WordPress Isn’t WordPress Anymore  Full Document Contents/Articles/WordPress Isn’t WordPress Anymore.md, WordPress Isn’t WordPress Anymore, Hendrik Luehrsen. > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [#wordpress, #opensource, #community, #development, #plugin-ecosystem, #sustainability] > author: [Author Not Explicitly Stated] > source: [KrautPress] > reference: [https://kraut.press/2024/wordpress-isnt-wordpress-anymore/?__readwiseLocation=+] > date created: 2024-12-10 15:00 > > # Title: WordPress Isn't WordPress Anymore > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## Table of Contents: - 📝 [Summary](#-summary) - 📖 [Main Content](#-main-content) - 🗒️ [Notes](#%F0%9F%97%92%EF%B8%8F-notes) - 📖 [References](#%F0%9F%93%96-references) - 🗣️ [Paraphrase](#%F0%9F%97%A3%EF%B8%8F-paraphrase) - 📰 [Newsletter](#%F0%9F%93%B0-newsletter) - ✅ [Action Items](#%E2%9C%85-action-items) - 🧪 [Hypotheses](#%F0%9F%A7%AA-hypotheses) - 📊 [Methodology](#%F0%9F%93%8A-methodology) - ❓ [Questions](#%E2%9D%93-questions) - 🔮 [Future Research](#%F0%9F%94%AE-future-research) - 💡 [Implications](#%F0%9F%92%A1-implications) - 🧠 [Learning Styles Assessment](#%F0%9F%A7%A0-learning-styles-assessment) - 📊 [Accessibility Assessment](#%F0%9F%93%8A-accessibility-assessment) - 🌍 [DEIB Assessment](#%F0%9F%8C%8D-deib-assessment) - ✅ [Logical Validity](#%E2%9C%85-logical-validity) - 🔍 [DARVO Analysis](#%F0%9F%94%8D-darvo-analysis) - 🔍 [SEO Evaluation](#%F0%9F%94%8D-seo-evaluation) - 🎯 [Conclusion](#%F0%9F%8E%AF-conclusion) --- ## 📝 Summary: The article examines the shifting philosophy of WordPress from a lean, modular CMS to an increasingly opinionated platform. It argues that recent core feature additions, such as Duotone Filters and Lightbox, compromise the ecosystem's flexibility and alienate developers and users. The author advocates for canonical plugins to maintain balance and sustainability in WordPress development. --- ## 📖 Main Content: ### 🗒️ Notes: #### **Historical Identity of WordPress**: - **Lean Core Philosophy**: - Initially designed as a simple blogging tool. - Expanded into a lean content management system with minimal built-in features. - Core principles emphasized adaptability and modularity. - **Plugin Ecosystem**: - Enabled developers to extend functionality without overburdening the core. - Supported innovation through a robust marketplace of plugins. - Businesses like WooCommerce and Yoast flourished in this ecosystem. - **Balance of Simplicity and Flexibility**: - Allowed users to start small and scale functionality as needed. - Served a diverse audience, from hobbyists to enterprise users. --- #### **Current Shifts in Development Philosophy**: - **Core Feature Additions**: - Features such as Lightbox, Duotone Filters, and Footnotes added to core. - Slider and Marquee Blocks proposed for future core releases. - Shift from optional features (plugins) to bundled defaults. - **Impact on Modularity**: - Core is moving toward an "opt-out" model rather than "opt-in." - Adds unnecessary complexity for users who do not need certain features. --- #### **Effects on the Ecosystem**: - **Disruption of the Plugin Marketplace**: - Features previously handled by third-party plugins are now integrated into core. - Developers lose opportunities to innovate and monetize niche solutions. - **User Frustrations**: - Features are often released with incomplete documentation or bugs. - Agencies and developers must spend time troubleshooting core features to meet client needs. - **Maintenance Challenges**: - Each new core feature adds a long-term maintenance burden. - Backward compatibility and evolving web standards strain resources. --- #### **Canonical Plugins as a Solution**: - **Definition**: - Official plugins developed and maintained by the WordPress community. - Extend functionality without bloating the core. - **Advantages**: - Preserve WordPress's lean core philosophy. - Reduce maintenance workload for core contributors. - Encourage ecosystem growth by fostering plugin innovation. - **Examples**: - Features like Lightbox and Duotone Filters could exist as canonical plugins. --- #### **Development Governance Concerns**: - **Stakeholder Priorities**: - Core additions may reflect the interests of select groups, not the broader community. - Focus on features beneficial to WordPress.com aligns with its business goals but detracts from the open-source project's adaptability. - **Transparency and Decision-Making**: - Questions about who decides core feature priorities. - Need for more inclusive, community-driven governance. --- #### **Who is WordPress For?**: - Historically: - A platform adaptable to diverse use cases. - Allowed users and developers to define their own experiences. - Currently: - Increasingly prescriptive about design and functionality. - Risks alienating users who prefer flexibility over default features. --- #### **Proposed Future Directions**: - **Reaffirming WordPress’s Identity**: - Return to a lean core with optional extensions via plugins. - Focus on modularity and adaptability to serve a diverse audience. - **Community-Driven Governance**: - Engage the community in core development decisions. - Ensure feature additions reflect the needs of the majority, not select stakeholders. - **Sustainable Development**: - Adopt canonical plugins to manage niche functionalities. - Limit core expansions to essential features. --- ### 📖 References: - KrautPress (Original Article) - WP Tavern: Coverage of WordPress Trends - Make.WordPress.org: Canonical Plugins Discussions --- ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "The inclusion of increasingly specific and opinionated features into core suggests a move toward a more prescriptive vision of what WordPress should be." - **Paraphrase**: By adding niche features directly into the core, WordPress seems to be leaning toward enforcing a specific platform identity. 2. **Original**: "Canonical plugins allow WordPress to address specific needs without imposing those solutions on everyone." - **Paraphrase**: Through canonical plugins, WordPress can provide targeted functionalities without burdening all users. --- ## 📰 Newsletter: **Subject**: Balancing Innovation and Modularity in WordPress This week, explore how WordPress's identity is evolving with its approach to core features. Learn about the impact on the plugin ecosystem, developer opportunities, and the community’s response to maintaining modularity. Discover the case for canonical plugins as a sustainable solution. Read more: [https://kraut.press](https://kraut.press). --- ## ✅ Action Items: - Write a blog post advocating for canonical plugins in the WordPress ecosystem. - Host a webinar on balancing core development with plugin opportunities. - Collaborate with the WordPress Training Team to create educational materials on modularity and governance. --- ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - A leaner core coupled with canonical plugins will boost community engagement and reduce developer churn. - Niche features integrated into core will lead to reduced ecosystem innovation and plugin adoption. --- ### 📊 Methodology: - Conduct community surveys on core feature adoption versus plugin preferences. - Analyze plugin development trends over time to measure the impact of core feature integration. --- ### ❓ Questions: - How do core feature decisions impact small plugin developers financially? - What governance changes could improve transparency in WordPress development? --- ### 🔮 Future Research: - Investigate the long-term sustainability of WordPress core maintenance. - Study user behavior changes in response to core feature expansions. --- ### 💡 Implications: - Focusing on modularity ensures WordPress remains inclusive and adaptable. - Improved governance could enhance community trust and participation. --- ## 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: 1. **Visual Learners**: Limited support; consider adding diagrams to illustrate trends. 2. **Aural Learners**: No auditory features; recommend including podcasts or audio summaries. 3. **Logical Learners**: Structured arguments appeal to this group but could benefit from more data visualizations. --- ## 📊 Accessibility Assessment: - **Strengths**: Well-structured headers aid navigation. - **Improvements**: Add alt-text for images and ensure semantic HTML compliance. --- ## 🌍 DEIB Assessment: - **Strengths**: Uses accessible language. - **Improvements**: Include global case studies and examples to broaden cultural relevance. --- ## ✅ Logical Validity: - **Strengths**: Arguments are logically consistent, with clear evidence supporting claims. - **Improvements**: Further elaboration on how governance decisions are made could strengthen the argument. --- 🔍 **DARVO Analysis**: - No evidence of DARVO tactics; tone remains constructive and reflective. --- 🔍 **SEO Evaluation**: - **Strengths**: Effective use of keywords in titles and headers. - **Improvements**: Optimize meta descriptions and include schema markup. --- ## 🎯 Conclusion: WordPress must prioritize modularity and community-driven development to sustain its adaptability and inclusivity. Canonical plugins offer a viable path forward, allowing innovation without compromising the core’s simplicity. + <!-- deep-read:sections end --> ## Highlights - Contributor churn has reached a record high. WordPress growth has stagnated for several years. The adoption of Blocks and Full Site Editing (FSE) has also been slow, with FSE adoption being almost nonexistent. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes34vcdeq9thn4770442fb8)) - In recent years, WordPress has started adding features to its core that feel increasingly opinionated. In the past, these would have been better suited as plugins. Examples include Lightbox functionality, Duotone Filters, and Footnotes, along with proposed blocks like the Marquee Block and Slider Block. While these features have merits for specific use cases, their inclusion in the core raises serious questions about WordPress’s evolving identity and direction. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes39k17rmdgf3vddrt2r9ms)) - the Marquee Block or Slider Block might interest users seeking flashy visuals but are not essential tools for most websites. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3c2kyqcewkr0vny7f48mz)) - Every block or feature added to core becomes a permanent responsibility for the project. It requires updates, bug fixes, and compatibility testing with every release. For a project already juggling the complexities of backward compatibility and evolving web standards, this is not a trivial commitment. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3dchb8jgcp93v363e8b57)) - It’s not that features like Lightbox, Footnotes, or Duotone Filters lack value—they absolutely do for the right audience. But their place is in the plugin ecosystem, not in core. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3dwkex5zsb9ac099kpgyg)) - This concept also opens up a future where a lightweight WordPress core can remain the foundation for tailored experiences. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3fybhn5jw5vq9da8v0vgq)) - Historically, WordPress didn’t try to be everything for everyone. Its lean core and robust ecosystem allowed it to meet a wide range of needs without dictating how it should be used. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3gn5q683d11f4mh9wew07)) - The question becomes not just “Who is WordPress for?” but also “Who gets to decide that?” When new features are added to core, they inevitably reflect the priorities of those making the decisions. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3h9qe6x8ydc3k60b05g29)) - Now is the time for the community to assess its direction and ensure the project’s future stays true to its roots. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3njp0k18m8chshgvb1e63)) - WordPress’s strength has always been its ability to serve a vast and diverse audience without dictating how it should be used. This balance was achieved by offering a core that was simple, stable, and extensible. It provided a solid foundation that allowed an entire ecosystem to thrive. By refocusing on this balance, WordPress can reclaim its identity as a platform that serves everyone. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3nrjzxjq93erpj55ktc8y)) - The community must also engage in open and transparent conversations about the direction of the project. Decisions about what belongs in core and what should remain in the ecosystem must be made with care, ensuring they reflect the needs of the broader user base rather than a specific subset of stakeholders. WordPress has always been a collaborative project, and its future depends on contributions and perspectives from across its community. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jes3pge7215javh4zgfmvhd8))