421 – “At The Core” with Birgit Pauli-Haack and Fabian Kaegy – Episode 3.
May 8, 2025
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Birgit Pauli-Haack is a developer advocate for WordPress at Automattic and curator at Gutenberg Times, while Fabian Kaegy leads editorial engineering at 10up. They dive into the latest WordPress 6.8 release, showcasing new features like detail blocks, style books, and improved gallery tools. The discussion also covers the shift to slower releases, the integration of AI tools like ClassifAI, and strategies for smooth migration from classic to block-based themes, making WordPress more user-friendly for everyone.
WordPress 6.8 introduces enhancements like improved Details Block and Style Book, making content management more intuitive for users.
The shift to a single major release per year aims to enhance feature refinement and user experience by focusing on quality over quantity.
New plugins ClassifAI and ThemeSwitcher Pro facilitate AI integration and gradual theme migration, empowering users to manage transitions effortlessly.
Deep dives
Upcoming Page Builder Summit
The Page Builder Summit version 8 is starting soon, featuring over 35 expert speakers aimed at assisting various website builders, including freelancers, marketers, and SEO specialists. This event is designed to share knowledge and provide valuable resources to help improve website construction skills and business growth. Attendees can also take advantage of bonuses and have the option to purchase a power pack to retain all content indefinitely. The summit offers an excellent opportunity to connect with a wider community within the WordPress ecosystem.
WordPress Release Cycle Changes
The transition to a one major release per year cycle for WordPress is discussed, highlighting the implications for developers and users alike. This shift is expected to allow more time for refining existing features and focusing on minor improvements rather than introducing a plethora of new ones. Contributors believe this could lead to higher-quality releases as they can better address user experience issues and fix longstanding bugs. Ultimately, this change aims to provide an improved and more stable environment for WordPress users.
Gutenberg Enhancements in Version 6.8
Several key enhancements have been introduced in WordPress version 6.8, including improvements to the Details Block. Now, users can group multiple detail entries for better organization, enhancing the usability for FAQ pages. The Style Book has also seen upgrades, integrating global styles to help users visualize the impact of changes on their site more effectively. These advancements reflect a commitment to making the WordPress editing experience smoother and more intuitive for content creators.
Introduction of Classify AI Plugin
TenUp has developed the Classify plugin, which integrates AI features into WordPress workflows, providing users with the ability to enhance content management. The tool allows for automatic tagging and content recommendations based on current data, which can significantly improve usability. Users can select different AI models, including self-hosted options, empowering site owners to manage their data securely. This plugin is positioned to aid users in making their sites more intelligent without relying on external AI services, thus maintaining control over sensitive information.
Theme Switcher Plugin for WordPress
The new Theme Switcher Pro plugin allows WordPress users to utilize multiple themes on a single site, dramatically simplifying the transition from classic to block-based themes. This capability enables users to apply different themes to specific pages or sections, facilitating a gradual migration process. This transition approach is designed to help website owners manage their site better without the need for extensive developer intervention, allowing them to adopt block-based features incrementally. As a result, it encourages users who may feel overwhelmed by the switch to feel more comfortable and supported in making these changes.
In this episode of WP Builds’ “At the Core,” Nathan Wrigley is joined by Birgit Pauli-Haack and Fabian Kaegy to discuss recent developments in WordPress, especially the 6.8 release. They highlight new features like enhanced details / accordion blocks, improvements to the style book, pattern section styles, gallery image expansion, and template editing. The conversation also covers the shift to slower, more focused WordPress core releases, changes in the development process, and new plugins such as ClassifAI and ThemeSwitcher Pro, which help with AI integration and gradual block theme migration. If you want to keep up with the changing pace of WordPress core development and get practical takes on the latest features, this episode is for you.
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