If I’ve been a little quiet on the blog here, it’s because I’ve been busy preparing for WordCamp Phoenix, just around the corner. I’ll be giving a presentation titled Migrating your Workflow from ACF Flexible Content to ACF Blocks. (In case you couldn’t tell, that’s been a theme around here.)

If you’re interested in WordPress block development- Aurooba and I did a two-episode run on viewSource all about it. Because we also used a lot of screen-sharing, I’m linking straight to our YouTube for these ones:

First we went full in on building an ACF Block. We talk about the mindset of block-first development and where ACF can still fit in.
🎥 Digging into ACF Blocks for the Block Editor

Then we compared that to a few different ways to build native Gutenberg blocks. We also discussed block patterns and how we make decisions on what tools to use for a given design.
🎥 Exploring Different Kinds of Gutenberg Blocks

Finally, we’ve been playing around with theme.json – the newer WordPress method for defining your theme’s styles. There’s a lot of cool stuff (like limiting all the design options in the block editor to match your CSS), but there’s also a lot of “huh?” moments that I outlined this week.
✏️ Embracing theme.json, kicking and screaming

Let me know if you’re coming to WCPHX! I always get nervous going to a conference without having a coworker or a buddy around to hang out, so if you see me standing awkwardly in the corner, that’s just my normal social anxiety.

A few quick links before you go:

• My co-host Aurooba Ahmed will be on a panel at WP Engine’s Global DE{CODE} conference. Register online for free.
• Over on Torque Social Hour, I chatted with Doc Pop about viewSource, using GitHub Copilot, and what we think the world of AI might do to SEO and web development.
• Also from WP Engine: The new Pattern Manager for block patterns had me impressed. Try out the beta if you can.
• I recently switched back to using Chrome (from Safari) and one of the main reasons was that I missed this Chrome Extension: Turbo-Admin. Basically it lets me use a “command-K” shortcut on any WordPress site to trigger a command palette. Well worth the price.
• The official WordPress Developer Blog has been heating up with great pieces, like this one: Static vs. dynamic blocks: What’s the difference?
• David Bisset gave a great rundown of Matt Mullenweg’s appearance at WC Asia. He also recently launched wpfront.page, the curated page for WordPress professionals and the community.
• It’s interesting how in open-source WordPress world, removing Jetpack from the mobile WordPress app was widely seen as a positive move. But in the dot-com blogging world, it’s often viewed with skepticism and perhaps as a precursor to Automattic squeezing more revenue out of Jetpack.
• Brad Frost discusses design systems in the era of AI. Plenty to think about there.

That’s all folks. Will I see you in Phoenix?