Kevin Geary, founder of Geary.co, discusses the importance of web design fundamentals, concerns about Gutenberg, risks of page builders, data portability, and AI in web design. He emphasizes clear communication, education, and avoiding vendor lock-in in WordPress development.
Adherence to web design fundamentals crucial with page builders.
Concerns on Gutenberg editor's departure from traditional practices.
Education vital for improving web design skills in WordPress development.
Awareness of risks and benefits when using different page builders.
Deep dives
OmniSend Email and SMS Tool Promotion
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Discussion with Kevin Geary on WordPress and Leadership
The podcast delves into a conversation with Kevin Geary focusing on his strong opinions regarding Gutenberg and opinions within the WordPress community. Highlights include observations on Geary's leadership style, particularly referencing a livestream critique of a website build. Geary's emphasis on education and software development aimed at improving WordPress practices is underscored, with a distinct commitment to the ecosystem's progress.
Concerns Over WordPress's Evolution and Dominance
Geary expresses worries regarding WordPress's future dominance due to declining new project starts and perceives a need for significant changes to retain its market share. He emphasizes advocating constructive criticism and leadership diversity to address WordPress's current challenges, citing a potential echo chamber effect limiting innovation within the community. Geary asserts his commitment to WordPress while urging for impactful alterations.
The Role of Page Builders in WordPress Development
The discussion explores challenges and advantages of using page builders like Bricks in scaling WordPress agencies. The conversation delves into the significance of maintaining business continuity and facilitating team transitions in web development projects. Comparisons are drawn between proprietary page builders and tools like Bricks that adhere to standard web design practices, offering insights into workflow efficiencies for small business client websites.
Utilization of Classes in Web Design Tools
Geary critiques the lack of reverence for web design fundamentals in popular platforms like Elementor and Divi, noting deviations from standard CSS class usage. Emphasizing the importance of using classes for effective styling, he highlights the detrimental impact of alternative approaches followed by these tools. The discussion underscores how adherence to traditional design principles influences website development and how straying from classes can result in suboptimal outcomes.
Deviation from Standard Web Design Practices: Inside-Out Workflow
The discussion delves into the deviation from standard web design practices, particularly focusing on the inside-out workflow of the block editor used in contrast to traditional HTML and CSS coding. Instead of working outside in, where elements expand to the screen's edges, the block editor starts contained internally, requiring the user to work outward. This shift raises questions about the advantages of departing from accepted practices, especially in terms of containment and nomenclature.
Challenges of Proprietary Workflows and Data Lock-in in Web Design
The conversation transitions to the challenges posed by proprietary workflows in web design, emphasizing the risks of data lock-in and limited portability. The podcast explores how platforms like Elementor and Divi may restrict users' understanding of web design language, leading to difficulties in switching between builders. It highlights the importance of standardizing naming conventions and workflows to promote data liberation and enable seamless transitions across platforms for web designers.
In this episode of WP Minute+, host Matt Medeiros sits down with Kevin Geary, founder of Geary.co and creator of the Automatic CSS product. Kevin, known for his strong opinions on WordPress and Gutenberg, shares his insights on the current state and future of WordPress, focusing on several key areas that are crucial for developers and agencies.
Key Takeaways for WordPress Professionals:
The importance of adhering to web design fundamentals, even when using page builders
Concerns about the direction of the Gutenberg editor and its departure from traditional web design practices
The value of education in elevating web design skills and understanding
The potential risks and benefits of using various page builders
The importance of data portability and avoiding vendor lock-in
The need for clear communication and vision in WordPress development
The role of AI in web design and its current limitations
