How we currently contribute to WordPress

Core release leads

When a new version of WordPress Core is released, there is one group responsible for making sure everything goes smoothly: Release Leads. These are the people who manage the entire release process, from coordinating the work of the contributors to ensuring that the new version is thoroughly tested. It’s a big job, but someone has to do it!

A number of XWPeople have led WordPress Core releases over the years. Our former Team Lead Jeff B. Paul was the Release Deputy for WordPress 4.7 and Release Lead for 4.8 during his time at XWP, and in 4.9 he and our former Chief Technology Officer Weston Ruter even teamed up to help lead a release together!

Most recently, our fantastic Director of Engineering (Learning & Growth) Francesca Marano was a release co-ordinator for WordPress 6.4 “Shirley”, a huge release that introduced improved workflows, new design tools, more than 100 performance updates, and all the regular bug fixes and updates you can usually expect from Core Release.

—and this wasn’t Francesca’s first rodeo. In fact, it was her fifth WordPress release, after co-leading the releases for WordPress 5.3, 5.4, 6.2, and 6.3!

“The thing that I love the most about the model for the releases is the variety of roles that it includes. There are developers, designers, marketers, technical writers, and project managers. WordPress is not only made of code, and it’s great to see all these different skills coming together to contribute to its release!”

Francesca Marano
Director of Engineering (Learning & Growth) @ XWP

Core performance

XWP has been contributing to the Core Performance Team since 2021, helping to identify performance bottlenecks, optimize code, and improve the overall speed of the platform. The performance team does invaluable work making sure WordPress Core remains nimble, allowing shiny new features to be added without sacrificing speed.

One of the most impactful things about the Core Performance team’s work is that it affects the entire internet. With more than 43% of all websites using WordPress, even small changes to the performance of the WordPress Core architecture help create a speedier internet for everyone.

“Working on the WordPress core performance project is extremely rewarding. It means I can make transformative changes to over 40% of the internet, making performance something for everyone and not just for high-end users with expensive hosting plans. Democratizing performance for all.”

Jonny Harris
Former Senior Engineer @ XWP

Documentation

When you’re building pretty much anything, sometimes a little guidance goes a long way. That’s where the WordPress Documentation Team comes in. These are the folks who write and maintain all the helpful articles and guides that help you get the most out of WordPress—and our very own Milana Cap has been a co-rep since 2021, leading contribution sessions and talks about docs around the world!

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a total newbie, the docs team has got your back. They’re working hard to make sure that the documentation is accurate, up-to-date, and easy to understand. So next time you’re stuck trying to figure something out in WordPress, give a shoutout to the documentation team for all their hard work!

“Without documentation only people who already understand the code can contribute. But if you make information readily available, it’s easier for people to figure out where they can help and develop skills they didn’t have before. This enables them to bring new ideas from their world to the table, and you protect your project from stagnation. This is how things grow, and it’s all thanks to documentation!”

Milana Cap
Senior Engineer @ XWP

Community

The WordPress Core Community Team is the backbone of the platform’s vibrant and inclusive ecosystem, focusing on fostering connections, organizing events, and providing support to users worldwide. Their efforts aim to create a welcoming environment for WordPress enthusiasts, whether they’re seasoned developers or newcomers to the community.

Our Staff Engineer Marco Pereirinha has been active in the Core Community team since 2013, leading the expansion of the Portuguese WordCamp community in the North of the country, organizing events in Seville, Porto, and Berlin, and mentoring organizing teams for new regional WordCamps all over the world—from Brazil to South Africa!

“Working with the community team has been a real joy. Seeing the WordPress community evolve in real-time has been really exciting— especially as local groups grow and achieve awesome things, and the larger regional WordCamps continue to evolve to a scale we never thought possible”

Marco Pereirinha
Staff Engineer @ XWP

Other contributions

But of course, our contributions don’t end there! Open Source thrives on an economy of ‘helping where you can’, and that means jumping in wherever your expertise is useful. Our team members actively scan and contribute to open tickets to help push releases forward!