There’s lots to report from this month, including a new Gutenberg release and many exciting WordCamps. Read on to discover more!
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September 2023 Releases: Gutenberg 16.6
We welcomed Gutenberg 16.6 on September 6. This new version of the Block Editor includes many enhancements and bug fixes, the most notable being:
Block hooks
Newly activated plugins can automatically insert blocks for a more seamless experience. According to an article from WPTavern, this feature “allows plugin developers to specify a location in which the block will be automatically inserted, such as before or after a template.” Users can always remove or change the block’s location while editing their site.
Toolbars on nested blocks
The latest Gutenberg release also improves the toolbar experience when it comes to nested blocks. If you choose to group blocks — for example, multiple photos from the same WordCamp event — the toolbar will now remain connected to the parent block rather than jumping around to the different child blocks as you work within the group. This improvement enhances focus and reduces frustration while you edit.
List View shortcut
You can now quickly and conveniently duplicate a block in List View by using the keyboard command CMD+Shift+d or Ctrl+Shift+d. Simply double click a block to highlight it, then use the command to duplicate. You can even use this feature on multiple blocks at once.
September 2023 Events
This was a busy month as far as WordCamps go, with events happening in many communities, countries, and continents.
WordCamp Jinja 2023
WordPressers gathered in Jinja, Uganda, at the Iganga Secondary School on September 4 – 5 for a very special WordCamp packed with hands-on learning workshops plus panels and speakerships. On September 6, organizers welcomed people for Contributor Day at The Innovation Village, which included a website hackathon. The theme for this year’s WordCamp Jinja was “There is always more to learn!” Be sure to check out the official recap of this fantastic event!
WordCamp Kathmandu 2023
The largest WordCamp in Nepal, WordCamp Kathmandu, happened from September 7 – 9 at Alice Receptions, beginning with Contributor Day before diving into the conference’s busy schedule. The event was a smash hit, with 500 attendees and 300 contributors. One of the most notable outcomes from this conference was the “do_action” project, during which contributors built a website for the nonprofit organization Tajilaji. Read more about #WCKTM 2023 here.
WordCamp Malaysia 2023
The inaugural WordCamp Malaysia — which took place at CNICC in Kuala Lumpur — included Contributor Day on September 8, followed by a single-day conference on the 9th. Contributors included a healthy blend of experienced WordPressers and newbies who banded together to work on WordPress core, design, accessibility, and more. The main event boasted a great turnout, including several international attendees! As you can see from the recap, this was a highly successful event and hopefully the first of many WordCamp Malaysia.
Explore More September WordCamps
Check out the official websites for the other WordCamps in September 2023, some past and some still to come:
- WordCamp Netherlands: Sept. 7 – 8
- WordCamp Finland: Sept. 14 – 15
- WordCamp Pontevedra: Sept. 15 – 17
- WordCamp Whitley Bay: Sept. 18
- WordCamp Vancouver: Sept. 23
- WordCamp Rochester: Sept. 30
- WordCamp Gdynia: Sept. 30
Community Members in the Spotlight
In this month’s WordPress happenings, we’d like to take the time to spotlight two community members who are taking essential strides toward WordPress leadership diversity. In early September, Siobhan McKeown and Francesco Marano launched WP Includes, a mentorship program designed to improve the representation of women across WordPress boardrooms and leadership teams.
Siobhan McKeown is the COO of Human Made, a WordPress development agency for enterprises. She’s also a published author, a documentation contributor, and a WordCamp Europe founder.
Francesco Marano is the Director of Engineering, Learning, and Growth at XWP (also a WordPress developer agency for enterprises). She’s co-led four (!) WordPress.org releases and is a frequent public speaker.
WP Includes offers five-month mentorships, recruiting both mentors and mentees twice per year. If you’re a woman in a leadership position at a WordPress company, consider becoming a mentor. Or, if you’re a woman ready to grow in your WordPress career, apply to be a mentee.
Resource Spotlight
Are you interested in learning more about WordPress, whether for a personal project or to boost your career? You’re not alone. Our community is continuously growing, so we’d like to take a moment to spotlight a wonderful resource for WP learners. The WPLearningLab offers YouTube tutorials designed to help you “create WordPress websites and generate income online.”
The host, Bjorn Allpas, covers many topics, including using Elementor, WooCommerce, and more. Allpas also offers paid courses on his website if you want to dive deeper than the YouTube tutorials. So what are you waiting for? Start learning about all things WordPress today!
Until October…
