Track: Track 2
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Stress testing and scaling WordPress on a $12 VPS
From server crash to enterprise scale – a live-fire DevOps exercise. We’ll stress-test a WP stack on a $12 VPS, visualizing bottlenecks in Grafana before implementing a hybrid-static leap. GitHub repo included!
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Secure-by-design: hardening plugins with PHP 8.x
In the WordPress ecosystem, we are often forced to choose between supporting the “lowest common denominator” of hosting and implementing modern security. But in 2026, writing legacy PHP 7 code isn’t just a bad habit, it’s an active invitation for automated exploitation. It’s time to stop playing “whack-a-mole” with sanitization and start building products that…
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Fireside chat
WordCamp Europe 2026 in Kraków closed with a fireside chat between Mary Hubbard, Executive Director of WordPress, Matías Ventura, lead of the Gutenberg project, and Rich Tabor, a WordPress designer and developer. After a celebration of WordPress in education, including a new WordPress course launching this October at Kraków University of Technology, the three discuss…
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The new engineer: psychology, systems, and open source
How do we educate students for an AI-disrupted IT market without endlessly chasing the next tool? This talk presents a practical model: combine durable soft skills with strong technical foundations, teach through real problems, and use open source – especially WordPress – as a “living lab” where students build, ship, and contribute through structured programs…
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What it (really) means to be a part of the WP Credits program?
The WP Credits program is often described as a way for students to “learn WordPress while contributing to the community.” And, while this is all true – it’s not the whole story. In this talk, Ivana (a long-time marketer and WordPress professional, accepted mentor and someone deeply involved in this industry), will share her looks…
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Sovereign university AI tutors powered by WordPress
Can universities own their AI future? Discover how Karlstad University uses WordPress Multisite to create customized, pedagogically aligned AI tutors. By combining the power of WordPress with Open Educational Resources (OERs), this project avoids vendor lock-in and ensures institutional control over data and model behavior. Learn how the same open-source tools we use for blogging…
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Panel: rethinking learning in WordPress
WordPress is currently preparing several changes around learning and contributor onboarding. In this conversation, Mary Hubbard (Executive Director of WordPress), Benjamin Zekavica (Core Team Rep), Rade Jekic (Training Team Rep), Natalia Basiura, and Klaus Harris discuss the programs currently in progress. This includes new contributor pathways, simpler onboarding steps, and the first university partnerships to…
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The hidden DDoS threat in WordPress: abusing the search endpoint
Discover how attackers weaponize WordPress native search endpoint for devastating DDoS attacks, while learning practical defense strategies from a cybersecurity perspective. This talk reveals a hidden vulnerability in standard WordPress installations and provides easy solutions.
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Headless WordPress API security in 10 minutes
Learn the five steps to design secure headless WordPress architectures. This talk focuses on API-first security, attack surface reduction, and practical decisions when exposing WordPress APIs to mobile apps and PWAs.