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Damon Cook

@colorfultones.bsky.social
437 followers 225 following 47 posts

Humans before technology. Developer: NomaDigital.dev - small business web design and development. Please help kind. Previously DevRel at WP Engine

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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15h
New WP Trend Watcher report is live. WordPress 7.2 planning is reaching into SQL modes, script/style loading, `wp_kses()`, and AI integrations. Also: WordPress 7.1.3 fixed 7 security issues. Update your sites. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.2 Release Planning and AI Integration Updates
WordPress 7.2 planning begins with SQL mode changes, performance updates, and a December 8 release date, alongside a critical 7.1.3 security fix.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
New WP Trend Watcher report: WordPress 7.1.2 fixes a critical RCE vulnerability - make sure client sites are updated. Also inside: the 7.2 roadmap, Gutenberg’s Jest-to-Vitest move, and new contributor tools. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.2 Roadmap, Ipsum Theme, and Vitest Migration
WordPress 7.2 will introduce the Ipsum default theme, while the 7.1.2 update addresses a critical RCE vulnerability and Gutenberg adopts Vitest.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
WordPress 7.2 is taking shape: React 19, a new Secrets API, sudo mode, server-aware collaboration, and Ipsum as the proposed default theme. Also: 7.1.1 fixes 11 security issues. Update your sites. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.2 Roadmap and AI Integration Updates
WordPress 7.2 plans include a React 19 upgrade and a new Secrets API, while the 7.1.1 security release addresses 11 critical vulnerabilities.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This week in WordPress: the 7.2 release cycle is underway, Core contributors on trunk need Node.js 24.18+ and npm 11.16+, and ACF 6.8.10 ships critical security fixes. Latest WordPress Trend Report: colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.2 Release Planning and Node.js 24 Updates
The WordPress 7.2 release cycle begins with a new Release Squad, a bug scrub schedule, and a final release target of December 8-10, 2026.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
The latest WP Trend Watcher report is live. Worth watching for WordPress 7.2: a proposed Secrets API to move credentials out of the options table and away from backups, staging clones, and CLI exposure. Read: colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat... #WordPress
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.2 Secrets API Proposal and Core Security Initiative
Weekly human-reviewed analysis of changes across the WordPress ecosystem, covering releases, tools, and developer implications.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
WP Trend Watcher has a new style switcher. I’ve been adding visual themes so you can change the look and feel of the site while browsing WordPress trends. Same information, different vibe: colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WP Trend Watcher — Reports
Weekly human-reviewed WordPress ecosystem trend reports.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
WP Trend Watcher is out. WordPress 7.1 is nearing release, with accessibility improvements and a new Contributor Toolkit. Also: early 7.2 planning and the critical 7.0.4 security fix. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat... #WordPress
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress 7.1 Release Final Steps and Developer Toolkits for August 20
WordPress 7.1 finalizes on August 19, 2026, with RC4 available for testing and accessibility improvements highlighted.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
What changed across WordPress this week? WordPress 7.1 is approaching release, with updates spanning media processing, responsive block styles, security, and developer tooling. I pulled the useful bits together in the latest WP Trend Watcher report. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress Trend Report — 2026-08-10
Weekly human-reviewed analysis of changes across the WordPress ecosystem, covering releases, tools, and developer implications.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Most WordPress trend roundups are a pile of links or an AI content farm. I wanted neither. WP Trend Watcher: RSS → local model → human review → source-linked weekly report. A GitHub star helps, or fork it and make it your own: github.com/colorful-ton... #WordPress
github.com
GitHub - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher: Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review
Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
If you maintain custom Gutenberg blocks, WordPress 7.1 has a test to run now: the post editor is becoming always iframed. Beta 4 is out. Production release: August 19. This week’s report: colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress Trend Report — 2026-08-03
Weekly human-reviewed analysis of changes across the WordPress ecosystem, covering releases, tools, and developer implications.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
New WP Trend Watcher report is up. WordPress 7.1 Beta 3 is ready to test before the Aug 19 release. React 19 got punted past 7.1. Core chose stability over the upgrade. Test your blocks against the experimental layer now. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress Trend Report — 2026-07-26
Weekly human-reviewed analysis of changes across the WordPress ecosystem, covering releases, tools, and developer implications.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The WordPress admin design-system proposal is worth watching. Design tokens + a React `ThemeProvider` could mean a more consistent foundation for Core, plugins, custom admin UI, and Figma handoff. Still a proposal. Still interesting. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
New WP Trend Watcher report is up. WordPress 7.1 is scheduled for Aug 19. Betas begin July 15. This week: responsive styling, Playlist and Tabs blocks, a proposed admin design-token system, and 7.0.1 maintenance fixes. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
colorful-tones.github.io
WordPress Trend Report — 2026-07-11
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
New WP Trend Watcher report is up. This week: - WordPress 7.1 roadmap - Classic block hidden from new insertion paths - `wp_knowledge` proposal - WordPress 7.0 retrospective - ACF notes on search and headless WP I’m watching `wp_knowledge` closest. colorful-tones.github.io/wp-trend-wat...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Phase 2 of my WordPress Trend Watcher is live. 6 sources now (was 4). HTML reports with GitHub Pages. YAML config for custom feeds. I wrote the Markdown converter from scratch. Zero new deps. The whole thing still costs $0/run. github.com/colorful-ton...
github.com
GitHub - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher: Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review
Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
I built a WordPress trend watcher that costs $0/run and keeps the human in the loop. It collects articles from Make Core, Dev Blog, ACF, and WP News. AI summarizes. I review and publish. That's the whole thing. Repo + first report: github.com/colorful-ton...
github.com
GitHub - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher: Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review
Weekly WordPress trend summaries with local AI review - colorful-tones/wp-trend-watcher
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
The new WordPress.org profiles are pretty cool. Wild seeing contributions stretching back to 2015 and realizing I’ve had the chance to contribute to several major WordPress releases over the years. Grateful for the WordPress community and everything I’ve learned from it.
screenshot of Damon's WordPress.org profile
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Before you configure Claude Code or Codex, there's a more useful question: what *kind* of task is this? Plain prompts, Skills, and Agents aren't interchangeable. nomadigital.dev/ai-coding-tool-workflow
nomadigital.dev
AI Coding Tool Workflow: Skills, Agents, and When to Use Which
Before you open the terminal, there's a more useful question to answer. Here's the AI coding tool workflow mental model that holds up across Claude Code, Codex, and beyond.
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Reposted by Damon Cook
The Repository @therepository.email · 15/05/2026
WordPress 7.0 RC4 is out alongside the Field Guide, with the final release on track for May 20.
therepository.email
WordPress 7.0 RC4 Now Available Alongside Field Guide Ahead of Next Week’s Final Release
WordPress 7.0 RC4 is out alongside the Field Guide, with the final release on track for May 20.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Setting up a new Wix site = two different onboarding experiences and each has three unique options. That is six unique journeys to travel. Talk about decision fatigue! 🥵 How would you navigate this journey as a non-technical business owner, or even a technical person?
Screenshot of Wix's onboarding experience with three options to chooseScreenshot of Wix's onboarding experience with three more options to choose
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Never used Wix. Building a restaurant site in it anyway. Menus, ordering, reservations, payments — documenting everything honestly as I go. What broke for you? What do you wish you'd known first? #buildinpublic #webdev
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
WordPress 7.0 drops May 20. Don't update your production site on release day. Better yet, test RC3 on staging now if you can. Once it ships, wait two weeks before touching production. Plugin compatibility gaps on release day are real. #WordPress nomadigital.dev/wordpress-7-...
nomadigital.dev
WordPress 7.0: Don't Update on Release Day | Noma Digital
WordPress 7.0 drops May 20. Before you update your production site, here's why waiting 2 weeks saves you from plugin compatibility disasters
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
It’s been almost eight months since I left WP Engine. Took some time to think about what I actually wanted to build next. Glad I didn’t rush it.
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Reposted by Damon Cook
Felix Arntz @felixarntz.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Awesome news for OSS projects embracing AI assisted coding: agents.md Finally projects can provide LLM instructions without favoring a specific provider or tool, and without including duplicate instructions files. A simple yet huge step in the right direction. 🎉
agents.md
AGENTS.md
AGENTS.md is a simple, open format for guiding coding agents. Think of it as a README for agents.
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Reposted by Damon Cook
Andy Bell @bell.bz · 20/08/2025
Handy! web.dev/blog/baselin...
web.dev
Baseline for CSS properties now in Chrome DevTools  |  Blog  |  web.dev
Baseline information is now available for CSS properties in the Elements panel of Chrome DevTools!
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
How did miss this? iTerm now has 1password integration to enable autofilling passwords in the terminal. Very handy!
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 05/07/2025
A nice summer vibe and my latest re-release is up on all streaming platforms. ColorfulTones.com
Album artwork featuring abstract circles and minimal monochromatic colors
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Lots to unpack here and worth a read. ashley.dev/posts/the-hi...
ashley.dev
Ashley Willis
Don't Come Inside Until the Streetlights Are On I grew up in the '80s, where parenting often sounded like, "Don't come home until the sun goes down," or "Go dri...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
I’ve been having a musical reawakening. Part of this exploration has been re-releasing my past recordings. ‘Laptopping’ (from Colorful Tones) is on all streaming platforms and sets the stage for new music in the coming months. Please give it a listen, share your comments and feedback.
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Reposted by Damon Cook
Seth Rubenstein @sethrubenstein.info · 21/05/2025
Hey everyone, come worth with us at Pew Research Center! We're looking for junior engineer to join our team on a contract basis (with possibility of permanent hire at the end) to help out with dev tooling, automating support processes, and improve overall dev experience. tiny.cc/ttjk001
pewtrusts.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com
Junior Tooling and Support Engineer (Term-Limited)
Organization Overview Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, d...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Learning is fluid. Teaching is fluid. Ambitions are fluid. The plasticity of the human mind is awe inspiring. Embrace the unexpected and thrive in the now.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Self-realization/reflection post of the day: I have low self-confidence and I’m skeptical of myself and those around me. This can be poisonous and critical at the same time and if exercised with mindfulness. 🤔
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
I’ve never so quickly subscribed to a Youtube channel, but this is the vibe I aim to explore lore from now and into retirement. youtube.com/@thelastdj?s...
youtube.com
Global Shuffle Dance Music
Producing original Shuffle Dance music and electronic high energy dance music for the You Tube community All video music is completely original and composed and produced by Nick Hayes with the Globa...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Your Spotify Wrapped is unhinged. Get it together!
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 30/07/2024
I just published “Building a card layout with a ‘hover reveal’ effect on the WordPress Developer Blog. ☄️ Learn to use the Grid and Cober blocks to create cards with a hover reveal effect. 🪄 Check it out, tinker, and explore! 🪩 developer.wordpress.org/news/2024/07...
developer.wordpress.org
Building a card layout with a “hover reveal” effect
Learn to use the Grid block and Cover block to create cards with a hover reveal effect.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/04/2024
I'm thrilled and honored to have been accepted as a speaker at WordCamp Buffalo (New York / May 24). I'll be sharing my knowledge from Exploring the Interactivity API. Will you be there? #wcbuf #WordPress buffalo.wordcamp.org/2024/
buffalo.wordcamp.org
WordCamp Buffalo 2024
Mark your calendars for WordCamp Buffalo 2024!
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 10/04/2024
Here is the video playback from yesterday's Developer Hours: Building custom blocks with the Interactivity API #WordPress www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndW-...
youtube.com
Developer Hours: Building custom blocks with the Interactivity API
The Interactivity API was recently released in WordPress 6.5. Now is the time to experiment with the API and incorporate interactions into your custom blocks...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 04/04/2024
Who wants to help shape the future of #WordPress? 🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏿‍♂️ Join the upcoming Hallway Hangout (April 24) to discuss what's next in Gutenberg and garner broader awareness of what's being worked on. It'll be on Zoom and recorded for playback with notes. make.wordpress.org/core/2024/04...
make.wordpress.org
Hallway Hangout: Let’s chat about what’s next in Gutenberg
There are some big, exciting efforts underway within the Gutenberg project and plugin that will eventually make their way in some form to a future WordPress release. It’s all WordPress at the…
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 04/04/2024
Attention #WordPress developers: The WordPress Developer Blog now has a 'Subscribe' option and offers an archive of monthly 'What's new for developers'. I highly recommend that you consider bookmarking or subscribing. developer.wordpress.org/news/tag/rou... developer.wordpress.org/news/subscri...
developer.wordpress.org
Subscribe
Subscribe to the latest WordPress developer news Staying on top of the new features coming to the WordPress open-source project can be challenging, especially with a new version of Gutenberg coming ou...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 28/02/2024
make.wordpress.org/test/2024/02...
make.wordpress.org
Help test WordPress 6.5 Beta 3
This post is not covering all important features for testing in WordPress 6.5 Beta 3, more will come. The previous call with general instructions for testing can be found here. If you want to help …
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 15/02/2024
A 6-year-old Trac ticket was closed and will be part of the upcoming #WordPress 6.5 release, which will be a nice win for security all around. 🙌 🎉 github.com/WordPress/wo...
github.com
Remove administrator and editor from default_role selector and add se… by at-benni · Pull Request #5893 · WordPress/wordpress-develop
…curity health check for a risky combination of users_can_register and default_role Remove administrator and editor from default_role selector and add security health check for a risky combination ...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 13/02/2024
#WordPress 6.5 Beta 1 was released today. Please help with testing, and feel free to holler if you find anything interesting. Here is a Local Blueprint to download, drag-n-drop into Local, and begin testing. 📂 wpeng.in/6-5_beta-1/ wpengine.com/builders/bet...
wpengine.com
Beta Testing WordPress with Local Blueprints - Builders
Start testing the latest WordPress beta quickly with Local Blueprints.
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Reposted by Damon Cook
Courtney @courtneyr.dev · 09/08/2023
What's new in Make #WordPress this week? 🆕 WordPress 6.3 “Lionel” 🧑🏽‍🏫 Announcing the first Learn WordPress Course Cohort ⤴️Proposal: improve the editor tech workflow for major releases 🔐 Concerns over the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) poststatus.com/wordpress-6-3
poststatus.com
WordPress 6.3 • Release Workflows • European Union Cyber Resiliency Act • Gutenberg Accessibil...
WordPress 6.3, Lionel, has been released. It's time to test out the details and footnotes blocks, give the WP_DEVELOPMENT_MODE a try, and check out the new Get Involved tab on the Welcome screen. The ...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 03/08/2023
Democratize publishing for everyone! 🤦‍♂️ So much work to be done. I’m grateful that Alex Stine has provided this video. youtu.be/6H15BUb6_GU
youtu.be
State of accessibility in WordPress 6.3 Gutenberg
Explore the current state of Gutenberg accessibility in WordPress 6.3. Opinions are my own.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 26/07/2023
I finished reading my first 33 1/3 series book on Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland. The track-by-track breakdown was not enthralling, but some neat tidbits were thrown in. I did not realize that Hendrix used a lighter to play slide guitar on All Along the Watchtower.
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 12/07/2023
The possibility and explorations to allow Git or SVN-managed changesets for WordPress revisions throughout the lifecycle are super exciting!
make.wordpress.org
Revisions
This is an expansion on the Phase 3: Collaboration outline. Today we’ll look into edit history and revisions. Introduction Collaboration workflows require revisions and edit history to be clear, us�...
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Damon Cook @colorfultones.bsky.social · 12/07/2023
Have you ever wanted to hand off a site to a client but hide some plugins on the Plugins screen? WordPress 6.3 (early August 2023) adds a new filter to allow you to do just that: `plugins_list` 🪩 Bonus: it works for must-use plugins too! 🤘 core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/57278
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