On this episode of WPwatercooler titled “Gutenberg It’s Complicated,” the panel discusses the complexities and challenges faced by contributors to the Gutenberg project, focusing on a tweet by Ari, a longtime contributor who expressed his frustration with the increasing complexity of the codebase. Ari’s difficulties, after returning from a break, in understanding the evolved code highlights a broader issue with the accessibility of the project to both new and returning contributors. The discussion touches on the need for better inline documentation, the rapid pace of updates, and the broader implications of these challenges for the WordPress community. Additionally, the episode features insights on how these internal challenges affect the overall usability and developer experience within the WordPress ecosystem.

Show Notes:

https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep482-gutenberg-its-complicated/

Panel

• Courtney Robertson
• Jason Cosper
• Jason Tucker
• Sé Reed

00:00 Introduction
02:35 Introducing the Panel and Courtney Robertson
05:00 Ari’s Tweet and Its Impact
10:40 The Challenges of Contributing to Gutenberg
15:20 The Necessity of Inline Documentation
20:55 Community Responses and Suggestions
25:30 The Pace of Development and Its Impact
30:45 How Complexity Affects New Contributors
35:10 Discussion on Codebase Management and Documentation
40:00 Personal Experiences with Gutenberg
45:15 Wrapping up and Final Thoughts
50:00 Q&A and Audience Interaction
55:00 Closing Remarks