This week, we cover a wide mix of WordPress community updates, security alerts, and evolving conversations around AI and modern web development. The WordPress Community is bringing back women-focused events for International Women’s Day, complete with a new organizer handbook, while the latest Vulnerability Report highlights 150 new issues across plugins and themes in just one week—another reminder of the importance of staying updated.
Beyond WordPress, Meta’s acquisition of the AI startup Manus signals growing investment in autonomous agents, Google quietly rolls out the ability to change Gmail addresses without losing data, and Cursor’s CEO warns against over-reliance on AI-driven “vibe coding” without human oversight. In the ecosystem, we look at successful plugin revivals, new releases like Plugin Check Plugin 1.8 and WP Plugin Info Card 6.2, and practical AI tools designed to help developers follow WordPress best practices.
We also dive into community discussions around underused features like the Command Palette, ideas for improving the Media Library, and why having your own website still matters heading into 2026. Plus, there’s a wave of new tools for syncing with GitHub, auditing repositories, improving caching, and adding animations without complexity.
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Stay tuned for another packed week of WordPress news, insights, and tools shaping the future of the open web.
This week on The WP Week, we break down the conversations shaping WordPress’s future, starting with a proposed 2026 release schedule that aligns major WordPress versions with flagship community events like WordCamp Asia, WordCamp US, and the State of the Word. We also look at progress on the Contributor Dashboard pilot, the WordPress 6.9 retrospective, and new calls for volunteers supporting Campus Connect and education programs.
Gutenberg 22.3 lands with better typography controls, responsive layouts, and improved image editing, while WooCommerce 10.4.3 ships important security and stability fixes. Security remains a key theme, with a critical vulnerability patched in the Motors Theme and renewed debate around data transparency in WooCommerce. Beyond WordPress, we cover Google’s DMCA lawsuit against SerpApi, new CSS Grid Lanes for masonry layouts, and growing concerns around AI-driven web traffic.
Community highlights include the ongoing impact of the WordPress Gives A Hand initiative, the return of Do the Woo as a dedicated WooCommerce podcast, Stephen Wolfram joining Automattic as a special advisor, and WordPress.com’s massive effort to migrate thousands of Typepad blogs before shutdown. We also touch on new tools, plugins, and AI experiments pushing WordPress forward, from block animations to smarter visual workflows.
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Tune in for a packed episode covering releases, security, community initiatives, and the ideas shaping what’s next for WordPress.
This week, we’re unpacking one of the biggest internet disruptions of the year — a major Cloudflare outage that rippled across the web, taking down sites and services worldwide after a critical database issue. Meanwhile, WordPress rolls out Release Candidate 2 for version 6.9, the first-ever WordPress AI Client SDK, and a call for mentors for the new Campus Connect program.
Security was also in the spotlight with active exploits in the Post SMTP plugin, affecting over 400,000 sites, while WooCommerce 10.4 prepares for its December release featuring major accessibility and performance improvements. In business news, Seahawk secures investment from CloudLinux, and Adobe announces its $1.9B acquisition of Semrush.
The WordPress community mourns the loss of contributor Zeel Thakkar, whose work with WordCamp Ahmedabad and Asia inspired many. On the product side, DesignSetGo adds new accessibility-focused blocks, Perfmatters introduces in-plugin code snippets, and ACF Pro 6.7 Beta 1 debuts inline editing for blocks.
Rounding things out, Patchstack celebrates 1,000+ plugins now using its platform for vulnerability reporting, Rocket.net expands hosting into India, and Yoast surprises the community with Yoasie Runner, a fun SEO-themed browser game.
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Stay tuned for this week’s mix of WordPress innovation, security alerts, and community stories shaping the open web.
WordPress 6.9 Release Candidate 1 is here, bringing new Notes, improved Interactivity and Block Binding APIs, border-radius presets, and key fixes across the editor. The community is also watching the situation in Bangladesh, with the Community Team coordinating closely to keep events healthy and safe. Core discussions this week focus on unified roadmaps, better contributor recognition, and preparing developers for the iframe-based editor coming in WordPress 7.0.
The big security story comes from Imunify360, where a critical flaw in its AI-bolit scanner allowed attackers to execute arbitrary PHP—one of the most severe hosting-level issues in a decade. WooCommerce 10.3.5 landed with important compatibility fixes, Google Search Console added custom annotations, and Human Made with WordPress VIP released an AI Readiness Report for enterprise teams.
Beyond core, the ecosystem is buzzing: ElasticPress adds semantic search powered by OpenAI, Elementor 3.33 ships a new Variables Manager and improved CSS controls, Cloudways announces award winners, and GoDaddy launches Airo.ai to bring conversational AI into small-business workflows. CookieAdmin crosses 200k installs, Charitable hits 1M downloads, and WPConsent powers 100k+ sites just months after launch.
New projects this week include lightweight analytics tools, design block collections, country-based pricing for WooCommerce, modern CAPTCHA options, and fresh plugins for loyalty programs, filters, archives, and more.
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Dive in for another week of releases, security alerts, community news, and fresh innovation across the WordPress world.
This week’s WP Week dives into the big shifts coming with Gutenberg Phase 3, including real-time collaboration, threaded block-level Notes, and a fresh admin redesign.
We also cover the latest WordPress 6.9 Beta 4 updates, the arrival of the Abilities API, and what’s new in Gutenberg 22.0. On the security front, critical vulnerabilities in Post SMTP and AI Engine were patched, while WooCommerce opened beta testing for its new MCP integration.
Beyond WordPress, we look at Google’s structured data changes, Perplexity’s $400M Snapchat partnership, new acquisitions, and standout community moments from CloudFest USA to WordCamp Asia 2026. Plus a wave of new tools and plugins shaping the future of WordPress development.
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This week, the spotlight is on Automattic’s trademark dispute with the creator of Automatic.css, sparking debate around branding and open-source naming rights. We also cover WordPress 6.9 Beta 2, featuring 33 editor updates and the long-awaited merge of the Abilities API, plus major improvements to plugin security checks through the new Plugin Check Plugin.
Across the ecosystem, Campus Connect Costa Rica and WordCamp Islamabad showcased WordPress’s growing global footprint, while critical vulnerabilities were patched in King Addons, Anti-Malware Security, and WP Freeio. WooCommerce 10.3.4 brings key performance fixes, and FAIR joins Patchstack for real-time site protection.
Outside WordPress, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go expands globally, Google launches Pomelli, and Microsoft confirms its $135B stake in OpenAI. Community highlights include BobWP’s 700th podcast milestone and new plugin launches like Ability Explorer, Plugin Curator, and PodLoom.
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Stay tuned for this week’s blend of WordPress news, community highlights, security alerts, and AI innovation shaping the open web.
This week’s episode dives into major WordPress headlines — from Automattic’s counterclaims against WP Engine in the ongoing trademark battle to the release of WordPress 6.9 Beta 1 and Gutenberg 21.9, bringing three new blocks and key editor improvements. We also cover WooCommerce 10.3, now featuring Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) in core, and new AI-powered integrations via MCP.
In security news, Wordfence warns of mass exploits targeting GutenKit and Hunk Companion plugins, while FAIR and Patchstack join forces to launch the FAIR Software Security Assistant. The episode also highlights Matt Mullenweg’s 20-year milestone at Automattic, major community events from WordPress Bhopal to Youth Day Nicaragua, and emerging tools like Progressify, Brand Assets, and Themeisle’s Fresh Rank.
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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress updates, security alerts, AI trends, and community milestones shaping the open web this week.
This week, we bring you insights from WordCamp Canada 2025, where Matt Mullenweg discussed WordPress’s evolution, the role of AI, and the power of community-driven innovation. We also explore the expanding Campus Connect program for educators, progress on the Abilities API for WordPress 6.9, and a major Slider Revolution vulnerability affecting millions of sites.In tech and business, an AWS outage shook the web, while WordPress VIP stayed resilient. Google’s new ad label design, ChatGPT search behavior, and WP Engine’s Smart Search AI MCP made headlines. The community celebrated WordCamp Dhaka’s record attendance, new plugin launches like Safe Updates, Rocket Insight, ProductGenie AI Shopping Assistant, and Hidden Gems, plus leadership changes and fresh AI-driven tools across the ecosystem.Sponsored by:🔹 Kinsta – High-performance managed WordPress hosting powered by Google Cloud🔹 WP Shell – Learn to self-host WordPress with over 25 free lessons on VPS and server configuration🔹 WP Job Openings – The simplest way to build a professional career page and manage job applications🎧 Tune in for WordPress news, innovation highlights, and the stories shaping the open web this week.
In this episode, we cover the release of WordPress 6.8.3, a crucial security update fixing two critical vulnerabilities, and a major policy change from WordPress Community Support after misuse of WordCamp funds. Higher education partnerships expand with Fidélitas University’s WordPress Campus Connect, while Gutenberg 21.8 introduces the much-anticipated “hide block” option and updates ahead of WordPress 6.9.
Security remains top of mind as a Yoast SEO Premium XSS flaw gets patched in version 26.0, and WooCommerce 10.3 rolls out experimental session management and AI-ready merchant tools. In business and community updates, WPExperts acquires Gutena Forms, WooCommerce partners with Snapchat, and the Checkout Summit 2026 Inclusion Grant opens for applicants. Microsoft ends its nonprofit ads program, while WP World, SeedProd, Rocket.net, and Amelia debut major redesigns.
We also explore innovations like Suggerence – Gutenberg Edition, Yoast AI Brand Insights, and Adam Zieliński’s PHP Playground, plus the latest AI experiments from Andy Peatling and new creative plugins from the WordPress community.
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🎧 Tune in for this week’s WordPress updates, community highlights, and emerging AI-driven innovations shaping the future of the open web.
This week’s episode dives into the release of FAIR 1.0, marking a major milestone in decentralized WordPress package management by enabling installs from WordPress.org, independent sources, and mirrors. We also cover Gutenberg 21.7’s new features, WordPress VIP’s GovRAMP and TX-RAMP certifications, and BuddyPress security updates. On the business front, Newfold Digital sells Markmonitor, Pagely partners with WP Event Manager, and Fueled confirms workforce reductions, while rtCamp opens 100 new roles.
Community discussions span WooCommerce’s MCP module, FlyingPress 5.2 with real-user Core Web Vitals tracking, Shopify’s new WordPress plugin, and Automattic’s transparency report. Envato shifts focus away from extensions to AI, Michael Willman’s motion against Automattic raises legal questions, and Patchstack earns recognition among Estonian startups.
We also spotlight fresh projects and tools: from Throwable Block and Ollie Menu Designer to WooCommerce Product Tables, Jotform’s AI Chatbot, Amender’s universal content editor, and Cloudflare’s new Email Service and Vibe SDK.
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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress updates, insights, and community news that keep you ahead of the curve.
This week, we unpack the launch of the new Core Program Team, designed to improve coordination across Core and help contributors work more effectively together. WordPress Credits is calling for new mentors, WordCamp US 2025 highlights contributor onboarding and decision-making, and after eight years, WordPress.org services finally have full IPv6 support. WordPress 6.9 introduces stronger privacy signals with new Site Health tests, while a serious vulnerability in the Jobmonster theme puts site owners on alert. WooCommerce 10.2.1 also ships with compatibility and performance fixes.
Beyond WordPress, the DOJ ramps up its case against Google, SEO experts track disruptive SERP changes, and applications open for the host city of WordCamp Asia 2027. Community news includes the return of the San Diego Meetup, WPBakery’s loyalty program, Gutena Forms’ potential sale, and milestone achievements like CookieAdmin hitting 100K installs. We also spotlight fresh projects from GoDaddy’s AI-powered Airo Site Designer to plugins like Post Calendar, ZenCommunity, ZiziCache, and the playful Pong Block.
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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress news, updates, and insights shaping the future of the community.
In this episode, we dive into the latest shifts and stories shaping the WordPress ecosystem. Anne McCarthy launches a new content-creators Slack channel to bring creators closer together, while the 2025 WordPress Hosting Survey opens to refine WordPress.org’s hosting recommendations. WordPress adds inline image support in emails, though security concerns rise with vulnerabilities in Service Finder Bookings, LifterLMS, and other plugins.
WooCommerce gears up for version 10.2 with fresh features and launches its new POS solution, while community discussions range from Automattic archiving the Underscores theme to the PHP Foundation introducing an official PHP SDK for MCP. We also highlight acquisitions like MapSVG joining Melograno, Automattic’s recognition in the Forbes Cloud 100, and vibrant community news including mentorship programs, new plugin updates, and Yoast Care fund awards.
Finally, we spotlight exciting new projects—from AI-powered form builders and rich block editor tools to changelog centralization and real-time user monitoring—showing how innovation continues to thrive across the WordPress space.
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This week, we spotlight the newly announced WordPress 6.9 release squad, updates on the WordPress Credits Program, and accessibility team elections. On the security front, major vulnerabilities were patched in LifterLMS, Redirection for Contact Form 7, and Dokan Pro, while GoDaddy researchers exposed a malicious plugin campaign.
WooCommerce 10.1.1 improves checkout and shipping flows, and in broader tech news, Google launched Asset Studio, Ahrefs rolled out a new traffic tracker, and OpenAI expanded integrations. The community also celebrates new partnerships, leadership changes, and fresh projects like AskaiWP, DBlocks CodePro, and the WordPress Book Club.
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This week, we dive into Matías Ventura’s proposal for a richer block library with additions like Tabs, Icons, Carousels, and Table of Contents. We also look at the latest from Gutenberg 21.4, WordPress 6.9 development, and new Test Team nominations. Security takes the spotlight with critical fixes in WP Job Portal and UiCore Elements, while WooCommerce 10.1 delivers faster checkout and new product features. Beyond WordPress, we cover OpenAI’s new integrations, Google’s Gemini personalization, and a surge of new community tools like WP Wiki, Groundworx GTM, and Menu Designer.
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This week, we unpack Matt Mullenweg’s proposal for phased plugin rollouts, the roadmap for WordPress 6.9, and a brand-new internship initiative by the WordPress Foundation.
Plus, major security alerts involving Gravity Forms and SureForms, WooCommerce 10.0’s launch, and new tools like AI Alt Writer, MCP Server, and StarShop.dev. Also in focus: Google Ads API changes, community scholarships, and big moves in plugin development and acquisitions.
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In this packed episode, we cover the revised release schedule for WordPress 6.9, WooCommerce’s upcoming block theme, and major accessibility improvements across the ecosystem.
We also highlight serious vulnerabilities in Forminator and deceptive SEO malware, plus community updates like InstaWP’s pricing shift, FlyWP’s sleep mode, and the Share Your Pride contest winners. New plugins, major milestones, and global privacy concerns round out this week’s WordPress buzz.
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In this episode, we explore a major infrastructure cleanup in WordPress, the launch of WordCamp US 2025 in Portland, new accessibility documentation insights, and WordPress Playground’s internet-enabled update.
Plus, updates on security threats, Google’s MUVERA algorithm, a new developer conference in Sydney, plugin milestones, and fresh projects like EventKoi, ToolsFave, and Indio.
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In this episode, we dig into a social media stir around WordCamp US, important WordPress security updates, WooCommerce bug fixes, and Automattic’s 20-year milestone.
We also cover CERN switching to WordPress, plugin vulnerabilities and transitions, Google’s AI Mode traffic update, and new community tools like Orca WP, Sliderberg, and Flexi Archiver. Plus, the latest on the WP Engine vs. Automattic legal case and the launch of Community plus Code podcast.
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This week on The WP Week, we unpack the Yoast SEO HTML tag bug, key takeaways from WordCamp Europe 2025, and the latest WordPress development updates including the upcoming 6.8.2 release, accessibility initiatives, SQLite support, and WooCommerce advisories.
Plus, we explore new AI features from Google, a major acquisition by Automattic, new learning resources, and exciting plugin releases from WPML, GravityBoard, and more.
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This week on The WP Week, we explore the launch of the FAIR Project, a bold initiative to decentralize WordPress.org services and highlights from WordCamp Europe 2025 in Basel.
We cover new Gutenberg enhancements, critical security patches, WooCommerce 9.9 features, and evolving governance processes.
Also in the spotlight: community milestones, AI breakthroughs, major plugin acquisitions, and the rebranding of Do the Woo to OpenChannels.fm.
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🎧 Tune in for this week’s essential WordPress updates and industry insights!