May 14, 2024 — Custom meta boxes have been a common tool used by plugin and theme developers to add additional functionality to posts and pages in WordPress. While meta boxes are supported in the Block Editor, they are considered a “legacy” tool and do not provide an ideal user experience. There are also a number of technical downsides to meta boxes, and developers are encouraged to migrate to alternatives.

In this session, we explored the current options available for adding custom plugin and theme settings in the Block Editor and how you can manage metadata using React and native WordPress components. You will learn how to:

– Use slots to add custom panels in the Settings Sidebar
– Implement a modal for additional settings
– Fetch and save post metadata using JavaScript
– Connect post metadata to blocks

Presentation Slides »

February 27, 2024 — This one-hour session focused on theme development will explore how to craft web layouts using WordPress blocks. This talk is perfect for those who want to learn about block composition–the skill of assembling various blocks to create unique and effective web designs. We’ll look at a range of non-block web layouts, including some submitted by the community, and demonstrate how to convert them into WordPress blocks.

In the second half of our session, we’ll discuss practical aspects such as when to introduce custom CSS, how to add unique block styles, and when to package your design as a pattern. This will give you a better understanding of how to customize layouts while maintaining a clean and functional design. Whether you’re new to WordPress or an experienced theme developer, this talk will provide you with valuable insights into creating modern and responsive websites using the power of blocks.

February 13, 2024 — This one-hour session explores how JavaScript is used in modern WordPress development. Whether you’re just beginning your WordPress journey, or if you’re already familiar with development and looking to stay updated with the latest techniques, this talk will equip you with the knowledge and practical tools to effectively build your own custom blocks and Editor extensions.

Links shared in the talk are available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14hfp9Pe2bEzRTQLcoYTcmuD5WshIs6BS40O_UeDkqvA/edit

January 16, 2024 — Welcome to the first Developer Hours session of 2024 where we explored the “Build your first block” tutorial from the Block Editor Handbook.

During the session, we worked through the tutorial together, answering any questions folks had along the way. Attendees learned the basics of building a custom block, including the key concepts of block development and an overview of the common tools and packages used.

December 19, 2023 — In the final installment of Developer Hours for 2023, we explored how the wp-scripts package has become an essential tool for modern WordPress development, such as when building blocks and block themes. If you are looking to streamline your development process, harness the power of build tools, and simplify tasks such as checking for compliance with WordPress coding standards, this session recording is for you.

November 29, 2023 — In this installment of Developer Hours, we explored how to extend core WordPress blocks and why this approach can be preferred over creating a custom block. Extension techniques also allow you to curate the editing experience within WordPress beyond simply adding new functionality.

The session began with a presentation on the fundamentals of block extension. Then, we covered practical examples of adding new features to existing blocks, utilizing hooks for advanced extensions, and modifying block behavior to suit your unique site requirements.

Presentation Slides »

November 13, 2023 — Being able to extend and customize the editorial experience for users has been a part of any WordPress developer’s toolbox since hooks were introduced in WordPress 1.2. We have come a long way since then and now with the Gutenberg Project, we have a new tool available to us – SlotFill.

The SlotFIll system can be used to extend blocks and the UI for the Block Editor and Site Editor screens making it a critically important tool for any WordPress developer. This talk will take a deep dive into how this system works, show how and where you can currently extend WordPress, and finally how to create your own custom SlotFills!

October 12, 2023 — A casual conversation about the most important and exciting developer-related changes coming to WordPress 6.4. Learn more about Blook Hooks and improved Editor flows as well as the new Twenty Twenty-Four theme.

September 27, 2023 — In this installment of WordPress Developer Hours, we dove into the functionalities of the create-block package. Developed to simplify and accelerate the process of building custom WordPress blocks, this package has become an indispensable tool for developers of all levels.

In addition to covering the fundamentals of the create-block package, the presentation showcased often overlooked features such as external project templates and variants, among others. So, whether you’re starting with block development or an experienced pro, this session will help you build better blocks.

September 14, 2023 — In this casual conversation, we discuss block variations and how you can use them to enhance the editing experience in WordPress. An often overlooked feature, variations are a great way to extend existing blocks and can be as simple or complex as you like. Many WordPress Core blocks you use daily are variations!

To kick off the discussion, we provide a brief overview of what variations are and how they work. Ryan Welcher then shares how he built the Advanced Query Loop plugin and why he opted for a variation of the Query block instead of building a custom block from scratch.