💥Thump, thump, thump. The suspense! It’s not the beginning of a horror flick, but it might as well be for us, cosy in our WordPress fortress.
Gazing over our castle walls, we have a dragon! Its wings spread majesticly, its eyes sparkle with the promise of mischief, and the fiery pits of tech evolution seemingly fuel its belly.
But, hold your horses — or dragons. We’re not in the business of fairy tales. Our “dragon” is much less mythical but equally as formidable: the advent of blocks and block development intruding upon our comfy, PHP-snug development life.
Your Castle & Keep
Ah, the stronghold we’ve known and loved. Our WordPress realm, built on the solid foundations of PHP and creative flair, has been unassailable. Since the dawning of WordPress’s golden era in 2011, we’ve been the kings and queens of our domain.
Frameworks like Genesis, Roots, Gantry, Underscores, GeneratePress and Storefront? They are the comrades-in-arms that have stood by us, steadfast and true. Tweaking files for new clients has been our knightly duty, our castle and keep in the digital age.
But, alas! A shadow looms. The walls, they quiver. The darkness of block development creeps closer, threatening to engulf our once-impregnable fortress.
The Enemy At the Gate
Enter our foe: block development. A challenger so bold, it relegates our themes to the annals of “Classic Themes.” Suddenly, we’re classic cars in a world thirsting for electric speed.
While there’s a charm in nostalgia, who wouldn’t rather the blockbuster experience, complete with Gold Class comforts and popcorn the size of a small dragon’s hoard?
Block themes and their development aren’t just knocking; they’re poised to bring down our walls by 2024. The question is, how will we greet them?
What’s Your Response?
Do we flee into the metaphorical hills, blankets over our heads, hoping the “block” bogeyman disappears? It’s hardly the strategy of champions.
Or, defend our keep with the ferocity of a cornered wizard. Noble, but ultimately, is it not akin to tilting at windmills?
Attack The Enemy
Here’s a thought: What if the dragon isn’t the enemy? What if the true foe is our resistance to change, our reluctance to evolve?
The pandemic was a harsh mistress, teaching us that adaptation isn’t just a choice; it’s survival. As many freelancers discovered, the unwillingness to pivot is a path paved with closed doors.
Befriend and Embrace the Dragon
So here’s the rub: block themes and development aren’t the dragons at our gates; they’re the new allies we’ve yet to embrace.
With the winds of change at our backs, let’s sail towards this new horizon. I’ll even lead the charge, sharing insights on transitioning from classic to block themes at our next WordPress Sydney meetup. Talk about serendipity!
Gear up, dear developers and designers. The Block Editor Handbook awaits. Let’s turn this dragon into our most potent steed.
Until next time, keep thriving!
Wil.
PS: I’ve been trying out my Storyteller Tactics cards. For this newsletter, I used “The Dragon & the City” and “What’s it About?” cards. Let me know if they helped.