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Paul Andrew

@speckyboy.bsky.social
107 followers 59 following 55 posts

Occasional web designer and writer. Speckyboy Design Magazine 🤓 speckyboy.com

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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Before taking over a client’s #WordPress site, check the theme, plugins, custom code, hosting, APIs, and DNS to avoid surprises later → speckyboy.com/what-to-know...
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5 Things To Know About Your Client's WordPress Website — Speckyboy
Inheriting a WordPress site can be risky without a full review. This article covers what to check first, including themes, plugins, custom code, hosting, APIs, DNS, and unused tools.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
AI can help inside #WordPress, but this article looks at which tasks are worth the cost and which are better handled manually or with plugins → speckyboy.com/ai-in-the-wo...
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AI in the WordPress Dashboard: Which Tasks Are Worth It? — Speckyboy
WordPress 7.0 brings AI integration through the Connectors API, but not every task needs it. Learn how to judge when AI saves time, when plugins are enough, and how token costs affect the decision.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
AI tokens can disappear quickly, so web designers need to think carefully about usage limits, costs, and what each prompt is worth → speckyboy.com/cherish-your...
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Cherish Your Tokens, Grumpy Designer — Speckyboy
In case you didn’t notice, it’s getting more expensive to ride the AI bandwagon. Web professionals are using the technology to do more than write code. We’re also employing it...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Browse free #WordPress slider and carousel plugins for creating responsive slideshows, product displays, image galleries, and content sliders → speckyboy.com/free-respons...
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10 Best Free Responsive Slider & Carousel WordPress Plugins — Speckyboy
A collection of the best free WordPress plugins for creating user-friendly and responsive sliders, carousels, and slideshows.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
How Low Will You Go for a WordPress Project? speckyboy.com/how-low-will... #WordPress projects can still have value, but only when the pricing, workload, long-term revenue, and client fit make sense → speckyboy.com/how-low-will...
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How Low Will You Go for a WordPress Project? — Speckyboy
Not every WordPress project is worth taking. Learn how to weigh low budget work against future revenue, portfolio value, nonprofit goals, and the real cost of your time.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
AI search is changing how people reach websites, and we show you how to make WordPress easier for #AI tools to read and cite → speckyboy.com/wordpress-we...
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How To Make Your WordPress Website AI-Friendly — Speckyboy
AI search is changing how people reach websites. This article shows how to make WordPress more AEO friendly with robots.txt, sitemaps, agent readiness checks, Markdown output, and helpful resources.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
#WordPress now lets you show or hide blocks by device, making it easier to create cleaner desktop and mobile layouts without extra plugins → speckyboy.com/how-to-hide-...
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How to Hide WordPress Blocks Based on Device — Speckyboy
WordPress 7.0 adds responsive Block Visibility controls for the Block Editor. Learn how to create separate desktop and mobile blocks, hide each one by device, and test the result.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
7 Essential Design Tools & Resources for High-Quality Web Builds in 2026 → speckyboy.com/essential-de...
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7 Essential Design Tools & Resources for High-Quality Web Builds in 2026 — Speckyboy
Explore 7 essential design tools and resources for 2026. From AI website builders to powerful WordPress themes, create high-quality, fast, and modern web projects with ease.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Building your own plugin isn't as complicated as it sounds. We walk through how to create a custom #WordPress plugin and why it's often the best option for site-specific features → speckyboy.com/custom-wordp...
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How a Custom WordPress Plugin Can Help You Manage a Website — Speckyboy
To help demonstrate the power and convenience of a custom WordPress plugin, we highlight some situations where going custom can be a help.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Looking to improve what you can build in the block editor? We highlight some of the best custom #Gutenberg blocks for adding new features and flexibility to WordPress → speckyboy.com/top-custom-g...
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8 Best Block Suites You Can Add to WordPress in 2026 — Speckyboy
Since Gutenberg's inclusion in WordPress core, the developer community has released a number of different block plugins. These are our favorites.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
What is #MCP, and why does it matter for #WordPress? We explain how the Model Context Protocol connects AI tools to your site and what it could enable going forward → speckyboy.com/what-is-mcp/
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What Is MCP, and How Can It Help Your WordPress Website? — Speckyboy
Model Context Protocol is an open protocol that sits between an AI app and your tools. Learn what it does, how it can connect to WordPress through the MCP Adapter, and what features it can unlock.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Spam orders can be a real problem for #WooCommerce stores. We walk through practical ways to reduce fake orders and protect your checkout process → speckyboy.com/stop-spam-or...
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How To Stop Spam Orders on Your WooCommerce Website — Speckyboy
Fake WooCommerce orders clutter the dashboard and can lead to fraud risk. Set up Cloudflare Turnstile in minutes, add it to checkout, and fine-tune settings for guest users, forms, and payment…
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
AI can speed things up, but it can't replace relationships. We explain why the human side of #WordPress agencies still matters, especially for long-term client work → speckyboy.com/personal-tou...
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Why the Personal Touch Matters to WordPress Agencies of All Sizes — Speckyboy
Automation and AI can help agencies run lean, but they can also create distance with clients. Learn how to keep supporting humans, avoid bot-written newsletters, and use tech in ways that build trust.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
You don't always need a new plugin to add features. We show how AI can help extend existing #WordPress plugins, from small tweaks to more advanced functionality → speckyboy.com/ai-extend-wo...
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How to Use AI To Extend the Functionality of WordPress Plugins — Speckyboy
AI can help WordPress developers extend existing plugins when a feature is missing. Learn how to pick the right plugin, use documentation in prompts, and package changes in a custom plugin for easier…
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
AI tools are starting to reshape the lower end of the web design market. We break down what's changing, who's affected, and where designers can still offer real value → speckyboy.com/ai-impact-bo...
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How Will AI Impact the Bottom of the Web Design Market? — Speckyboy
AI site builders are squeezing the low-budget web design market that many new freelancers start in. The race to the bottom is getting tougher. Learn how new designers can still build skills and gain…
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
If new website projects are slowing down, it may be time to rethink your services. We look at practical ways #WordPress agencies can adapt, from client education to new AI-driven opportunities → speckyboy.com/new-opportun...
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Finding New Opportunities for Your WordPress Agency — Speckyboy
If new site projects are slowing down, it is time to expand what you offer. Practical ideas for WordPress agencies, like plugins and dashboards you can sell, client training and courses, and…
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Curious about custom blocks but not deep into React? Telex builds a first draft for you, and @karks.com shows how to review the code and shape it for real use → speckyboy.com/build-custom...
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How to Build a Custom WordPress Block With Telex — Speckyboy
Learn how Telex from Automattic helps you build custom WordPress blocks with plain language prompts, test them in Playground, and export them as installable plugins.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Clients may say they do not care what you use, but they care when updates stop. @karks.com walks through picking WordPress themes and plugins that are more likely to last → speckyboy.com/themes-plugi...
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Why the Themes and Plugins You Choose Matter to Your Clients — Speckyboy
Plan ahead on client projects with smart WordPress theme and plugin choices that reduce risk, cut emergency fixes, and keep your sites running smoothly for years.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Web hosts and tools can fail at times. @karks.com talks about spotting patterns, using status pages, and setting better expectations so outages hurt a little less → speckyboy.com/web-designer...
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How Should Web Designers Deal With Service Outages? — Speckyboy
When the web goes down, web designers are caught between providers and clients. Get practical advice on checking issues, sharing clear updates, and staying calm.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Not every site needs a hand-built WordPress theme. @karks.com explores where custom code shines and where modern block themes are more than enough → speckyboy.com/built-scratc...
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Do Built-From-Scratch WordPress Themes Still Make Sense? — Speckyboy
Built from scratch WordPress themes are not gone quite yet. We explain how blocks changed WordPress theme development and give clear examples of when going custom still makes sense.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Use AI to Enhance - Not Replace - Your WordPress Expertise speckyboy.com/use-ai-to-en...
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Use AI to Enhance - Not Replace - Your WordPress Expertise — Speckyboy
AI can speed up WordPress development, but overreliance can hurt your workflow. Learn how to use AI tools effectively without losing control of your code.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
20+ Best Free Logo Reveal Templates for After Effects in 2025 → speckyboy.com/free-logo-re...
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20+ Best Free Logo Reveal Templates for After Effects in 2025 — Speckyboy
You don't have to be a motion design expert to create a stunning animated logo. Simply use one of these free logo reveal templates for After Effects.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Tips for Building a Performant #WordPress Website speckyboy.com/building-per...
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Tips for Building a Performant WordPress Website — Speckyboy
Want a faster WordPress site? Learn how to boost performance with better hosting, lightweight themes, optimized images, and smart caching strategies.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Should Your Agency Focus on WooCommerce Projects? — Speckyboy speckyboy.com/should-your-...
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Should Your Agency Focus on WooCommerce Projects? — Speckyboy
Is WooCommerce the right niche for your WordPress agency? Explore its pros and cons, from flexibility and growth potential to the real costs of building expertise.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Get a Free Web Design this Black Friday from WordPress → speckyboy.com/wordpress-co...
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Black Friday 2025
BLACK FRIDAY SALE This Black Friday, we’ll build your website for free Our experts will build your website for free — a $499 value — so you can launch before the new year. Plus,…
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
Best Practices for Your #WordPress Theme's functions.php File speckyboy.com/best-practic...
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Best Practices for Your WordPress Theme's functions.php File — Speckyboy
Should your custom code go in functions.php or a plugin? This guide explains best practices for organizing snippets and avoiding future site problems.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
How to Test Your AI-Generated #WordPress Plugin speckyboy.com/test-ai-gene...
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How to Test Your AI-Generated WordPress Plugin — Speckyboy
AI can generate WordPress plugins in minutes, but they’re not ready for production without testing. Learn how to audit code for security, stability, and performance.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
10 Best Free Niche WordPress SEO Plugins → speckyboy.com/niche-wordpr...
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10 Best Free Niche WordPress SEO Plugins — Speckyboy
Some plugins focus on overall SEO, while others on just one aspect. We've ten lesser-known free WordPress plugins that can help fine-tune your SEO efforts.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
Why The Grumpy Designer Is Wary of AI’s Confidence → speckyboy.com/grumpy-desig... By @karks.com
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Why The Grumpy Designer Is Wary of AI’s Confidence — Speckyboy
AI speaks with confidence, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. The Grumpy Designer explores why self-assured answers can mislead users and what AI tools should do instead.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
How to Be the Leader Your Web Design Clients Need speckyboy.com/leader-your-...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
How to Refactor Your Outdated WordPress Code With AI speckyboy.com/refactor-out...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
10 Best Free Landing Page Themes for WordPress in 2025 speckyboy.com/free-wordpre...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
8 Best Block Suites You Can Add to WordPress speckyboy.com/top-custom-g...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Tips for Hosting Your Client’s WordPress Website speckyboy.com/hosting-clie...
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Tips for Hosting Your Client’s WordPress Website — Speckyboy
A practical guide to hosting WordPress sites for clients. Learn how to stay secure, stay in control, and avoid common hosting mistakes.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Creating Sticky Elements speckyboy.com/css-javascri...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Can AI Site Builders Make WordPress Easier? speckyboy.com/ai-site-buil...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
How to Add Custom Style Variations to WordPress Blocks speckyboy.com/add-custom-s...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
How to Guide Your Clients to the Best WordPress Solutions speckyboy.com/guiding-clie...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
15 Best Free WordPress Themes for Writers in 2025 speckyboy.com/free-wordpre...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
How to Use AI to Enhance Your WordPress Blog speckyboy.com/ai-enhance-w...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
8 Best Free Media Library WordPress Plugins in 2025 speckyboy.com/free-plugins...
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8 Best Free Media Library WordPress Plugins in 2025 — Speckyboy
As the Media Library is the most used area of WordPress, we share these free plugins that will allow you to truly take control of your media.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
How to Combat AI Bot Traffic on Your Website speckyboy.com/combat-ai-bo...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
How WordPress Agencies Can Improve Site Building Efficiency speckyboy.com/wordpress-ag...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Learn How to Display WordPress Custom Field Data With Blocks → speckyboy.com/display-word...
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Learn How to Display WordPress Custom Field Data With Blocks — Speckyboy
Learn how to use the WordPress Block Bindings API to display custom field data—no plugin required. A simple walkthrough with real examples.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
A Quick Guide to Escaping PHP Data in WordPress speckyboy.com/escaping-php...
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A Quick Guide to Escaping PHP Data in WordPress — Speckyboy
Learn how to escape PHP data in WordPress to prevent security vulnerabilities. This quick guide helps developers write safer, more secure code.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
7 Top Starter & Barebone Themes for WordPress Development → speckyboy.com/wordpress-st...
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7 Top Starter & Barebone Themes for WordPress Development — Speckyboy
A collection of starter or barebones themes for WordPress that will allow you to quickly build a theme to your own custom specifications.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
8 Comic-Inspired Snippets Powered by #CSS & #JavaScript → speckyboy.com/comic-inspir...
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Why a Modular Approach Is Better for #WordPress Development
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Why a Modular Approach Is Better for WordPress Development — Speckyboy
A modular approach to WordPress development offers a new way to build and manage projects. We’ll cover what it is, how it works, and how it can improve your workflow.
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Paul Andrew @speckyboy.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Learn how to use AI to build a WordPress related posts plugin → speckyboy.com/ai-build-wor... By @karks.com
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How to Use AI to Build a WordPress Related Posts Plugin – Speckyboy
Learn how to create a simple related posts plugin for WordPress to demonstrate AI's potential. It’s not going to rival commercial solutions, but it delivers a functional base that can be improved as n...
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Reposted by Paul Andrew
Eric Karkovack @karks.com · 17/03/2025
Whether you're building classic or block #WordPress themes, you'll want to check our this roundup of tools and frameworks. speckyboy.com/wordpress-th...
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The Best Open-Source Tools & Frameworks for Building WordPress Themes – Speckyboy
We share the top open-source development tools and frameworks for building WordPress themes in 2025. Learn what they offer and how they can improve your workflow.
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