On 23rd November 2024, I was invited by Jackson Jonah (Eket WordPress Community Lead) to speak on the topic Leveraging AI in Plugin Development. which was the interactive part of the event WordPress For Everyone: Bridging the Digital Divide. The session was to empower newbies, professionals and enthusiasts with the skills to use AI tools in building, troubleshooting, and developing WordPress plugins. But it became so much more as a journey of discovery, collaboration, and growth for everyone involved, myself included.
A Session with a Purpose
The primary goal of the session was clear: to train participants, mostly those who were new to WordPress, on how to build and develop plugins using the assistance of AI. It was interactive from the start. We didn’t just talk about plugins; we built one together.
For many attendees, it was their first time ever setting up a local WordPress site. Together, we installed and configured XAMPP or LocalWP, started Apache and MySQL, and created WordPress sites from scratch. Watching their excitement as their local sites went live was truly rewarding.
Sharing My Journey
Speaking about plugin development felt natural. I’ve been deeply engaged in the process over the past few months building my first WordPress plugin (Simple Contact Form). Reflecting on that experience, it felt so fulfilling to guide others on their own journey. The energy in the room was contagious, and the numerous questions and active participation made it clear that everyone was eager to learn.
Key Highlights
We covered a lot during the session:
- Basics of Plugin Development
- How to use AI as a development assistant
- Hands-on session to build a simple WordPress plugin
- Importance of AI in modern WP development
- How AI speeds up learning and coding
What also made it extra special were the breakout moments: snacks, laughter, and group photos with each other.
A Grateful Heart
This was my first time in Eket, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to experience the city than by connecting with its WordPress community. The opportunity to meet new people, share knowledge, and grow alongside the attendees is something I’ll always treasure. It reminded me of the power of communities to uplift and inspire.
Here’s a link to the slide.
Here’s a link to the plugin we built.
Here’s the link to the Plugin Handbook.
To learn more about building plugins, check my #30DaysOfWPDev series on X.
Looking Ahead
The session wasn’t just about teaching, but also about learning and building together. Watching participants write their first lines of code (and plugin) with the help of AI, made me realize how transformative these tools can be in making technology more accessible to everyone.
Thank you to everyone who participated. Here’s to building more, learning more, and growing together.
My name is Ugochukwu, and I bridge the gap between tech and people.
