Where will WordPress be in 2019?

What new projects would you want to try to use in WordPress?

Common current examples of using WordPress for different site builds include brochure sites or e-commerce stores.

You could also use WordPress for different sites types, using WordPress as a headless application, selling download licenses if you had a store which sold downloadable products. Both Easy Digital Downloads or WooCommerce could be used for selling download products (with a license needed). Other possible uses include using WordPress for powering a film festival site, to sell tickets, or for an events site where tickets are sold.

Those type of WordPress sites is already possible to create using existing plugins. You could even build in automation flows by using Zapier, so customers receive a text message confirmation after purchasing of a product or event ticket. Staying up to date on new integrations for WordPress with other services delivers many powerful options that can be used, so WordPress is not limited and you get the most out of it. Keeping ahead of new developments and using new solutions will guarantee you deliver on your clients needs.

Most types of sites are currently possible with new plugins and solutions that will happen in 2019.

What lessons will be learned from how Gutenberg was developed and then swiftly pushed into WordPress core, and how will this effect Phases One and Two of Gutenberg?

The overall reception of phases 1 and 2 of Gutenberg will depend on how well Gutenberg is going to be used when WordPress 5.0 releases. The general feedback on Gutenberg has been mixed between a wide range of user personas who currently use WordPress.

Matt Mullenweg posted nine projects which will be the focus in 2019 for WordPress core, following on the State of the Word talk given at WordCamp US.

Gutenberg block editor is the default WordPress editor. Long form content using a number of blocks currently still makes Gutenberg very slow to use.

One of the more interesting Gutenberg-based projects is the new WooCommerce Admin beta project, which uses React and Gutenberg for a new updated admin screens for WooCommerce.

The new WooCommerce admin will roll into an upcoming release of WooCommerce in early 2019. Also starting 2019, WooCommerce will be bringing the ability to edit products using Gutenberg. Currently, Gutenberg is disabled by default in WooCommerce when creating products, but this will soon change.

The main focus of Gutenberg Phase 2 will be moving widgets to blocks so that widgets will be represented by blocks.

Gutenberg Phase 2 will experiment with allowing for editing menus in blocks or multiple blocks. This post on covers more about what Phase 2 will cover.

Gutenberg Phases 3 and 4 are set for 2020+.

What happens if you fail to listen to your user base, and then push those concerns off?

That question could be directed at more as a general WordPress question but can take those concerns as being directed as listening to your client’s site needs. Ignoring client’s needs and support issues can make working with those clients harder, and also makes it harder to retain clients. Pretending to listen to user concerns, but then pushing ahead and ignoring those is a move that can easily backfire.

How should you be reactive and show smart support to client problems, and work through those solutions?

These types of questions can be personal ones, which can be molded to what new types of sites clients would like you to build in WordPress. If you ignore your clients and do not listen to their needs, it can result badly for both sides. The difference between listening to client needs and then pushing clients to what they may not really want is always something to learn from.

Which WordPress-related companies have been acquired in 2018?

2018 has seen a number of WordPress hosting companies make acquisitions from WP Engine purchasing StudioPress, Liquid Web purchasing iThemes, as well as smaller company purchases like Array Themes by WP Engine. Automattic acquired Atavist in mid-2018.