There’s very little time to do nothing in February. WordPress 6.2 will be released soon. WooCommerce’s latest update thrilled us with new and exciting features. In addition, WordCamp Asia 2023 and the upcoming WordPress Community Summit will keep the community engaged.
WordPress 6.2 Update
Beta release
The first WordPress 6.2 Beta was released on February 7, 2023. Now, his 4th beta has already been released with improved features and bug fixes.
We have an article covering the new features in WordPress 6.2. In summary, here are some highlights:
- Browse modeQuickly preview templates and template parts using the new Browse Mode UI. Save time by not having to open each template or sidebar to switch between templates.
- style book. See how Style Books can change the overall look of your website. You’ll see styles for everything from text and media files to block designs and widgets.
- distraction modeIn distraction-free mode, the block toolbar and all other panels in the editor are disabled so you can focus on creating your content.
- Improved navigation block UIAdd navigation items and drag and drop to reorder the menu from the block settings panel. This eliminates the need to mess around with navigation blocks directly on the editor canvas.
- Open verse integrationEasily insert publicly licensed images into your content from the Openverse menu in the editor. No need to manually download and re-upload content images.
WordPress 6.2 is important because it marks the end of Phase 2 of Gutenberg. The site editor is more stable than ever and ready to take your website customization to the next level.
live product demo
In line with the release timeline of WordPress 6.2, the team live product demo March 2, 2023. See what’s new in a live Zoom call and attendees can ask the team questions about new releases.
This conference call will allow end users to see how new features can make their jobs easier. In contrast, developers will learn about new opportunities to create more advanced WordPress customizations, plugins, and themes.
Product demo calls are recorded for future on-demand viewing.
WooCommerce Update
WooCommerce released version 7.4 on February 14, 2023. This includes 274 commits for WooCommerce core and 220 commits for WooCommerce block. Some interesting new features are:
- local pickupThe latest version of WooCommerce adds a new local pickup block that allows buyers to pick up their purchases from a pickup location. This new feature has a dedicated admin screen for managing pickup locations, making it easier for sellers to offer deliveries to buyers.
- Link to add reviews to all product blocksAll product blocks now have links to visitor reviews. The link will appear on products that don’t have reviews yet, helping you get more social proof from your buyers and build trust with your audience.
- Editable cart and checkout buttons. of proceed to checkout and order The cart button and checkout block are now editable, allowing you to create a call to action.
In addition to the new WooCommerce 7.4, developers are already working on WooCommerce 7.5. Its beta version has already been released. The next WooCommerce update is scheduled for March 14th, 2023 and we can’t wait to see what the team has in store.
Wordcamps and community news
WordCamp Asia 2023
WordCamp Asia 2023 It was Asia’s first flagship WordCamp, held from February 17-19, 2023. The event was attended by over 1,200 people. Most of them were from neighboring countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia.
Like all WordCamps, WordCamp Asia kicked off with a Contributor Day. Participants met and worked on various WordPress projects. This was a great opportunity for contributors to meet and talk.
At other conferences, over 50 speakers discussed topics ranging from mental health and productivity to contributing to WordPress. They shared many inspiring stories from within the community.
As the conference closed, Taipei was announced as the next venue. WordCamp Asia 2024If you live in a nearby country and would like to attend a major WordCamp, we recommend that you schedule your appointment for next year.
Want to learn more? We have a dedicated blog post summarizing WordCamp Asia 2023.
WordCamp Europe 2023
want to get involved WordCamp Europe 2023? the organizer is calling photographer and media partner Participate in the following flagship events:
If you have experience capturing moments of an event, apply as a photographer to immortalize WordCamp Europe 2023. Or apply as a media partner to spread WordCamp news to the community.
Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2023.
The event will take place June 8-10, 2023 in Athens, Greece. general ticket If you just want to join the event as a regular attendee, you can get it.
WordPress Community Summit
WordPress Community Summit Bring together contributors from WordPress open source projects to improve collaboration and workflow within your community.
This event will take place just before August 22-23, 2023. WordCamp USand covers various submitted topics such as:
- Improved multilingualization in the WordPress community.
- Improve communication and collaboration between teams.
- Adopt an accessible-first approach with WordPress.
- Streamlines the work of Gutenberg components already built into WordPress core.
If you have participated in a WordPress project and would like to join with other contributors, Sign up for the WordPress Community Summit has opened. This is an invitation-only event, so please register.
Featured WordPress Extensions
We test, review and recommend WordPress plugins, themes and other tools to our readers. This month I want to talk to you about 5 WordPress extensions.
Automattic’s new block-based theme focuses on restaurant websites. This delicious theme has his 5 custom block patterns for menu pages, recommended dishes and restaurant information. This isn’t a lot, but the options available are enough to start his website for a restaurant without having to design page elements from scratch.
The custom home template utilizes a cover block to display a hero image with contact information and a call to action button. This allows you to create an attractive homepage design from the very beginning. Simply customize images, text, and color schemes and your site is ready to go.
Web3Press WordPress NFT plugin
Web3Press allows you to earn money by publishing your blog posts as NFTs on the blockchain. Add a simple interface to your editor to author your content as writing NFTs and embed mini NFT widgets to allow readers to purchase your articles.
Essential Blocks for Gutenberg plugins
Add over 40 new WordPress blocks with the Essential Blocks for Gutenberg plugin to take your website design and site functionality to the next level.
Instagram feeds, social icons, and social share blocks help you integrate your site with your social media accounts. Post carousel, toggle content, and parallax slider blocks, on the other hand, add interactive elements without installing bundles of plugins or coding from scratch.
This plugin has pre-designed templates that allow you to quickly create contact forms. Comprehensive features like conditional logic, multi-step form formatting, and a drag-and-drop form builder make Fluent Forms one of the most flexible contact form plugins.
Whether you need a simple subscription or a conversational form with conditional logic, this plugin has you covered.
TasteWP has released a Chrome extension that detects if the website you are visiting is built with WordPress. It also shows the themes and plugins your site is using.
Use it to get inspired by websites with attractive designs and user interactivity. TasteWP will tell you if your website uses WordPress. Look at the extension’s icon. If your icon is full color, your site is running WordPress.
The extension also shows some notable plugins used on the website. This helps the website know how design elements like image sliders and lightboxes work.
Identified themes and plugins include a link to the home page. This way you can quickly create a TasteWP sandbox to try out detected plugins.
What can we expect in March?
February was a busy month in all respects. WordPress shows no signs of slowing down, and WordPress 6.2 development remains the main focus of his March community.
An upcoming walkthrough chat with the team will allow you to see demonstrations from the experts themselves. Also, with three release candidates coming up, we can learn more about his next major update.
Stay tuned for more WooCommerce and Gutenberg updates that will further enhance your WordPress experience.