Digest 114: WordPress 6.8.2, Bricks 2.0, and 500K Installs for SpeedyCache!

This week’s digest is packed with major plugin updates, security alerts, exciting AI breakthroughs, and growing concerns around WordPress’s architectural complexity. Whether you’re a developer, site owner, or plugin builder, there’s something here to boost your workflow, tighten your security, or spark new ideas. Let’s dive into what’s new across the WordPress ecosystem! 👇

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💡 WordPress Spotlight

• WordPress 6.8.2 Maintenance Release Now Live
  A new minor update is out! WordPress 6.8.2 addresses 5 bug fixes in core and 16 in the block editor, with no security patches. While it’s a small maintenance release, updating is still recommended to keep things smooth. (Source)
• Malware Scanner Plugin Contains a Security Vulnerability
  Ironically, a WordPress malware scanner plugin intended to protect users has itself been found vulnerable—potentially allowing attackers to perform unauthorized actions. Site owners using security plugins should check for updates and monitor their logs. (Source)
• Amelia Adds Custom Group Pricing in Version 8.4
  The Amelia appointment booking plugin now supports custom pricing for group bookings, a much-requested feature. This gives service providers more flexibility when handling classes, events, or multi-person sessions. (Source)
• What Is AI Orchestration (And Why It Matters)?
  Zapier explains “AI orchestration”—a new way to make multiple AI tools and automations work together like a well-coordinated team. It’s an emerging concept that could deeply impact WordPress workflows, especially for agencies and content creators. (Source)
• Ahrefs on AI Citations and Search Ranking Signals
  Ahrefs explores how AI-generated content that lacks proper citations could impact search rankings. The post raises a key SEO question: if AI relies on your content without linking to it, what happens to your visibility and authority? (Source)
• Liquid Glass Effect Now Available in ElementsKit
  ElementsKit has introduced a slick new “liquid glass” widget for Elementor users. This visual effect adds a semi-transparent, frosted-glass look that elevates design without needing extra code—perfect for modern, clean UI. (Source)
• Greenshift’s “GreenLight” Project Teases a New UI Experience
  Greenshift is working on a project called GreenLight, aimed at simplifying WordPress website building with a streamlined UI. While still in development, the preview suggests a fast, AI-powered visual editor with no bloat. (Source)
• Amelia Partners with WP Umbrella for Site Management & Booking Power
  Amelia has teamed up with WP Umbrella, an all-in-one WordPress management platform. This partnership brings smoother site monitoring and secure management alongside Amelia’s booking system. To celebrate, new users get 1 month free with the code UmbrellaMonth. A great combo for agencies and site managers looking to streamline operations. (Source)
• “WordPress Architecture Crisis” – A Must-Read Perspective
  EtchWP dives deep into WordPress’s growing architectural complexity, warning that overlapping features (like classic vs. block editors) are causing confusion and bloat. A wake-up call for devs and product builders to rethink user experience and long-term maintainability. (Source)
• Automattic Hiring for AI Role in NYC
  Automattic is looking for on-site AI talent to work on applied use cases—from intelligent interfaces to agent-style automation. If you’re in New York and want to work on the future of WordPress and AI, this could be your shot. (Source)
• WordPress AI Team Shares “Building Blocks” for Contributors
  The Make WordPress AI team introduced a set of open building blocks to help contributors create AI-powered features responsibly and transparently. These blueprints will guide future integrations and encourage more community-led AI innovation. (Source)
• SpeedyCache Hits 500K Active Installs
  SpeedyCache, the performance optimization plugin, has reached 500,000 active installs. Known for its beginner-friendly setup and server-side caching features, it’s quickly becoming a go-to choice for site speed enthusiasts. (Source)
• Pressidium Launches “Edge” for Faster Global Delivery
  Pressidium has unveiled Pressidium Edge, a new service built to boost site performance using edge locations worldwide. Ideal for businesses with international traffic, it promises lower latency and higher uptime for WordPress sites. (Source)

✨ Fresh Features Rollout

1. Easy Digital Downloads Adds Built-In EU VAT Support
   EDD Pro now includes built-in EU/UK VAT handling—no add-ons needed! Automatically calculate VAT, validate VAT numbers, apply reverse charges, and generate reports with ease. New settings and invoice integration make compliance simple and seamless. (Source)
2. WordPress.com Enhances ActivityPub with New Features for Better Fediverse Integration
   WordPress.com just rolled out three new features for ActivityPub: an easier onboarding guide, customizable Fediverse profiles (with avatar, bio, and links), and a new follower management panel to track and manage your followers across platforms like Mastodon—all designed to boost your blog’s visibility in the Fediverse. (Source)
3. SEOPress 8.9 Brings AI Chatbot, Consent Tools & Integration Upgrades
   SEOPress 8.9 introduces an AI-powered chatbot (PRO version) for faster support directly inside the plugin settings. The update also adds user consent support for Microsoft Clarity, enhancing compliance for session tracking. Third-party compatibility gets a boost with improved WPML and Admin Columns PRO integration, plus a cleaner UI for automatic schemas, better XML sitemap performance, and updated redirect management. (Source)
4. WordPress Studio Rolls Out Selective Sync for Smarter Deployments
   The latest WordPress Studio 1.5.5 update introduces Selective Sync, giving developers granular control over what they push or pull between local and live sites. Instead of syncing the entire site, users can now choose specific themes, plugins, or database elements—perfect for focused development without risking live data. Whether updating a theme or deploying a plugin, Selective Sync helps avoid unnecessary overwrites and enhances privacy. Available now in WordPress Studio, this feature streamlines real-world workflows and is part of broader improvements coming to Studio this year. (Source)
5. Bricks 2.0 Is Here – The Biggest Update Yet 🚀
   Bricks 2.0 has officially launched with over 300 changes and marks the most significant update since its debut. After four years of community-driven development, this release introduces powerful new features like Builder Capabilities, Visual CSS Grid Builder, Selective Element & Font Management, Nested Components, and a fully revamped UI. Developers now get finer control with cascade layers enabled by default, a new Command Palette, and component-based design replacing global elements. Bricks 2.0 is available now via one-click update—just be sure to test on staging first! (Source)
6. New in WPForms: Entry Automation for Effortless Data Management
   WPForms just rolled out Entry Automation, a powerful new feature that lets you schedule exports and deletions of form entries — no more manual downloads or database clutter. Set custom rules for daily, weekly, or monthly exports, apply smart filters to export only the data you need, and get the files delivered straight to your inbox. You can even automate entry cleanup to keep your site running fast. It’s the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it tool to save you time and streamline your workflow. Source
7. Perfmatters 2.4.7: New Filters, Early Hint Support & More Control
   The latest Perfmatters update adds support for setting your license key via wp-config.php, a new perfmatters_fetch_priority filter, and smarter Early Hint handling for faster loading. It also brings better compatibility with Elementor, Astra, Thrive Quiz Builder, and Etch. Plus, minor cleanups and translation updates round out the release. (Source)
8. FlyWP Just Got Smarter: Meet the All-New Advanced Domain Manager + Key Fixes!
9. Introducing Advanced Domain Manager, Critical Fixes, and UI Enhancements. Let me know if you’d like more variations or if you’re using this as an email subject, blog title, or something else. (Source)

🆕 Fresh Releases

1. Angie: WordPress Gets Its First Agentic AI Plugin
   Meet Angie, the first agentic AI plugin designed to execute real tasks inside WordPress. Instead of just offering suggestions, Angie builds, edits, updates, and publishes—on command. From creating new pages and updating content to launching sales and managing inventory, Angie works with popular tools like Elementor, Gutenberg, WooCommerce, and ACF. Early access is open now—sign up to shape the future of AI-powered WordPress workflows. (Source)
2. Beeper Gets a Major Upgrade!
   Beeper now connects directly to messaging networks through Beeper On-Device, eliminating the need for Beeper Cloud and enabling end-to-end encryption for supported networks. They’ve also introduced Beeper Plus, bringing features like multiple accounts per network, scheduled messages, chat reminders, incognito mode, voice note transcriptions, custom app icons, and more account support. (Source)
3. WellThrive: A WordPress Theme for Health Coaches and Educators
   WellThrive is a modern, fully customizable WordPress theme designed specifically for health and wellness coaches, life mentors, and holistic educators using Tutor LMS. Built with Droip’s visual editor, it offers complete design control without coding—perfect for 1:1 coaching, group sessions, or online courses. The theme seamlessly integrates live Tutor LMS data, allowing dynamic course content display, reusable components, and expressive animations. Responsive and easy to brand, WellThrive helps you create a polished, professional learning platform that grows with your coaching business. (Source)
4. External Images WordPress Plugin: Fast, Efficient Image Hosting
   The External Images plugin lets you use images hosted anywhere on the web directly in your WordPress site—no uploads or media library clutter required. It supports featured images, galleries, WooCommerce products, and bulk imports via JSON or XML feeds. By pulling images from external sources, your site loads faster and saves hosting space. The plugin integrates smoothly with popular themes and plugins, offers lazy loading for better performance, and is trusted by developers, agencies, and site owners alike. Plus, the team behind it uses it on their own site, proving its reliability. (Source)
5. Hide AI – Clean Up Your WordPress Admin Interface
   Hide AI is a lightweight WordPress plugin designed to declutter your admin interface by automatically hiding AI-related buttons and options injected by popular plugins and themes like Elementor, Otter Blocks, PostX, Rank Math SEO, and Spectra. It keeps your Media Gallery, Gutenberg editor, Posts, Pages, and core settings clean and distraction-free — with zero setup required. Just install and activate to enjoy a streamlined WordPress backend experience. (Source)

🗓️ Mark Your Calendar 

If you’re looking for opportunities to network and learn, check out these upcoming WordPress events and meetups:

• WordCamp US (August 26-29th, 2025)
• WordCamp Bengaluru (August 31th, 2025)
• WordCamp Canada (October 16-17, 2025)
• WordCamp San Jose (October 31, 2025)
• WordCamp Kansai (November 1-2, 2025)
• WordCamp Athens (November 8, 2025)
• WordCamp Europe (Poland, June 4-6, 2026)
• WordCamp Asia (Mumbai, 2026)

That’s a wrap for this week’s WPDigest! Stay tuned for more exciting WordPress updates next week.

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