WP Builds

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Jonathan Bossenger, a developer advocate at Automattic, about his journey into WordPress and developer relations (DevRel). Jonathan shares how his passion for teaching led him from software development to DevRel, explains the varied roles within DevRel, and discusses the importance of both technical skills and the ability to teach and communicate effectively. The conversation covers team collaboration, feedback processes in open source, and advice for those interested in pursuing a similar path. Jonathan emphasises humility, adaptability, and a love for helping others as key traits for success in DevRel.

This episode dives into the debate over the WordPress mascot Wapuu, discussing its value to the community versus criticisms about its professionalism. The panel explores the possibility of Ollie’s Menu Designer joining WordPress core, shares insights on plugin marketing and discoverability, highlights the new blueprint feature in WordPress Studio for easily sharing site setups, and reviews a flurry of upcoming WordPress events. Plus, they touch on the launch of Fluent Cart as a new e-commerce solution and discuss branding, community, and engaging content in the WordPress ecosystem.

Amber Hinds, CEO of Equalize Digital and a leading expert in WordPress accessibility, dives into her extensive 2025 page builder accessibility research. She reveals her motivation to improve web inclusivity and discusses the rigorous methodology that evaluated over 19 page builders. Key findings highlight which builders excelled, like Cadence with a perfect score, and emphasize the importance of knowledgeable implementation for accessibility. Hinds stresses the moral and legal imperatives surrounding accessible web design, making a strong case for ongoing improvements in the WordPress ecosystem.

Tim Nash, a security consultant specializing in WordPress, discusses the concept of randomness in computers and its implications for AI. Courtney Robertson, an open source developer advocate, highlights the new accessibility knowledge base on wpaccessibility.org. They also explore the recent WordPress 6.8.3 security updates and the significance of Tammie Lister’s Blocktober project. Additionally, the panel reflects on improving plugin discoverability and the celebration of the free Ollie Menu Designer plugin, emphasizing community contributions and ethical tech practices.

Pradeep Sonawane, engineer and product lead at RT Camp, shares insights about WebAuditor.io, a SaaS tool that streamlines website audits. He discusses its evolution from a CLI tool to a user-friendly platform with AI-generated reports. Pradeep explains how it assists a broad audience—from developers to marketers—by automating insights and offering role-specific advice. He also touches on plans for a WordPress plugin and the potential for automated fixes, making the website optimization process more accessible and efficient.

Rahul Bansal, Founder and CEO of RT Camp, shares insights into GoDAM, his innovative digital asset management solution for WordPress. He discusses the benefits of its video-first approach and new integrations. The podcast dives into the challenges of WordPress’s marketing and community dynamics, particularly around youth engagement. Additionally, it highlights RT Camp's unique hiring practices in contrast to recent agency layoffs, and the panel reviews new features in WordPress 6.9, alongside notable plugin launches.

In this engaging conversation, Sebastian Webb, a WordPress product developer and creator of Amender, introduces his innovative tool for non-destructively editing WordPress content across any builder. He discusses how Amender allows users to make targeted visual changes with AI assistance and a user-friendly interface. Sebastian shares insights on its unique licensing model, practical use cases for developers, and how it generates CSS and JavaScript for dynamic edits. With features designed for quick fixes and content prototyping, Amender aims to simplify web customization for all.

In episode #349 of "This Week in WordPress," Dave Gray, Nathan Wrigley, Tammie Lister, and Tim Nash discuss the latest happenings in the WordPress community. They cover recent software updates, highlight new features and plugins, and share insights on design trends and website security. The hosts also dive into community news, ongoing projects, and future developments within the WordPress ecosystem, offering their perspectives and experiences as longtime contributors and users.

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Olly Bowman about his new WordPress plugin, ShutterPress, designed for photographers to easily sell prints and digital downloads through WooCommerce without the hassle of creating individual products for each image. Olly explains how the plugin streamlines gallery and product management, supports password protection, watermarking, and future features like CDN storage, print service integration, and AI-powered image recognition. Whether you’re a professional photographer or want an easy gallery solution, ShutterPress offers both flexible display options and e-commerce functionality.

In episode 348 of This Week in WordPress, the panel dives into upcoming WordPress events, new features in Gutenberg (like the accordion block), and AI’s growing role in translation plugins. They discuss changes in the hosting landscape, including leadership updates, and touch on the legal battles between major players in the WordPress space. The conversation segues into community topics, conference planning woes, and even an amusing detour about alligators in Florida. It’s a lively blend of WordPress news, product updates, industry trends, and plenty of good-humoured tangents.