E134: Test Team’s Plan for 2026, Community Scholarship for WC Kolhapur 2026

This week, we cover major updates shaping the WordPress ecosystem, from contributor initiatives and security concerns to hosting innovations and a wave of new releases. The WordPress Test Team has outlined plans to restructure in 2026 with clearer guidelines and a new training program, while the latest Vulnerability Report flags 139 new issues across plugins and themes. Hosting news includes WP Hosting rebranding as Network Dynamics, BigScoots launching logged-in user caching, and Hosting.com expanding into Bangladesh.

On the product side, Divi 5 lands with semantic HTML support, Amelia 9.0 delivers a full UI refresh, and tools like WPCode, Breakdance, and Block Accessibility Checks introduce meaningful improvements for developers and site builders. Community highlights include a new scholarship for WordCamp Kolhapur, tickets opening for WordCamp Europe 2026, and SiteSEO crossing 500,000 active installs. We also look at new plugins, performance tools, security resources, and fresh thinking on why WordPress remains a strong long-term bet.

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Stay tuned for a packed week of WordPress news, community progress, and tools pushing the platform forward.