A Sneak Peek Into DE{CODE} 2024

DE{CODE}, WP Engine’s premier developer conference, is back and better than ever! The fifth annual virtual event will take place on March 19 (North America: 10 a.m. CDT, APAC: 10 a.m. AEST) and March 21 (EMEA: 10 a.m. GMT).

Four unique talk tracks and more than 40 expert speakers will provide insight into the modern WordPress landscape, ways to elevate your WordPress projects, the trajectory of the open-source future, and how to harness the power of WordPress to help you shape whatever comes next.

Read on for an overview of this year’s keynote addresses and breakout sessions, and make sure to register to attend!

Keynote Addresses

Three keynote speakers will open the day, covering everything from the AI-fueled future to WordPress business success. 

AI and the Future of WordPress Development

The age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has more than arrived—it’s kicked down the door and implanted itself firmly into the workflows of tech professionals the world over. It’s important for developers to be able to separate fact from fiction, discerning the difference between AI hype and its actual practical applications.

This session, featuring WP Engine Founder & Chief Innovation Officer Jason Cohen, WP Engine Product Manager Luke Patterson, Equalize Digital Founder & CEO Amber Hinds, Code and Theory Chief Technology Officer David DiCamillo, and CRX General Manager Lucky Gobindram, will explore how AI can impact key areas of site performance such as accessibility, productivity, design, and more.

AI Technology and Trends

Get up to speed on AI and some of its most powerful applications in a session that’s sure to be a major draw. This keynote will bring in AI expert Zack Kass, former Head of Go-to-Market for OpenAI, to discuss some of the latest innovations that are shaping the digital landscape.

Zack Kass is an AI Futurist who has spent more than 14 years in the field of AI, working with companies including Figure Eight, Lilt, and OpenAI. His mission is to ensure businesses and governments are active participants in the AI-powered future by demystifying AI, making it accessible and understandable for everyone, and helping leaders navigate the rapidly evolving environment. He is considered one of the foremost thinkers in Applied AI, and his thought leadership and techno-optimist views have been featured in countless publications, such as Fortune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, AdAge, and Business Insider.

The Business of WordPress

WordPress is the world’s favorite open-source platform for good reason—open source isn’t just great for developers; it’s great for business! In this powerhouse panel, experts will share personal stories about how they’ve built thriving businesses by leveraging the power of open-source WordPress.

Speakers include Brainstorm Force CEO & Co-Founder Sujay Pawar, Elementor Head of WordPress Relations Miriam Schwab, and Newsletter Glue Co-Founder Lesley Sim, also known as Lesley Pizza, all of whom will discuss the ways they turned smart, entrepreneurial WordPress solution ideas into successful businesses and their advice for activating on yours.

Breakout Sessions

This year’s DE{CODE} programming will be split into four talk tracks focused on different aspects of site development and performance. 

Sessions will cover ways to improve site speed and security, tools you can use to improve development workflows, strategies for increasing eCommerce conversion rates, how to future-proof your sites with a headless tech stack, and so much more.

Perform

The Perform track will explore ways to achieve better speed, security, and SEO outcomes on your WordPress projects. Presentations will cover topics relevant to agency professionals and freelance developers alike, including sessions like “How to Fix a Site You Didn’t Build” and “Proactive Prevention is the Best Medicine: Uplevel Security Without Sacrificing Your Speed.”

Maximize

Maximize sessions will dive into the tools and technologies developers can use to build faster, more efficient sites. Speakers will cover in-depth explanations of efficient development using WordPress version 6.5, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), Local, and the WP Engine platform. 

Monetize

In the Monetize track, attendees will hear from eCommerce experts as they answer important questions, including “Why is my Woo store so slow?” and “How can I eliminate purchasing pain to optimize payments?”

Innovate

For developers on the cutting edge of WordPress, the Innovate track will touch on the topics that are shaping the open-source future. Experts will share how WP Engine elevates WordPress search with AI magic, how to simplify headless development by choosing the right tools, and how agencies are already finding success with headless WordPress.

Register Now for DE{CODE} 2024

DE{CODE} offers a jam-packed day full of sessions you won’t want to miss, so register now and snag your seat at the largest WordPress developer conference of the year! 

And head back to WP Engine after the conference concludes to watch any sessions you may have missed on demand in our Resource Center.