It’s onerous to consider 2022 is coming to a detailed. After two years of studying the right way to stay and work aside, this yr allowed for us to begin to come again collectively. There have been extra in-person occasions, extra contributions to Core, and three large releases. The uncertainty of the panorama began to fade, and the perseverance of the neighborhood was on full show.
Although we are able to by no means totally predict what’s going to occur subsequent, one factor is for sure, the WordPress neighborhood will proceed to be a pillar of power by way of all of life’s ups and downs.
So much occurred this yr, let’s get into a few of the largest wins for WordPress in 2022.
In-Individual Meetups Dominated
There’s no denying that COVID took a giant chew out of in-person occasions. In 2020 and 2021, plenty of WordCamps had been compelled to maneuver on-line or cancel altogether. That was turned on its head this yr. Whereas there have been some on-line occasions, in-person was positively king in 2022.
- 500 meetups doubled their dimension in 2022
- 22 WordCamps occurred in 2022 (Up from 1 in 2021)
- 34 WordCamps are presently being deliberate for 2023
Let’s take a look at a few of the massive ones:
WordCamp Europe
Lastly, WordPressers descended on Porto, Portugal to have a good time WordCamp Europe. After two years of planning, scheduling, and replanning, the organizers bought to see their onerous work realized.
2,300 folks attended the occasion with 800 of them going to Contributor Day. It was an enormous turnout in a stupendous location, with peacocks roaming the venue grounds.
As at all times, talks had been prime notch with matters starting from safety to eCommerce. In the event you missed something, all talks at the moment are stay on WordPress.television.
Subsequent yr, WCEU will happen in Athens! Prepare for some Olympic-sized studying on June 8-10, 2023.
WordCamp US
One other big amongst WordCamps returned in 2022, WordCamp US. After two years of cancellations, the convention made its triumphant return in San Diego. This really felt like a homecoming. Whereas different WordCamps together with Europe moved on-line in 2020 and 2021, US organizers determined to cancel fully. So it wasn’t solely the primary in-person WCUS however the first one in two years.
The climate was stormy however the spirits had been excessive as folks attended talks about design practices and accessibility. One in all our favorites was when Developer Advocate at WP Engine, Nick Diego, created a block from begin to end in solely quarter-hour. A extremely cool exhibiting of simply how simple Gutenberg is to make use of.
Evidently, we’re vastly trying ahead to subsequent yr’s WCUS which is able to happen in Nationwide Harbor, Maryland on August 24-26.
Accessibility Day
I might be remiss if I didn’t point out no less than one killer on-line convention, and that’s Accessibility Day. This 24-hour digital convention is totally free and focuses completely on accessibility. There have been 24 hours of content material from 20 audio system. 40 % of shows embody a speaker with a incapacity.
The occasion was initially began by the Web site Core Accessibility Group again in 2020 and this yr volunteers took over organizing.
In accordance with the web site, “Our mission is to demystify web site accessibility for WordPress builders, designers, content material creators, and customers in order that they will extra simply construct web sites that work for everybody, no matter capacity.”
This was such a cool occasion that pulled in folks from throughout the neighborhood, and we hope to attend once more subsequent yr!
WordPress 6.1 and Website Enhancing
There have been three massive Core releases in 2022 however essentially the most notable got here on the finish of the yr with WordPress 6.1, “Misha”. The discharge, named for Soviet-Norwegian jazz pianist Mikhail “Misha” Alperin, centered closely on design in WordPress.
Twenty Twenty-Three Theme
As with each finish of the yr launch, 6.1 shipped with a brand new default theme however Twenty Twenty-Three just isn’t like different themes. Most notably, this theme comes with 10 fashion variations designed by neighborhood members. These variations act as a reskin of your website. Utterly change the colour palette, fonts, and extra with one click on.
Searching for a enjoyable, pastel vibe to your website? Take a look at Sherbet made by Brian Gardner, a Developer Advocate, Principal at WP Engine.
Or if you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing extra muted, extra basic, check out Whisper by Developer Advocate at WP Engine, Damon Prepare dinner.
These fashion variations are such an enormous win for WordPress. Not solely do they provide a fast and simple means for customers to change up their websites, it’s a terrific alternative for designers to get their work on the market. I’m excited to see which variations ship with the Twenty Twenty-4 theme subsequent yr!
And That’s Not All
In fact, the theme is only one side of an extremely thrilling launch that leads us nearer to ending Section Two of Gutenberg, set to be accomplished in March of subsequent yr. Section Two is all about Website Enhancing and block themes and boy did 6.1 ship.
6.1 launched Fluid Typography, which permits fonts to vary based mostly on the display dimension. There’s nothing extra annoying than designing a stupendous website and seeing it break on cellular. Fluid Typography takes the guesswork out of making for a number of units.
Different enormous updates embody:
- Borders: Now you can alter the border on any block from the sidebar.
- Record Block: Now you can drag inside the listing block. No extra retyping and formatting.
- The URL has been moved up proper below the Publish date.
- The Preview button has been modified to simply View.
Wanting Ahead: State of the Phrase 2022
This yr wrapped-up with a stay streamed State of the Phrase speech delivered by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg.
Yow will discover a full breakdown of the speech right here, however general the main focus was the way forward for WordPress and leaving one thing highly effective for future generations.
Contributions
After two years of decrease than regular contributions, Mullenweg introduced an astounding variety of folks volunteered their time this yr.
Probably the most spectacular issues about this graphic is that 322 folks returned to contributing after taking a break in 2021. WordPress merely can’t exist with out volunteers from across the neighborhood, so that is very inspiring to see.
Gutenberg Section 3
As talked about above, Gutenberg Section 2 is coming to an finish. That signifies that Section 3 will start. This section will deal with collaborative enhancing, assume Google Docs-like options proper within the editor.
This can be an enormous improve for content material creators and editors.
Plugin Taxonomies
One other massive announcement was concerning plugin taxonomies. 4 new default taxonomies had been added this month to make it simpler for plugin authors to categorize their merchandise.
They’re as follows:
- Single-player plugin: Created by a person, might need paid elements, not accepting contributions.
- Neighborhood plugin: Utterly free, constructed by the neighborhood, for the neighborhood. There are not any upsells. Contributions should not solely inspired, they’re often requested.
- Canonical plugin: A neighborhood plugin that has been “blessed” by wordpress.org. The plugin can be featured there, and WordPress core staff members will carry out frequent safety checks. Suppose Gutenberg.
- Industrial plugin: A plugin owned by an organization, could or could not settle for contributions.
WordPress Playground
Lastly, Mullenweg introduced Playground, a option to take a look at your WordPress website completely in a browser.
You possibly can take a look at out plugins, design selections, updates, and the rest you possibly can consider in actual time with out utilizing a number, database, or internet server of any variety.
This can be a very cool instrument which you could begin taking part in with at present.
Higher Collectively
Wow, what a yr! It’s completely unbelievable the issues the WordPress neighborhood completed collectively. If this yr has taught us something it’s that you just can’t cease the ability of WordPress. The neighborhood is not going to let it fail.
Because of all of the occasion organizers, content material creators, theme and plugin authors, businesses, and contributors who make WordPress the strongest CMS on the internet.
Right here’s to 2023 and getting greater and higher!
