Rolly Bueno

Author: Rolly Bueno

  • What I Contributed to WordPress 6.9 — And Why It Matters

    What I Contributed to WordPress 6.9 — And Why It Matters

    WordPress 6.9 marks another meaningful milestone in the evolution of the world’s most popular open-source CMS. While it brings exciting enhancements across performance, accessibility, editing experience, and long-term maintainability, this release is also deeply focused on strengthening the foundation millions of sites rely on daily.

    I am proud to have contributed to this release through multiple improvements across Customizer, Feeds, Media, Users, Taxonomy, Documentation, Accessibility, Network & Multisite, Core APIs, and bundled themes. These contributions focus on three core goals:

    • Improve stability and resilience.
    • Make WordPress more predictable and developer-friendly.
    • Enhance accessibility, usability, and performance.

    Below is a closer look at the areas I helped improve in WordPress 6.9.

    Enhancing Performance, Stability, and Reliability

    Several contributions in this release focus on making WordPress faster and more reliable — especially in mission-critical components.

    • Global RSS Feed Caching
      • Commit: ce9fd87141
      • Introduces caching for RSS feeds using global transients, improving performance and reducing unnecessary processing.
    • User Post Count Caching
      • Commit: bb4d8706d0
      • Adds caching to count_many_users_posts(), reducing database load and improving performance in large-scale environments.
    • Streamlined Internal Processing
      • 353b042344 — Improve wp_slash() behavior for efficiency
      • 3865859fd8 — Optimized wp.sanitize.stripTags() for better memory usage
      • 49d1dedd7b — Removed obsolete Internet Explorer conditional comment support
    • Cleaner, Safer Codebase
      • e11e9f2e34 — Removed obsolete activation code in multisite
      • 7447c822e6 — Improved taxonomy hierarchy logic performance
      • c15303c584 — Introduced update_term_count action to better hook into taxonomy operations
      • aa5fdef901 & ebe36e8e7d — New actions and filters for populate_network() and get_network_option(), enabling better extensibility for hosting providers and enterprise networks

    These changes help ensure WordPress continues scaling efficiently across the smallest sites to the largest networks.

    Improving Developer Experience & Documentation

    One of the strengths of WordPress is its developer community — accuracy, clarity, and predictability matter. Several contributions focused on improving that:

    • Updated and clarified documentation across core functions:
      • 7a680be66e — Corrected @return type for get_post_field()
      • 428611b976 — Clarified wp_get_default_extension_for_mime_type()
      • c6cce34d41 & afbe174b99 — Added missing @param & @return docs for color sanitization helpers
      • 87cbbb1dfc — Minor but meaningful whitespace cleanup for consistency
      • ddf8046912 — Improved param formatting in wpdb docs
      • b2892213f8 — Clarified behavior of wp_set_auth_cookie()
    • Added meaningful test improvements:
      • 1f7af9acd5 — Ensured site transients store correctly across environments

    Every improved doc and test ensures developers build with certainty — reducing confusion, debugging time, and onboarding friction.

    Enhancing Functionality and User Experience

    Customizer + Block Themes

    • 632ead6732 — Enabled live preview of Custom CSS in block themes through the Customizer.
      This bridges traditional workflows with modern WordPress architecture, helping site owners transition smoothly into Full Site Editing environments.

    Media Reliability & Accessibility

    A number of fixes improved stability, edge-case handling, and accessibility:

    • 8c374a5adb — Ensured wp_get_attachment_image() respects valid user-provided dimensions
    • f40b60d4b2 — Fixed playlist shortcodes failing when initial playlist data is broken
    • d5fed6b52b — Prevented media fatal errors when metadata unexpectedly returns arrays
    • e0eb90be6f — Improved accessibility by switching uploader toggle to a <button> and managing focus correctly

    These ensure media behaves reliably across more scenarios while remaining accessible to all users.

    User & Admin Experience

    • 6d9f8faaf9 — Added explicit warning when wp_insert_user() is called without user_pass to prevent silent failures
    • 6fb4a2f2ac & d445d3913b — Improved UI sizing and search alignment on mobile for better admin usability

    Site Health Improvements

    • 7cf0bb5594 — Enhanced descriptions for Site Health recommendations and critical issues, making them easier to understand for both site owners and developers.

    Networks, Multisite & Core Enhancements

    Multisite and networking received meaningful improvements:

    • d354b6c933 — Standardized “Network Activate” UX in plugin installation
    • aa5fdef901, ebe36e8e7d, e11e9f2e34 — Added new actions, filters, and cleaned obsolete logic in network population and activation processes

    These help administrators manage complex environments more predictably.

    Accessibility, Themes & Frontend Polish

    Small details shape real user experiences:

    • 86a511688d — Prevented <pre> elements from overflowing in bundled themes
    • 5a8c2079f2 — Restored rounded style support for Image block in Twenty Twelve
    • e4bf7dc328 — Fixed protocol typo in Twenty Twenty-Five font credit

    These refinements ensure themes continue to feel polished, accessible, and consistent.

    Security, Safety & Content Filtering

    • 2fe26ceb7a — Added six missing HTML5 elements (data, meter, progress, search, time, wbr) to KSES allowlist
      This ensures more modern semantic content structures remain secure while still being supported.

    Why These Contributions Matter

    Many of these enhancements solve long-standing edge cases, reduce performance overhead, tighten consistency, modernize standards, improve accessibility compliance, prevent potential failures, and make the platform easier for both developers and everyday users. The improvements may feel small individually, but together they make WordPress significantly stronger.

    They benefit:

    • Site owners who expect stability
    • Developers who need predictable APIs
    • Enterprise and multisite environments that depend on performance and scalability
    • Accessibility users who deserve better experience
    • The future direction of modern WordPress

    Looking Ahead

    Contributing to WordPress 6.9 has been a meaningful experience. I am grateful to be part of a global open-source community that believes in sharing knowledge, improving tools together, and supporting millions of users worldwide. I look forward to continuing my contributions to future releases and helping grow the platform even further.

    If you would like this turned into a case-study article, portfolio page, LinkedIn post, or something WordPress.org-profile ready, just tell me the format you need.

  • Introducing LocalMerchant: A WordPress Theme Built for Real-World Businesses

    Introducing LocalMerchant: A WordPress Theme Built for Real-World Businesses

    I am excited to share that my new WordPress theme, LocalMerchant, is now officially available in the WordPress Theme Directory:
    https://wordpress.org/themes/localmerchant/

    LocalMerchant is designed specifically with local businesses, service providers, and brick-and-mortar shops in mind. Many small and medium-sized businesses struggle to find a theme that is both visually professional and practical in real-world use. LocalMerchant aims to solve that by delivering a clean, reliable, performance-focused design that is easy to set up, flexible enough for different industries, and aligned with modern WordPress standards.

    Built to work seamlessly with the latest WordPress block editor experience, LocalMerchant offers thoughtful design structure instead of unnecessary complexity. It focuses on clarity, readability, and usability, ensuring websites look professional without requiring heavy customization or coding. The layout is optimized for highlighting services, business information, customer trust elements, and key calls to action so businesses can communicate clearly with their audience.

    Accessibility, performance, and best practices were priorities throughout development. The theme is lightweight, fast-loading, responsive on all screen sizes, and follows WordPress coding and review standards. This ensures site owners benefit from compatibility, long-term reliability, and a smooth experience when managing their content.

    With LocalMerchant now available in the official WordPress directory, anyone can install and use it freely from their dashboard. I am grateful to the WordPress theme review team for their support and to the community that inspires continuous improvement. I look forward to seeing how people use LocalMerchant on their websites and to refining it further through feedback, real-world usage, and future updates.

    If you try the theme, I would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or showcase examples of how you use it in your projects.

  • Explore the MonoFrame Demo Site

    MonoFrame is a clean, modern WordPress block theme designed for creators, developers, and professionals who value performance and flexibility

    The MonoFrame demo is now live at monoframe.rollybueno.com — showcasing how the theme looks and performs in a real-world environment.

    MonoFrame is a clean, modern WordPress block theme designed for creators, developers, and professionals who value performance and flexibility. It serves as a solid foundation for building fast, accessible, and visually consistent websites powered by the Site Editor.

    Built for the Block Era

    MonoFrame is a Full Site Editing (FSE) theme, meaning every part of your site — from headers and footers to templates and patterns — can be customized directly in the Site Editor. No external frameworks or page builders are needed.

    The theme uses a modern design system defined in theme.json, offering a fully responsive, mobile-first structure with fine control over colors, typography, and spacing.

    Design & Features

    • Full Site Editing Ready — Customize templates and layouts visually.
    • Modern Design System — Consistent colors, typography, and spacing.
    • Lightweight and Fast — Built with minimal dependencies for optimal performance.
    • Accessible and Inclusive — Meets WCAG standards for readability.
    • Custom Block Patterns — Ready-to-use layouts for common sections.
    • Developer Friendly — Clean SASS-based structure for easy customization.

    Patterns That Work Everywhere

    MonoFrame includes a curated collection of pre-built block patterns to help you build pages effortlessly:

    • Hero Cover Section
    • Feature Grid Layout
    • Testimonial Section
    • Content Spacer
    • Related Articles Grid

    These patterns are flexible and can be mixed and matched to create unique layouts while maintaining a unified look and feel.

    A Foundation for Creators and Professionals

    MonoFrame’s balance of simplicity and structure makes it ideal for a variety of use cases — personal portfolios, creative studios, blogs, or small business sites. Its performance-first philosophy ensures your content loads quickly and remains accessible across all devices.

    Try the Demo

    You can explore the live demo at
    👉 monoframe.rollybueno.com

    To learn more about the theme details, visit the project page:
    👉 MonoFrame on rollybueno.com

    Or download it directly from WordPress.org or contribute via GitHub:

  • Contributor Highlights v1.1.0 Released

    I’m excited to announce that Contributor Highlights has been updated to version 1.1.0. This release introduces new badges, resolves dependency issues, and improves layout alignment for a smoother and more consistent experience.

    ✨ What’s New

    • New: Added Core AI, Playground, and Credits Mentor badges to recognize broader areas of WordPress contribution.
    • Fix: Resolved broken dependencies that prevented icons from rendering correctly.
    • Fix: Corrected container alignment issues when using badges inside column layouts.

    Why This Update Matters

    My goal for Contributor Highlights is to continuously evolve alongside the WordPress community. The new badges highlight contributors working in AI projects, Playground experimentation, and mentorship — expanding recognition beyond traditional contribution areas.

    The fixes also ensure the plugin remains stable and visually consistent across themes, keeping badges sharp and well-aligned in all layouts.

    How to Update

    1. Back up your site (recommended).
    2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
    3. Locate Contributor Highlights and click Update now, or upload the latest .zip manually.
    4. After updating, check your contributor sections to confirm icons and layout display correctly.

    Get Involved

    You can download the latest version from the WordPress Plugin Directory:
    👉 https://wordpress.org/plugins/contributor-highlights/

    If you’d like to contribute, suggest improvements, or report issues, visit the GitHub repository:
    👉 https://github.com/rollybueno/Contributor-Highlights

    Looking Ahead

    For version 1.2.0, I plan to introduce:

    • Categorized and color-coded badges
    • A friendlier admin UI for badge management
    • Accessibility refinements for screen readers and keyboard navigation

    Thank you for your continued feedback and support — it truly helps me improve the plugin and celebrate every WordPress contributor’s impact.

  • Chronicle Journal Theme Demo Now Live

    Chronicle Journal Theme Demo Now Live

    I’m happy to share that the Chronicle Journal theme demo site is now live at chronicle-journal.rollybueno.com.

    Chronicle Journal is a modern, editorial-style WordPress theme built for writers, storytellers, and publishers who want a timeless and focused reading experience. It’s designed around clean typography, balanced layouts, and subtle spacing that lets your words take the spotlight.

    You can now:

    About the Chronicle Journal

    Chronicle Journal was designed for readability and structure — the kind of theme that feels right at home with essays, feature articles, and journal-style posts. Every element is intentional, from font pairing to line height, ensuring each paragraph is easy on the eyes.

    It takes advantage of WordPress’s Full Site Editing (FSE) features, allowing you to customize templates, adjust layouts, and design pages directly in the Site Editor without touching code. The theme also includes clean editor styles, so what you see while writing closely matches what appears on the front end.

    So.. What You’ll Find in the Demo

    The demo site highlights how Chronicle Journal handles a variety of post formats — long-form articles, image-heavy layouts, and editorial-style homepages. You can browse through sample posts to see how typography, headings, and spacing come together in real-world context.

    It’s a simple showcase, but it reflects the heart of the theme: clarity, consistency, and content first.

    Download and Explore

    Chronicle Journal is now available for free on WordPress.org.
    You can install it directly from your WordPress dashboard by searching for “Chronicle Journal,” or download it from the theme directory.

    For more background, screenshots, and development notes, visit the project page on my site.

  • My Experience Using Vue with a Client Project

    I didn’t just test Vue on a side project, I actually had to use it on a client’s website. On paper, it sounded like a good idea: modern JavaScript framework, reactive UI, and plenty of developer hype. But once I paired it with Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) inside WordPress, things started to feel more like a headache than an upgrade.

    The integration just wasn’t smooth. Vue brought in its own way of handling data and reactivity, while ACF had its own established structure inside WordPress. Instead of working in harmony, the two felt like they were constantly pulling in different directions. The result? Extra layers of complexity, more time spent troubleshooting, and less time actually delivering the experience the client wanted.

    Vue itself isn’t a bad tool, but in this setup it felt bloated. Too many moving parts for what should have been straightforward functionality. Sometimes, simple is better. In fact, I found myself wishing there was a single JavaScript library to rule them all. One tool that plays nicely with the WordPress ecosystem out of the box, without needing all these extra patches and workarounds.

    Takeaway

    Until we get there, I’ll keep leaning toward lighter, more flexible solutions that feel natural in WordPress projects. Vue might be a good fit for certain standalone apps, but when combined with ACF in client work, the experience was far from great.

  • Joined WCUS 2025 Contributor Day Remotely – Hosting Team Wins

    Hosting Contributor badge with a purple cloud icon inside a circle next to the text Hosting Contributor

    This year I got the chance to join WordCamp US 2025 Contributor Day remotely, and I’m really happy to share that I was able to contribute to the Hosting Team. Even though I wasn’t there in person, it honestly felt like being part of the action. The collaboration, support, and energy from everyone made it a great experience.

    What I Worked On

    I focused on improving documentation for the Hosting Handbook and the Advanced Administration Handbook. These updates may look small on the surface, but they help make the docs easier to follow and more reliable for anyone who depends on them. And the best part — all of the pull requests I worked on got merged during Contributor Day itself!

    Here’s what went through:

    Thoughts After the Day

    Contributing like this reminded me why I love being part of the WordPress community. It’s not just about code — it’s about people helping each other and building something bigger together. Seeing my contributions merged right away gave me that extra motivation boost. And it’s proof that no matter where you are in the world, you can still make an impact on WordPress.

  • Recognized in WordPress Core – August 2025

    June 2025 Core contributions (props and people) by country.
    June 2025 Core contributions (props and people) by country.

    I’m really happy to share that my name showed up in the official A Month in Core report for August 2025 on:

    A Month in Core – August 2025

    It’s a monthly update that highlights everyone who helped push WordPress Core forward, and it feels good to be included again.

    Most of my work in August was about testing, reviewing, and sending patches to make WordPress a little more stable and easier to use. I spent time writing test reports so bugs could be reproduced and fixed properly, digging into tickets around performance, editor stability, and form handling, and even helping clean up documentation to make things clearer for new contributors. I also joined a few discussions about improving the developer experience — things like better error handling and stronger test coverage.

    All in all, I picked up 8 props for my contributions to WordPress 6.9 so far. Each prop might look small on paper, but behind it are hours of troubleshooting, testing, and collaborating with other contributors.

    Representing the Philippines 🇵🇭

    Something I’m especially proud of is that I was the lone Core contributor from the Philippines in this report. While it’s great to represent, I really hope more kababayan jump in and get involved with Core in the future.

    That said, I want to acknowledge that many Filipinos are already contributing in other meaningful ways within the WordPress community, whether as meetup organizers, WordCamp organizers, volunteers, or speakers. The WordPress project grows stronger when more voices are part of the conversation, and I’d love to see more Filipinos on that list.

    This keeps me motivated to keep contributing, learning, and sharing. With WordPress 6.9 on the way, I’m looking forward to being part of the work that shapes its release.

  • Chronicle Journal: Now Live on WordPress.org

    Excited to share that my latest WordPress block theme, Chronicle Journal, officially went live on the WordPress.org Theme Directory
    on August 31, 2025.

    Why I Built Chronicle Journal

    The idea behind Chronicle Journal was simple: to create a theme that feels timeless, elegant, and ready for long-form storytelling. With so many websites focusing on fast snippets and quick reads, I wanted to bring back a design that celebrates articles, essays, and thoughtful content.

    The theme is designed with journalists, bloggers, writers, and editors in mind. Its layout emphasizes clean typography, a spacious reading experience, and strong visual hierarchy—perfect for anyone who wants their words to take center stage.

    Key Features

    • Full Site Editing (FSE) Ready – Complete block theme with Site Editor support.
    • Journal-Focused Design – Optimized for news, blogs, and content-heavy websites.
    • Professional Animations – Smooth hover effects and interactive elements.
    • Custom Block Patterns – 9 pre-built patterns designed for journal layouts.
    • Responsive Layout – Mobile-first design with flexible block layouts.
    • Developer Friendly – Well-documented code, with detailed functions.php references for easy customization.

    Block Patterns Included

    Chronicle Journal ships with 9 pre-designed block patterns to help you build pages quickly:

    • Hero Posts Section
    • Latest Posts Grid
    • Brand Highlights
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Featured Section
    • Promotions Layout
    • Team Member Cards
    • Brand Partnership
    • Latest Posts with Categories

    These patterns give you ready-made layouts for common needs, so you can start publishing right away without building everything from scratch.

    Built for Storytelling

    I chose the name “Chronicle Journal” because I wanted the theme to feel like a home for stories worth telling. Whether you’re a solo writer, running a personal blog, or managing a multi-author publication, the theme adapts to different storytelling needs.

    Available for Free

    Like all themes in the WordPress directory, Chronicle Journal is completely free to use. You can download, install, and start publishing right away.

    👉 Download Chronicle Journal on WordPress.org

    Chronicle Journal

    Acknowledgments

    I’m grateful to the WordPress Theme Review Team for their support and feedback during the submission process, and to the wider WordPress community for always inspiring me to contribute.

    This is just the start—I’ll continue refining Chronicle Journal based on user feedback, accessibility improvements, and WordPress core updates.

  • MonoFrame is Now Live on WordPress.org!

    After months of dedication, I’m thrilled to announce that my new WordPress block theme, MonoFrame, is officially live on WordPress.org!

    MonoFrame is a sleek, clean, and modern block theme built specifically for Full Site Editing (FSE). It offers a minimalistic canvas designed for creators, bloggers, and professionals who appreciate flexibility, simplicity, and performance.

    With carefully crafted global styles, responsive layouts, and accessibility-ready features, MonoFrame provides an intuitive editing experience, allowing you to easily build and customize every part of your WordPress site.

    This launch marks a significant milestone, and I’m excited to see how the WordPress community embraces MonoFrame. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome and greatly appreciated.

    Check it out and give it a spin:

    MonoFrame

    Happy building!