📆 This is the August 2021 edition of “This Month in WordPress with CodeinWP.”
Hey folks, hope you are well and healthy. Here’s a quick look at some of the top WordPress news stories from the last month. We will talk about the release of a new major WordPress version, the WordPress.org Block Pattern Directory, Automattic acquiring a new podcast app to join their family, and the launch of a new service for disposable WordPress testing sites.
Let’s dig deeper!
August 2021 WordPress News with CodeinWP
The new version of WordPress is finally here. WordPress 5.8, codename “Tatum,” comes with a number of interesting features and improvements. We’ve been talking about it for the last couple of months on this blog, so this time, we’ll just give you the main highlights:
- Blocks for widgets (yep, blocks have finally matured to serve as widgets)
- New blocks and block patters available
- Content template pages editable through the block editor
There’s also a range of improvements to the overall workflow when putting together your pages. For instance, you can see the entire page structure at a glance via the new page structure overview module. This is particularly handy for larger pages and more advanced block structures.
And, let’s not forget that we can now also take advantage of some cool new features for colorizing images. Those duotone effects are pretty neat!
The WordPress.org Block Pattern Directory Is Now Live
WordPress block pattern directory is now live, and it will work similarly to the main plugin and theme directories. Users can browse and use block patterns right from the main post editor interface. The directory has a curated list of designs, from more than 20 volunteers, and there are more than 70 patterns across six different categories to pick from. These include:
- Text
- Buttons
- Images
- Gallery
- Columns
- Header
At the time of writing, there are translations available for 12 languages, but there are more on the way.
You may also be interested in:
- Mary Hubbard, New Executive Director of WordPress.org Engages in Open Q&A With the Community (and Matt Mullenweg)
- WordPress.org Redesigns, Jetpack Stats Pricing, Woo Rebranding 🗞️ May 2024 WordPress News w/ WPShout
- WordCamp Europe, Supply Chain Attack, More Acquisitions 🗞️ July 2024 WordPress News w/ WPShout
Popular Podcast App Pocket Casts Joins Automattic
Automattic has acquired the popular podcast app Pocket Casts. About 80 million users listen to podcasts weekly in the United States, and the podcast app makes it convenient for the users to explore and customize their listening experience.
The app allows you to use powerful search tools and discover hidden gems. It has a beautifully designed, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and allows you to personalize how you listen.
Also, if you already have a website for your podcast on WordPress.com, you can allow users to search and subscribe to it via Pocket Casts. The co-founders, Philip Simpson and Russel Ivanovic, will continue leading the Pocket Casts team. Better yet, with so many podcast themes available, their website will look fantastic.
InstaWP Launches New Service for Disposable WordPress Testing Sites
InstaWP is a new service that helps users set up disposable WordPress testing sites. You can select the WordPress version you want to use (they go back to 4.7), and you can also choose to spin up the site with beta or release candidate versions.
The WordPress version is not the only thing you can adjust. InstaWP also lets you pick your PHP version. Your free WordPress instance will be live for eight hours, and you can link your account via email for another 48 hours. Users will need to upgrade for access to custom domains, higher limits, FTP access, and to be able to reserve a site. More than 500 instances have already been created.
Great Articles From Around The Web
That sums up our August 2021 WordPress news roundup. Anything we missed?
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