WP Builds

The conversation focused on WordPress 7.0’s release, highlighting major features such as the new WP AI client, a modernised dashboard, improved revision tracking, enhanced gallery blocks with lightbox effects, and refined responsive controls. We also get into the delay and removal of collaborative editing due to technical challenges, discussion on performance, host involvement, and future release...

Nathan Wrigley interviews Lovekesh Kumar, a WordPress engineer at rtCamp, about WPM, a new, secure, Go-based package manager for WordPress plugins and themes. Lovekesh explains the pain points of managing plugins in enterprise environments, especially regarding premium plugins and security. WPM centralises package management, resolves dependencies, handles private and public plugins, and verifies...

Nathan Wrigley interviews Marcus Burnette, about his new project, wellplayedwp.com, a membership platform offering a growing library of eclectic WordPress, Elementor, and WooCommerce plugins under a single license. They discuss Marcus’ background in the WordPress community, the inspiration behind the project, pricing strategies, and the types of plugins available. Marcus also touches on his educat...

This episode covers the delay of WordPress 7.0 and the removal of real-time collaborative editing from its release, citing technical and performance challenges. The discussion explores newly emerging features in WordPress, including the rapid development of custom post type and custom field management in Gutenberg, AI’s growing influence in the ecosystem, supply chain security efforts, and innovat...

Nathan Wrigley interviews Giles Beckley, creator of WP Goose (Goose Commerce), a new WordPress e-commerce plugin designed natively for Elementor with a unique desktop app and built-in AI functionality. Giles explains the platform’s benefits: custom database structure (not custom post types), streamlined management via the desktop app, security features, and granular styling through Elementor widge...

This episode covers key developments in the WordPress ecosystem, including recent security issues with plugins, upcoming features in WordPress 7, and experiments from Automattic developers such as reimagining WP Admin as a desktop OS. The panel discusses the importance of AI governance, new community initiatives like WordPress Student Clubs, and notable product launches, including a suite of utili...

Nathan Wrigley interviews James Welbes, about his journey in the WordPress space, his early frustrations and eventual embrace of WordPress, and the transformative impact of AI on web development. They discuss the rapid evolution of AI, its effect on productivity, and the culture shifts occurring as people interact more with AI tools. James shares his experiences building apps with AI, the changing...

This episode covers the delay of WordPress 7.0 due to performance concerns with collaborative editing, the introduction of a new contributor tool for WordCamp events, insights from the latest State of WordPress Agency report highlighting increasing challenges and agency burnout, and a new initiative at Automattic allowing selected staff a month to pursue independent projects. Additional topics inc...

In this episode, Nathan interviews Lucas Santos Junqueira from Brazil, about his innovative tool and WordPress plugin, Tilbuci (pronounced "Chabousi"). The plugin enables users to create interactive, animated “movies” inside the WordPress dashboard, similar to museum exhibits or advanced infographics. Lucas explains its origins, features, and versatility, including collaborative creation, export o...

In this episode, Nathan interviews Brian Gardner about his pioneering work in WordPress theming, the rise and impact of the Genesis Framework, and the shift toward block-based themes. They discuss the promise, challenges, and slower-than-hoped adoption of block editing, as well as its design flexibility through patterns. The conversation also explores the influence of AI tools like Miles on WordPr...

In this episode, Nathan chats with WordPress educator Jonathan Jernigan about Cloudflare, what it is, how it works, and why it's valuable for website owners. Jonathan explains Cloudflare’s role as both a firewall and content delivery network, enhancing security and performance by blocking threats and replicating sites globally. They discuss practical use cases like reducing spam, setting firewall...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley and Jamie Marsland debate the impacts of AI on WordPress and broader society - spoiler alert: Nathan wins!! ;-). Jamie shares insights on the new Claude WordPress.com integration, highlighting AI’s growing contextual awareness and its effect on website creation, content, and business strategy. Nathan challenges with concerns about content overload, authenticity, and...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Jon Penland, CEO of Kinsta, about his career journey from self-education in tech to leading a rapidly growing company. Jon shares insights on the importance of curiosity, hard work, and adaptability in career growth. They discuss Kinsta’s involvement in the WordPress community, their approach to AI and hosting advancements, and the vital role of collabora...

In this episode of TWiW, the panel discusses WP Engine’s acquisition of WPackagist, recent rapid-fire WordPress security updates, and highlights educational initiatives within the WordPress community. They also explore an agency’s strategic use of AI, preview upcoming features in WordPress 7, and cover the expanded functionality of the Ollie theme for WooCommerce. Additional topics include the rel...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Naweed Chougle about eBook Crafter, a WordPress plugin that lets users transform their blog posts into editable, customisable ebooks. Naweed explains the inspiration for the plugin, its key features, like using the block editor to repurpose and edit content before exporting, and future plans including additional file formats and self-publishing integratio...

Join us for the 'This Week in #WordPress' show, with Nathan Wrigley, Taco Verdonschot, Bud Kraus, Dan Knauss, Steve Burge. Wow, that's a LOT! This episode covers the latest developments in WordPress, including updates in WordPress 7.0 and Gutenberg 22.6, new featured plugin initiatives to boost discoverability, and discussions around advanced developer certifications. The panel explores AI’s growi...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Ben Pines about founder-led marketing, particularly in the WordPress and SaaS spaces. Ben explains how traditional marketing tactics like SEO and paid ads are less effective due to AI-generated content, and advocates for a personal, trust-building approach where founders consistently share authentic insights. He describes how he helps founders develop a m...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Ian Svoboda, an experienced WordPress developer, about his Content Area Block plugin. They discuss the inspiration behind the plugin, which allows multiple editable content areas within WordPress templates, solving a long-standing challenge for editors and developers. Ian explains the technical hurdles in developing the plugin and how it improves the edit...

In this lively episode of TWiW, the panel dives into a range of WordPress topics, from the excitement around WordPress 7.0 Beta 1 and collaborative editing to hot debates about JavaScript usage and the dominance of Cloudflare. The conversation also covers AI’s expanding role in the ecosystem, open-source developments, cybersecurity concerns, and the importance of password managers. The episode is...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Andy Bell, an expert in CSS and web design, about his journey from traditional design to becoming a sought-after CSS specialist. They discuss the evolution of CSS, the importance of leaning into web standards, and the challenges of agency work with high-profile clients. Andy also opens up about a tough 2025, the impact of AI on the industry, his agency’s...

This episode of TWiW covers the latest in WordPress, with a strong focus on AI advancements, new products, and features expected in WordPress 7. The discussion includes updates on community events, challenges with in-person meetups post-pandemic, and the integration of AI tools for site management and design. The hosts also touch on debates around sponsored talks at WordCamps, the evolution of com...

In this WP Builds episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Thomas Raef about WordPress website security. Thomas shares his journey founding We Watch Your Website, discusses the prevalence of attacks on US WordPress sites, and explores how hackers increasingly use stolen credentials and AI-powered methods. The episode gets into AI tools for both attackers and defenders, highlighting strategies like behav...

This episode with Nathan Wrigley, Michelle Frechette, Marc Benzakein, Rhys Wynne explores the renewed importance of blogging and owning your content in 2026, discusses WordPress's educational initiatives and their overlapping complexities, reviews recent updates including the 6.9.1 release and a new Wayback Machine plugin, and gets into the prevalence of AI in WordPress development. Panelists deba...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with podcasting veteran Seth Goldstein about his 15+ years in the industry. They discuss how easy podcasting has become, the importance of having a plan and process, and how podcasts can serve brands and businesses beyond immediate monetisation. Seth shares insights on podcast production, discoverability, the role of websites and WordPress, pitfalls of AI-gene...

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Carl Alexander, creator of Ymir (a scalable WordPress hosting technology), and Paul Carter from BuiltFast, about their new partnership. They discuss Carl's perseverance in developing Ymir, the technical benefits it brings to scalable WordPress hosting, and how BuiltFast plans to make this technology accessible to more users. The episode explores the chang...