JavaScript Chat Summary – April 28th, 2020

Below is a summary of the discussion from this week’s JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/. chat (agenda, Slack Transcript)

Have a topic for discussion for the next meeting? Leave a suggested edit on next week’s agenda.

Agenda: Changelogs for npm packages (@gziolo)

Slack

Discussion was around:

• How to make it easier to distinguish unreleased changes.
• Can we somehow inform about the estimated date of the next npm release?
• Possibility of adding linting rules.
• Possibility of using a standard format (such as keepachangelog or atlassian changesets).

Action:

Some proposed next steps are:

• Revisit some of the changelog verification work (@aduth)
• Create a proposal for very standardized formatting of changelogs.

Agenda: ReactReact React is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/. Fast Refresh (@gziolo)

Slack |Github comment

React Fast Refresh is coming to React ad Greg was wondering if we should start testing it with wp-scripts start as well.

Actions:

• Potentially experiment with things like React Fresh Refresh by putting it behind an env flag to start.

Agenda: Restoring TypeScript Types (@aduth)

Slack |Github

Of note is that with the work in the linked pull, it was decided that the project would be using React types directly rather than trying to abstract them through @wordpress/element.

For most consumers I hope it’s a detail most folks won’t even notice. It’s particularly important when doing more complex type operations. React exposes a lot of mapped types (think of functions on types) that will be necessary in some cases, but for the most part folks will continue to do import { Component } from '@wordpress/element'; and get all the right types.

Jon Surrell

Open Floor:

• A conversation about potentially using React DND. Related issue.

News Roundup

This roundup contains a few links for GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ and JavaScript related news curated (and commented on) by @nerrad. 

• The accessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) team notes from the April 17th chat were shared. Also notes from April 24.
• The Editor chat summary for April 15th was shared.
• Quicker npm install comes to GB with this pull implementing on demand installation of Chromium when running the test-e2e script.
• Some improvements to the prettier configuration in WordPress packages is coming.
• Some fresh wind is blowing to replace underscore usage with lodash in WordPress core scripts.
• Marcus wrote part 2 on conditionally loading block assets.
• Ryelle shared a neat exploration on a colorless wp-admin.
• The Block Lab team is joining WP Engine. Interesting that the pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party itself is not going over to WP Engine, just the team.
• WordPress Tavern published a review of the Chatterbox Plugin. It uses blocks to illustrate conversations.
• A draft pull is up for asynchronously loading tinyMCE the first time a classic block is edited. I’m personally pretty excited about the work being done in exploring async loading of assets. It will be a necessary improvement needed at the WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. level for a client-heavy future (which is in many cases, already now).

Other Random Stuff

• React Fast Refresh is coming to the web (via twitter).
• Also for react, a RFC for focus management has been posted (via twitter).
• A killer React framework?. Note, their subscription confirmation email went to my spam folder, so if you sign up and don’t get the confirmation – you’ll want to check there.
• The Women of React conference took place this past Saturday. However, you can watch all the sessions online.

#javascript, #meeting-notes