And just like that, another month in the books. It’s hard to believe November is already behind us. For those who celebrated Thanksgiving in the USA, the Ninja Forms family hopes you had a marvelous holiday — including time to reflect, enjoy your loved ones, and eat a hearty meal (plus those irresistible leftovers). For everyone else, we hope November gave you opportunities to find joy in unexpected places.
This month was all about gratitude, and it gave us much to be thankful for. November’s WordPress Happenings covers the latest WordPress release, successful WordCamp events, and exceptional community members. You’ll also get a sneak peek at 2024 and discover an impactful way to learn more about your favorite CMS.
WordPress 6.4: Shirley
November 7 marked the last major WordPress release of 2023. WordPress 6.4, or “Shirley,” makes content creation more seamless than ever through a suite of updates and new features. Hopefully, you’ve already installed Shirley and started exploring. If not, here’s what to look for in WordPress 6.4:
- Revamped Command Palette with new contextual commands and improved styling
- Enhanced List view with media previews and renamable Group blocks
- Lightbox feature for expand-on-click images
- Toolbars in Navigation, List, and Quote blocks that stay attached to the parent block
- Easier access to the “Open link in new tab” setting
- New keyboard shortcut to duplicate Blocks in list view (CMD+Shift+D for Mac or Control + Shift + D for Windows)
- Custom categories and advanced filtering for Pattern management
- Background images for Group blocks
- Block Hooks and Pattern sharing for developers
Shirley also includes the latest default theme. The theme team created Twenty Twenty-Four with three sets of users in mind: small businesses, artists, and bloggers. It’s a very versatile theme featuring a modern look and feel.
Learn more about WordPress 6.4 in our release post.
WordPress 2024: Proposed Roadmap
The proposed release schedule for next year includes three major releases, starting with WordPress 6.5 on March 26, 2024, followed by 6.6 on July 16 and 6.7 on November 5.
The year will focus primarily on WordPress Phase 3 — a great step toward seamless collaboration. Thus, versions 6.5 and 6.7 are expected to include new and improved collaborative features, while 6.6 will cover maintenance.
The schedule and intent are works in progress, so be sure to offer any insights or opinions in the release post comments.
WordPress Events in November
November WordCamps united WordPress contributors and professionals in Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, Pakistan, and other exciting locations:
WordCamp Manila 2023
WordCamp Manila was one action-packed day full of learning and networking. The event took place on November 11 at the Bayview Park Hotel in the capital of the Philippines. Sessions covered various topics, from freelancing in WordPress to security best practices.
Jevi Fajardo, who oversaw the volunteer and attendee experience, authored an inspiring recap about being a first-time organizer. If you’ve ever hesitated to get involved, we highly recommend reading Jevi’s post.
WordCamp Hong Kong 2023
On November 18, WordPressers gathered in Hong Kong at Coffice in Cheung Sha Wan Plaza. The one-day event included sessions on SEO, AI in content marketing, and career paths in WordPress — followed by an after-party for incredible collaboration and fun. Event organizers gave a special shout-out to volunteer Evy Chan for her extraordinary work as emcee — great job, Evy!
November WordPress Member Spotlight
This month, we’d like to take some time to shine a light on a valued community member: Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Not only is Josepha the Executive Director at WordPress and a frequent WordCamp speaker, but she also acted as Release Lead for WordPress 6.4.
Josepha is dedicated to making WordPress a more diverse and inclusive community, as demonstrated by 6.4’s women-led release squad. On her blog, Josepha offers advice and lessons learned from her years as a tech executive, including topics on people leadership, conflict resolution, and recommended reading.
Thanks for all you do, Josepha, and keep up the excellent work!
Resource Spotlight — With a Twist
Our WordPress Happenings usually spot a blog, newsletter, YouTube channel, podcast, or other resource to help you boost your knowledge and skills. This time, we thought we’d suggest something a little different.
Instead of consuming WordPress-related content, why not fuel your growth through action? After all, the best way to learn is through doing. Becoming a WordPress contributor is the fastest way to dive in, get your hands dirty, and gain real-world experience.
WordPress is 100% open-source and volunteer-driven. The platform is always looking for contributors in these areas:
- Documentation
- Translation
- Support forum
- Development
- Testing and bug reporting
- Design
- And more
Get involved today to polish existing skills or learn new ones. Contributing is also a great way to meet other community members and grow your network.
More to Come in December
That’s all for November. We hope your holiday season is off to a fantastic start, and we can’t wait to see what December brings.
Amid your holiday shopping, meal planning, and travel arrangements, mark your calendars for Matt Mullenweg’s State of the World address, live streaming from Madrid on December 11. And don’t forget to take advantage of WordPress Black Friday deals, many of which are valid through early December. Tis the season to be shopping!
See you next month!
