In the heart of Taipei, amidst the buzz of 2.6 million people, WordCamp Asia 2024 unfolded as a truly global WordPress gathering.
Over 1,800 enthusiasts, experts, and companies from all continents converged at the Taipei International Convention Center—a testament to the inclusivity and far-reaching impact of WordPress.
As first-time visitors to the Asia edition, we were more than proud to support the entire team from the sponsor sidelines and witness yet another spectacular event.
Event Overview
WordCamp Asia 2024 captured the essence of Taipei through and through, and what a unique vibrancy we were a part of!
- 3 days full of events
- 1,800+ participants
- 70+ countries
- 50+ speakers
- 40+ Sponsors
As impressive as it was in numbers, it was even more so in person!
Contributor Day
The flagship Contributor Day is at the heart of WordPress, and without its continuous open-source model, the platform that powers over 43% of the web wouldn’t exist.
It marked the beginning of the event, revealing a remarkable surge in non-dev contributors beyond the Core team, with 1/3 of people joining in for the first time. Both devs and non-devs were on fire as they joined forces to improve various projects.
Our team was focused on helping get more showcases out of companies that use WordPress, and we’re super excited to soon see names like Spotify’s News Room among the Showcase websites.
It was now time for two days full of engaging talks, panels, hands-on workshops, and networking, and we couldn’t wait to meet our customers and exchange some ideas with fellow companies in the ecosystem.
Conference Days: The Highlights
Engaging with the WordPress community during the exhibition days was a high point for us!
Beyond showcasing NitroPack, we cherished the direct feedback from our customers, shared meaningful moments with partners and other sponsors, and recharged for the busy year ahead.
We’re grateful to all of you who stopped for a quick chat, and we can’t express how much you inspire us to keep building solutions that push the envelope!
Partnering Up With Our Booth Neighbors
In the spirit of a true WordPress event, we knocked down all walls (literally) between our booths with FastSpring—a fellow SaaS powerhouse for ecommerce businesses.
Together, we crafted a unique raffle experience that captivated attendees, emphasizing the transformative power of speed in the online landscape.
The Martenitsa Band
The Martenitsa band, a cultural gem we unveiled at our booth, made its way beyond our homeland borders.
Originating as a symbol of the imminent spring, it brought people from so many different cultures together to wish each other health and abundance.
A simple gesture as tying a band around another person’s wrist, this exchange became a bridge that amplified the power of shared traditions and an inclusive community that welcomes all.
Socials and Special Events
The special events were a carefully curated exploration of Taipei's cultural riches. From local restaurants and bars to the iconic Maji Square at the Taipei Expo Park, each venue unfolded as a vibrant chapter of culinary experiences, music, and spirited conversations during the closing party.
Notable Talks and Speakers
WordCamp Asia 2024 featured an intriguing lineup of speakers, including WordPress Co-Founder Matt Mullenweg and Executive Director Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Talks covered cutting-edge web technologies and trends, practical use cases, and open-source intricacies.
Catch the replay of all presentations from day one and day two below:
- WordCamp Asia 2024 - Plenary Hall - Day 1
- WordCamp Asia 2024 - Plenary Hall - Day 2
Adam Silverstein's talk on the new Core Web Vitals metric—Interaction to Next Paint (INP)—was a highlight for us. It offered an immersive crash course to elevate website performance.
Pascal Birchler, on the other hand, dove into the nitty-gritty of improving performance, sharing practical tips in a well-rounded optimization cheat sheet for all WordPress site owners to hang next to their computers.
Closing Speeches
As the curtains fell, the closing speeches left a lasting impression!
It was thrilling to hear giveaways announced on stage, and it's arguably a new tradition we’ll take part in more often in the future.
Josepha Haden Chomphosy took the stage for an insightful journey comparing and contrasting the “walled” and “community” gardens in software ecosystems, drawing an analogy between closed and open-source platforms.
The grand live Q&A with Matt Mullenweg concluded WordCamp Asia 2024 and was undeniably the most special moment for the WordPress community. Despite his sabbatical, Matt took the time to mingle with everybody and discussed the future of WordPress, including ongoing projects like Data Liberation, community inclusion initiatives, artificial intelligence (AI), making WordCamps more accessible, the transition to JavaScript, and the ever-evolving vision for Gutenberg.
The topic of AI is especially significant to us.
As we pave the way to instant browsing experiences with technologies like Speculation Rules API and Navigation AI – our latest product – site owners on WordPress and beyond will very soon be able to experience the transformative power of predictive page loading.
Coming Up Next
As we look back on the last few days, we can’t help but feel hopeful for what’s coming ahead. We’re looking forward to visiting next year’s WordCamp Asia edition in Manila, Philippines.
But before that, mark your calendars! Matt revealed we’ll all be gathering for a grand event—the State of the Word 2024—in Tokyo, Japan, on December 16.
Until then!
