As technology advances, prioritizing speed and convenience can undermine critical engagement and reflection. While automating tasks may enhance efficiency, it risks diminishing the unique value individuals bring to understanding and decision-making.

Faster security scans reveal new software issues yet patching and project upkeep require committed maintainers and company contributions.

Connect Claude to WordPress with a free plugin: add your site as a custom connector, approve access, run a first task, and fix it when it won't connect.

Shifting barriers in tech reveal new questions about trust, safety, and sustainability in software.

I'm about to review a WordPress plugin rated 1.7/5 in the official repo. Why do I want to do this to myself (and all of you)? Well, AI Agent by SiteGround had a rough start, but there's more to the story. I'm going to get to all that.

Bowe Frankema shares how digital creation affects daily life and what bringing weirdness back to the internet means.

Learn how to sell your online course to companies: team seats, bulk enrollment from a CSV, and a certificate for every learner, using free Masteriyo LMS! The post How to Sell Certificate Courses to Companies and Teams in WordPress appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Two critical PHP flaws let attackers run code on your server without logging in. Here's how to check your PHP version and get your WordPress site patched. The post Critical PHP Flaws Found: How to Protect Your WordPress Site first appeared on WPBeginner.

Munich’s shift to practical open source, Meta and Apple’s AI partnership, and NVIDIA’s hardware-driven open AI models

The PHP project has announced a security release that fixes two critical security vulnerabilities discovered in PHP. Due to the critical severity of the issues, site owners are encouraged to immediately update their installations of PHP. Your web host may already be working to update PHP and put […]

Transcript [00:00:19] Nathan Wrigley: Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley. Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, how the Static Site Importer makes […]

Data migration is under discussion in this episode thanks to Chris Huber, who brings tales from Automattic’s front lines. We explored how Data Liberation and the Static Site Importer give WordPress users the power to 'liberate' their sites from other platforms, any platform. One concept discussed […]

There’s going to be an emergency PHP release made in just over 2 hours. It’s to address a critical security bug. I’m not sure how long it’ll be before Ubuntu updates, but I will preload a bunch of posts here and on inphotos.org using WP Super Cache and turn off PHP until it’s updated. […]

This beta release is intended for testing and development only. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, use a test environment or local site to explore the new features. How to Test WordPress 7.2 Beta 1 You can test […]

A commentary on building meaningful online communities that prioritize value and listening over constant activity.

OpenStation is a free WordPress plugin that turns wp-admin into a desktop. Every admin screen opens in its own window that you can move, resize and keep open next to the others. You can try it in your browser right now, with nothing to install. Can’t see the video? Watch it on YouTube. […]

AI tools have simplified app creation, enabling rapid prototyping. However, the challenge now lies in discerning which ideas are genuinely valuable to users. As anyone can create apps quickly, the focus should shift from mere production to understanding user needs and ensuring the apps solve real […]

I made a WordPress plugin for my holidays. It’s called Travel Steps, and it turns a trip into a page with a map down one side and the story of each day down the other. Every photo I take ends up in Immich, on my own server. My phone sends where I’ve been to Dawarich, on the same server. […]

The Truly Meaning moment in this event Campus Connect Event Successfully Completed! We are pleased to share that the Campus Connect event, held on Thursday, October 1st, was successfully completed with the participation of students from Ahmad’s Education. Ahmad’s Education has already […]

In tech, speed can make all the difference. One topic that doesn’t get enough attention is just how much faster AI inference is changing the way developers work. Training AI models still grabs the headlines with all the talk about big clusters and huge data sets, but the real impact for most […]

In mid-April 2026 my employer started a project called “Radical Speed Month” to step away from our existing structures and processes, make space for people to dive more deeply into AI tooling, and try to build new or sleeping ideas. My participation in this experiment ran until late September […]

How employment is changing at Anthropic is a fascinating read.

A straightforward look at what the open web is, how it started, and why it matters for digital communities.

We get a lot of flak at WordPress.org for supporting older PHP versions, but an area we’ve always pushed the frontier is in Web Standards, getting websites and browsers evolving together to make the web richer. Ever since I caught the religion from Zeldman, promoting more functionality in the […]

On 19th and 20th September 2026, the WordPress community gathered at Civil Service College Uganda, a venue close to River Nile, for the fifth edition of WordCamp Jinja. The event brought together more than 300 diverse participants across 2 days and 3 parallel tracks of sessions full of learning, […]

bbPress 2.6.20 is a security and maintenance release. Everyone running bbPress should update. This release strengthens topic and reply password validation and keeps bbPress post shortcodes literal in ordinary WordPress content loops. It also adds a site-wide Forum Status setting with Open, […]

When we think about what keeps the Internet humming, most of us imagine massive data centers and super-fast connections. Fewer people realize that our everyday digital experiences often depend on the efforts of a very small group of individuals. Recent analysis revealed that in many essential open […]

Who maintains education AI, the backbone of software infrastructure, and a new open source document tool.

The conversation focused on insights from the 2026 WordPress Security Survey by Melapress, featuring guest Robert Abela. We talked about persistent concerns among WordPress users, with 78 percent of survey participants expressing security worries and nearly 68 percent having experienced at least […]

Transcript [00:00:19] Nathan Wrigley: Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley. Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, the state of WordPress security in 2026, […]

For the next 30 days, a few billion of you will get an extra header in honor of Eric Binnion. The code in Nginx to do this is poetic: add_header X-Remembering "Eric Binnion <https://friendsofericbinnion.wordpress.com/>" always; Our design team will make that less AI and more humane in […]

Almost a third of our source code was comments. I deleted all of them and asked an AI agent to build the same features on both versions of the codebase, three times each. The code it wrote was just as good with or without comments. If you use agents on a real codebase and wonder whether comments […]

Speaking of sci-fi authors, Automattic is hosting Neal Stephenson for a livestream about his new book soon, please tune in! Neal was a big influence on WordPress! I got hip to him from Tantek. In the source code of billions of pages you’ll see this: <link rel="profile" […]

In today's news, markdown streamlines AI input, AI-generated security reports increase workloads, and autonomous agent costs affect project efficiency

We compared fees on Teachable, Kajabi, Stan, Udemy, WordPress LMS plugins, and more. Plug your own numbers into our free calculator to see the real cost! The post Course Platform Fees Compared: 14 Platforms to Sell a Course (+ Free Calculator) appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Next month in November, I’ll (Bob) be attending the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. I have been to conferences in the past that have had attendance up to 15,000, but never one that has over 70,000 attendees. That’s a lot of people. A few months ago I applied for media creditation, unsure of […]

Automattic is always 5–15 years ahead of other companies, but things happen faster now. I predict other companies will start scrambling to add great writers to their boards, because, well, look at the headlines in AI. United’s board already has Walter Isaacson. Authors are awesome, akin to […]

Novamira vs WPVibe, plus the MCP Adapter and Easy MCP AI, compared: where each runs, what your AI can touch, real prices and caps, and which fits your site. The post Novamira vs WPVibe vs MCP Adapter vs Easy MCP AI: Which One Fits Your Site? appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

I’ve been wondering how far a theme can take OpenStation. Not just a wallpaper and a different color, but everything: windows, dock, menus, fonts, icons, layouts, etc. So I tried to make wp-admin look like two operating systems from a long time ago. Can you believe that this is still […]

The WordPress MCP Adapter is now a WordPress.org plugin. See what it exposes on your site, who can use it, how to keep it narrow, and your options. The post WordPress MCP Adapter Explained: What It Is, What It Exposes, and Your Options appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

In a fast-evolving tech industry, professionals are embracing diversification for stability and growth. This strategy fosters financial security, creativity, and adaptability, preparing individuals for unforeseen changes.

Check what you need before connecting ChatGPT to WordPress over MCP: the right plan, a public HTTPS site, and the permissions that keep you in control. The post ChatGPT MCP Requirements for WordPress: Plans, Connection Rules and Permissions appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Compare 9 SEO MCP servers for AI assistants: what each one reads, where it runs, how you sign in, which plan it needs and what your calls cost. The post Best SEO MCP Servers: Ahrefs, Semrush, Search Console and More appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

This week on Open Channels News, discover how AI is changing hardware, security reports, and gaming, plus the latest WordPress and enterprise data updates. Explore our concise wrap-up of major open source and tech stories, along with the recurring themes shaping the industry’s future.

Claude connectors let the AI read and act in your apps. Learn what they are, who can add a custom one, and how to connect your own WordPress site step by step. The post Claude Connectors Explained: How to Add a Custom Connector (With a WordPress Example) appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

To thrive in the evolving tech industry, professionals should engage with younger colleagues, embracing their fresh perspectives to foster adaptability, resilience, and ongoing personal and professional growth.

Learn how Bob Dunn chose to create a AI Transparency Report for the Open Channels FM Podcast Network.

Nine AI plugins for WordPress compared by what each one can change on your site, the control that keeps you in charge, and who pays for the AI. The post 9 Best AI Plugins for WordPress (2026): What Each One Can Change appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Open Channels News host Robert shares AI's evolving role, highlighting Meta's Home Link for hardware integration, GPT-6 Astra's gameplay without visuals, and BootLoops enhancing scientific research tools.

Transcript [00:00:19] Nathan Wrigley: Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley. Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, making WordPress the source of truth […]

Today, I'm joined by Brian Coords from Automattic, and the podcast is focused upon the intersection of WordPress block themes, AI, and agency workflows, using the concept that "the site is the source of truth." We talk about the value of leveraging WordPress' built-in systems, like patterns and […]

If your Drupal site still runs the community Akismet module (drupal/akismet), the official Akismet module (drupal/akismet_antispam) can upgrade it in place. You swap the Composer package, run database updates, and your API key and protection settings come along. We built it so you don’t have to […]

This security and maintenance release features 7 security fixes and 4 bug fixes. Because this is a security release, it is recommended that you update your sites immediately. You can download WordPress 7.1.3 from WordPress.org, or visit your WordPress Dashboard, click “Updates”, and then […]

AI-driven growth presents challenges in security and accessibility and infrastructure hurdles that technology teams cannot ignore.

As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into genealogical research, it is tempting to imagine a future where longstanding mysteries are unraveled with a few keystrokes. AI tools can now scan, transcribe, and sort through centuries of records, but the heart of successful genealogy still […]

A few days ago, someone opened a support thread about AllTerrain Forms and, in the middle of otherwise useful feedback, wrote something very direct: “I hate OpenStation.” Obviously that is not the nicest sentence to read when you are working on the product, but at the same time it […]

Fellow Automattician Job Thomas, down in Cape Town, South Africa, has a lovely story about using Claude and the Beeper MCP to wrangle all the group chats for his daughter’s sports.

Faster tech means new challenges from AI feedback loops to WordPress security incidents.

Sometime we think, been there, done that, but hey, not everyone has done that.

Version 1.1.0 of the official Akismet Drupal module is out with support for Drupal 12. If you’re planning your move to 12, spam protection won’t hold you back. Here are the highlights. Drupal 12 from day one The module now runs on Drupal 10.3+, 11 and 12. On Drupal 12, Akismet checks […]

Bob Dunn reflects on online conversation styles and an infamous hardware design blunder, offering unsolicited solutions and food for thought.

In this episode, hosts Zach and Carl discuss adapting to technological change, personal reinvention, and the impact of AI on creativity and web development, emphasizing diverse income strategies and effective ADHD management.

September was the month WordPress plugins really started talking to AI assistants in a serious way. You can now manage backups, forms, online stores, and fundraising campaigns just by asking Claude or ChatGPT, and there’s a good chance you already have some of these plugins… Read More » The […]

You may start something and then boom, it's over. Or an idea that disappears as quickly as it appears.

Transcript [00:00:19] Nathan Wrigley: Welcome to the Jukebox Podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley. Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress, the people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, bringing podcasting to Jetpack. If […]

The conversation focused on Jetpack’s new podcasting features for WordPress, discussing how creators can now easily publish, distribute, and manage podcasts directly from their sites. We talk about the integration with newsletters and social sharing, enabling creators to distribute content […]

Today I'm talking with K. Adam White from Human Made about large-scale content migrations to WordPress’ block editor, especially for enterprise clients. We discuss the use of patterns and bespoke tooling to transfer complex layouts from other CMS platforms, like Sitecore, while maintaining […]

Stripe fees are fixed, but plugin fees are a choice. Use this simple break-even calculator to see when a free Stripe plugin stops being free. The post The Real Cost of Stripe on WordPress: Plugin Fees and Break-Even Calculator appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Should you share a Stripe Payment Link or embed a payment form on your WordPress site? Compare setup, branding, features, and real costs. The post Stripe Payment Links vs Embedded WordPress Forms: Which Should You Use? appeared first on Themeisle Blog.

Wire Cursor (or any MCP client) to WordPress with scoped tokens: 243 tools for posts, media, WooCommerce, and analytics, plus an audit trail for every action.

You can manage a WordPress site with ChatGPT or Claude using WPVibe. It’s a free plugin that connects both AI tools directly to your site. We tested it by connecting Claude to our demo travel site and giving it real tasks. Within a few minutes,… Read More » The post How to Manage Your […]

The conversation focused on AI-assisted development in WordPress, exploring how large language models like Claude can be both powerful and unpredictable. We talked about the need for guardrails, structured project contracts and reviewer agents, to ensure outputs are reliable, secure, and […]

The conversation focused on the rapidly evolving landscape of WordPress security, emphasising the impact of AI on both attack complexity and defence strategies. We talked about the accelerating pace at which vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited, prompting the need for proactive, […]

On the podcast today we have Damon cook to talk about WP Trend Watcher, a locally run tool that aggregates, summarises, and curates WordPress news using AI and human review. We discussed the challenge of keeping up with the rapid, ever-changing WordPress ecosystem, and how automation can help cut […]

I'm talking today with Adrian Sticea about the decline in freelance WordPress work available through Upwork, highlighted by a viral LinkedIn post and graph showing work drying up from 2023 onward. We get into the many reasons behind this shift, the impact of AI making developers more efficient, […]

Old posts losing traffic? Learn a simple workflow to refresh old blog posts for SEO, plus a free tool that tells you exactly what to fix first.

Selling courses in WordPress? You might not need WooCommerce at all. This guide compares native LMS checkout against WooCommerce so you can pick the right setup.

Want an AI page builder in Gutenberg? Otter Blocks 3.2 generates full sections and pages from a simple prompt. Learn the setup, the catch, and what free vs Pro gets you.

Want a WordPress AI chatbot that answers from your own posts and pages? Learn how RAG actually works, then set up Hyve Lite free, limits and all.

WordPress 7.0's AI connectors and wp_ai_client_prompt() give any plugin a provider-agnostic way to talk to LLMs. Learn the API and build a working plugin.

The conversation focused on Amy Kamala’s diverse journey from art to technology, her extensive experience in hosting, web development, and team leadership, and her active contributions to the WordPress project. We got into the intersection of creativity and logic in tech roles, as well as the […]

Today, the podcast is focused on Priscilla Collado Ramirez’s journey with WordPress, highlighting how overwhelming the platform can be for beginners due to the abundance of options and limited guidance. Priscilla discussed her experience leaving WordPress 17 years ago and returning as an […]

Maciek Palmowski is on the podcast today to discuss his WordCamp Europe presentation on whether "secure hosting" lives up to its claims in the WordPress ecosystem. He described penetration tests of multiple providers, revealing that the majority of WordPress-specific vulnerabilities made it through […]

Today's conversation with Jessica Lyschik focused on WordPress theme accessibility, highlighting that achieving "accessibility-ready" standards is easier than many developers assume. We talked about the moral and practical importance of accessible websites, not just for legal compliance but to […]

Today, I'm joined by Milan Petrović, and the podcast is focused on the impact of PHP versioning in the WordPress ecosystem, emphasising the risks of running outdated PHP and the security and performance benefits of PHP 8.x. We get into the challenge of supporting legacy code versus urging progress […]

Today on the podcast, the conversation focused on cross-industry collaboration to improve security and abuse response in the hosting industry. We talk about the Internet Infrastructure Forum (IIF), a platform-agnostic initiative aiming to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing among hosts, […]

On the podcast today we explore the WordPress Credits initiative, and its strategic importance in integrating young talent into the WordPress ecosystem through structured university programs. We discuss the alignment of the program with modern workforce demands, the benefits for businesses in […]

The podcast focused on the rapid growth of educational initiatives in the WordPress community over the past eight months. We talked about the development and distinctions among three primary programs: the WordPress Credits Program (university-level, contributions for academic credit), Campus […]

In this episode of the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, the conversation focused on agency growth, lessons from rtCamp’s journey, and the changing agency landscape due to AI. We discussed the importance of hiring complementary skill sets when starting an agency, and the necessity to niche down for […]

Today the podcast focuses on the unique openness and camaraderie of the WordPress community, particularly through volunteer experiences at WordCamp events. A key theme under discussion was how involvement in such communities combats loneliness and provides a sense of belonging and purpose, whether […]

Nathan Wrigley interviews Austin Ginder about recent WordPress plugin supply chain attacks. Austin explains how attackers are acquiring legitimate plugins, inserting malicious code or update mechanisms, and compromising thousands of sites. AI tools have enabled Austin to detect these issues and […]

Nathan Wrigley interviews Luke Carbis about the evolving challenges in the WordPress plugin ecosystem, including the surge in plugin submissions fuelled by AI, difficulties with plugin discoverability, and potential marketplace reforms. Luke shares ideas like different WordPress.org-account […]

Nathan Wrigley interviews Leo Losoviz, focusing on translating WordPress sites using AI-powered tools, including his Gato AI Translations for Polylang plugin. They cover the evolution from manual, costly translations to efficient, high-quality AI solutions, the legal and business cases for […]

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley and Matt Schwartz continue their discussion about how WordPress agencies can harness AI. They cover practical applications like connecting AI to agency documentation, implementing guardrails with MCPs, using AI for internal tools and QA, and the evolving impact on […]

Nathan Wrigley and Matt Schwartz discuss the evolving impact of AI on WordPress agencies, focusing on how AI can streamline agency processes beyond just building websites. They explore the importance of revisiting workflows, creating AI vision documents, leveraging AI for proposals, internal […]

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Robby McCullough, co-founder of Beaver Builder, about the evolving landscape of WordPress page builders amidst the rise of AI. They reflect on Beaver Builder’s 12-year journey, discuss initial skepticism toward page builders, and the recent surge in […]

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Malcolm Peralty from Pressable, about his tech and WordPress career, experiences with Drupal and Acquia, and his current role as a technical account manager. They discuss Pressable’s hosting services, their focus on optimising WordPress performance, and […]

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Anne Bovelett, about the economic and human impact of web accessibility in WordPress. They discuss how improving accessibility offers significant SEO, traffic, and revenue benefits, referencing research showing up to a 23% increase in organic traffic and […]

Elliot Richmond discusses his 20+ years with WordPress, from early b2 days to founding a successful pizza delivery business powered by WordPress and WooCommerce. He shares plans for a pizza plugin and licensing model, and explains his new partnership with Automattic, creating educational […]

In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Zach Stepek about the evolving nature of partnerships in the WordPress ecosystem. Zach shares his journey through various tech roles, his discovery of WordPress, and his passion for WooCommerce. They discuss the interconnected roles of agencies, product […]

In this episode of WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, Nathan Wrigley chats with Simon Pollard about the changing landscape of WordPress Meetups and community events. Simon reflects on the vibrant pre-pandemic community, its sudden decline during COVID-19, and the ongoing struggle to rebuild momentum. The […]