and then life gets in the way, and all of these problems occur. Okay, right. Keep going, this is great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:32] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Thank you for summarising. I didn&#8217;t plan it so much in advance, so I might be jumping from one thought to another. So yeah, this is the time in my journey where I realised that I am actually lacking some experience in large scale projects, in larger teams. I don&#8217;t know how the really big projects are developed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And back then when we worked with friends, when I worked as a freelancer, most of those projects didn&#8217;t survive after 12 months initial period. Those were very early startups, and most of the time I felt like we are developing stuff for the trash can practically, because we are working hard on it, and then the project isn&#8217;t funded anymore, and just basically dies.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that&#8217;s why I decided to take a break in this entrepreneurial journey, and moved to a larger city, joined a large German company, a MarTech company, and stayed with them for three and a half years. It really helped me structure the thinking, and understand how project management, and the development process, and the continuous integration, many other things in large scale projects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do all these things work? And this is probably the first time in my career when I encountered, real project managers. Before that it was more or less informal, unofficial, people that started their own startup were managing the project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And in this company we had teams of five developers. Every team had a project manager. We were using a specific development process with sprints, with tasks assigned, with a way to test the tasks, staging environment, development environment, all of these. Many of those things we previously, we did intuitively. In this larger company, I had the opportunity to learn it from the inside, and it really helped me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:28:21] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So, I don&#8217;t know how to phrase this question. I&#8217;ll try my best. Did you begin working for this larger agency intentionally to learn? Or is it that you now look back and realise that you learned? Because I&#8217;m imagining, again, people listening to this, maybe they&#8217;re in the moment that you were, where there were lots of freelancers, and it was all a bit of a muddle. And they&#8217;re looking to fix that problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your way around that was to go and work for three years. I mean, three years is a good long time, isn&#8217;t it? Where you would be surrounded by people who already had the structure. You would learn it by osmosis, it would be part of your daily work to figure all this stuff out, with the help of others.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, did you deliberately go knowing that you were going to do it for a short amount of time to learn the processes? Or is it just that after three years you thought, oh, look what I&#8217;ve learned?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:11] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> It was, I&#8217;d say a mix of both, but more so it was intentional. At one point I looked back and I like, okay, we&#8217;ve delivered 50 websites maybe, and two or three small platforms that never survived. Do I really have the experience and seniority, and the level of knowledge and understanding that I wanted to. And when I honestly admitted that I don&#8217;t, I realised that, okay, maybe I shouldn&#8217;t be rushing into entrepreneurship. Take a step back, join a company that had it figured out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And initially when I joined the company, I thought it was going to be only about maybe 4, 12, 18 months. But the company was so good, and people were so good. At one point after the first year, I didn&#8217;t even think about getting back to the entrepreneurial journey, because when you have everything figured out around you, even when you do have these entrepreneurial genetics, it&#8217;s nice to have the pay date on the first of every month, and you have predictability, and you have other people worrying about things. So that&#8217;s one of the reasons why I stayed for three years there and not for one year.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Can I ask, okay, after three years, why then change? Was it just the entrepreneur in you, who just couldn&#8217;t quite reconcile the deep desire that you had to do your own thing with your reality? You know, you&#8217;re turning up to work and getting a paycheck, and all of that. I&#8217;m guessing that&#8217;s more likely. You just evolved out of it and thought, I want that in my life again, I want to be in charge of things, figuring things out again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:40] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> I think that in the essence, yes, it was that. Because at one point I started freelancing again in my own spare time. Practically, I moved to a larger city and I didn&#8217;t have friends, I didn&#8217;t have a girlfriend, I had all the time in the world. After a full-time job, I also had a few more hours where I could do something.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So at one point I started freelancing again, but I could do it on a different level. And this is when I started the pet project, which ended up being first PHP data tables, a PHP script for rendering tables. And then I wrapped it as WordPress plugin, and published the WordPress plugin.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was still a pet project, but then when I started seeing people buying it, liking it, enjoying it, using it in different parts of the world, people started sending me requests for more features. I started receiving support requests.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, it was so inspiring, and I realised that maybe $100 earned through selling my own piece of software, are more dear to me than $1000 earned through working at a full-time job.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh that&#8217;s such an interesting sentence. That&#8217;s really interesting. Okay, alright. Sorry to interrupt. I just thought that was worth calling out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:53] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> At one point, I just couldn&#8217;t help but invested more and more time into my own thing, my own baby. When you see it&#8217;s growing, it&#8217;s a feeling you don&#8217;t get from anything else really. At one moment it started selling really well. It wasn&#8217;t still enough to become a substitute for a full-time job. People were using the plugin, and they wanted also to add features X, Y, Z, and they were ready to pay for it. And I started charging higher and higher hourly rates. I figured out, people are still happy to pay those higher hourly rates. And I just decided to take the risk, to quit my full-time job, and to start a company.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was still relatively young, I was like 27, 28 back then. I decided that, what do I get to lose? Maybe I will lose one or two years. I can always get back to full-time job, some other company. And there is nothing like this experience. Yeah, it was a very interesting moment in my journey. And this is actually the next step.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I was just going to say though, you&#8217;re in a really different place, aren&#8217;t you? Because if you go back to your hiring freelancer moment, there were all the trip wires that you went through, and the things that you did, in air quotes, incorrectly. You are now armed with three years of knowledge of working at an agency. There&#8217;s a whole bunch of things that you will now not get wrong, because you&#8217;ve seen how to grow a business, what kind of processes need to be in place. And so, okay, let&#8217;s go, starting my own company.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:17] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yeah, that was the next step. And this is when I needed, had to become project manager, the office manager, finding an office, changing bulbs, finding furniture, hiring manager, developer, all that. I had to divide my day in small shifts. For two hours I&#8217;m an office manager, for two hours I&#8217;m a product manager.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was an interesting time, and I think I did it at the right moment, I was still full of energy. I mean, I&#8217;m still full of energy, but I don&#8217;t know if I would have the guts now to enter the same journey once again. I have family now, I need my own time. Back then I did have the luxury of waking up at whatever time I wake up, and then just work for 12, 14 hours, and then just go back to sleep. This was the whole life for the first year or two of my company in the beginning.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You just described it as an interesting time. You know, changing light bulbs, picking out furniture. Interesting is an interesting word. It&#8217;s kind of implies that there&#8217;s a little bit of frustration there maybe. Jobs that you probably don&#8217;t need or don&#8217;t wish to do, but need to be done. Basically, it&#8217;s got to be you, I guess. You know, the light bulb&#8217;s gone, okay, who&#8217;s going to change it? Let&#8217;s look around, oh me. The carpet, somebody spilled the coffee on the carpet, who is going to, oh me. That&#8217;s a big change in life, suddenly. I guess, yeah, interesting sort sums it up. Frustrating, but useful and necessary.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:38] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yes, exactly as you described it. And this is something that happens with bootstrap founders. It&#8217;s not like you become a boss, and everybody starts running around you. For the first year or two, it&#8217;s the other way around. You have to round around everybody and everything, and make sure things don&#8217;t fall apart. Because when you start something new, it has a tendency to die initially, in the first year or two.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I mean, things just fall apart. Servers are falling, light bulbs are going out, the first developer you hire decides to change the job in two months, and you need to rehire, and to onboard, and to go through everything once again. So I think only after it was maybe 10 or 15 people working in the company, I could relax a little bit. Okay, there are people now who take care of different segments of the job.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But initially, especially as we were combining developing our own product, and working as an agency on clients, on software. It was an interesting time. It was frustrating. It was tough. It was a lot of stress, because you practically depend on every client. If one client decides to stop working with you, you immediately don&#8217;t have the funds to keep paying the salaries that you are already committed to.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So there is a lot of stress involved in the first years, but also a lot of inspiration. A lot of great emotions, because you see how things grow, and they grow really fast in the first year or two. Because growing from two people to ten people is X5 growth. These initial steps, it&#8217;s wow, amazing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now we would add seven or eight people. I wouldn&#8217;t even notice much of a difference, but back then it&#8217;s changing things completely. And yeah, so you are growing your baby, and getting to do things you&#8217;ve never done before.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting back to the project management side of things, initially I didn&#8217;t even think about hiring project managers, mostly because of the funding restrictions. And also mostly because, initially when we started doing agency work, we were outsourcing developers. We were outsourcing developers on hourly basis, or per seat basis. And I would say there was no chance, back then in 2013, 14 to sell project manager seats to a client.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I actually, for few years after that, it took maybe five or six years for the market, this kind of market outsourcing market, for clients to figure out the project managers are actually crucial to project success. But back then I had to do it all on my own. And when we had eight or ten developers, I realised that it&#8217;s physically impossible to do it like this anymore.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had to be project manager on every project, including our own product, plus three or four client ongoing projects. I had to know exactly what happens, what piece of code was released, what we are planning to do. And I just realised, I am losing quality on all fronts.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Of all of the bits and the pieces that I read, that bit stuck out to me as a real moment for you. The realisation that, I need to hire people to shepherd the people. I can&#8217;t do everything myself, and I have to allow people to be in charge of bits of my business, and to manage those projects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And maybe that is a difficult thing to let go of, because in so many ways, project management from a developer point of view probably looks like, well, that&#8217;s a strange role. What are they actually doing? They&#8217;re just going to meetings all day, and they have more meetings after the meetings. And yet it&#8217;s really essential, or at least that&#8217;s the conclusion I think you drew.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:14] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yes, exactly. And I remember my own thoughts, my own perception of project managers, while I was still a full stack developer in a large company. And we would talk, as developers, we would talk between each other like, why do these guys get to evaluate our job? They know nothing about coding, they know nothing about elegance of the code, coding standards, they don&#8217;t contribute to the software, yet they are our bosses, and they rate our work, they try to push us to do more. This is really unfair, that was my own perception.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And to a certain extent, unfortunately, I must say, some less experienced managers can do that. They can push people too much, they can come across as bosses, which I think is unnecessary in the software world. You don&#8217;t need really a boss, like a manager to be a boss and to be above you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I started doing all of that myself, I quickly realised that like, there is no way around syncing all the stakeholders, but having meetings. And at some point you get to 10 meetings per day, or something like that, if you have many projects. This is something that&#8217;s unavoidable, and actually it&#8217;s the most efficient way to sync, and to coordinate things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:26] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Would it be fair to say, now, that you are, you know, you&#8217;ve really removed yourself from the coding side of things, and you are basically project manager for the entire business. So maybe you are a project manager of project managers, which sounds strange to say. But you are managing, and you&#8217;ve totally moved away, and you&#8217;ve realised that this is now the bit of the business which you are best placed into.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:49] <strong>Alexander Gilmanov:</strong> Yes. I think the key for scaling is focus. Whenever the revenue allows, whenever project scale allows, I like to identify things that were shared, things that one person combined, maybe two projects or two different roles, and to hire people that would do just one thing with 100% focus.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am now maybe even on the third level of abstraction, third layer as developer. Developers call this like abstraction layer. So I&#8217;m managers, above managers, above managers. And we do have different role names in the company, like product owners, product managers, team leads. We also try to, when possible, maybe separate people management from processes management, because different mindsets are needed for those.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s great when one person can combine both. Many people are great at that. Sometimes it&#8217;s better to give the processes management to person who really likes the admin stuff, and people management to someone who is an extrovert, and is just great with people naturally, without some tension. Because for me still, I&#8217;m very introverted. Dealing with people still comes with a certain tension for me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:41:03] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I&#8217;d like to say a big, thanks to Alexander for talking with me on the jukebox podcast today. Don&#8217;t forget that the conversation will continue next week, where we explore some of the practical steps of growing a business.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-gilmanov-tms/">Alexander Gilmanov</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alex comes to us today from Belgrade, Serbia. He’s a full-stack developer with a rich heritage of freelance and agency work. His company officially launched in 2014, and they’ve continued work with clients, as well as creating a range of WordPress plugins, and their own SaaS apps, mainly in the online booking space.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slightly unusually for this podcast I decided to break the content up into two parts. You’ll hear the first part today and part two will be coming out in the next episode.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you’re a developer and are in the weeds of writing code, perhaps you’ve thought about a change of direction. This could be changing the place where you work, but it could also mean starting an agency and moving towards a more managerial role. This is what Alexander did, and this next podcast charts his journey. The highs and the lows, the epiphanies and the moments of regret.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We explore Alexander’s transition from hands-on coding to strategic management. He shares insights into his initial roles, where he juggled multiple tasks and managed client expectations as a freelancer. This foundation not only honed his technical skills but also prepared him for the complexities of leading a business.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We talk about how Alexander’s management style has evolved over the years. Starting out, he faced the typical challenges of delegation and supervising a growing team, trying to understand individual personalities and communication styles to create a functional working environment. His approach emphasises the need for breaking down large tasks into smaller, more achievable goals, a method that has proven instrumental in managing both projects and people effectively.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also discuss the critical role of autonomy in the workplace, particularly how Alexander has learned to trust and empower his employees based on their experience levels, leading to greater productivity and satisfaction for everyone. He reflects on the key lessons learned from the earlier phase of his career, where he underestimated the importance of project managers, and how this realisation led him to restructure his business operations to optimise efficiency and output.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It’s a fascinating conversation, and if you’ve wanted to start an agency but have concerns about what that might bring, 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://wpdatatables.com/">wpDataTables</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://wpamelia.com/">Amelia booking plugin</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://trafft.com/">Trafft</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, 15 May 2024 15:37:11 +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: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:2;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:21:"Matt: Sabbatical Wrap";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=114289";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:38:"https://ma.tt/2024/05/sabbatical-wrap/";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:4414:"<img width="604" height="453" src="https://i0.wp.com/ma.tt/files/2024/05/IMG_6094-1024x768.jpg?resize=604%2C453&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-114293" />\n\n\n\n<p>Today is my first day post-<a href="https://automattic.com/benefits/sabbatical/">sabbatical</a>, getting back in the swing of things with <a href="https://automattic.com/">Automattic</a>. <a href="https://wordpress.org/">W.org</a>,  all the <a href="https://audrey.co/">things</a>. What a unique experience! I found the lead up to the sabbatical and planning process to be infinitely valuable, the sabbatical itself to be interesting experentially, and I&#8217;m curious to see what the post-sabbatical effects are. I have that nervous excitement like it&#8217;s the first day of school, which I haven&#8217;t felt in years.<em> What should I wear? Who will sit with me at lunch?</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could now <a href="https://ma.tt/2024/02/samattical/">give a much better talk about the value of sabbaticals</a>, having finally done one myself vs observing the hundreds that have taken place at Automattic. Like having a kid, it&#8217;s something you can understand intellectually but the direct experience is profound in ways that are hard to articulate.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s so much to catch up on and it&#8217;s kind of delightful to check in on progress of things after a few months rather than day-to-day like I normally do. If I had one bit of advice it would be to not get a big surgery  (I had a sinus one) or plan for other major health things during a sabbatical, that should be on a different track if you can help it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href="https://ma.tt/2024/02/samattical/">the beginning</a> I allowed myself two goals around sailing and chess. Sailing I decided to postpone to take advantage of a peak opportunity in July, but chess has been a fun incorporation into my daily habits and also incredibly humbling playing with folks who have been at it longer. The thing I didn&#8217;t plan for that became actually really important to me was getting back to the saxophone, not even trying to perform but the ritual and zen of long tones and practice is incredibly grounding in a way I didn&#8217;t know I was missing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few bullet point highlights:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rowed to Alcatraz.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Got Covid the 4th time.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Went to Super Bowl.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spent time at my alma mata University of Houston.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Toured the modern cathedrals of datacenters.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Did a ton of health scans, blood tests, doctor meetings.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Got my DEXA body fat down to 17.9%.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Skied Big Sky and Yellowstone Club.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Went to friend&#8217;s 40ths and 50ths.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Got a major sinus surgery.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hosted an <a href="https://ma.tt/files/2024/05/644-upload.jpeg">epic eclipse party from a plane</a> with 100+ flash talks.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Studied <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong">Qigong</a> and yoga.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spent time in Houston, San Francisco, Big Sky, Austin, Orlando, Tokyo, Taipei, Amsterdam, Paris, and Mallorca.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cleaned up a ton of personal projects.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read a ton.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Swam in the ocean.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Played saxophone at 40k feet.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equine therapy.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>A lot of progress on renovation projects in Houston and San Francisco.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hiked many places, walking in general more than normal.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tweaked my back. :/</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Couple of podcasts and interviews, a few meetings.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Binged <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Body_Problem_(TV_series)">Three Body Problem</a>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Did a lot of solo time and introspection.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, there was actually a lot of Automattic stuff happening most notably the <a href="https://ma.tt/2024/04/beeper-texts/">acquisition of Beeper</a>! I wasn&#8217;t able to unplug as much as I hoped, but I did definitely reverse my normal priorities. One thing I really missed was that I had very high hopes to see a lot of people, but a lot of stuff came up so outside of the events it was probably smaller social circle than I normally have.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It does make me think about apophatic theology or <a href="https://fs.blog/a-wonderfully-simple-heuristic-to-recgonize-charlatans/">how Nassim Taleb talks about <em>via negativa</em></a>. Whatever you&#8217;ve been doing, it&#8217;s nice to try the opposite for a while, just to see what happens.</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, 15 May 2024 13:35:01 +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: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:60:"Akismet: What is CAPTCHA? How Do CAPTCHAs Work to Stop Spam?";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:"http://akismet.com/?p=283920";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:41:"https://akismet.com/blog/what-is-captcha/";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:28507:"<p>Solving CAPTCHAs can seem like playing an endless game of “I Spy”. Everyone who’s tried to fill out a form on a website knows the feeling of being deemed a robot by these digital bouncers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the early 2000s, CAPTCHAs have been asking us to prove our humanity by identifying squiggly letters, solving random puzzles, and identifying all manner of real-world items, from bicycles to traffic lights.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>They’re a big deal on the web. <a href="https://trends.builtwith.com/widgets/captcha">BuiltWith found</a> a CAPTCHA on at least one third of the top one million active websites. 90% of those were using Google’s ReCAPTCHA service.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>In this article, we’ll look at what CAPTCHAs are and some of the different versions available. We&#8217;ll review a brief history of CAPTCHAs, explore how they work, and consider whether CAPTCHAs really help sites control spam and bots. Then, we’ll see how CAPTCHAs compare to services like Akismet, which keeps spam and bots at bay without requiring users to decipher twisted texts or grainy images.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<span id="more-283920"></span>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="what-are-captchas-how-do-they-work " class="wp-block-heading">What are CAPTCHAs? How do they work?&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are used to distinguish between humans and bots. It stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”. What’s a Turing test?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The idea of using Turing tests to deal with spam was developed in the late 1990s and was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAPTCHA">first used commercially</a> by idrive.com and then-fledgling company PayPal. The term was officially named by Luis von Ahn and his colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University in 2003, though other researchers mentioned it in published papers <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24701475.2020.1831197">as early as 2001</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are based on the idea that some simple human tasks are quite difficult for computers to do, like recognizing distorted text, images, and even audio. Most CAPTCHAs are two-step tests:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>The website generates some random string of characters or images and embeds them in a webpage</strong>. The text and images are usually distorted to make them harder for optical character recognition (OCR) software to read. Images are usually categorized by theme, like animal, vehicle, or streetlights.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li><strong>The website asks the user to either enter the right characters or select the images according to some criteria</strong>,<strong> like “click on all images that contain a streetlight”</strong>. If the user’s response matches the answer, they pass the test.&nbsp;</li></ol>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are used to stop bots from spamming, abusing, and attacking websites. Bots are programs that can do things repetitively online, like create a new account, enter a new comment, scrape (steal) content, or even gather email addresses.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>Businesses sometimes rely on CAPTCHAs to filter out bots from real human interactions to save administrative time and performance bandwidth. Keeping spam at bay can also contribute to a safer environment for both visitors and the assets of the business&nbsp;itself.</p>\n\n\n<h2 id="the-history-of-captcha  " class="wp-block-heading">The history of CAPTCHA&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There’s a bit of controversy around the history of CAPTCHAs in the U.S. This is mostly because researchers worked on the idea of using Turing tests to handle spam and abusive bots years before any patents were filed, research papers were published, or CAPTCHA became a common term.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="the-creation-of captcha" class="wp-block-heading">The creation of&nbsp;CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n<p>They were first introduced on websites in the early 2000s, but the concept of CAPTCHAs was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/magazine/who-made-that-captcha.html">born in 1996</a>, when Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) created a site for opinion polls and instead was inundated with votes from&nbsp;spambots.</p>\n\n<p>To combat this unexpected issue, they tried to use a distorted U.S. flag image, and asked users to click on it to verify they were humans. It worked at first, but over time, the bots outsmarted the&nbsp;test.</p>\n\n\n<p>DEC worked with other scientists to turn that idea into a reverse Turing test — something that was easy for humans, but hard for machines. They eventually defeated the bots (for a little while, anyway) by using distorted characters on the screen.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>In 1997, search engine AltaVista <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24701475.2020.1831197" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">had a similar issue</a> with bots overwhelming their submission form to add new websites to their library. The AltaVista team developed an automated system to generate an image of printed text randomly, which was distorted enough that optical character recognition software couldn’t read it.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>They were victorious against the bots, with their system reducing the number of spam URLs by 95% within that first year. It also became the first time an automated system was known to be able to tell humans from machines.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h4 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s a Turing&nbsp;test?</h4>\n\n\n<p>The Turing test is named after Alan Turing, a British mathematician who wanted to be able to evaluate a machine’s ability to act intelligently (a precursor to our understanding of artificial intelligence).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turing’s test is a way to see if a computer can act like a human. The tester (human) asks questions to both a computer and another human without knowing who is giving each response.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the tester can’t tell the difference between the two, the machine is deemed to have passed the test.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs rely on the idea of a reverse Turing test, where the machine tries to tell the difference between another machine (or bot) and a human.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="how-captcha-got-its name" class="wp-block-heading">How CAPTCHA got its&nbsp;name</h3>\n\n\n<p>Engineer and researcher Luis von Ahn and his team at Carnegie Mellon University worked on the idea of using a Turing test to defeat the bots by expanding on DEC’s and AltaVista’s work. They distorted random letters and numbers using software, then embedded it in the webpage, asking users if they were human by completing the simple test. They coined the term “CAPTCHA”, which stood for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="the-evolution-of captcha" class="wp-block-heading">The evolution of&nbsp;CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs continued to evolve, from using just text, to images, to a combination of the two, and then even multiple images and text. Engineers and researchers at universities and companies used different types of CAPTCHA tests with varying levels of effectiveness.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The earliest version of CAPTCHA used distorted text, a combination of text and numbers, in tests. At the time, this was a big deal because it was easy for humans to figure out, but automated bots encountered significant difficulty.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2009, Google bought the CAPTCHA technology and created reCAPTCHA. reCAPTCHA was groundbreaking for a couple of reasons — it used new ways of testing people’s humanity, and it turned those tests into productive contributions to larger projects (essentially crowdsourcing work through millions of tiny tests).&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="the-rise-of recaptcha" class="wp-block-heading">The rise of&nbsp;reCAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n<p>reCAPTCHA pushed the boundaries of automated testing and offered new options to website owners who wanted a more user-friendly process for visitors to prove their humanity. It also added auditory CAPTCHA options to increase accessibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>More controversially, Google used reCAPTCHA as part of its digitization&nbsp;project.</p>\n\n\n<p>They created a two-part CAPTCHA. The first part was like the original, but the second part used letters or whole words from text the machine was translating from old books and newspapers.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="710" height="300" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image.png" alt="reCAPTCHA example" class="wp-image-283921" />\n\n\n\n<p>If a user passed the first part — proving their humanity —&nbsp;it also accepted their second contribution (the translation) as accurate.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this way, Google outsourced the digitization of old books and newspapers with minimal labor costs.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>As with anything on the internet, spammers and other bad actors eventually found ways to counter CAPTCHAs and other security features. With the use of increasingly smarter artificial intelligence (AI) options, bots were eventually able to figure out most CAPTCHAs with <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2014/12/are-you-robot-introducing-no-captcha" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">99.8% accuracy</a>, according to Google. In 2014, they announced the now infamous (and sometimes dreaded), “Are you a human?” checkbox as part of their reCAPTCHA improvements.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<img width="656" height="220" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-1.png" alt="" />\n\n\n<p>reCAPTCHA rose to the challenge and over the next several years grew in popularity among websites that used CAPTCHAs. In fact, of sites that use some sort of CAPTCHA, reCAPTCHA is used <a href="https://trends.builtwith.com/widgets/captcha" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">90% of the&nbsp;time</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id="types-of recaptcha" class="wp-block-heading">Types of&nbsp;reCAPTCHA</h2>\n\n<p>Today, websites can choose from two main versions of reCAPTCHA (v1 support was dropped in&nbsp;2018).</p>\n\n\n<img width="784" height="278" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-2.png" alt="reCAPTCHA options" class="wp-image-283924" />\n\n\n\n<h3 id="recaptcha-v2 " class="wp-block-heading">reCAPTCHA v2&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This version of reCAPTCHA has two primary options, one that includes the “I’m not a robot” checkbox and another with an invisible reCAPTCHA badge.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>reCAPTCHA v2 with the “I’m not a robot” checkbox</strong>. This version analyzes the user’s behavior on a page and makes an automated determination to tell if they’re a human. If the user passes, it will include the “I’m not a robot” checkbox alone.&nbsp;</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If the user’s behavior is suspicious —&nbsp;indicating they may be a bot — they’ll need to complete a test (usually an image or puzzle challenge) before being given a chance to click to confirm they are, in fact, human.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>reCAPTCHA v2 with the invisible reCAPTCHA badge</strong>. This version uses a JavaScript API call to look at combined behavior for a user to determine if they’re human. If they pass, based on the algorithm, they are passed silently. Only users who fail will receive a challenge.&nbsp;</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="recaptcha-v3 " class="wp-block-heading">reCAPTCHA v3&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This version is the newest and most subtle option for website owners. With it, visitors will rarely even know their humanity is being judged in the background. It uses a JavaScript API (like v2) but is more advanced. It scores users based on different actions they make in the browser or on the page.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on their score, users are silently approved (or failed with no regress, causing confusion). This version allows developers to customize the integration to meet their needs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="different-types-of-captcha-beyond-recaptcha " class="wp-block-heading">Different types of CAPTCHA (beyond reCAPTCHA)&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides reCAPTCHA, there are other types of CAPTCHAs that websites harness to verify human users and prevent automated bots from abusing their services. Here are some of the most common ones:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="image-based-captcha" class="wp-block-heading">Image-based CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These CAPTCHAs require users to find and select images that match a given category or query. For example, people may be asked to click on all the pictures that contain cars or animals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="888" height="998" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-3.png" alt="CAPTCHA asking users to identify red spheres" class="wp-image-283925" />\n\n\n<p>These CAPTCHAs can be more user&#8209;friendly and accessible than text&#8209;based ones, but they may also pose challenges for visually impaired users. Moreover, image recognition algorithms can <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3524010.3539498" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sometimes defeat these CAPTCHAs</a> by using machine learning techniques&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="logic-based-captcha" class="wp-block-heading">Logic-based CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These CAPTCHAs test users’ logical reasoning by asking them to solve simple puzzles or answer questions. For example, visitors may be asked to solve math problems, complete word games, or “find the odd one out”. These CAPTCHAs can be more engaging and fun than other types, but they may also exclude users with cognitive differences or who are not familiar with the language or culture of the website’s primary audience.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="audio-based-captcha" class="wp-block-heading">Audio-based CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These CAPTCHAs serve an audio clip that has a series of numbers or letters that users need to type in. These CAPTCHAs are designed to accommodate those who have difficulty seeing or interpreting text, but they may also be hard to hear or understand for users in noisy environments or who have hearing impairments. So, these audio CAPTCHA tests can cause more accessibility issues than they solve.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="how-do-captchas-work-to-stop-spam " class="wp-block-heading">How do CAPTCHAs work to stop spam?&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole purpose of CAPTCHAs is to root out automated programs or malicious bots so that they can’t spam or abuse websites and online services. For example, CAPTCHAs can prevent bots from creating fake accounts, sending unwanted messages, posting malicious links, filling out forms, or accessing and stealing restricted content.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>So, while it can be annoying, requiring users to prove their humanity helps reduce the amount of spam and increase the performance of online platforms and the security of everyone&nbsp;involved.</p>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs rely on the assumption that human and machine intelligence have different capabilities and limitations. For instance, humans recognize different patterns than machines. Most humans can easily identify objects, faces, emotions, or voices in noisy or distorted inputs. On the other hand, machines can perform calculations, store information, and process data faster (and usually more accurately) than humans.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, CAPTCHAs are not infallible. Remember, Google’s own research showed that AI could solve CAPTCHAs a vast majority of the time.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="the-inaccessibility-of-captchas " class="wp-block-heading">The inaccessibility of CAPTCHAs&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are designed to prevent automated bots from accessing websites or services that require human verification. Unfortunately, they often prove inaccessible for humans. Who hasn’t selected all the traffic lights in each image only to be told they were&nbsp;wrong?</p>\n\n\n<p>They also pose a significant barrier for those with different abilities, who may not be able to solve them due to visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are often inaccessible, even to real human users. For example:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Users with visual impairments may not be able to see or read the distorted text or images that are sometimes used in CAPTCHAs.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>Those with color blindness may not be able to differentiate the foreground and background colors.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>People with dyslexia or other learning disabilities may not be able to decipher the scrambled letters or words.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>Visitors with hearing impairments may not be able to interpret the audio&#8209;based CAPTCHAs.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>Individuals with motor impairments may not be able to use a mouse or keyboard to select or type the correct answer.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>Users with low bandwidth or slow internet connection may not be able to load the CAPTCHA in time or at all.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>People who use screen readers or other alternative communication devices might not pass automatic CAPTCHAs since their activity online differs significantly from other users. E.G. they might use the tab key to skip to different areas on the page, ignore some elements entirely, or have the content read to them, which affects how they scroll through the web&nbsp;page.</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These challenges can result in frustration, fatigue, and exclusion for users with disabilities. This severe impact on accessibility directly works against many organizations’ stated goals of inclusion. And from a purely business standpoint, it reduces the potential customer base for an organization&#8217;s product or service.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="other-limitations-of-captchas " class="wp-block-heading">Other limitations of CAPTCHAs&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="an-inconvenient-user-experience " class="wp-block-heading">An inconvenient user experience&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs interrupt user interaction and force visitors to perform tasks that aren’t related to their goals. This can annoy and frustrate people, especially if the CAPTCHAs are hard to solve, take too long, or appear repeatedly. CAPTCHAs can be confusing or unclear for users who are not familiar with the language or the content of the&nbsp;challenges.</p>\n\n<h3 id="inadequate-spam prevention" class="wp-block-heading">Inadequate spam&nbsp;prevention</h3>\n\n\n<p>The whole point of using CAPTCHAs is to stop malicious bot activity. But research shows that CAPTCHAs don’t always work. And even when they do, they come with side effects businesses don’t like.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs can be defeated by sophisticated bots that use computer vision, machine learning, or artificial intelligence to crack the challenges. Some newer AI tools, like GPT-v4, have even been used to <a href="https://cheq.ai/blog/testing-ai-gpt-4v-against-captcha/">solve CAPTCHA challenges</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>reCAPTCHA v2, which relies on behavioral analysis and risk scores, can be fooled by bots that mimic human actions and mouse movements. Additionally, there are online services that offer to solve CAPTCHAs for a fee, either by using <a href="https://www.zenrows.com/blog/bypass-captcha-web-scraping">automated software</a> or by employing low-paid human workers. These services can be used by spammers, hackers, or malicious actors to bypass CAPTCHAs and access restricted websites or resources.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="poor-conversion-rates-and-user-engagement " class="wp-block-heading">Poor conversion rates and user engagement&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs can negatively impact the functionality and profitability of websites, especially when it comes to user registration, online transactions, or user-generated content. CAPTCHAs add a step, creating friction in the user journey. As a result, this can reduce the number of people who sign up, purchase, or comment.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using CAPTCHAs not only reduces spam, but conversion rates, customer loyalty, and revenue, too.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>A <a href="https://web.stanford.edu/~jurafsky/burszstein_2010_captcha.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford study</a> found that conversions can drop by up to 40% with a CAPTCHA challenge.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>So, if CAPTCHAs aren’t the best option, what is?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h2 id="akismet-a-superior-alternative-to-captcha technology" class="wp-block-heading">Akismet: a superior alternative to CAPTCHA&nbsp;technology</h2>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs aren’t always effective at stopping bots — their primary job — and negatively impact engagement and conversions from real humans. So, are there other options?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akismet is a simple-to-implement solution to handle not only spam comments, but spam form submissions, and even spam user registrations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its launch in 2005, Akismet has blocked over 500 billion pieces of spam. It uses machine learning technology that has a 99.99% accuracy rate in identifying spam. It’s also constantly learning from the more than one hundred million sites that use its service.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="1600" height="637" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-4.png" alt="Akismet homepage" class="wp-image-283926" />\n\n\n\n<h3 id="how-akismet-works " class="wp-block-heading">How Akismet works&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n<p><a href="https://akismet.com/features/">Akismet works behind the scenes</a>, without requiring any input or action from the user. It automatically filters out spam and bot comments, trackbacks, pingbacks, contact form submissions, and other unwanted&nbsp;content.</p>\n\n<p>It does all of this by comparing each submission to its massive database of known spam patterns and behaviors, continuously being refined by a network of over 100 million&nbsp;sites.</p>\n\n\n<p>These anti-spam activities happen on the cloud — meaning it doesn’t impact your site’s performance.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akismet is popular for sites using WordPress and works with numerous plugins like Jetpack, Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, and WooCommerce.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>However, Akismet has an incredibly&#8209;flexible API that also allows it to be integrated into any&nbsp;application</p>\n\n\n<p><strong>Akismet simply works.</strong> And even if the algorithm <em>does </em>make a mistake (it’s bound to happen 0.01% of the time) and accidentally flags a comment or contact form message as spam, website administrators can see it in the dashboard and immediately address the problem. So, it learns from any mistakes it makes.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<p>Plus, if your business needs a custom solution, Akismet’s <a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/">enterprise team</a> stands ready to&nbsp;help.</p>\n\n\n<img width="1600" height="746" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-5.png" alt="Akimet page with text " />\n\n\n<h3 id="comparing-akismet-and captcha" class="wp-block-heading">Comparing Akismet and&nbsp;CAPTCHA</h3>\n\n\n<p>While Akismet and CAPTCHAs work very differently, it’s worth comparing a few important features:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>CAPTCHAs force visitors to prove they aren’t human, while Akismet works behind the scenes, requiring no input or action from the user.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>CAPTCHAs require people to complete a challenge, like identifying images or typing distorted text. Akismet doesn’t interrupt or annoy users with any extra steps.&nbsp;</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>CAPTCHAs can reduce conversion rates and user satisfaction, as well as exclude visitors with disabilities or low bandwidth. Akismet doesn’t affect the accessibility or usability of the site.&nbsp;</li>\n\n<li>CAPTCHAs often make mistakes that website owners never even know about. Akismet, on the other hand, has a dashboard on the backend of the website where any mistakes can be seen and corrected. And it learns from any mistakes it makes.&nbsp;</li></ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="captcha-or-akismet-â-the-choice-is-clear " class="wp-block-heading">CAPTCHA or Akismet — the choice is clear&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n<p>You definitely need something to protect your site from spam. So, should you opt for CAPTCHAs’ proof of humanity tests or Akismet’s behind&#8209;the&#8209;scenes low&#8209;friction&nbsp;solution?</p>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are no longer the best way to protect your site from spam and bots. They annoy, exclude, and discourage visitors, making them less likely to engage with your content or services.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Akismet stops many different kinds of spam with near perfect accuracy! And it doesn’t make users jump through hoops. The result is better engagement, higher conversion rates, and a healthier business and community.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://akismet.com/pricing/">Get started with Akismet</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions " class="wp-block-heading">Frequently asked questions&nbsp;</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to know more about CAPTCHAs? We’ve got answers below.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id="what-does-captcha-stand-for " class="wp-block-heading">What does CAPTCHA stand for?&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Humans and Robots&nbsp;Apart.”</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="who-invented-captcha " class="wp-block-heading">Who invented CAPTCHA?&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Engineer and researcher Luis von Ahn and his team at Carnegie Mellon University are largely credited with advancing and naming CAPTCHA as we know it today. However, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and AltaVista used more primitive versions in the years leading up to Luis Von Ahn’s work.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="what-are-the-most-common-use-cases-for captcha" class="wp-block-heading">What are the most common use cases for&nbsp;CAPTCHA?</h3>\n\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs were most commonly used to stop automated bots from performing damaging functions, like flooding comments sections of websites with irrelevant or dangerous content.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n<h3 id="what-are-the-main-advantages-of captcha" class="wp-block-heading">What are the main advantages of&nbsp;CAPTCHA?</h3>\n\n<p>There are some clear advantages of CAPTCHA. It can be a somewhat effective way to stop spam comments on your site, comes from a trusted source (it’s a Google service), and is a completely free&nbsp;solution.</p>\n\n<h3 id="what-are-the-main-drawbacks-of captcha" class="wp-block-heading">What are the main drawbacks of&nbsp;CAPTCHA?</h3>\n\n<p>CAPTCHAs are now too simple to detect most bots, as computers have learned to accurately solve the challenges they present. They also disrupt the user experience — causing humans to abandon legitimate efforts. Finally, they add weight to sites, potentially impacting&nbsp;performance.</p>\n\n<h3 id="what-is-the-best-alternative-to-captcha-for-spam prevention" class="wp-block-heading">What is the best alternative to CAPTCHA for spam&nbsp;prevention?</h3>\n\n<p>Akismet is, by far, the best alternative to CAPTCHA. Unlike CAPTCHA, it doesn’t require website visitors to take any action on your site to prove their humanity. This makes for an enhanced user experience, better accessibility, and higher conversion rates. At the same time, it’s incredibly accurate, with a 99.99% accuracy&nbsp;rate.</p>\n\n<h3 id="how-many-websites-use-akismet-for-spam prevention" class="wp-block-heading">How many websites use Akismet for spam&nbsp;prevention?</h3>\n\n<p>Over 100 million websites, across platforms like WordPress, Drupal, phpBB3, and Joomla, use Akismet to stop all kinds of spam without detracting from the user&nbsp;experience.</p>\n\n<h3 id="are-there-any-case-studies-of-companies-that-use akismet" class="wp-block-heading">Are there any case studies of companies that use&nbsp;Akismet?</h3>\n\n<p>Yes, absolutely! If you&#8217;re interested in reading more, find out how <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/convertkit-customerstory/">ConvertKit</a> uses Akismet to protect the creator economy from spam. You can also read about how <a href="https://akismet.com/blog/saying-no-to-spam-on-smitten-kitchens-popular-food-site/">Smitten Kitchen</a> protects their popular blog using&nbsp;Akismet.</p>\n\n\n<img width="1446" height="1052" src="https://akismet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-6.png" alt="comment section on a food blog" class="wp-image-283928" />\n\n\n<h3 id="where-can-i-learn-more-about akismet" class="wp-block-heading">Where can I learn more about&nbsp;Akismet?</h3>\n\n\n<p>You’ll find a full list of <a href="https://akismet.com/features/">Akismet features on their site</a>. Most website owners can choose a plan and get started from the <a href="https://akismet.com/pricing/">pricing page</a>. Representatives for enterprise organizations can <a href="https://akismet.com/enterprise/">learn more about advanced solutions here</a>.&nbsp;</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, 15 May 2024 13:00:00 +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:11:"Jen Swisher";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:77:"Do The Woo Community: Meet New Hosts Marcel and Mike Talking WooCommerce HPOS";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=83529";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:76:"https://dothewoo.io/meet-new-hosts-marcel-and-mike-talking-woocommerce-hpos/";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:176:"Marcel and Mike discuss their recent work with WooCommerce''s High-Performance Order Storage (HPOS) updates, including challenges with plugin compatibility and database cleanup.";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, 15 May 2024 10:58:04 +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:5;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:19:"Matt: Karaoke Hacks";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=114208";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:36:"https://ma.tt/2024/05/karaoke-hacks/";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:1631:"<p>You can&#8217;t sing. I can&#8217;t sing. But we both should sing, from the depths of our bellies because it&#8217;s good for your soul. We don&#8217;t sing enough in modern society! Hence, my love of karaoke.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Live band karaoke is the best, which I&#8217;ve done everywhere from the basement of Hill Country BBQ in New York to someplace random in Davao after a WordCamp, but when you don&#8217;t have a four piece band there are electronic substitutes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first hack to do karaoke anywhere, which I&#8217;m surprised more people don&#8217;t know, is just search YouTube for [the song you&#8217;re looking for] + karaoke. You get something <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvjWl7lvrnk">like this Fly Me To The Moon</a>. Every modern TV has YouTube and you&#8217;ll be singing along with the TV in no time. I went down a long rabbit hole of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GR69D9L/?tag=photomatt08-20">wireless mics</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OA6JU2/?tag=photomatt08-20">auto-tuners</a>, speakers, etc, and I have emerged back concluding that a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B8HZK281/?tag=photomatt08-20">USB-C wireless speaker microphone</a> gives a lot of the benefits without as much hassle.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next level up, and worth the subscription, is that the <a href="https://www.karafun.com/">Karafun apps are actually pretty good</a>. You can even run it on MacOS with an HDMI cable to the TV and they have a QR code and queuing system. Pretty slick, pretty fun, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhFnTjia_I">Sweet Caroline</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, 15 May 2024 03:28:28 +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:6;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:49:"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 12.5.0 Maintenance Release";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=334031";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://buddypress.org/2024/05/buddypress-12-5-0-maintenance-release/";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:1718:"<p>Immediately available is <a href="https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.12.5.0.zip">BuddyPress 12.5.0</a>. This maintenance release fixes <strong>8</strong> bugs. We are releasing this new version pretty soon after our <a href="https://buddypress.org/2024/05/buddypress-12-4-1-security-release/">latest security release</a> in order to fix 5 regressions introduced by it. Thanks in advance for your understanding.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For details on all changes, please read the <a href="https://codex.buddypress.org/releases/version-12-5-0/">12.5.0 release notes</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Update to BuddyPress 12.5.0 today in your WordPress Dashboard, or by <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress/">downloading it from the WordPress.org plugin repository</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Many thanks to 12.5.0 contributors <span class="dashicons dashicons-heart"></span></h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/yagniksangani"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/respawnsive/">respawnsive</a></a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnjamesjacoby"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/gingerbooch/">gingerbooch</a></a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/boonebgorges">boonebgorges</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/r-a-y">r-a-y</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/vapvarun"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/johndawson155">johndawson155</a></a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/testovac"><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/poojasahgal">poojasahgal</a></a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/emaralive">emaralive</a> &amp; <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/imath/">imath</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, 14 May 2024 19:48:22 +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:12:"Mathieu Viet";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:7;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:93:"WordPress.org blog: WP Briefing: Episode 79: Why Start a WordPress Media Corps (and Why Now?)";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://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=17253";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://wordpress.org/news/2024/05/episode-79-why-start-a-wordpress-media-corps-and-why-now/";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:11962:"<p>There’s a new initiative in the WordPress community: the WordPress Media Corps. In today’s episode of the WordPress Briefing, you’ll find out how it came to be, first as a nugget of an idea during the pandemic and now as an active experiment. Learn how this shift in focus values the ongoing impact, and often invisible effort, of independent WordPress media—and seeks to help them more easily deliver engaging, high-quality WordPress content to their audiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credits</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Host:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a><br />Editor:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/">Dustin Hartzler</a><br />Logo:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/javiarce/">Javier Arce</a><br />Production:&nbsp;<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/bjmcsherry/">Brett McSherry</a><br />Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Show Notes</h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/03/20/making-a-wordpress-media-corps/">Making a WordPress Media Corps</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/04/29/wordpress-media-corps-next-steps/">WordPress Media Corps Next Steps</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/media-corps/2024/05/03/wordpress-media-corps-initial-roadmap/">WordPress Media Corps Initial Roadmap</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C0723V9S7CY">#media-corps</a>&nbsp;Slack channel</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Small List of Big Things</strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/04/23/wordpress-6-6-call-for-volunteers-update/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordPress 6.6 call for volunteers update</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2024/05/wordpress-6-5-3-maintenance-release/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordPress 6.5.3 maintenance release</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse/2024/04/16/introducing-collection-views-for-tags-creators-and-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Openverse Introduces Collection views for Tags, Creators, and Sources</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2024/schedule/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordCamp Europe 2024 Schedule Released</a></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? Submit them to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wpbriefing@WordPress.org">WPBriefing@WordPress.org</a>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transcript</h2>\n\n\n\n<span id="more-17253"></span>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:00]&nbsp;<strong>Josepha:</strong>&nbsp;Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project, some insight into the community that supports it, and get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:28] (Intro Music)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:00:39] <strong>Josepha:</strong> If you&#8217;ve been keeping an eye on the WordPress marketing space for the past few months, today&#8217;s topic will be no surprise to you. Today, we&#8217;re talking about the WordPress Media Corps. It&#8217;s a bit of a controversial topic; there&#8217;s no point denying that, so today, I want to take a little journey through its history.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WordPress Media Corps is an idea that goes back probably four, maybe five years ago. I don&#8217;t know what year it is—four years, five, four, or five years ago. It was the height of our COVID isolation. So I was spending a lot of time with our WordPress media folks, people who hosted podcasts, who gathered weekly roundups, and who were writing these nuanced and thoughtful newsletters.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:01:19] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And during the prep phases for these, I was witnessing all the work that goes into them, researching questions and topics, marketing both before and after any appearance, and consistently engaging with the audiences they had grown over time. Over the course of the year, I wound up in two or three different conversations with these hosts about how this does or doesn&#8217;t fit in the WordPress project as a way to contribute.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, invisible contributions are a persistent concern for any open source project and is one of the problems I am often most desperate to solve. As with so many long-standing problems, if the solution were easy, it wouldn&#8217;t still be a problem. And that&#8217;s the case here as well. I&#8217;ve got a quick side note on why this is a hard problem to solve at the end of the episode. It&#8217;s relevant to the overall discussion, but not if you&#8217;re only here to learn about how we arrived at the Media Corps. So, choose your own adventure!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:02:16] <strong>Josepha:</strong> So, during one of those discussions, Allie Nimmons reminded me that we have always relied on third-party supporters to share information about WordPress. It was a smaller group than we have now, much less variety in the format, but they didn&#8217;t have contribution acknowledgments either, right?&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And she was right. They were included in something called the WP Planet. And I remember that I said to her what I wouldn&#8217;t give to be able to acknowledge the value that WordPress media folks bring to our ecosystem. These folks who have more flexibility than us can be a little more, more nimble who are canonical power users of WordPress, sharing not only what they are excited about now and in the near future but also the things that they had to learn in order to get the most out of the features and the software.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:07] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Like that&#8217;s practically a gold standard of the people that we want to have talking about us.&nbsp; And, for folks who&#8217;ve worked with Allie, you probably can predict what&#8217;s next. You know she&#8217;s not afraid to call it like she sees it, and she called me on my excessive dreaming. She asked me what actually was stopping me from getting that done. I don&#8217;t recall if I had an answer for her at the time. I, I probably didn&#8217;t, but ultimately, I think the answer was, most likely, that I was afraid to try. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>So you might be asking yourself, what has changed my mind since then? What has changed since 2020, when I was maybe too scared to get this done? Why does now feel like the right time compared to when I was first thinking through it? Well, for starters, when we look at then, we look at the context of then; it was my second year leading us. It was 2020, the year of COVID. And I was desperately trying to roll out a disaster recovery plan, incomplete though it was.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:06] <strong>Josepha:</strong> I wasn&#8217;t sure how much more disruption we as a community could stand, so I didn&#8217;t want to take any more risks than I had to. Which brings us to today. One of my big obstacles to tackle this year is our plateauing growth. I said it right there in my big-picture post for 2024. Re-engaging those gold standard users who are talking about us while making it clear that their contributions add to the success of the project seems like a high-impact opportunity to me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve kicked off our initial experiment for the Media Corps. As with many high-impact projects, there&#8217;s also a high potential for risk, so I&#8217;m trying to get a clear indication of success as early as possible. Because of that, the experiment is time-limited and has pretty strict guidelines up front. It&#8217;s also being paired with a pause on the current work with the marketing team, just so that we can focus as much attention to get that signal sooner rather than later.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Not everyone agrees with this plan, which is to be expected. There are so many seasoned marketing professionals in WordPress, myself included, and I mean, our software is a primary tool in so many marketing tool belts. It probably would be odd if we didn&#8217;t have any marketers around. So there you have it, a brief explanation of how we got to today&#8217;s Media Corps experiment.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Quick side note on why it&#8217;s a hard problem is that a good first step to acknowledging invisible work is removing the need for human recognition of the work. I&#8217;ve worked with teams, guided them since I got here to define contributions as granularly as possible so that we can find ways to attach automated triggers to them so that you don&#8217;t have to do a ton of invisible things for someone to notice them and give you props for them. Obviously, the more automation, the more dehumanization, and of course, the work of breaking things into tiny chunks feels like micromanagement; it feels like value assessment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:01] <strong>Josepha:</strong> It also often felt like kind of a toxic tallying of who was doing what where. None of that is what any of us wanted when I started that work, and it&#8217;s certainly not what I want now. But because it is so often misread as a way to, like, separate out good contributions from bad, not all teams have embarked on that journey with me. And for those who have done that with me, not all of them have actually implemented, kind of that definition of the individual types of contributions you can make so that we can do that kind of automated acknowledgment of the work.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:40] (Music interlude)&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:47] <strong>Josepha:</strong> Which brings us now to our small list of big things. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>First on our list is WordPress 6.6. It&#8217;s our next major release. There are still a few volunteer roles that are available. I think documentation lead is one. So, if you are the sort of folk who just loves to write the docs, it&#8217;s been a while since you have done that for the WordPress project, with the WordPress project. That&#8217;s a great opportunity for you to kind of dip your toe in and see what&#8217;s going on in the world of WordPress. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:15] <strong>Josepha:</strong> The second thing on our list is a minor release that actually came out last week. It&#8217;s a maintenance release, but it&#8217;s one of those where it&#8217;s really important to get upgraded and make sure that you have the latest security and maintenance releases on all of your sites that are in production.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third thing on our list is about Openverse. Openverse is now offering a new way to explore our collection. We&#8217;ve got over 800 million images and audio files in there. And so, the collection search makes it easier to view works that are belonging to an individual tag, creator, or source. It just kind of helps you filter it out a little bit more so that there are more decisions than there are options available in there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the fourth thing on my list is that the WordCamp Europe 2024 schedule has been released. We&#8217;ll be talking a bit more about this event as we get closer and closer to it. We are racing our way. It&#8217;s like a month away as we go. So take a look, plan your activities, and come and check out our community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:16] <strong>Josepha:</strong> And that, my friends, is your small list of big things. Don&#8217;t forget to follow us on your favorite podcast app or subscribe directly on WordPress.org/news. You&#8217;ll get a friendly reminder whenever there&#8217;s a new episode. If you liked what you heard today, share it with a fellow WordPresser. Or, if you had questions about what you heard, you can share those with me at WPBriefing@WordPress.org. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Thanks for tuning in today for the WordPress Briefing, and I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:44] (Music outro)&nbsp;</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, 14 May 2024 12:00:00 +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:"Brett McSherry";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:8;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:100:"Do The Woo Community: All You Need to Know About WCEU 2024 with Organizers Hacer, Liza and Piermario";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=83488";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:98:"https://dothewoo.io/all-you-need-to-know-about-wceu-2024-with-organizers-hacer-liza-and-piermario/";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:129:"Devin, Liza, Hacer, and Piermario discuss WordCamp Europe 2024 preparations, diversity initiatives, and the new WordCamp Connect.";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, 14 May 2024 08:37:24 +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:9;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: Advancing Web Accessibility with Anne and Taeke";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=83420";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://dothewoo.io/advancing-web-accessibility-with-anne-and-taeke/";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:144:"Hosts Anne and Taeke discussing their commitment to web accessibility, legal and ethical implications, and the business impact of accessibility.";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, 13 May 2024 08:30:03 +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: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:66:"Gravatar: OAuth 2.0 Simplified: Unraveling Authorization Protocols";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=1408";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:93:"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/05/10/oauth-2-0-simplified-unraveling-authorization-protocols/";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:19995:"<p>When it comes to web security and user authentication, <a href="https://oauth.net/2/">OAuth 2.0</a> is one of the most crucial protocols for managing access permissions without risking user passwords.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you’re looking to implement OAuth 2.0, this guide will go through its main characteristics and essential components, such as different roles, grant types, and endpoints that create a flexible authorization framework.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What is Oauth2, and how is it used?</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An evolution of the now-obsolete OAuth 1.0, OAuth 2.0 is an industry-standard protocol for authorization, facilitating secure access to user data across the internet. It enables applications to obtain user data from a service provider, all without requiring the user to share their password with the application. This protocol acts as the middle man, granting access rights rather than exchanging sensitive login credentials. Here’s how:</p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>An application requests access to resources controlled by the user and hosted by a service provider. </li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upon user approval, the application receives an access token from the OAuth 2.0 server. </li>\n\n\n\n<li>This token then allows the application to access the user’s data, but only within the scope that the user has approved.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="330" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-24.png?w=660" alt="OAuth Protocol" class="wp-image-1409" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p>OAuth 2.0 greatly improves security and reduces potential vulnerabilities, as applications do not need to store, manage, or directly handle user passwords. It helps protect user privacy by ensuring that applications can only access specific, user-approved information. This selective access is important in minimizing the risk of over-sharing personal data.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most visible applications of OAuth 2.0 in everyday internet use is the “Log in with…” feature found on many websites. This allows users to access multiple platforms using a single set of credentials, streamlining the login process while maintaining high security and privacy standards.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="660" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-25.png?w=660" alt="Example of sign-in window " class="wp-image-1410" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Roles in the OAuth 2 framework</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the different roles and their interactions within the OAuth 2.0 framework is necessary for developers and IT professionals aiming to implement OAuth in their applications. Let’s take a look:</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Resource owner</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The resource owner is the person or entity that has the authority to grant access to their private resources (like personal information or data) stored on a server. This person decides whether an application can access that data and what level of access it can have.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you are using a service like a social media platform and a third-party application requests permission to access your profile information or post updates on your behalf, you, as the resource owner, have the authority to approve or deny such requests. This approval often comes in the form of an authentication process followed by an authorization step, where you explicitly grant permissions to the application.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Resource server</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The resource server safely stores the resource owner’s data and is responsible for validating the access tokens presented by the client, ensuring that only authorized requests are fulfilled.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon receiving a request, the resource server checks the accompanying access token to verify its authenticity and relevance for the requested resources. If the token is valid, the resource server proceeds to serve the requested data, following strict security measures.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides the token validation, the process includes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption, scope restriction, rate limiting and monitoring, and secure token storage.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Client</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The client refers to the application seeking access to the resource owner’s account. It initiates the authorization process by generating an authorization request Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), which redirects the resource owner to a consent page. Here, the resource owner can approve or deny the request for access.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon receiving authorization, the client is issued access tokens by the authorization server. These tokens are critical for accessing protected resources because they prevent unauthorized access and ensure the continued trust of the resource owner.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why the client must manage them with utmost security, including storing them securely and handling token renewal processes efficiently.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Authorization server</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The authorization server checks the resource owner’s login details and gives access tokens to the client. It has two main parts: <strong>the authorization endpoint </strong>and <strong>the token endpoint</strong>. The authorization endpoint is where the resource owner says yes to the client’s request for access. The token endpoint is where the client trades a special code for an access token.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These parts help make sure that the client and the authorization server can talk safely and clearly and that access tokens are given out only after the resource owner’s details are correctly checked and approved.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Diving into OAuth 2.0 grant types</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>OAuth 2.0 offers several grant types, each designed to cater to specific authorization scenarios. Understanding these grant types, their applications, advantages, and potential drawbacks is vital for implementing secure and effective authorization mechanisms.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Authorization code</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Web and mobile applications primarily utilize the authorization code grant type to obtain an access token after the resource owner grants access. This process is simple: </p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>The application redirects the user to the authorization server, where they can log in and approve the access request. </li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upon approval, an authorization code is sent back to the application, typically via a callback URL – this is called “redirection.”</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The application then exchanges this code for an access token at the authorization server. </li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This method enhances security by using “verifiers” or “secrets” that prevent the interception of the access token. The redirection mechanism, coupled with the code exchange, forms a secure foundation for granting access while mitigating risks associated with direct token exposure.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Refresh token</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Refresh tokens are used to maintain long-term application access without requiring the user to authorize repeatedly. Once an access token expires, the application can use a refresh token to obtain a new one, thus ensuring continuous access. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>This mechanism is particularly beneficial for applications that require prolonged access to a user’s resources. However, it introduces security considerations, such as the potential for refresh token theft, so users have to be extremely careful to protect these tokens and limit unauthorized access.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Client credentials</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The client credentials grant type is tailored for scenarios where an application needs to access its own resources rather than acting on behalf of a user. In this flow, the client authenticates itself with the authorization server using its own credentials and receives an access token in return.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This grant type simplifies the authorization process for accessing the client’s resources, making it suitable for internal applications that require no user interaction.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These include: </p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Application authentication for <strong>accessing cloud resources</strong> to perform operations like backups, data analysis, or scaling resources based on load.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authorization for <strong>automated tasks like database cleanup or software updates</strong>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Application <strong>access to public APIs without user data</strong>.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authentication for applications <strong>retrieving metrics, performing health checks, or executing management commands</strong>.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, since it does not involve user authorization, it is not applicable for accessing user-specific data.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Resource owner password</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The resource owner password grant type assumes a high level of trust between the user and the client, as it involves sharing sensitive login details. It works like this:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>User provides username and password to the client.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The client sends these credentials to the authorization server.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authorization server verifies credentials.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>If valid, the server issues an access token (and optionally a refresh token) to the client.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>The client uses the access token for authenticated requests on behalf of the user.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to its inherent security risks, such as the potential for credential theft, this grant type should be used sparingly and only in contexts where other, more secure methods are impractical.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing additional security measures, like using this grant type exclusively with confidential clients and adding extra layers of authentication, can help mitigate these risks.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Understanding endpoints in the OAuth2 framework</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the OAuth2 framework, there are two key endpoints – ‘/authorize’ and ‘/oauth/token’. Using an OAuth library or framework can greatly simplify the management of these endpoints, handling much of the complexity behind the scenes.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>/authorize endpoint</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The ‘/authorize endpoint’ serves as the initial step in the authorization process, where the resource owner authenticates with the service and grants access to the application. This endpoint is crucial for obtaining an authorization code in grant types like the ‘authorization code’ and, historically, the ‘implicit’ grant type.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it’s important to note that the implicit grant type is no longer recommended by OAuth best practices and may be prohibited on some servers due to security concerns.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a user accesses the ‘/authorize endpoint’, they are presented with a consent screen. The URL for this endpoint typically includes several key parameters:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Client ID: </strong>The public identifier for the application.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Redirect URI:</strong> The location where the authorization server sends the user after granting or denying access.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Response type:</strong> Indicates the authorization processing flow, typically set to “code” for the authorization code flow.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scope:</strong> Specifies the level of access that the application is requesting.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>State:</strong> A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) token that can be used to mitigate CSRF attacks.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These parameters help ensure the authorization request is explicit about its intentions and secure against potential threats.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>/oauth/token endpoint</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The ‘/oauth/token endpoint’ is where the application can make a POST request to exchange an authorization code for an access token, renew an access token using a refresh token, or obtain an access token directly through the client credentials grant. This endpoint supports various grant types, including ‘authorization code’, ‘password’, ‘client credentials’, and ‘refresh token’.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When generating tokens, the authorization server must ensure they are created securely and include any optional refresh tokens. This process is essential for maintaining the security and integrity of the access tokens. To prevent CSRF and other attacks, tokens must be handled securely, necessitating the use of HTTPS for all communications with this endpoint.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>A POST request to the ‘/oauth/token endpoint’ requires specific parameters depending on the grant type being used:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Grant type: </strong>Specifies the grant type of the request.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Client ID and client secret:</strong> Credentials that authenticate the client to the server.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Code:</strong> The authorization code received from the ‘/authorize endpoint’ (for the authorization code grant type).</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Redirect URI:</strong> Must match the URI used in the original authorization request.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Understanding the authorization code flow</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The authorization code flow is designed to facilitate secure interactions between the client, the authorization server, and the resource server.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This flow is particularly important because it ensures that access tokens are not exposed in environments that are not fully secure, such as a user’s browser, thereby significantly reducing the risk of token interception.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Step 1: User authorization request</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The process begins when the client directs the user to the authorization server. Here, the user authenticates themselves and consents to the client’s request for access to their resources.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This step is initiated through a URL that the client constructs, which includes parameters like the client ID, the requested scope, the redirect URI, and a state parameter for CSRF protection. An example URL might look like this:</p>\n\n\n\n<table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://authorization-server.com/authorize?response_type=code&client_id=CLIENT_ID&redirect_uri=CALLBACK_URI&scope=REQUESTED_SCOPE&state=CSRF_TOKEN" rel="nofollow">https://authorization-server.com/authorize?response_type=code&#038;client_id=CLIENT_ID&#038;redirect_uri=CALLBACK_URI&#038;scope=REQUESTED_SCOPE&#038;state=CSRF_TOKEN</a></td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Step 2: Redirection and authorization code</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon successful authentication and authorization by the user, the authorization server redirects the user back to the client using the redirect URI provided in the initial request. This redirection URI includes an important element: the authorization code. It may also contain the state parameter if it was included in the initial request, ensuring that the request has not been tampered with.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Step 3: Exchanging the authorization code for an access token</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The client then takes this authorization code and makes a backend request to the authorization server’s ‘/oauth/token’ endpoint to exchange it for an access token. This step is crucial because it occurs server-to-server, far from the potential prying eyes of malicious actors in the user’s browser environment. The request includes the authorization code, the client’s ID and secret (for confidential clients), and the redirect URI to verify the request’s authenticity.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authorization code flow offers significant security advantages. By obtaining the authorization code through a user-agent redirect and exchanging it for an access token in a server-to-server call, the access token is kept away from the user’s browser history, reducing the risk of exposure.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This method provides a mechanism that caters to confidential and public clients while upholding the security integrity of the OAuth 2.0 framework.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Pairing Gravatar with your authorization server</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="403" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-26.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar homepage" class="wp-image-1412" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p>The security of your users doesn’t stop with authentication but also extends to the way you manage their data. <a href="https://gravatar.com/">Gravatar</a>, widely recognized for its globally unique avatars, is a profile management tool suitable for all kinds of websites, applications, and eCommerce stores.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your website is integrated with Gravatar, then you’ll be able to import profiles from anyone who signs up with you and has a Gravatar profile. You’ll get access to any data that users have consented to reveal – and this not only streamlines the profile creation process but also ensures you don’t have to directly store user data from your end.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can set Gravatar up in minutes and provide your clients with a great user experience while enjoying enhanced privacy and security measures.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is why Gravatar is an essential pairing with your OAuth authorization server:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Easy integration:</strong> Developers can integrate <a href="https://docs.gravatar.com/general/hash/">Gravatar’s API</a> into their applications in a matter of minutes. The process is straightforward, allowing for quick setup and minimal configuration.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leveraging user data:</strong> Gravatar allows client applications to access and utilize users’ Gravatar profiles and functionalities. This capability enables developers to create a more personalized and cohesive user experience by incorporating user avatars and profile information seamlessly within their applications. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security and data management: </strong>With Gravatar acting as the digital identity management platform, all user data is securely stored on Gravatar’s servers, relieving client applications of the burden and responsibility of managing sensitive user information. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved onboarding experience:</strong> By leveraging Gravatar’s platform, users can carry their online identities across different sites and applications seamlessly. This continuity promotes a sense of familiarity and personalization, as users can instantly recognize their own Gravatar profiles, facilitating smoother and more welcoming user interactions from the outset.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Take action: Secure your app with OAuth 2.0</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With its capability to protect sensitive information and ensure a seamless user experience, OAuth 2.0 stands as one of the best authorization protocols to keep websites and applications safe while facilitating access to user data. Choosing a professional authorization service can significantly streamline the integration of OAuth 2.0, enhancing your app’s security and user experience.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, by integrating your website or web app with Gravatar, you get a reliable way of verifying your users when they sign up, a streamlined way for them to create profiles, and a secure third-party system for storing user information.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don’t wait to secure your app with the industry-standard tool in digital identity management and authorization. <a href="https://docs.gravatar.com/">Explore more about how Gravatar can be used alongside your authentication platform</a> and take the first step towards a more secure, user-friendly application experience.</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, 10 May 2024 17:39:51 +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:11;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:53:"HeroPress: HeroPress in Taco Land, and in Pizza Land!";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=6773";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:147:"https://heropress.com/heropress-in-taco-land-and-in-pizza-land/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heropress-in-taco-land-and-in-pizza-land";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:14850:"<img width="1024" height="683" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/196639fbe23c9bd8.61422393-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="A yellow motorcycle parked on the sidewalk of a narrow urban alleyway with white buildings and graffiti on the walls." /><div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_3be450-2d"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_2e6ddb-21 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_ff075e-83 inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 class="kt-adv-heading6773_7ae94a-21 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading">Memories</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yesterday would have been my mother&#8217;s birthday, <a href="https://topher1kenobe.com/fifteen-years-without-my-mom/">it&#8217;s been 15 years</a>. Here&#8217;s a photo of her in her beloved forest with a grand daughter.</p>\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/anne_and_granddaughter_walking-840x341-1.webp"><img width="840" height="341" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/anne_and_granddaughter_walking-840x341-1.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-6775" /></a>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_8a1faf-ac"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_7b9e14-9e alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_3ea4b3-86 inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 class="kt-adv-heading6773_195a97-37 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading">HeroPress In Italy</h2>\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wceu_updates.jpg"><img width="1024" height="296" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/wceu_updates-1024x296.jpg" alt="WCEU Latest Updates" class="wp-image-6680" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p>WordCamp Europe 2024 is just about exactly one month away. We&#8217;re going through Detroit and Paris-De Gaulle, and arriving at about 10:30am on Tuesday. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who are we going to see? Stop by the <a href="https://heropress.com/slack/">HeroPress Slack</a> and let is know, I&#8217;d love to touch base with you!</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_763cc5-10"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_d10ec9-b7 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_10001b-72 inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 class="kt-adv-heading6773_0e2b08-02 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading"><a href="https://heropress.com/">HeroPress.com</a> &#8211; <a href="https://heropress.com/essays/being-a-freelancer-can-be-the-most-stable-thing-in-taco-land/">Being a freelancer can be the most stable thing in Taco land</a></h2>\n\n\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default">\n<a href="https://heropress.com/essays/being-a-freelancer-can-be-the-most-stable-thing-in-taco-land/"><img width="300" height="300" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Jos-Velasco-3-min-300x300.jpg" alt="Jos Velasco" class="wp-image-4086" /></a></div>\n\n\n<p>When Jos wrote his essay he lived in Mexico, but has since moved to Bogotá!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>As time goes by, you realize that it is a good idea to choose your battles. And that there are things that you can achieve little by little if you have enough continuity.</em></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jos&#8217;s essay is <a href="https://heropress.com/essays/being-a-freelancer-can-be-the-most-stable-thing-in-taco-land/">available</a> on <a href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress.com</a>.</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_d40e4d-dd"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_792db0-92 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_5ac0da-65 inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 class="kt-adv-heading6773_fa6ad8-b2 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading"><a href="https://heropress.com/">Press Releases!</a></h2>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default">\n<img src="https://heropressnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pressitwp_logo-300x130.jpg" alt="Press It WP" class="wp-image-4736" /></div>\n\n\n<p><a href="https://pressitwp.com">PressItWP.com</a> has been a part of the <a href="https://heropressnetwork.com">HeroPress Network</a> for almost a year now, if you ever release Press Releases, please consider <a href="https://pressitwp.com">PressItWP</a>!</p>\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-wp-community-collective-and-godaddy-launch-new-program-to-empower-and-promote-underrepresented-speakers-in-wordpress"><a href="https://www.thewpcommunitycollective.com/2024/05/06/press-release-godaddy-wc-fellows/#new_tab">The WP Community Collective and GoDaddy Launch New Program to Empower and Promote Underrepresented Speakers in WordPress</a></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dateline: May 7, 2024 Source:  <a href="https://pressitwp.com/source/courtneyr_dev/">The WP Community Collective</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WP Community Collective, in partnership with GoDaddy, is thrilled to announce the WC Fellowship program, which aims to support and promote underrepresented speakers within the WordPress community. This initiative not only offers financial support and networking opportunities but also strengthens the collective voice by increasing diversity at WordPress events.</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_f38b4f-91"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_eccff4-f3 alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_f99cd6-55 inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 class="kt-adv-heading6773_9b9fab-5d wp-block-kadence-advancedheading"><a href="https://wppodcasts.com">WP Podcasts</a></h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href="https://wppodcasts.com"><img src="https://heropressnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pocket_casts_single_315.png" alt="Pocket Casts image" class="wp-image-4316" /></a>\n\n\n\n<p>There were <em>Twenty-three</em> WordPress podcast episodes released this week!</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href="https://dothewoo.io/take-the-gender-equality-in-wordpress-businesses-survey/#new_tab">Take the Gender Equality in WordPress Businesses Survey</a> from <a href="https://wppodcasts.com/podcast/do-the-woo-a-woocommerce-podcast/">Do the Woo &#8211; A WooCommerce Podcast</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://wpcoffeetalk.castos.com/episodes/wpcoffeetalk-courtney-pk#new_tab">WPCoffeeTalk: Courtney P.K.</a> from <a href="https://wppodcasts.com/podcast/wpcoffeetalk/">WPCoffeeTalk</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://share.transistor.fm/s/60a94427#new_tab">6 Biggest WordPress Moves While Mullenweg Was On Sabbatical</a> from <a href="https://wppodcasts.com/podcast/the-wp-minute/">The WP Minute</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://unbilleteachattanooga.com/episodio-261/#new_tab">Episodio 261: Ensalada de WordPress</a> from <a href="https://wppodcasts.com/podcast/un-billete-a-chattanooga/">Un billete a Chattanooga</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-sdm-show/episodes/Episode-412-Legends-of-WordPress-Podcasting--Lessons-Learned-Podcasting-e2jcnln#new_tab">Episode 412: Legends of WordPress Podcasting- Lessons Learned Podcasting</a> from <a href="https://wppodcasts.com/podcast/the-sdm-show/">The SDM Show</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There are new episodes every single day, so be sure to stop by <a href="https://wppodcasts.com">WPPodcasts.com</a> and search for things that interest you!</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-6773_c83c58-4a"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider" /></div></div>\n\n\n<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6773_ab7a51-8c alignnone kt-row-has-bg wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><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 kb-theme-content-width">\n\n<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6773_d07d75-1f inner-column-1"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">\n<h2 id="wpphotos" class="kt-adv-heading6773_96a801-ec wp-block-kadence-advancedheading"><a href="https://wordpress.org/photos">WP Photos</a></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the great photos submitted to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos">WPPhotos</a> project this week!</p>\n\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/196663889b7942d38.44952149-scaled.jpg"><img width="1024" height="683" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/196663889b7942d38.44952149-1024x683.jpg" alt="Three silhouetted people walking along the shoreline with waves coming in at sunset." class="wp-image-6783" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/196663889b/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/nilovelez/">Nilo Velez</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/4716638d22c433f60.38289070-scaled.jpg"><img width="768" height="1024" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/4716638d22c433f60.38289070-768x1024.jpg" alt="A serene waterfall cascading down mossy rocks into a tranquil pool surrounded by lush green foliage." class="wp-image-6782" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/4716638d22/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/neerajk1409/">NEERAJ K</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2676638b92c995028.14192632-scaled.jpg"><img width="1024" height="685" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2676638b92c995028.14192632-1024x685.jpg" alt="A close-up of a purple water lily with raindrops on its petals, surrounded by green lily pads." class="wp-image-6781" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/2676638b92/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/mkrndmane/">Makarand G. Mane</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1446639ceeface483.76965581-scaled.jpeg"><img width="768" height="1024" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1446639ceeface483.76965581-768x1024.jpeg" alt="A serene landscape with a wide-open field in the foreground leading to a small fence, with a backdrop of majestic mountains under a vast sky with a few wispy clouds. Couralam, Tamilnadu." class="wp-image-6780" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/1446639cee/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/nejwrks/">Nebu John Thaliyath</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/977663b946e6b2813.71280860-scaled.jpg"><img width="1024" height="576" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/977663b946e6b2813.71280860-1024x576.jpg" alt="A seating bench under the shades of tree which is golden in color." class="wp-image-6779" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/977663b946/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/mkrndmane/">Makarand G. Mane</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/351663b47acdc70a7.19440880-scaled.jpg"><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/351663b47acdc70a7.19440880-1024x768.jpg" alt="A blue motorboat floating on the clear turquoise waters in Maldives near a sandy beach with tropical foliage in the background." class="wp-image-6778" /></a><a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/351663b47a/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/sourav926/">Keramot UL Islam</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.\n\n\n\n\n<p>Be sure to check out the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">hundreds of other great photos</a>!</p>\n</div></div>\n\n</div></div>\n\n\n<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>\n\n\n\n<p>The banner at the top of this post is a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">CC0</a> licensed <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/photo/196639fbe2/">photo</a> by <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/author/nilovelez/">Nilo Velez</a> from the <a href="https://wordpress.org/photos/">WordPress Photo Directory</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s it for this week! If you&#8217;d like to get this post in your email every week, <a href="https://heropressnetwork.com/newsletter">make sure you sign up</a>!</p>\n<p>The post <a href="https://heropress.com/heropress-in-taco-land-and-in-pizza-land/">HeroPress in Taco Land, and in Pizza Land!</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:"Fri, 10 May 2024 13:00:00 +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:"";}}}}}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:101:"Do The Woo Community: Local UK WordPress Events and More with Dan Maby, Paul Smart and 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:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=83451";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:99:"https://dothewoo.io/local-uk-wordpress-events-and-more-with-dan-maby-paul-smart-and-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:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:146:"Dan Maby, Nathan Wrigley and Paul Smart talk about the shift and challenges in hosting WordPress events in the UK, from virtual back to in-person.";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, 10 May 2024 09:11:44 +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: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:55:"Gravatar: Unveiling the Best Single Sign-On Solutions ";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=1396";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:62:"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/05/09/single-sign-on-solutions/";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:15729:"<p>Single Sign-On (SSO) is an innovative technology designed to simplify your online experience. SSO allows users to log in to multiple applications or platforms using just one set of credentials, eliminating the need to remember numerous passwords. This enhances user experience and boosts security by reducing password fatigue.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the best SSO solutions, catering to a wide range of needs – from internal user management within enterprises, businesses, schools, and other organizations to online, user-facing platforms.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let’s begin!&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Understanding Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>SSO is a popular approach to digital identity management, allowing users to access multiple applications with just one set of credentials. This method simplifies the login process, enhances security, and reduces the need for multiple passwords.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here’s how it works:</strong> Upon the initial login, SSO verifies the user&#8217;s identity and generates an authentication token to access other connected systems, eliminating repeated login prompts.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This method brings many benefits, such as increased user convenience, lower IT costs for managing password recovery, and heightened security by minimizing password-related risks.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it&#8217;s important to differentiate SSO from cloud identity and access solutions, which offer broader identity management features beyond SSO, such as password vaults, directory services, user provisioning and de-provisioning, authorization, and role-based access control.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>SSO is particularly useful in:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Corporate settings</strong>, where employees access numerous platforms.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Educational institutions</strong>, for easy access to learning resources.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Websites and eCommerce</strong>, enhancing user experience with quicker logins.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media </strong>for streamlined access across platforms.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to add SSO to your workflow, keep reading as we look into the various options available.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Exploring Top SSO solutions&nbsp;</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>OneLogin</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="247" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-16.png?w=660" alt="OneLogin homepage" class="wp-image-1398" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://www.onelogin.com/product/sso">OneLogin</a> is a leading SSO provider designed for IT systems and organizations, including enterprises and educational institutions. It simplifies identity and access management, offering a secure and efficient way to manage access across numerous applications.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key features and benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):</strong> Adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of verification before accessing applications.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multiple logins:</strong> Allows admins to create any number of logins for the same type of application. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User management and reporting: </strong>Enables administrators to easily manage user access, monitor login activities, and generate reports for insights into user behavior and system performance.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social logins: </strong>This feature lets end users log in with their social media credentials from sites like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/?lang=en">X (Twitter)</a>. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User experience: </strong>Provides a smooth and intuitive interface, ensuring users can easily navigate and access needed applications.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Cisco Duo&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="331" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-17.png?w=660" alt="Cisco Duo homepage" class="wp-image-1399" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/duo/index.html">Cisco Duo</a> is recognized for its comprehensive security solutions tailored for organizations seeking advanced protection and seamless user access. This includes government institutions, educational organizations, healthcare, legal, retail, and financial services.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key features and benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Device security health checks:</strong> Before granting access, Cisco Duo assesses the security health of the device, ensuring it meets your organization&#8217;s standards. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adaptive authentication:</strong> The authentication process is dynamic, adjusting requirements based on the user&#8217;s location, device, and network environment. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security compliance and data privacy:</strong> The platform supports organizations in meeting security compliance standards and upholding data privacy regulations. It provides tools and features designed to maintain accountability and protect sensitive information.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customer support: </strong>Cisco Duo is renowned for its exceptional customer support, offering extensive resources, including documentation, tutorials, and a responsive support team, to ensure users can effectively implement and utilize its access management solution.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Microsoft Entra ID&nbsp;</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="274" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-18.png?w=660" alt="" class="wp-image-1400" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id">Microsoft Entra ID</a>, part of the broader <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security">Microsoft security ecosystem</a>, is a leading identity and access management solution. It’s designed to work within modern enterprises, providing secure and seamless access to applications on-premises and in the cloud.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key features and benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Conditional access and control features:</strong> Microsoft Entra ID enables administrators to define and enforce policies that control access to applications and data based on user, location, device state, and behavior. This ensures that access is securely managed and compliant with organizational policies.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multifactor authentication: </strong>The platform adds an extra layer of security, requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to access applications. These include <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/mobile-authenticator-app">Microsoft Authenticator</a>, <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concept-authentication-passwordless">FIDO2 security keys</a>, and <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concept-certificate-based-authentication">certificate-based authentication</a>. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Data security and privacy measures: </strong>Microsoft Entra ID provides different tools for ensuring data security and privacy, including encryption in transit and at rest. It also offers advanced auditing and reporting features, allowing organizations to monitor and review access logs and activities for compliance and security analysis.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrations: </strong>The tool’s integration within the Microsoft ecosystem allows full compatibility with a wide range of Microsoft products and third-party applications. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>JumpCloud</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="370" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-19.png?w=660" alt="JumpCloud homepage" class="wp-image-1401" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://jumpcloud.com/">JumpCloud</a> is another comprehensive platform for cloud-based directory services, offering great single-sign-on solutions to businesses that want to improve user management and enhance security.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key features and benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>User management and directory services: </strong>JumpCloud&#8217;s directory services act as a central hub for managing user identities, allowing IT teams to control access to resources across the network. This simplifies user provisioning and de-provisioning and ensures access rights are accurately reflected across all systems.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security compliances and system-management capabilities: </strong>The platform adheres to strict standards, offering features like end-to-end encryption and regular security assessments. JumpCloud&#8217;s system management capabilities provide users with tools for device and app management that enhance overall security posture.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User experience:</strong> JumpCloud is known for its focus on creating a positive user experience, offering a user-friendly interface that simplifies access management for both administrators and end-users. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Available support resources: </strong>These include a large knowledge base, community forums, and responsive customer support. These resources are designed to help users maximize the platform&#8217;s capabilities and address any issues swiftly.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Okta</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/r7e6e0jm3Id3bfh2yuYFV7v9FWEi4PhCqbVJex9tSguEFVXdBXXZbgm3yeRkgNw-cZpCHeqk1h168Cwfm_IwAbDOpoUfeOhZSMvRAVzsa9Qit9vp0FtQNP4Su4LQki3a-y05MhSW7t0FBbK7lXJnLQg" width="624" height="236" /></p>\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://www.okta.com/">Okta</a> has established itself as a leader in the SSO space, offering a versatile platform that supports businesses in securely managing and automating user identities and access controls.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key features and benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication: </strong>Okta&#8217;s adaptive MFA requires additional verification based on the context of the access request, such as user location, device, and the application being accessed. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Identity providers: </strong>There is support for over 40 social login providers and easy configuration of enterprise connections, such as Active Directory, LDAP, ADFS, SAML, and more. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User experience: </strong>Okta prioritizes a frictionless user experience, providing a straightforward and intuitive interface for administrators and end-users. The ease of navigating its platform and accessing applications contributes to higher productivity and user satisfaction.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Management capabilities: </strong>These include centralized provisioning and de-provisioning of user accounts, support for coarse-grained and fine-grained authorization protocols, and advanced analytics for personalized targeting and user growth. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The role of Gravatar in web-based SSO</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="403" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-20.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar homepage" class="wp-image-1403" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar, short for &#8220;Globally Recognized Avatar,&#8221; is a service that allows users to create a profile and avatar that accompany them across various online platforms. It&#8217;s designed for anyone looking to maintain a consistent identity online, solving the problem of fragmented digital personas, particularly web applications, customer portals, membership sites, <a href="https://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a> websites, newsletters, eCommerce sites, and online courses.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike traditional SSO services that focus solely on login mechanics, Gravatar extends its functionality to manage online identities, enhancing users&#8217; digital presence across different platforms.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What this means is that when users with Gravatar profiles can carry over their profile information across any website or web app that has integrated with the Gravatar API – which streamlines the profile creation and onboarding process for them.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How Gravatar works</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A Gravatar is a unique avatar automatically associated with the user&#8217;s email address, following them from site to site. It appears next to their name when they comment on blogs, sign up for websites, or participate in online discussions. This universality means users can maintain a consistent image across the web, enhancing recognition and trust.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="414" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-21.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar profile example" class="wp-image-1404" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>User privacy and control</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar places a strong emphasis on user privacy and control. Users can manage their profiles and decide how much information to share, ensuring their online presence aligns with their privacy expectations. This focus makes Gravatar particularly appealing to privacy-conscious users and those who frequent multiple web platforms.</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="281" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-22.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar profile security settings" class="wp-image-1405" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Implementation and online experience</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For website, app, and eCommerce store owners, Gravatar simplifies the profile creation and user registration process. Allowing users to bring their Gravatar profiles to new sites can significantly increase registration rates and, consequently, conversion rates. This ease of integration and the enhancement of the online experience make Gravatar an attractive option for both users and developers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For web developers, Gravatar offers easy integration, enabling personalized and streamlined sign-ups while adhering to user privacy principles.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="289" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-23.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar developer feature" class="wp-image-1406" />\n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Make the smart SSO choice for your needs</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Including single sign-on in your organization and websites is a great way to convenience users while paying attention to data security and personal privacy. Throughout this article, we&#8217;ve explored a variety of top-tier SSO solutions tailored for internal organizational use in enterprises and educational institutions, each offering its unique set of features, security measures, and integration capabilities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, for developers focused on creating user-friendly experiences for websites, stores, or apps, Gravatar is arguably one of the best identity management solutions built around the principles of SSO.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike conventional options, this tool excels in creating a unified online identity, allowing users to carry their profiles and avatars across various platforms effortlessly, fostering a sense of trust and continuity.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar&#8217;s commitment to privacy, its status as an open-source leader, and its developer-friendly API make it an invaluable tool for those prioritizing user control over personal information.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you’re intrigued by the unique benefits and potential of Gravatar for web development, <a href="https://docs.gravatar.com/">find out how Gravatar is revolutionizing SSO</a> for the online space, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay tuned for more information.</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, 09 May 2024 16:50:00 +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: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: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:66:"Gravatar: Crafting a Custom User Profile Page on WordPress: How-To";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=1384";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:60:"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/05/09/wordpress-profile-page/";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:14035:"<p>The default WordPress user profile options are a bit bare-bones, allowing users to enter only the most basic details when they sign up on your website. This not only leads to a lackluster user experience but also limits the valuable data and insights you can gather as a website owner.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine, instead, a WordPress site where every user profile is a unique, dynamic representation of the individual behind it. By creating custom profile fields on the sign-up page, you can allow users to share their stories, interests, and expertise.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the benefits of customized user profiles go beyond just the user experience. By gathering rich, detailed information about your users, you can gain valuable insights into your audience demographics, preferences, and behavior. This data can inform everything from content strategy to product development, helping you tailor your offerings to better serve your community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So how do you unlock the full potential of user profiles on your WordPress site? In this article, we&#8217;ll dive into the world of front-end user profile customization, exploring powerful plugins and tools like <a href="https://gravatar.com/">Gravatar</a> that make it easy to create a cohesive, engaging brand experience across every user profile.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The limitations of WordPress&#8217; built-in user profile system</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a>’ native user system is simple and straightforward. However, it might be a little <em>too </em>simple for website owners who want to implement custom frontend profiles for users. Here’s a look at its limitations:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Limited information storage: </strong>When someone signs up on your website, WordPress only saves the essentials, like username and email address. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No frontend editing capabilities:</strong> Unless you grant a user backend access, they won’t be able to directly edit their information within WordPress. </li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of personalization: </strong>By default, WordPress user profiles don’t have fields for personal details, which means users can’t provide details such as their phone number, location, or address, or personalize their profiles with their bio or links to their social media accounts.<strong> </strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited customization options for profile fields: </strong>Extending profile fields or functionalities requires additional plugins or coding.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Absence of integrations: </strong>The standard WordPress profile lacks integrations with social media and external platforms, limiting user engagement and connectivity across different online channels.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unsuitable for advanced sites: </strong>While the WordPress profile is great for simple use cases, complex sites, like those focusing on memberships, eCommerce, or community-driven interactions, require advanced profile management solutions.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Exploring plugins for frontend user profile management</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Frontend user profile plugins make it easy for users to update their <a href="https://blog.gravatar.com/2013/10/02/add-your-wordpress-sites-to-your-gravatar-profile/">WordPress user profile pages</a> without needing backend access.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the name suggests, these plugins let users tweak, edit, and manage their profiles right from the site&#8217;s front end. By offering various customization and integration options, front-end user profile plugins play an important role in addressing the limitations of the default WordPress profile. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let’s explore some of the popular plugins and their essential features:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>User Registration</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="305" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-9.png?w=660" alt="User Registration Homepage" class="wp-image-1386" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-registration/">User Registration</a> is a versatile plugin that allows users to create custom registration forms for their WordPress sites.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With an intuitive drag-and-drop form builder and unlimited customization options for fields and forms, this plugin is ideal for websites that require flexible and customizable user registration forms, such as membership sites, online communities, and eCommerce platforms.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you need to upgrade to a premium version to access advanced features, such as integrations with payment gateways, email marketing platforms, and other third-party services. User Registration’s pricing ranges from $79 per year for a single site to $299 per year for unlimited sites.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Profile Builder Pro</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="334" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-10.png?w=660" alt="ProfileBuilderPro Homepage" class="wp-image-1387" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://www.cozmoslabs.com/wordpress-profile-builder/">Profile Builder Pro</a> comes packed with features like social login, customizable forms, and even multi-step forms for a great user experience. While its sleek design and integration with <a href="https://woocommerce.com/">WooCommerce</a> are big pluses, some advanced features might need add-ons.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although it isn’t the simplest tool for beginners, if you&#8217;re running a website that requires advanced profile management capabilities, like an online directory or a job board, this plugin could be the right fit. Profile Builder Pro’s plans range from €69 per year for a single website to €429 one-time payment for unlimited websites.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>ProfilePress</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="315" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-11.png?w=660" alt="ProfilePress Homepage" class="wp-image-1388" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://profilepress.com/">ProfilePress</a> simplifies user registration, login, and profile management on WordPress. It comes with customizable forms, social login, and user verification features.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>ProfilePress is known for its easy-to-use interface, making it a great choice for beginners and those who want to create a basic user-friendly website.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, accessing advanced features, like payment gateways and multilingual support, requires purchasing a premium ProfilePress plan and enabling the relevant add-ons. ProfilePress is also the most expensive option on this list, starting at $125 per year for a single website and going up to $499 per year for unlimited websites.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Toolset</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="1600" height="971" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-15.png" alt="Toolset Homepage" class="wp-image-1394" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://toolset.com/">Toolset</a> allows you to create custom post types, taxonomies, and fields on your WordPress site. It&#8217;s perfect for building complex websites with unique content structures.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to its drag-and-drop interface, Toolset is user-friendly and allows for custom views, queries, and layouts. Toolset is ideal for developers and large-scale agencies looking to build custom, data-driven websites with advanced features.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the pricing for Toolset can be steep, especially for those with simpler website requirements. The plugin starts at €69 per year for a single site and goes up to €299 per year for unlimited sites.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Why Gravatar is an even better solution for WordPress profile pages</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="354" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-12.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar Homepage" class="wp-image-1389" />\n\n\n\n<p>Though not a plugin, <a href="https://gravatar.com/">Gravatar</a> by <a href="https://automattic.com/">Automattic</a> is a powerful tool that helps users maintain their online identities across the internet with a universal profile. Here’s how it stands out from the rest:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Simplifies the user experience</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="332" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-13.png?w=660" alt="" class="wp-image-1390" />\n\n\n\n<p>Integrating your website with the Gravatar Application Programming Interface (API) can seriously streamline the user sign-up process. When a user signs up with an email address linked to their <a href="https://support.gravatar.com/profiles/your-profile/">Gravatar profile</a>, you can automatically pull their profile information, such as avatar, name, and bio, to pre-fill the corresponding fields on your website. This enables the functionality you want and makes the process extremely straightforward for your users!</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Symbiotic relationship with WordPress</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar and WordPress share a symbiotic relationship: <a href="https://automattic.com/">Automattic</a>, the company behind <a href="http://wordpress.com">WordPress.com</a>, also happens to be the brains behind Gravatar. This means site owner profiles on WordPress.com are all pulled from Gravatar. Plus, across the WordPress ecosystem, Gravatar is the go-to for avatars in default user profiles and comments.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Data and security</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At Gravatar, we take a privacy-forward approach. This means users have complete control over their personal data and can decide what’s public or private. They can also manage all their profile information in one centralized location for added security.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach offers several benefits for website owners. You don’t actively store any data, and you can build personalized experiences for your users based on the information they choose to share with you.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ease of integration and developer support</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<img width="660" height="310" src="https://gravatar.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/image-14.png?w=660" alt="Gravatar for developers " class="wp-image-1391" />\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar&#8217;s straightforward setup process and compatibility with various platforms make it easy to integrate. And, for developers, Gravatar comes with full API support, meaning you can customize and extend its functionality to suit your needs.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Maximizing Your Website&#8217;s Profile Potential with Gravatar</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gravatar offers a suite of powerful customization options that enable you to tailor user profiles to perfectly align with your brand and community. Here are just a few ways Gravatar can help you maximize your website&#8217;s profile potential:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Offer extensive profile customization:</strong> With Gravatar, you can give your users the flexibility to tell their stories on their own terms. From adding bios and profile links to adjusting privacy settings, Gravatar&#8217;s user-friendly interface makes it easy for your community to create rich, dynamic profiles that showcase their individuality.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build user credibility:</strong> By integrating Gravatar&#8217;s verification features into your website, you can give your users the ability to confirm their identities <a href="https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/04/10/personal-branding-tools/">unify their digital presence</a> by adding social links. With Gravatar, users can add multiple popular platforms, including <a href="http://wordpress.org">WordPress</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://x.com">X/Twitter</a>, <a href="http://tumblr.com">Tumblr</a>, <a href="http://tiktok.com">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://github.com/">GitHub</a>, <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/">Twitch</a>, and more.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Foster creative expression:</strong> A picture is worth a thousand words, and Gravatar allows your users to express themselves visually through custom photos and designs. Encourage your community to get creative with their avatars – a makeup artist could showcase their range with multiple looks, while a graphic designer could feature their most eye-catching work.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Optimize your WordPress profiles with Gravatar</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up custom frontend profiles isn’t possible by default, but with <a href="https://gravatar.com/">Gravatar</a>, it is! Here’s how it makes life easier for you and your users:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Syncs profile images: </strong>Gravatar ensures that your users&#8217; online identity follows them wherever they go. By syncing their profile images across different sites, Gravatar spares them the hassle of <a href="https://blog.gravatar.com/2010/03/26/gravatar-profiles/">setting up profiles</a> time and time again, making it easier for you to maintain a consistent user experience.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ease of management: </strong>Gravatar allows your users to manage and update their profile information from a single location. This helps ensure that they maintain a consistent online identity without the headache of managing multiple profiles separately.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enhanced security: </strong>With Gravatar, your users have complete control over their profile information. They can make their profile as public or private as they want, giving them the flexibility to share only the information they feel comfortable with.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By optimizing user profiles with Gravatar, you can enhance user engagement, trust, and site loyalty, which could open doors for monetization opportunities on your WordPress site. <a href="https://docs.gravatar.com/">Explore all the possibilities that are available with Gravatar</a> and start creating fantastic user experiences today!</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, 09 May 2024 16:42:57 +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: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:31:"Matt: Bay Lights Are Returning!";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=114203";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:47:"https://ma.tt/2024/05/bay-lights-are-returning/";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:1591:"<p><a href="https://illuminate.org/">Illuminate</a> has crossed the funding threshold it needed to actually kick off the project of bringing the Bay Lights back to San Francisco, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/us/bay-bridge-lights.html">as Heather Knight writes for the New York Times</a>. The upgraded lights will be visible not just from San Francisco but also in Oakland, Treasure Island, Berkeley&#8230; all across the Bay. It&#8217;s felt like the lights have been the lumen-physical embodiment of San Francisco&#8217;s struggles: sparkling and inspiring at the start, then facing troubles, a trough of darkness, and now hope for something better sparked and on the horizon.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;d love to get as many citizens and addresses in San Francisco as donors, however small, <a href="https://illuminate.org/the-bay-lights-360/">to round out the last bit of the funding</a>, so that as many people as possible can feel the ownership and pride of making the city better. Back in January when I promoted this last it was on a terrible platform, it&#8217;s now been <a href="https://givewp.com/">re-done by the GiveWP team to be totally native WordPress and a slick donation experience</a>, easy to do on mobile and with Apple Pay. (Major kudos to <a href="https://devin.org/">Devin Walker</a> there!) Please share <a href="https://illuminate.org/the-bay-lights-360/">the link</a> to your friends, especially ones that see the bridge from their home, for $10 it&#8217;s the cheapest pro-social dopamine boost you can have every time you look at the bridge.</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, 09 May 2024 11:58:33 +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: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: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:75:"WPTavern: #119 – Paolo Belcastro on How AI Is Shaping WordPress Wordflows";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=155685";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:89:"https://wptavern.com/podcast/119-paolo-belcastro-on-how-ai-is-shaping-wordpress-wordflows";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:61945:"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, how AI is shaping WordPress workflows.</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 forward slash feed forward slash 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 over to wptavern.com forward slash contact forward slash jukebox and use the form there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today, we have Paolo Belcastro. Paolo works at Automattic, where he&#8217;s focused on Jetpack and .blog products. He&#8217;s been working remotely since 1994, and managing distributed teams since 1998.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He&#8217;s on the podcast today to talk about AI. And he certainly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in integrating AI with web development. .</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paolo brings detailed insights into how they&#8217;re making decisions about what to develop in Jetpack AI. This is to take it beyond simple tasks like typo corrections, and grammar adjustments, to more sophisticated functions, such as content translation, tone adjustment, and even complex texts summarizations. All done directly within the WordPress editor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The focus isn&#8217;t just on the functionality AI brings, but also on the efficiencies it introduces for developers and content creators alike. Allowing them to shift their focus from tedious tasks to more creative and challenging aspects of web development.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also tackle the broader implications of AI in the tech industry. Discussing potential risks, the ongoing concern about AI&#8217;s impact on jobs, and the ethical considerations of AI in creative roles.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We get into an exploration of the balance between AI&#8217;s utility, and the indispensable value of the human touch in crafting meaningful digital experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Paolo&#8217;s insights into the recent advancements in open source AI models and the collaborative efforts within the AI community to keep platforms accessible but innovative, you&#8217;ll gain a comprehensive view of where AI in web development stands today, and where it might head tomorrow.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re a developer, a tech enthusiast, or anyone interested in the intersection of AI and creative processes, 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 forward slash podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>A quick note before we begin, this was recorded live at WordCamp Asia. There was quite a lot of background noise to contend with, and I&#8217;ve done my best to make the audio as easy to listen to as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so, without further delay, I bring you Paolo Belcastro.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by Paolo Belcastro. Hello. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:03:48] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Hi Nathan.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:59] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong>  Very, very nice to have you on the podcast today. We&#8217;re going to talk about AI, the topic which keeps on giving, throughout the year 2023, and probably throughout 2024 and 2025. Because we&#8217;re talking about AI, I guess, Paolo, it would be useful to know what your credentials are. To get some understanding of why what you say carries weight. So will you just tell us a little bit about you, what you do for a living, who you work for. Biography, really.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:15] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yes. So I work at Automattic, the company behind wordpress.com, Jetpack, WooCommerce, and I work particularly on Jetpack.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And my AI credentials, so to speak, are that, since last May, so about a year ago, we started working on Jetpack AI, that we launched in June 2023 at WordCamp Europe. And we have been developing this set of tools for people to use AI in the editor directly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m also a very heavy user of AI tools. So for that you have to take my word, but I&#8217;ve been using them a lot. Yeah, and I made a presentation about AI yesterday, here at WordCamp Asia.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Was it well attended? I imagine AI is popular at the moment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:01] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah, it was actually as attended as the room allowed, like people were sitting on the floor, so I couldn&#8217;t. But yeah, it&#8217;s not a very big room, but I actually like a small room packed much more than a large room half empty, so I was pretty happy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> How have you managed to integrate AI into the Jetpack suite of things? I&#8217;m guessing this is all still fairly new.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:22] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah it&#8217;s fairly new, still experimental. We are really trying to produce experiences, and listen to users who use them, and adapt them. Our first iteration was really about saying, let&#8217;s just bring the tools that everybody can now access in ChatGPT, or at the time was called Bard, it&#8217;s now I think Gemini. And basically bring them to the editor. Why would you have to go and copy paste with all the formatting problems that can arise?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we extended the Gutenberg editor with a block, an AI block, that is a chat interface, where you can chat with the AI assistant. And we also extended a certain number of blocks, like the paragraph, the title, the headers, the table, and the forms, with an AI button that you can use to ask for a certain number of operations. And we started with what AI does best, which is text transformation.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So say you have written something, you can ask, of course, for typo and grammar correction, that&#8217;s the most used feature. You can ask for translation, which is really useful for people who, like a lot of people might want to publish in English, but that&#8217;s not their primary language. Of course, there&#8217;s other translation tools out there but, again, having it in the auditor is practical. And it does, of course, translation across many languages, not just to English.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have also a tone transformation. If you, say you wrote something and you feel like it should be a little more formal, or more informal, maybe humorous, so you can choose one of the tones. You can of course summarise text, you can ask it to expand on something you wrote. So those are all tools to help you polish your text.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I am a strong believer of the fact that AI is very valuable. Use it as a tool to improve what you are writing, as opposed to a tool that is going to write for yourself. So I don&#8217;t really believe we can get to any good results, at least today, by starting with a blank page and telling AI, hey, write me an article about Taipei, because I went to WordCamp Asia and I&#8217;m too lazy to blog. I don&#8217;t think that works. It&#8217;s going to write the same article for everyone, or roughly. And so that&#8217;s not interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is interesting is, I write a draft about Taipei because I&#8217;m here, and I write my experiences, and maybe it comes out a bit like a stream of consciousness. And then I can ask the AI, can you take all that text I wrote and make an outline for me?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So now I can organise my ideas that I put in that text. And maybe I feel that, okay, I should move that up, I should move that down, I should remove this. And once my outline has been polished, and has become a little more clear, I can actually tell the AI, can you take my original draft, this new outline, and reorganise my draft to match this new outline?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So now I have a new draft where I&#8217;ve been working with AI, like I would be working with an assistant, or with a colleague, or with someone helping me. I find that&#8217;s where the value really lies, because then it&#8217;s still me. It means that someone else, doing the exact same steps, will get to a completely different result, because it&#8217;s their mind, their content, their experience.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we can accelerate the process, because it&#8217;s all about producing more, not for quantity, but because more writing leads to better writing. The quantity leads to quality. It&#8217;s not just about putting out more content. It&#8217;s that, whatever the craft you are in, whether it&#8217;s writing, photography, recording podcast, it doesn&#8217;t matter, the more you do it the better you get.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:53] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So your key takeaway there, it feels like is that the human is at the center of all the things. You still need a human in order to produce something that humans would like to consume. So it&#8217;s not, you know, if you write the article about Taipei, and you don&#8217;t in any way inspect what&#8217;s been written, the chances are you&#8217;re going to end up with something that is, no human is going to wish to consume.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will fill up the words on a page. It will look like 10,000 words, in the same way that everything else with 10,000 words would look. But you&#8217;ll get into it and you&#8217;ll immediately have an intuition that, actually, what is this? There was no care taken in this. Okay, that&#8217;s interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:31] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> And what&#8217;s interesting is that, that happens of course. The tools are there available to everyone, and so definitely people started using them to produce tons of content. It&#8217;s not very different from what they were doing before. There were already content farms before, and people writing tons of articles about subjects that they know nothing about.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t know if you like cooking, but if you have looked for a recipe online, you have all these sort of SEO content, that is completely irrelevant for cooking the cake, but it&#8217;s there. That existed before. AI allows you to do more of that, but it&#8217;s not more value than before. If you don&#8217;t share your experience, if you don&#8217;t share your feelings, if you haven&#8217;t lived through the things, then it&#8217;s not Interesting, interesting for humans.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:13] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> There was something that you said a moment ago, and I&#8217;ve written down a series of questions and I&#8217;ve shared them with you. But there was a couple of things that you said which interested me, and I&#8217;d like to pursue that for a moment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You talked about the different things that Jetpack AI can do. And you mentioned you can do translation, you can change the tone. There was a bunch of other things. Are you only able to do those variety of things that the AI companies provide with their API? I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s how it&#8217;s working. So they offer the capacity to change the tone, they offer the capacity to change the, I don&#8217;t know, the language or what have you. Is there a limited subset of things that you can do because of what they provide to you?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:51] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Well, we actually do a bit more because, yeah, I got on a tangent and we haven&#8217;t finished what Jetpack AI can do for you. So the way those API work, and this is the very interesting part is that those tools, those large language models as they&#8217;re called, manipulate text, generate text basically. The core abilities generate text, actually their core abilities figure out what the next most likely word is after a given text.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But text is not only content. Text can also be instructions, or text can be a configuration file, text can be a JSON object, it&#8217;s all text. So we can do more sophisticated things than just generating text. For example, the first very basic step is that, if you go to Jetpack AI and oh, can you give me the list of the 10 most visited monuments in the world, ranked by order of traffic, and put them in a table.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now the AI is going to do couple of things. First is going to, of course, go and seek that data in the training data they have. Or online because now they can actually go online and check on other websites and get fresh data. Then it&#8217;s going to create content you asked, but then it can also format it, in this case for a table using markdown, so that in your editor you get a table block inserted, as opposed to a list of things.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s when the AI becomes interesting, is that, anyone who has used a table block in Gutenberg knows that, once the table is there, if you want to reorder it, for example, it&#8217;s a little bit of an annoying work, because you don&#8217;t really have a way to select all and say, sort by this field. The AI can do that, so you can say, reorder this table by alphabetical order, and it&#8217;s going to do that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we push the experiment a little further with Jetpack Forms. So Jetpack Forms allow you to create forms, a recipe form, a contact form, a subscription form, whatever. And the standard way we have been doing it for a while was that, when you insert a form block, we offer you seven templates. You choose one, or you choose an empty. And once you have your form, then you are manipulating manually. You can add blocks, remove blocks, all the sub elements of the form.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now we have added the AI system to the form. So you can ask for a form that does exactly what you need. So for example, your RSVP form, let&#8217;s say it&#8217;s for a dinner, you can say, well, add menu to indicate allergies to food. It&#8217;s going populate it with the most common ones. Of course, you can ask for more if you need. Oh, actually I want to know where people come from, so can you add a menu with all the cities in Austria, because maybe I&#8217;m organising a dinner in vienna and I want to know that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that is very interesting because on the one hand it&#8217;s practical, because filling those menus with all the options is very long. But also now the AI is manipulating Gutenberg blocks. So we had to figure out how do we get, because typically, for example, something interesting is that the API will stream the result back to us. So we get that as a stream of data, but we cannot display it as a stream of data, because otherwise blocks would be invalid as long as they&#8217;re not closed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we had to learn how to buffer those elements, so that we only show blocks. But we don&#8217;t want to wait for the whole stream to be finished, because it&#8217;s nice to stream the result. And so now what we do is that we buffer the stream, so that we showed block by block, and so we stream in bigger chunks. This is all experimentation that is made possible by the fact that, yes, those API only manipulate language, but actually everything we do is language, because coding is language.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:14:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It just occurred to me, sitting here now having this conversation, three years ago, if we were to sit here, the same conversation that we&#8217;re having now would&#8217;ve been absolutely unimaginable. There&#8217;s not one part of it where any of that was plausible. That was science fiction, what you just said, three years ago, that you write something in and a service which has seriously large amounts of data at its disposal, gives you information back, and then the website that you run puts it into a table, you can then tell it to be reordered, and we could go on. There&#8217;s a million different permutations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Completely impossible. And yet now, well, not mundane, that&#8217;s the wrong word, but you get the point. It&#8217;s now trivial, and it&#8217;s what everybody expects. And that&#8217;s really remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:15:18] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah, that tells something about how progress doesn&#8217;t happen always in a continuous line, there&#8217;s steps. And we have seen those before. I mean, I was one of those people old enough to watch the presentation first iPhone. That keynote, that is almost ridiculous to think that this is just a consumer device, it&#8217;s like a piece of metal and silicon and everything.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But back then it made me happy, curious, excited to try a new gadget. Today, it almost makes me cry when I watch it because it&#8217;s a pivotal moment. Our lives have changed. Our lives were some way, and now are a different way.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>As much as someone can disagree with, you cannot disagree really with that. You can be angry about it if you want, but the reality is that having internet in your pocket has changed the world. There were other moments like that, you know, your first dialup internet connection.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, that&#8217;s where it stops because I was born in 1970, so I had a computer in 1982, and that&#8217;s the first of those moments. I assume other people might have that with television, or the car in the past. So there&#8217;s those pivotal moments in our history that are really important. So I think this is one of those, that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so critical.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then though, it tells also something about our ability to adopt new technology fast. Because the first computer, I got one in 1982 in my house. It took years before there was a computer in every house. And then the iPhone took a lot less, but still a few years before everybody had an iPhone, or a Android equivalent phone in their pocket. And now because each one of those layers has enabled the next one, well, when the pivotal moment is an app, and everybody has a phone with internet in their pocket, the path is very short.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> To say that AI is available to a significant proportion of humanity, I think is true. And it was available right out of the gate, because you can do it from the phone, you can do it from your laptop. Incidentally, my moment there was the first time that I saw a flat LED color screen. I remember just staring at that thinking, how did they get color into that? It was remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, so, absolutely true, there&#8217;s AI everywhere. Tell us what it can do at the moment to help WordPressers. Obviously you&#8217;ve been through that you can create forms, you can ask it to create content for you in the form of text, and what have you. Can it do other things? Is it possible to, for example, create entire pages, or entire websites, or images that can drop in?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:17:51] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> It can. So in terms of images, for example, we launched a feature recently that is actually not in Jetpack AI yet. We launched it on wordpress.com, which is a logo creator. And so what it does is that when you say, oh, I need a logo, because most WordPress themes have a space for a logo somewhere, generally on the top left corner. It takes whatever content is already in the site, maybe the tagline, the site name. There isn&#8217;t much generally, because that&#8217;s often something you do at the beginning, but it takes that and generates a logo for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then of course you can alter it. You can chat with the assistant to say, I don&#8217;t like this, or I want it monochrome, or I want it more stylish, or I want it more modern. So that&#8217;s one example. We started with the logo because we figured that was one of those situations where you generally want to create an image out of nothing, as opposed to modify existing images.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, there&#8217;s other developments at Automattic, for example, on the WooCommerce side. I have to admit, I&#8217;m not up to date with the latest things they launch, because it&#8217;s a big company Automattic now, and it&#8217;s hard to follow everything in real time. But they are launching features centered around managing a store online.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few tools you probably have heard out of WordPress, that allow you to create websites, or landing pages with AI. I cannot really go into detail because there are experiments running inside Automattic right now, they&#8217;re not yet ready for prime time. I only can say stay tuned. AI can do a lot more than just manipulating text.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:19:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It feels like the goal for many people, the desire for many people, is to put a non-technical user in front of a computer, and within five minutes, something approximating a finished website will appear. So like you say, you can handle the logo right at the outset.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We install WordPress, vanilla version of WordPress, and we go through some kind of process. Tell me about your website, just give me a few sentences. Where are you based? Do you want a contact form? Yes. And then out the back, five minutes later comes a website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s ever going to deliver the perfect website, but it feels like a lot of people would love something like that. And I think there are commercial products that do things like that, but I don&#8217;t really know.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:20:10] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> So there&#8217;s two interesting things here. I want to put a pin on the non-technical user that you mentioned, because I think we should come back to it later. It&#8217;s a very interesting point of discussion. But going to the creating the site, yes of course, everybody wants to be able to very quickly get to something that resembles what they need, or what they have in mind.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not a new thing. For example, WordPress through themes has always allowed something like that, where you look at a theme repository, you&#8217;re like, oh, I really like this one and I can picture it with my images and this. And then, yes, once you install that theme, it took a little bit of knowledge to get it really where you want it. So definitely, we can have AI tools that accelerate this process.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And what&#8217;s interesting here is that , I go back to what the human puts in, it&#8217;s still going to need an understanding of how should a website, for example, you are building a restaurant website, the fact that you have tools that make it easier and faster to get the result you want, still require you to know exactly what is the best way to present a restaurant, so that it has more appeal, that people want to book it, that people understand the menu.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what&#8217;s interesting here is that, again, we build tools that accelerate the process, but the value of the human remains the same. If someone has built sites for 35 restaurants, and someone else has never built one, the results that person that has experience will get with AI will be much better than the person who has never built one. Because, out of the box without the human input, the AI will have a tendency to, again, go average. That&#8217;s the whole point of figuring out the most likely token that comes out of a suite of tokens is converging to the middle. And so the presence of the human makes the whole difference.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there&#8217;s the question of, oh, is this a tool for an end user building one site, or is this a tool for a professional building sites for clients? I would argue for both, because the professional, probably the AI will save them less time per site, because they already had processes, they already had templates, they already a system to streamline launching a new site. But maybe they save less time per site, but because they do that hundreds of times a year, the benefit is huge.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas the end user, they will save a lot more time on a given site. But maybe they build only one, so that&#8217;s going to be a one time gain. I think also about the fact that now we can customise the way AI behave a lot. There&#8217;s custom instruction, there&#8217;s system prompt, there&#8217;s a number of tools. I want this AI to consider this context, this data, this frame of reference. And we can imagine there that professional user that does that very often will invest more time in customising their AI, and making it suitable to their need, so that it&#8217;s more and more efficient for what their specialty is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:09] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. It&#8217;s interesting because one of the key things about your talk was, you really did want to make it clear that you are very bullish about the fact that AI is not going to be taking away jobs from web developers. I&#8217;d like to sort of develop that a little bit, because I, like everybody else, have been confronted with that possibility. And in my mind I&#8217;ve thought, if this gets really good at doing all the things that I can do, and it appears to be, that&#8217;s not a horizon which I can&#8217;t foresee us arriving at fairly soon. But you are much more sanguine. You think there&#8217;s always going to be space for the developer. There&#8217;s always going to be space for the human, and the technical things, the experience that they bring. So let&#8217;s just unpack that a little bit.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:48] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah. So let&#8217;s use a parallel with another technological revolution. Let&#8217;s think about the Industrial Revolution and Agra Revolution. There used to be a time in Europe where 9 out of 10 people needed to be farming the land or breeding animals. Before the Industrial Revolution, 9 people had to work in a farm to feed 10, and those 10 were themselves, and then one. So that gave one person the possibility of doing something else. And then we invented more tools, and mechanical tools, and we invented engines, and we automated all that. Today, 250 years later, maybe one person, every thousand, needs to be a farmer to feed everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, there&#8217;s two things that are interesting here. First of all, it has taken a long time. It hasn&#8217;t happened overnight. Also, still today, we need farmers. So my point is to say AI, as an entity, is not going to take your job. Another developer using AI might be taking your job though, because they&#8217;re going to become a lot more efficient. But the reassuring part in that is that now becomes accessible to everyone. If I am afraid that AI is going to take my job, how can I compete with a machine? But if I&#8217;m looking at another person using a tool that I can also use, now it&#8217;s up to me to say, well, if I want to keep doing this job, I can use the tools, they&#8217;re available to me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now what&#8217;s going to happen, like in every previous technology revolution, is that it&#8217;s going to also create a ton of new opportunities. So there might be people that would&#8217;ve been developers without AI, and now will be something else. The same way as, there were 9 out of 10 people farming the land 250 years ago, now it&#8217;s 1 every 1000. We are way more people on Earth, and still almost everyone has a job.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:43] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, those 999, they have things to do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:46] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> They have things to do. Even just the last 50 years, like we look at the computers have removed a ton of jobs that are now useless, because they were so easy to automate that we didn&#8217;t need AI. I remember, for example, when I was a kid, a friend of my parents, I remember I was impressed because I visited the place and I was impressed. They were working in one of those central telephone station, where you would connect people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:12] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh yeah. Literally the wires plugged into the wall.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:15] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> That&#8217;s now completely automated. But those people, like they did something else. So AI is a tool. As a tool it&#8217;s going to accelerate the work we do in some areas. Create new opportunities in others, but it&#8217;s just a tool. And like any other tool, if it&#8217;s just laying down there, is not going to do anything.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:33] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, I think the thing that maybe causes people concern is, a, the fact that it all seems to be happening so quickly. So, you know, the farming analogy, it probably took many hundreds of years for the, slowly the technology became better, incrementally. It wasn&#8217;t like we went from 1000 farmers to 1 farmer, because somebody invented the combine harvester, and the motorised tractor overnight. So I think we&#8217;re living through that, potentially quite scary bit, because it&#8217;s all happening so quickly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I do like your analogy of the developer armed with AI, is likely to be a better developer. Given two equal developers, who&#8217;ve got the same experience. You know, if you could literally clone a developer and have an identical one, but put AI with this one, and this one is not allowed to use AI, you can imagine that the AI version of that developer is going to get to a different result, possibly quicker, more efficient, and what have you. And I like that. That kind of makes the AI a partner in a way, feels nicer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:27:34] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah, definitely. And I would add one thing that feels even more nice, which is that, if you could clone this developer just for the sake of the experiment, and one has AI and the other doesn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s not just that the one with AI is going to deliver faster. Fast forward six months, they&#8217;re not the same developer anymore, because the one with AI, in those six months, has been able to remove from their plate a lot of the tasks that are not really creative, where they don&#8217;t grow, and focus on the ones that are really hard.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So that&#8217;s when I was mentioning, I used the term tedious in my presentation a lot yesterday, because I was saying the AI can remove the tedious part of your work. Typically in the work of a developer, there is time spent thinking. By the way, most people overestimate the time a developer spends writing code on a keyboard. Most of the time you spend thinking. And then there&#8217;s the time spent writing on the keyboard. And a lot of that time is spent writing the same things over and over, because there are elements that are needed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whenever you start a new plugin for WordPress, for example, there&#8217;s a whole file structure that you have to put in place. Whenever you do this and these things, you will have to add all those sanitising functions, and you will have to add those unit tests, and that is not really creative. This is stuff you have done 20 times, 100 times, 1000 times. You just do them automatically.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can save all that time to focus on the pieces that you have never done before, that&#8217;s where you grow. You challenge yourself. So six months in, those two developers have a very different trajectory, that&#8217;s the more important point. It&#8217;s not just the acceleration, it&#8217;s that the learning experience is accelerated by removing those pieces.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:15] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It feels like you are definitely reassuring me, because I think there is a part of me which sits on the worried side when it comes to AI, but every time you say a little bit more, I feel a worry going away, so this is good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s keep going down that track. Can you become better at using AI? Is it possible? In the same way that two people who can write PHP code, somebody is going to, you can just become better at it. There&#8217;s certain things that you can learn. Can you do the same with AI? Are there interesting novel ways to improve? Because I keep hearing in the media, that learning how to prompt AI is going to be a valuable skill of its own in the future.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:29:54] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> I think so. Definitely yes now. I would add that it&#8217;s imaginable that, as those tools become more and more sophisticated, the difference between abilities to prompt might fade. Because part of the skill today is in understanding the limitations, and leveraging, or working around those limitations to get the result you want. So it&#8217;s possible that as we go forward, those limitations disappear, and more sophisticated tools require less precision.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what&#8217;s important today, I would say is training, testing, trying. I think that there is nothing like wanting a result, and trying in 20 different ways to get to that result, and see what works best. If you ask a question to, let&#8217;s use ChatGPT as an example, as the most popular. You ask a question to ChatGPT, it&#8217;s going to give an answer. There&#8217;s many ways to improve that answer. You can go back to your question, and you can say, my question might be a bit vague, maybe I have to specify the context.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Typically a lot of the early work was about saying, well, you have to tell ChatGPT who they represent. What is the role they&#8217;re playing? I remember, for example, reading, this was a blog post from the people who built Copilot at GitHub, and they were explaining a principle. It wasn&#8217;t exactly how they did it, but more the principle. They were saying, imagine you are configuring an assistant to be a support agent.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you could tell the assistant, you are a support agent, and you are helping a customer fix their cable connection, whatever. The customer is angry, they want to watch their football game, you have to fix that fast. And maybe you can even say, oh, and here&#8217;s the documentation where you need to find information. But then what they were saying was, you can be more subtle and say, for example, you are an excellent support engineer, best of your class, and you work at this company where you support clients, and there&#8217;s these clients, there&#8217;s this case study of a client that had this problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as it happens, you open your briefcase, and you look for the documentation of this case study, and the case study explains how you fix the problem. And this is the text that is on the page. And that&#8217;s where the AI takes over. And so that&#8217;s a way to say to the AI, you are an expert support agent, doesn&#8217;t mean much for the machine because the machine is not a being, sentient, these are just words.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you set the stage for the text they are supposed to be produced in the highest quality, which is, here&#8217;s an intervention where we help a customer, and it was so good that it&#8217;s a case study. And now you still give the documentation and everything, but you have set the stage for the AI assistant to actually continue that conversation properly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one type of example. There&#8217;s another example of breaking down into step-by-step reasoning, chain of thought. You ask a question and you say, for example, you asked to write a function that does something. You get the output, and then you can ask the AI, can you explain me, step-by-step, how you got to this result? And now what&#8217;s interesting is that, by redoing the same work but step-by-step, the AI will develop each step and make corrections along the way. Because suddenly, where the first output was the result of this probabilistic analysis, the second output changes because, once the first point is laid down, oh, suddenly the second point that is more likely is not what was there before.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because before it was seen as one thing. And now, step by step, the AI, there are people that say, this is not something I really have, I mean, I&#8217;ve tested, but just very briefly. There are people that say that you get better answers if you&#8217;re polite. And the idea behind that would be that, in the training data, conversations where people were polite were more likely to be constructive and helpful. Whereas conversation where people were rude, were probably less likely to be constructive and helpful, and therefore you direct the AI to use one area of the training data as a support.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there&#8217;s other people that say that, actually it&#8217;s better to be direct and ask for the thing, as opposed to, can you do this and that? Because if you say, can you do this to a human, they&#8217;ll do it for you. But if you say, can you do this to a machine, they might sound like the sarcastic human that answers, yes I can, and then doesn&#8217;t do it. There&#8217;s people who have experimented with tipping, which you cannot actually do, but you can promise. You can say, hey, I&#8217;ll give you £100 if you do this and that for me. And apparently they say that the result would be better. Which, it&#8217;s hard to understand there what is the truth.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently something very interesting happened. There&#8217;s Anthropic launched Claude 3. It&#8217;s supposedly better than GPT 4. It has three levels of quality, based on how much you&#8217;re ready to pay for the responses. They started testing it. And now there&#8217;s a number of tests that are run on these LLMs to evaluate their performance.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The test that they ran was funny. It&#8217;s called the needle in a haystack test. So the idea is that you give a lot of content to the assistant, and then in that content you put one paragraph about a subject is completely unrelated to the rest of the content. And then you ask a question about that specific point. Previous versions of LLMs had a tendency to not be able to answer, because the fact that that content was very short, compared to the mass of other content, it was kind of overlooked.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of that, apparently LLMs had a tendency to over index on the beginning of the provided content, and the end, and less the middle, which by the way is very much similar to humans.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Absolutely.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:51] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> But in that context, so there was, I can&#8217;t remember, the 200,000 tokens were about some subject, I can&#8217;t remember what. But the one paragraph that was the needle in the hay stack was about pizza toppings. And then they asked a question about pizza toppings. Claude 3 replied the right answer, so it got the reference.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But then added, it&#8217;s odd that there is content about pizza toppings in this text that is very long, and has no relationship with the subject. It&#8217;s almost as if this was a test for me to see if I&#8217;m paying attention.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which is very funny because the first reaction is, oh my god, this thing is sentient. When the reality is very likely elsewhere. I think that the reality is much more that there might be in the training data mention of this type of text, because it&#8217;s hard now to isolate the data and say, oh, we shouldn&#8217;t train AI with anything that talks about AI. It&#8217;s almost impossible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, so the AI may have picked up on a piece of text describing an equivalent AI test.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:50] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> I think that&#8217;s very likely, that it might have picked up on a paper, a research paper, or something like that. Now, is there a possibility that I am completely wrong, and these things have been sentient for a couple of years already, and they&#8217;re just telling us bit by bit? Yes. I don&#8217;t have a way of being 100% sure, but I would say I think that everything that, I think it&#8217;s, what is, Hanlon&#8217;s razor?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, Occam&#8217;s razor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:16] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Occam&#8217;s razor is that, the most simple explanation is very often the right one. And so I&#8217;d be tempted to still think they are tools. They use mathematics to figure out language, and so they are able to produce those answers that make a lot of sense.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But I guess the thing that&#8217;s interesting there is it&#8217;s so surprising. And it presents us with things which are well within its own capabilities, but they&#8217;re beyond the bounds of a typical human. So it seems like there&#8217;s something else going on. But it&#8217;s more plausible that it&#8217;s just a function of the data that&#8217;s been given. But because we can&#8217;t hold onto that much data, it seems like a god-like quality, but it&#8217;s not.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:53] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> No. Yeah, and we have other examples of things like that, that we got used to over time. I mean. If you recall, you probably have seen, I mean, neither of us were alive back then, but we probably have seen the images. When the Lumiere brothers showed the first movie of the train arriving in the station, everybody ran away. It&#8217;s very similar. If you think today, like the quality of that black and white movie, how can you imagine that being realistic? But it is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I grew up with small TVs and black and white images, and it felt surreal. And now, of course when I look back at those things, I&#8217;m like, how is that even possible? You know, we talk about impossible things for humans, but I came here on a plane. I try to fly by myself, doesn&#8217;t work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:38] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I never get over plane journeys. It&#8217;s always remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:38:41] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> How incredible is that? And so, yeah, this one is new and so we have this moment of reaction. At the beginning you said something, or we going to talk about AI 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years from now. I think AI is going to stay. I don&#8217;t think we&#8217;re going talk about AI as much, as we don&#8217;t talk about electricity as much.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:01] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, or the film, or the aeroplane.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:03] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> It becomes part of the landscape. It&#8217;s there, but the novelty is we have all those images. On top of that, you were mentioning before that the, at the moment of the Agricultural Revolution, people weren&#8217;t scared about what was happening, because it didn&#8217;t happen overnight. I would also argue, they didn&#8217;t have a ton of movies and TV shows showing them a future with no farmers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We do have that, and so the moment we hear AI we&#8217;re like, oh my god, Sarah Connor, where is she? She has to save us. But these are movies.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:39:34] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s a really good point. So the fact that we&#8217;re in this 24/7, plugged in, media fed ecosystem, you know, where you just pull out your iPhone and you&#8217;ve got data coming in about the news. Yeah, that&#8217;s a good point. I hadn&#8217;t really thought about that. And so if you were the farmer in the, 1500&#8217;s, nobody was telling you, this is a concern, this tractor. So you&#8217;re not going to be concerned. Yeah, it&#8217;s a really good point.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you trust AI with your code? Do you get it to generate code and find that it&#8217;s largely error free? I was saying to you before we hit record that, if you create an image with AI, and it&#8217;s slightly incorrect, it doesn&#8217;t really matter, because the fingers look strange, or the ear lobes look a bit weird, but we can forgive it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And in the same way that if we create text for our blog post, we can modify that, or we may be happy with it at the beginning, and just accept that it&#8217;s got a few errors in it, and we&#8217;ll publish it anyway. But with code, I think we could be introducing security problems, or just simple errors. How confident are you writing code with AI, and how much do you have to go back and check every line?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:40:36] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> So this is a really good question. And I will use my specific context to answer it, because I haven&#8217;t been writing code that goes into production for a living since 1998. At Jetpack I am head of product, and I&#8217;ve been working with engineers for the last 26 years. So my code, I do still for fun, do stuff on my own, but is not critical at all. It&#8217;s little plugins that I&#8217;m the only user of. So it&#8217;s not really a concern for me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what I would say is, this is an area where it&#8217;s really interesting. And that&#8217;s where the dimension of AI as a tool really is important. If you are a really good developer, you won&#8217;t have that problem because the AI is going to make you save time. It is going to make you move faster, but you&#8217;ll be able to recognise the problem in an instant. The same as if I am writing either blog posts for my blog, or if I&#8217;m writing internally at Automattic for our P2, you know, about Jetpack, about the blog, about any of the things I work on.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know the field I&#8217;m writing about. And so, if at some point in the process, and the back and forth I use AI for, it introduces something dumb, I see it instantly. My point basically, because it&#8217;s a tool, and it&#8217;s not sentient, and it&#8217;s not intelligent, use it to help you in area you have expertise. In the areas where you are an expert, you can use it to accelerate your work. In the areas you are just interested in, you can use it if it&#8217;s not critical work.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But please don&#8217;t go near it in areas where you have no knowledge, and or critical. As an example, I would say, a surgeon using AI to go through papers faster might make sense, because they can spot the mistake. Me using AI to diagnose symptoms that I have, maybe I found a rash on my arm, and I&#8217;m going to ask AI, very bad idea.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I think in that scale, if you imagine that as a two by two matrix, am I the expert or am I a total newbie in this area? And then on the other axis, is this critical or is this completely safe? If we are on the safe side where there&#8217;s no consequences, it&#8217;s like a little plugin I&#8217;m writing for myself, or I&#8217;m asking AI about five things I could visit in Taipei, great. I can use it and just take the answer. Worst case scenario, it doesn&#8217;t work. If it&#8217;s critical, then I have to be the expert, and the AI is a tool that helps me be better at my job. But is not a tool that helps me do a job I&#8217;m not an expert of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:43:17] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s a good answer. So moving on, I&#8217;ve got a few more questions. We&#8217;ll try to be as quick as we can. The first question was, there seem to be a few companies which are dominating the AI space. So you&#8217;ve mentioned already Google, I think we could throw Open AI into that, and Anthropic, and there&#8217;s probably some more, but they&#8217;re the only three that come into my mind.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does that part of the jigsaw puzzle concern you? That we&#8217;re increasingly reliant on three or four, maybe there&#8217;s more five, six large language models. And I just wondered if, given that we&#8217;re WordPress and we love open source, if there&#8217;s a platform, a project, which is trying to do something, but more in the open. Even though it&#8217;s called Open AI, it doesn&#8217;t feel particularly open.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:43:58] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah. So the interesting thing in the last year or so is that there has been a lot of movement on the open source side. It&#8217;s a bit ironic that the biggest advances on the open source side come from Meta, which is yet another very large company. But it doesn&#8217;t really matter because that&#8217;s the power of open source is that, once it&#8217;s in the open. So one thing with AI, and LLM&#8217;s, and open source is that it&#8217;s really important to understand what is actually open. Because an LLM, in terms of code, there isn&#8217;t like that much code.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I give you an LLM post-training, it&#8217;s great to have it, and to be able to read the code and everything, but you can&#8217;t really modify much on it. If I give you the training data, then it&#8217;s a lot more interesting, because then you can reproduce. Now, keep in mind I&#8217;m not at that level technically. I am very much out of my comfort zone. But so my point is that, what has happened is that the first few foray to open source, or kind of open, but only the tail end of it. And so, okay, you get a tool that you can use, but you can&#8217;t really modify it, or you can&#8217;t really understand how it works.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now there are versions that are open source from A to Z, including the dataset. Now, they&#8217;re not as big dataset, they&#8217;re not as powerful as the ones from the big names you mentioned. But what it appears is that it&#8217;s actually evolving very fast, because of course, being open source, once you put that in the hands of thousands of developers, in conjunction with the fact that we live at a time where computers can actually run that stuff locally. And so developers on a MacBook Pro, M3 can actually work, which wasn&#8217;t the case not that long ago. I think that this is going to catch up very fast.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I believe, frankly, that is going to resemble software, where you know, you have WordPress that is the leader, CMS, like 43% of the websites and everything. That doesn&#8217;t stop closed platforms from existing. The two systems are probably going to be side by side. What we see now, for the moment, but again, we are super early stage, is we&#8217;re still at a moment where the closed platforms are moving faster. Because the kind of means that Open AI, or Google, or Anthropic have, open source takes a bit of a longer time to set up.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like it&#8217;s very fragmented. A lot of people are doing different things. There isn&#8217;t like a strong coordination. And also they have then the infrastructure to run those models at scale, and to provide answer very quickly at a cheap price. I don&#8217;t expect them to be shadowed by open source anytime soon. But I do think that we have definitely hope that, going forward, we&#8217;ll have open solutions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:46:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. It feels like that would be a nice outcome, if that did happen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:46:54] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> One thing that is also important is that, for example, today the approach of Open AI, and Google, and Anthropic is very monolithic. It&#8217;s saying, we have this gigantic thing that knows everything and can help you. Whereas the open source approach is, because we cannot run such large models locally on laptops, it&#8217;s more to focus on simpler agents, that are more specialised at given tasks. And that then more complex task would be a collection of simpler agents, maybe orchestrated by another simple one.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it&#8217;s interesting because we have seen the approach in the industry in general, right? You have monolithic industries that will build like a car. And every piece that goes in it, and every little part, they will have factories doing everything. And then you&#8217;ll have other type of industries where the same car is built by buying the tires here, the battery there, the engine there, the windshield there, and then assembling all that. And I think that both models can work. I don&#8217;t see a future where there&#8217;s going to be either only one, or only the other.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:48:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s good. That makes me feel better about it all, because it does feel that, at the moment, it&#8217;s all about Open AI, and they really are sort of dominating. I would like to think of a future where there are different alternatives.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, couple of questions. We&#8217;ll be very brief about these one, because I&#8217;ve used up lots of your time, but I&#8217;ve enjoyed it, I have to say.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:48:18] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> No worries.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:48:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> In your presentation, you make the point that AI offers you the possibility, and I&#8217;ll just quote here, AI removes all the tedious parts of our work so that we can hone our craft, and there&#8217;s more but that&#8217;ll do for now. I had this intuition when I read that, and I just thought, maybe tedium, tedious, boring is an important part of the human condition. And I don&#8217;t really have a question around that, but is life spoiled a little bit, if there&#8217;s no boredom anymore, if everything&#8217;s quick and rapid? From a business perspective, that&#8217;s a dumb question. But from a sort of psychological perspective, and just a human nature perspective, I wondered if you had any thoughts on that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:48:58] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Yeah, I actually don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s a dumb question, even from a business perspective. I just listen to a little snippet from Rory Sutherland, who talks about, of course he&#8217;s in the advertising market, and he&#8217;s talking about using AI to remove all those steps and create a visual for a campaign, for example. And he was saying, we have to be careful, because in some of those jobs, the end result is not that important. It&#8217;s everything we learn along the way that is important. It&#8217;s the questions we ask to our users, to our vendors, to our sales people to get to that result that are really important.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I would say, I think that is very clear, that if we consider AI like a black box, in which I input an order, and I want a result on the other side, it&#8217;s not a good way to use it. It&#8217;s not progress. It&#8217;s not going to help us learn. So I go back to the example of me writing a blog post. If I tell the AI, write me a blog post about this subject. And even if I add, oh by the way, in Taipei, day one I did this, day two three, here&#8217;s five things I did, write me a blog post.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The blog post at the other side is not going to be great. I won&#8217;t have learned anything. I won&#8217;t have grown in any way. But if I use AI as a partner to write this post, and so what I do often is start by writing a draft that is really raw, really stream of consciousness, as it comes. Then I go to the AI and I say, can you, out of this draft, create an outline, and highlight the main ideas I&#8217;m talking about?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that first step already allowed me to do something critical, which is that I have a natural tendency of holding too many ideas in my head, and then writing blog posts where I talk about too many things. And then I lose people, and then people don&#8217;t really know what it&#8217;s about. Or then there&#8217;s no conversation after with my readers, because there&#8217;s so many subjects they don&#8217;t know what to talk about.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But by giving the AI the draft, and asking for an outline, and the main ideas, now I have much more clarity about what I was writing. So now I can reorganise this outline and I can say, actually, okay these go in that order, and these actually go in this order but out of this post, this is another post. So let&#8217;s move that aside.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so now I can go back to the AI, and have my simplified outline and I say, using my original draft, and using this modified outline, reorganise my original draft please, and write a new draft that fits this outline. And then I read that. And then I fix a lot of things. I correct, I remove any word that I wouldn&#8217;t use, and I put my way of speaking in it. But then I can go back to the AI and say, what is missing here? Am I missing an obvious point, or how am I wrong in this? And I sort of get the AI to challenge me a bit.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of the things I mentioned in my presentation is that, it&#8217;s not just about accelerating, it&#8217;s also that the AI provides us with a partner that can give us feedback about our content. There&#8217;s the basic grammar, typos, and things like that, but also feedback about the quality, the clarity. But also a challenging partner that doesn&#8217;t belong to our own intellectual bubble.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because when I ask feedback to my friends, I&#8217;m asking feedback to people that kind of think similar to me. I mean, we&#8217;re friends. What I&#8217;m saying basically is that, when I say removing the tedious part, I&#8217;m not saying shorten the path. It&#8217;s more about saying, remove the things I&#8217;ve done 20 times, 50 times, 1000 times in my life already, that don&#8217;t teach me anything anymore. And allow me to improve the quality, by challenging me, by giving me feedback, by doing those things that normally I wouldn&#8217;t have access to. Because, I mean, I&#8217;ve occasionally asked for feedback on a piece to friends or family, but I can do that once a year. I can&#8217;t bother people around me all the time like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:52:54] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, the AI is good, it doesn&#8217;t get bored.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:52:56] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> I want to be very clear with that, that it&#8217;s not about shortening the journey itself, as much as it is increasing vastly the density of the enriching steps.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:53:06] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, you said, at some point towards the beginning of your answer, you encapsulated it as, something along the lines of, it should allow you to grow, you&#8217;ll grow from it. That seems to be a nice place to sort of round it off.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the idea of AI, if I&#8217;m getting you correct, is that it&#8217;s kind of a partnership. It&#8217;s not something you should use in isolation. It&#8217;s certainly not something that you should use if you don&#8217;t possess some capacity already, especially with code. And so use it as a partner. Enable it to speed things up. Enable it to teach you in the same way that you might go to the library and read a book. You&#8217;re going to learn something from it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it&#8217;s not something to be feared, it&#8217;s something to be used. But it&#8217;s also, I guess this conversation is, be mindful. Don&#8217;t fall into those pitfalls. Don&#8217;t just use it blindly to create those articles that the audience is going to be zero, because it&#8217;s going to be so anodyne and uninteresting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s interesting. I was definitely more on the, not the terrified side, but the nervous side when we began this conversation. And you&#8217;ve definitely taken me off the ledge a little bit. So thank you so much, Paolo, for chatting to today. I really appreciate it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:54:14] <strong>Paolo Belcastro:</strong> Oh, it&#8217;s my pleasure. It was really nice to have a conversation with you and nice to meet you.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href="https://paolo.blog/">Paolo Belcastro</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paolo works at Automattic, where he’s focused on Jetpack and .blog products. He’s been working remotely since 1994 and managing distributed teams since 1998.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He’s on the podcast today to talk about AI, and he certainly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in integrating AI with web development.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paolo provides detailed insights into how they’re making decisions about what to develop in Jetpack AI. This is to take it beyond simple tasks like typo corrections and grammar adjustments, to more sophisticated functions such as content translation, tone adjustments, and even complex text summarisation, all done directly within the WordPress editor. The focus isn&#8217;t just on the functionality AI brings, but also on the efficiencies it introduces for developers and content creators alike, allowing them to shift their focus from tedious tasks to more creative and challenging aspects of web development.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also tackle the broader implications of AI in the tech industry, discussing potential risks, the ongoing concern about AI&#8217;s impact on jobs, and the ethical considerations of AI in creative roles. We get into an exploration of the balance between AI’s utility and the indispensable value of the human touch in crafting meaningful digital experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Paolo’s insights into the recent advancements in open source AI models and the collaborative efforts within the AI community to keep platforms accessible but innovative, you’ll gain a comprehensive view of where AI in web development stands today and where it might head tomorrow.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re a developer, a tech enthusiast, or anyone interested in the intersection of AI and creative processes, 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://automattic.com/">Automattic</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://wordpress.com/">WordPress.com</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://jetpack.com/">Jetpack</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://woocommerce.com/">WooCommerce</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://jetpack.com/ai/">Jetpack AI</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://asia.wordcamp.org/2024/speaker/paolo-belcastro/">Paolo&#8217;s presentation at WordCamp Asia 2024</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://chat.openai.com/domain_migration?next=https%3A%2F%2Fchatgpt.com%2F">ChatGPT</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://gemini.google.com/app">Gemini</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://jetpack.com/forms/">Jetpack Forms</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://wordpress.com/logo-maker/">Logo Creator</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href="https://claude.ai/login">Claude 3</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, 08 May 2024 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: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:55:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.5.3 Maintenance Release";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=17246";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://wordpress.org/news/2024/05/wordpress-6-5-3-maintenance-release/";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:7633:"<h2 c