Build a Custom Block in 15 Minutes at WordCamp US 2022!

When attendees walked out of WordCamp US (WCUS) 2019 in St. Louis, they had no idea it would be the last time the conference would take place for nearly three years. 

Nevertheless, WordCamp US 2022 is set to kick off in San Diego on September 9, marking the long-awaited in-person return of this widely-beloved event. WordCamp organizers have been working overtime to get everything ready while WordCamp attendees have been (understandably) getting more excited by the day. 

Unlike in years past, in which the conference hosted upwards of 2,000 attendees, 500 tickets were made available for WordCamp US 2022, and they sold out within a matter of minutes. That said, all of the talks and workshops from the event will be livestreamed, allowing anyone who is unable to attend the opportunity to enjoy all of this year’s  excellent content.

Sharpen Your Block Development Skills at WCUS 2022

WP Engine’s very own Developer Advocate Nick Diego will host a lighting talk at WCUS on Friday, Sept. 9 at 2 pm PST in the Palm Room. 

Nick joined WP Engine’s Developer Relations team in 2021 after focusing on WordPress plugin and website development for more than nine years. He is passionate about making block development accessible to all, and his talk, “Let’s Build a Custom Block in 15 Minutes,” will do just that—demystifying the process of block development in only 15 minutes. 

We sat down with Nick to learn more about what to expect during his WCUS talk as well as what he’s looking forward to at this year’s conference. 

WP Engine: Have you ever been to WCUS?

Nick Diego: This will be my first in-person WCUS. I had been planning to attend WCUS 2020, but the pandemic had other ideas.

WPE: Is it safe to assume then, that you haven’t spoken at a WordCamp before?

Nick: That is correct, this will be my first time speaking at a WordCamp.

WPE: Tell us a little bit more about your lightning talk, “Let’s Build a Custom Block in 15 Minutes”

Nick: Since the introduction of the block editor almost four years ago, blocks have become a fundamental component of how we build WordPress websites.

Full Site Editing, introduced at the beginning of 2022, has now brought that editing experience to all parts of a WordPress site. For websites built entirely out of blocks, knowing how to build your own blocks has become incredibly important. Core blocks cannot do everything.

Designing and developing custom blocks is a valuable skill and something I’ve grown to really enjoy. I’m looking forward to sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way during my talk. 

WPE: Why do you think this topic is important for WordPressers right now?

Nick: I’ll be the first to say that building WordPress blocks can be challenging depending on the complexity of the project, but getting started with block development has never been easier. 

In the past few years, WordPress contributors have created numerous tools to simplify the process and make building blocks more accessible to those without years of JavaScript and React training. I was one of them, and I actually learned the fundamentals of React by building my first block plugin.

Coupled with WordPress core components, native block supports, and a bit of guidance, I can confidently say that every WordPress developer can, and should, add custom blocks to their toolset.

To demonstrate this, I have set a challenge for myself during my presentation at WCUS. By building a custom block from scratch in 15 minutes, my goal is to demystify the complexities of block development in WordPress and inspire others to begin building their own.

WPE: What are you most looking forward to at the conference? 

Nick: Going to a WordCamp is something I have wanted to do for a very long time. I have only been working in the WordPress space full-time for about a year and my previous employment made taking time off to attend WordCamps challenging. 

I am looking forward to simply experiencing the event, networking, meeting all of the WordPress community members that I have only met virtually, and the best part is that I get to present!

Thank you Nick!

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Find WP Engine at WCUS

In addition to Nick’s session, make sure and stop by the WP Engine booth at WCUS. Just go to booth #12 in the Expo Hall. 

WP Engine employees will be on site to answer your questions and chat about anything and everything WordPress, and the Torque team will be on the ground conducting interviews and live tweeting the event, all weekend long. We look forward to seeing you there!