WPAI

CodeWP 3.0 Is On The Way

As CodeWP approaches its second anniversary, we want to share an update on our ongoing work to improve the platform. We’ve begun development on CodeWP 3.0, which represents a significant update to our WordPress development tool.

Current State of CodeWP

CodeWP continues to offer competitive features, including our AI models and industry-specific tools like AI Previews powered by WP Playground. However, we recognize the rapid evolution in development tools and aim to keep pace with innovations in the field.

Goals for CodeWP 3.0

CodeWP 3.0 is being developed with an IDE-first approach. In fact, the domain name will likely be changed CodeWP.com to reflect this.

Our objective is to create a more comprehensive development environment for WordPress developers, with a focus on plugin and block development.

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Here are some of the key areas we’re working on:

  1. WordPress-Specific Tools: We’re developing features tailored for WordPress development, including improved previews, automated block build processes, and relevant code snippets.
  2. Education: We plan to integrate with learn.wordpress.org and WordPress TV to not just offer an IDE, but a full educational experience to help you become a better WordPress and block developer.
  3. AI Integration: Of course, we’ll incorporate our AI capabilities using a chat and code completion approach, utilizing our WordPress and plugin-specific models and modes.
  4. Cloud-Based Workflow: Projects will be stored in the cloud, allowing access from multiple devices. With team functionality, this will become the only IDE agencies need to build custom WordPress sites.
  5. Block Development Support: We’re exploring the best ways to assist developers in transitioning from PHP to JavaScript for block development. This is a core focus of the 3.0 rewrite.
  6. AgentWP Compatibility: While CodeWP and AgentWP will remain separate, we’re working on ways for them to work together effectively, creating an ecosystem of AI products that work together to make WordPressers lives easier.
  7. Contextual Information: We’re developing functionality for CodeWP to access real-time site information when used with AgentWP.
  8. Potential Integrations: We’re considering integrations with third-party tools like Code Snippets.
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CodeWP v1 and v2 were built for everybody. CodeWP v3 will be created for developers and agencies; offered as a tool to supercharge your development workflow.

This rebuild offers the opportunity to learn from our previous versions, throwing out bloat, and doubling down on what our core user demographic – developers – actually need.

For non technical users looking to get started with WordPress, and even break into development, we now have WP.Chat and AgentWP. We’re also planning something to address more structured code generation as well 🤫.

A Note From James LePage, WPAI founder

I’m of the opinion that the largest threat to WordPress is the PHP to JavaScript transition that developers need to make. Without adoption from those who actually create with the CMS we all know and love, the FSE implementation will fail, and probably take WordPress down with it.

This transition looks like a difficult one. There’s NPM, build processes, new APIs, new structures… But once you get over the sticker shock, it’s not that crazy. There’s been a lot of thought put into the Block framework, and once you dip your foot in, you realize that the water’s actually quite pleasant.

What is crazy is not having easy tools to learn the basics of block development, speed up your development, then easily test and build for production.

These don’t exist – which is why block adoption is so low.

The primary purpose of CodeWP is to make WordPress development easier. And a primary mission of 3.0 is to create an online Integrated Development Environment specifically for WordPress (blocks, plugins, themes, snippets).

Something portable, that can be used on anything from a chromebook to a supercomputer.

3.0 must address the block problem – which we can with AI. The right AI, trained on current block building standards can not just generate blocks from conversational requests, it can educate and enable developers, making the PHP to JS transition easier.

So that’s our mission – and it’s one that good for everybody in WordPress. Make block building easier. Thoughtfully implement AI to not just generate, but educate and assist. And provide a user interface with features that those in WordPress actually need.

I’m excited for CodeWP 3.0, and you should be too :).

Ongoing Development

CodeWP 3.0 is still in the early stages of development. Our goal is to create a tool that supports a wide range of WordPress development tasks. We’re committed to building features that enhance productivity and effectiveness for developers of all experience levels.

We’ll provide more specific updates as development progresses. We appreciate your ongoing support and feedback as we work to improve CodeWP.

Response

  1. James LePage Avatar
    James LePage

    A question asked by a user in the WPAI Facebook Group:

    With solutions like cursorAI and other open source versions having the ability to “see” your projects codebase, what is the benefit / killer feature here?

    Answer:

    That’s a great question, and it’s something we’re addressing directly with the launch of CodeWP 3.0. CodeWP 2.0 was released before solutions like Cursor even existed. It’s exciting to think that we were among the first to offer features like conversational code generation and editing.

    The real benefit and killer feature of CodeWP is its specific alignment and design for WordPress development. We’re taking an IDE-first approach, which is crucial because there’s a lot missing in the WordPress ecosystem when it comes to modern development tools, especially for plugins and blocks. For example, many IDEs don’t provide up-to-date auto-completion for WordPress functions, plugin functions, hooks, and filters, which is something we can easily address with our WordPress-focused IDE.

    Another standout feature is the ability to preview code changes on a live WordPress instance, which we’ve already proven possible in CodeWP 2.0 using WordPress Playground. When it comes to building blocks, the existing development process can be daunting—especially the steps required to compile JavaScript. With a purpose-built IDE, these challenges become easy to solve, opening up opportunities for developers at all skill levels, whether they’re transitioning from PHP to JavaScript or building blocks from scratch.

    It’s also important to note that we’re focusing on building a great IDE for the end-to-end creation of plugins, themes, and blocks before fully integrating our AI capabilities. By being specific to WordPress, we can ensure our AI generates more accurate code and edits. While the interaction might be similar to what you’d find with something like Cursor, we provide more precise outputs. For example, when a plugin updates from version 2 to version 3, we are uniquely positioned to ensure our models stay up-to-date with those changes—something other platforms can’t match. The same goes for WordPress core, WooCommerce, and other key tools in the ecosystem.

    So, to sum it up: the focus on WordPress, combined with features like live previews, automated build processes, and educational support for block and plugin development, makes CodeWP a great fit for WordPress developers. The AI-assisted generation and editing capabilities are already in place, and when layered on top of a WordPress-first IDE, they’ll deliver an even better experience.

    Reply

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