Just like you, I have a laundry list of changes I’d like to see to WordPress. Some are pretty common requests, like UI improvements to the navigation block, and some are probably pipe dreams, like static content support with a wp-content/posts/*.md structure. However, there’s one feature that I think is so critical, and fits so neatly with the collaboration and AI features in core, that it should be the next major focus: future revisions.
WordPress has a robust revision history manager that’s getting a massive visual upgrade in WordPress 7.0. Visual diffs are being introduced in the block editor, with a git-like experience for reviewing the changes between past versions of a post. But even though WordPress tracks past changes to a post, it has always lacked a way to stash or schedule future changes to your content. (One exception was the Customizer, which did have the ability to save and preview future changesets.)
Developers tend to find clunky workarounds, from database migrations to plugins like Yoast Duplicate Post that clone posts to overwrite the original. Traditionally, this has resulted in setting up a local or staging environment, making your changes, getting them approved somehow, and then cherry picking the changes to move. Worst case scenario, you have to manually make the exact same changes in the exact same steps on production to avoid dealing with post ID mismatches and missing media files.
But as more WordPress structure moves into the wp_posts table, including navigation blocks, templates, headers/footers, and more, it makes sense to leverage what WordPress offers and- for things like simple content updates- eliminate the need for separate environments. No migrating between environments or doing janky string-replacements to fix staging URLs or handle missing media files. Everything happens on your site in real time, but it’s reliably managed by the software.
Future revisions are critical for human site management.
For landing pages, templates, global elements, product changes (in Woo), and more, there’s always been a need to prepare future changes to content without clicking “publish” right away. Often you want to schedule sales and launches, or include calls-to-action that ‘expire’ with a campaign.
This also falls under the ‘Collaboration’ phase of Gutenberg. Real-time collaboration could happen on existing content, with comments and potential changes saved for a future revision to be published later.
As WordPress becomes an even more robust content management platform with RTC, future revisions are the last piece of the content production process that still have to happen somewhere other than your production site.
Future revisions are critical for AI / MCP management.
Agentic coding has been fantastic for new projects. “Green field” site builders are launching new brochure sites in minutes, but it’s the legacy projects- the massive scale, existing-site management- where we need to see AI’s improvements make an impact. Can you always trust AI to edit an existing page while you sleep?
Imaging asking an LLM to make a change to a landing page, and it makes a future draft for you (or your client) to review and publish. You make a change to your theme’s template via MCP and then can see that change as a revision that doesn’t replace your current design.
Instead of destructive actions that have to go live immediately or be completely lost, you could collaborate on changes to your live content on your site, knowing that you control the moment it’s published.
A tool like Telex could build on your live site, registering post types and building custom blocks, confirming that they work on your live environment. A design agent with proper access could redesign your header and show you a preview, without waiting for a bulky migration script to run. If an agent generates images for you, it does so on your production site, no media migration needed.
WordPress has the infrastructure already, and now with AI and real-time collaboration in core, it has all the incentives to make future revisions a reality. What are your thoughts? Would future revisions be useful in your workflows?
Links from around the web
I gave Derek Hanson a preview of how AI is impacting Woo over on Open Channels.fm.
Nik McLaughlin (SkyVerge/GoDaddy) and I chatted about healthy conversations in open source communities. (Earlier this year, we also chatted about the potential for the WooCommerce MCP.)
I spoke with Matt Medeiros about his vibe-coded app that served 100k local community members during a major weather event.
Rich Tabor is offering Office Hours for anyone to discuss WordPress product feedback with him.
Matt Mullenweg posted about rethinking the main navigation menu in the WordPress admin. I chimed in with my thoughts on simple pinning and hiding of menu items.
WordPress Studio has a CLI-only mode for managing local WordPress sites.
Jamie Marsland and Nathan Wrigley debate the merits of AI in the web development economy. But mostly it’s just a good-natured ribbing between two friends.
Keanan Koppenhaever covers his workflow pushing content to WordPress via MCP.
If you’ve ever migrated a WooCommerce site, you know how big of a task it is. I wrote a comprehensive migration guide and checklist for WooCommerce.com.
PHP-only block registration is coming in WordPress 7.0. I cover this and more on my YouTube channel. If you want the full scoop on 7.0, I recommend the Source of Truth over on Gutenberg Times.
The Ollie block theme and plugin released full WooCommerce compatibility, and it’s quite beautiful.
Is WordPress going to be replaced by static site generators? I have my doubts, but for at least one segment of the market, I can see the trend.
That’s it for today! Have a great Q2 and don’t forget to file your TPS reports!
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