Seems like we are going to end 2025 with a flurry of big launches. Tracking new launches of IvyForms Pro, GrowFund, Commandify, ArchiveWP, and Cimo Pro. Also, a look at features in the upcoming WordPress 6.9 release.
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What’s Buzzing in WordPress 💖
- New IvyForms Pro… the team behind wpDataTables and WPAmelia has launched the IvyForms Pro plugin. It has a free version in the repo, and the pro version brings easy form embedding, spam protection, conditional logic, pro templates, and integrations.
- New GrowFund… the team behind TutorLMS and Droip has launched an all-new GrowFund solution for donations and crowdfunding on the WordPress platform. It features setting up donation campaigns, contributions across multiple funds, tracking donor contributions, fundraising teams, and individuals.
- Commandify Command Palette… the team at wpRigel has launched a new Commandify plugin that promises a clean and powerful command palette for WordPress users. It allows you to search, navigate, and manage everything on your site through one simple command palette.
- New Cimo Pro… Benjamin Intal had released the free version of the Cimo plugin that optimizes images on upload without any third party scripts. The Cimo Pro plugin launches on Monday, with video and audio optimization included. Check the preview video (Links X).
New Addons: FooGallery Social & Directorist Analytics
FooGallery Social… the team at FooGallery has released a new FooGallery Social Addon that adds social experience to your images. It allow users to like and comment on images along with easy sharing on other social platforms.
Directorist Analytics… now users of Directorist can easily track directory performance with the new Directorist Analytics addon. It allows you to track searches and view trends to see which listings attract the most attention.
New Releases: ArchiveWP & Simple Text Module
New ArchiveWP… Amber Hinds over at Equalize Digital shared a preview (Links X) of the new ArchiveWP plugin. This enables you to organize and manage legacy content online for reference or record-keeping in a clearly designated and searchable archive.
Simple Text for Beaver… Zack Pyle has released the Simple Text Module for Beaver Builder components. It provides a single text field with no WYSIWYG bloat and options to select either of tag p, span, div, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6.
Free Plugins: Scanner, DesignSetGo, Password Less
WP Compact Scanner… Lax Mariappan shared (LinkedIn) about releasing an enhanced WordPress Plugin compatibility checker called WP Compact Scanner (GitHub). It automatically scans your plugins to detect: Compatibility issues (functions that require newer WP versions), Deprecated code (functions that may break in future versions), Version mismatches (declared vs actual usage), and more.
DesignSetGo…. Justin Nealey has released a DesignSetGo plugin featuring modern Gutenberg blocks that are light weight, FSE compatible, and forever free. It has 45+ blocks for forms, sliders, tabs, accordions, counters, cards, modals, and more.
Password Less Login… Sadekur Rahman has released a free Password Less Login plugin, which provides passwordless and OTP-based login system for WordPress websites. It has Auto User Registration, which allows new users to register instantly after OTP verification.
Extended WordPress Buzz 🔥
- Remembering Zeel Thakkar… a beloved member of the WordPress community and organiser of WordCamp Asia 2026, Zeel Thakkar has passed away. She was attending WordCamp Surat on November 16, 2025, and got ill (media report). Thoughts and prayers!
- WordPress .com at 20… “On June 20, 2005, WordPress project co-founder Matt Mullenweg hired Donncha Ó Caoimh, and Automattic was born. After beta testing in August 2005, WordPress .com launched publicly on November 21, 2005”. Now powering over 20B page views monthly – WordPress .com has come a long way and has more milestones to reach.
- Core WordPress Update… WordPress 6.9 Release Candidate 2 is available for your testing. The next Release Candidate 3 is scheduled for November 25, 2025, dry run on December 1, 2025, and the final WordPress 6.9 release is scheduled for December 2, 2025.
- Gutenberg New Tabs… 22.1v update brings the new Tabs block, which allows you to add tabbed content to your posts, pages, and templates. Also, the HTML block now supports adding and editing CSS and JavaScript.
- WordCamp Asia & Nepal… the call for Contributor Stories is open for WordCamp Asia 2026, until Dec 1, 2025. It can in text format (250 words or fewer) and optional audio/video. Selling out fast, grab your ticket for WordCamp Nepal 2026, scheduled for January 23, 2026.
- WP Milestones… Oliver Sild shared (LinkedIn) the free mVDP platform at Patchstack now with over 1000+ plugins like Elementor, WPBakery, Visual Composer, MainWP, and more. Launched one year ago, the big scope FluentCommunity plugin, for creating online communities, has crossed 6000+ active installs in the repo.
New Updates: FluentCart & Perfmatters
FluentCart + Rest API Doc… now available for FluentCart users, REST API docs, and REST API playground. 1.3.0v has introduced Paystack integration for payments across Africa, and new Subscription intervals options have been added for ‘Quarterly and Half Yearly’ periods.
Perfmatters with Code Snippets… 2.5.3v of Perfmatters has introduced the Code Snippets feature (Beta), which allows you to create and manage PHP, JS, CSS, and HTML code snippets from inside Perfmatters. This uses a flat-file approach, which is considered more secure, and there are zero database calls on the front end.
More Updates: MonsterInsights & Charitable
MonsterInsights + Block Tracking… want to know how many people clicked a button on your WordPress website? MonsterInsights 9.10.0v has introduced Block-Based Conversion Tracking that tracks button and image clicks as conversion events directly from your page editor.
Charitable + Donor Leaderboard… Charitable Pro has introduced the Donor Leaderboard feature that displays donors in either a list or card format. You can also add gamification to your campaigns, encouraging donors to ‘climb the ranks’ in the donors leaderboard listing.
Quick Bits 👍
- All issues reported for the PHP 8.5 in WordPress 6.9 addressed.
- WP Social Ninja with redesigned UI/UX, ‘more natural & effortless’.
- Enrique Chavez is looking to sell (Links X) all WordPress plugins!
- How page builders transformed (YT) WordPress, by Raitis Sevelis.
- Gemini 3 is out, use in (LinkedIn) WP with AI Services by Felix Arntz.
- Thanks to Remco for the shoutout (LinkedIn) & more WordPressers.
- Darren McEntee of Activity Log Pro, glad you like ‘The WP Weekly’!
- WordPress Resources
- Check new course on Selling Accessibility for digital professionals.
- Elliott Richmond’s Cheat Sheet (free signup) for FSE Block Themes.
- Check ready to use collection of Calculator forms for Fluent Forms.
- People of WordPress
- Regan Khadgi’s bollywood vibe visiting WordCamp Asia 2026 venue.
- Jamie Marsland share, I’m now convinced AI won’t kill WordPress.
- Web & Beyond
- Matthew Prince on recent Cloudflare outage – what really happened.
- The European Commission want browsers not popups for cookies!
- Adobe is acquiring Semrush with the total equity value of $1.9 billion.
WordPress 6.9: Features, Email, & Accessibility
WordPress 6.9 Source of Truth… Birgit Pauli-Haack has published a detailed WP 6.9 Source of Truth covering new features and performance enhancements coming in the WordPress 6.9 release. Like new blocks, typography enhancements, dashboard-wide Command Palette, collaborative feedback, and content control.
More Reliable Emails WP 6.9… Dennis Snell shared about a few bug fixes to the wp_mail() function that should result in more reliable emails in the WordPress 6.9 release. Like the sender address is extensibly configured, encoding headers are protected between calls, and multipart messages are assigned the proper Content-Type.
WP 6.9 + Accessibility… extensive accessibility improvements are coming in the WordPress 6.9 release . Check the exhaustive list of accessibility improvements for WordPress Core with 33 accessibility enhancements and Gutenberg with 44 accessibility fixes and enhancements.
Business of WordPress: Exit, Invest, & Hosting Buzz
WPBeginner Exit Seahawk… Syed Balkhi shared about WPBeginner Pro Services exiting investment in the Seahawk Media. Added, “Due to a misalignment in our long-term vision with Seahawk Media leadership, we have made the difficult but the right decision to exit our investment”.
CloudLinux Invest in Seahawk… CloudLinux Software Inc., involved in hosting infrastructure, security, and performance technology, has announced a strategic investment in the Seahawk Media to scale its WordPress maintenance, support, design, and development operations across the global hosting ecosystem.
Hosting Buzz: 20i & Rocket net… 20i Hosting has achieved the highest PC Pro score across all categories, for the third year running – named Best Web Host in the PC Pro Awards. Rocket .net hosting is now available in India as a data center choice, providing more options.
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