We’re nearing the end of August — can you believe it? Summer is winding down, the kids are back in school, and we can almost taste the pumpkin spice lattes in our future. But before we dive into fall, let’s reflect back on all the exciting WordPress happenings of August 2023.
Table of Contents
- WordPress Releases in August 2023
- August Events
- Ninja Forms on WordPress.com
- WordPress and AI
- See you in September
WordPress Releases in August 2023
Check out these new WordPress releases and resources, available for the first time this August.
Welcome, Lionel!
On August 8, WordPress officially released version 6.3, “Lionel,” named for American jazz musician Lionel Hampton. Lionel ushers in a suite of updates that enhance design and user experience. It also packs over 170 performance improvements.
With Lionel, you can:
- Edit your content, templates, and patterns in the Site Editor (a WordPress first!)
- Preview block themes and experiment with site customizations before officially selecting the theme
- Create, save, and reuse block patterns from the Site Editor (“reusable blocks” now called “synced patterns”)
New features include:
- Command Palette: Search your site, add blocks or templates, change preferences, and more through a new menu
- Additional design tools: Tweak your site’s appearance without having to code
- Style Revisions: Keep track of design changes with a clear timeline
- Footnotes block: Add annotations to any paragraph
- Details block: Display or hide content with one click
If you want to learn more, head over to WPTavern. Sarah Gooding, our featured member from June’s recap, wrote a fantastic in-depth exploration of Lionel.
All-in-one resource for Blocks
This month also ushered in a new resource on WordPress.org: a new page exploring Blocks. Learn what blocks are, how to use them, and their many beneficial features. It’s all explained in accessible, straightforward language — ideal for those who’ve never used Blocks or WordPress before.
New blogging theme
Continuing their Community Themes Initiative, the WordPress Themes team released their second theme on August 11: Blue Note. This theme is well suited for blogging sites, with design elements reminiscent of Jazz album covers.
August Events
WordPress enthusiasts gathered at WordCamps and other events across the globe this month. These conferences are a hallmark of the WordPress community, including informative sessions, interactive workshops, and lots of networking.
WordCamp Kampala
WordPress organizers in Kampala, Uganda, hosted their first in-person WordCamp since the pandemic on August 5–6. If that’s not exciting enough, this year’s WordCamp Kampala included an all-new Kids Camp for the new generation of WordPress aficionados! Great work, Kampala team!
WordCamp Nairobi
WordCamp Nairobi unfolded from August 16–17 at an incredible venue. iHub Nairobi is one of the most notable and cutting-edge tech hubs in Africa — the ideal spot for WordPress experts and contributors to collaborate, share knowledge, and enhance their tech skills.
Community Summit
The WordPress Community Summit concluded a few short days ago on August 23. Held in National Harbor, Maryland, this invitation-only “unconference” is all about organic exchange and collaboration — no planned presentations. The goal of the Community Summit is to foster open discussions about the future of WordPress, including addressing emerging challenges.
WordCamp U.S.
Are you reading this post from WordCamp U.S.? We certainly hope so! This highly anticipated flagship event just kicked off yesterday, August 24, and will run through August 26. Like the Community Summit, it’s taking place in National Harbor. This year’s schedule includes two days of presentations and workshops plus one contributor day. Join the Slack channel for real-time updates, and don’t miss out on tomorrow’s WCUS social!
WordCamp Denmark
As we near the end of the month, we have one more WordCamp to look forward to: WordCamp Denmark! This event takes place from August 26–27 in beautiful Aalborg at the Aalborg Portland Park, home of the city’s football team.
Ninja Forms on WordPress.com
Did you know you can install plugins on WordPress.com if you have a Business plan or higher? This includes our Ninja Forms plugin. Though WordPress.com takes on much of your site’s heavy lifting compared to WordPress.org, you still have control over your theme and plugins. Choose Ninja Forms to help you capture data, engage with customers, and more. From simple contact forms to complex pay forms, Ninja Forms does it all.
If you are unsure about the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, have no fear! Our article explains the differences so you can decide which option is right for you. Thankfully, Ninja Forms is available on both.
WordPress and AI
It’s virtually impossible to read the headlines these days without seeing mention of AI, so it feels only natural to conclude this month’s happenings with some AI news and resources.
AI plugins for WordPress
Want to use AI to streamline your WordPress website? AI plugins can automate everything from SEO optimization to spam and malware blocking to content creation. This article from Crocoblock explores AI plugins and recommends 15 of the best ones. You can also browse the AI plugins for both WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
WordPress Web Agency AI Summit
Speaking of Crocoblock, next month they’ll be hosting the WordPress Web Agency AI Summit. This is a free online conference featuring panels, presentations, Q&As, and more, all focused on AI for WordPress. Register today!
The AI Buzz newsletter
Interested in AI across all industries? The AI Buzz, brought to you by the creators of an AI writing tool called Quillbee, is a bi-monthly newsletter that takes a deep dive into AI across verticals like law, policy, tech, art, education, and beyond. Subscribe to stay in the know.
See you in September
That’s all for August, folks! Stay tuned to the Ninja Forms blog and newsletter for more insights and updates on web forms and WordPress as a whole.
