Past few days, Automattic (the company behind WordPress) has been in the news, for making an official announcement of introducing Calypso – a new admin interface for managing the WordPress websites. This revolutionary step is receiving the mixed reactions from developers and users across the globe. Some have applauded, some are confused and while the rest are clueless about it. Let us clear the air about this in the article below.
Digging Calypso In Brief
Wouldn™t it be better to know more about this new revolution? Let’s take a deeper dive into Calypso.
Calypso is a new interface which is introduced to manage the content of WordPress websites, make updates, change themes, view statistics, read blogs, etc. It is presently available on WordPress.com
It is much different from the conventional WP admin interface. WordPress uses PHP, but the admin interface of Calypso is written in JavaScript and WP REST API along with popular front end tools like React and Lodash.
Calypso is all set to bring different WordPress.com blogs and self-hosted WordPress.org sites to be managed under one roof. This is in no doubt a best new way of having WordPress. It comprehends the utmost flexibility of using REST API that helps in running any of the JavaScript application on WordPress using its CMS features. The success of Calypso is likely to trigger the advent of JavaScript and REST API-powered WordPress applications and sites.
Principles Guiding The Evolution Of Calypso
Here are the key principles that paved the way to the introduction of Calypso:
1.Support For Multiple Sites: It fulfills the need of building a one-fits-all-solution that is beneficial in operating different WordPress.com and Jetpack-powered sites. Yes! This really helps site owners manage the content along with the administration.
2.Swift & Agile: Calypso is designed while specifically keeping speed in mind. This has been accomplished by using the NodeJS, REST API and few other advanced technologies, which initiates faster page loading, thus augmenting the user experience.
3.Real time experience: Now, you really don’t have to refresh the page to see the changes done on the page. If you have done any change to one of your WordPress sites, then forget those refresh buttons, it automatically shows you the changes applied.
4.Device-agnostic: A boon to all site owners who were looking for a reliable take on getting responsive by WordPress community. Now, you can create WP sites that can be viewed and accessed on any device, browser, and screen.
Automattic™s CEO, Matt Mullenweg, said this is just the beginning, not an end. Which clearly states that the company is still brewing up with some innovative ideas to strengthen WordPress.
5. Desktop Application: Automattic released open-source WordPress.com desktop application which is available to download now. At first, it was introduced for Mac (OSX 10.8+), but sooner the desktop publishing apps were accessible on Windows 7+ and Linux.
Let us now see Calypso with different POV’s (including both WP community and WP developer)
Calypso- In WP community Point of View
WordPress community has evolved to empower nearly 25% of the web over past few years. So it sets a huge mark for all WordPress companies, especially for the ones like Automattic to come up with something awe-inspiring and reliable. A single wrong step may hamper the growth and success of these publicized establishments.
And, to a very popular notion, the web is supposed to be shifting towards the strategy of minimizing and limiting the use of server only for API. One cannot deny that with time being an invisible gap has emerged in between the traditional WordPress sites & developers with the modern ones. But Calypso has come up to bridge this gap by inspiring all global web developers and WP community to innovate and come up with something better.
Many like me, faced such a moment back in 2015, of shifting from WordPress to GHOST and other advanced technologies. But thanks to the WordPress community for taking such a transforming steps… like WP REST API at first and now it’s Calypso!
Calypso is not less than a great news for the WP community, programmers, and aspiring businessmen who are looking forward to creating new business opportunities with WordPress.
Calypso- In WP Developers Point Of View
The inception of WP avatar Calypso has enthralled all WordPress web developers, placed in different parts of the globe. They are all geared up to work on this whole new system revolving around JavaScript, React, functional programming, and other advanced web technologies.
Few months back, a majority of them excused to have no scope of innovation in WordPress, but now since WP REST API has been included in the Core and Automattic released a JavaScript only project Calypso; developers are left with no option other than skilling themselves about JS to stay in the competition.
Believe it or not, but this is the best time to learn and work on React and other advanced JS tools.This is because as it has been included in the Calypso, it will surely gain a huge response; thereby, the demand will splurge.
Calypso- In Users Point Of View
Good News for all WordPress designers and developers! If you are among the ones spending most of the time writing code, managing different WP sites and other stuffs, then no worries Calypso is here to waive off all that burden from your shoulders. In simple words, it is all ready to simplify and enhance your experience as much as possible.
If you have more than one WordPress sites to manage like some for business, for personal and other sites. And keeping track of these sites without any hassle can all be done with Calypso. I tell you my first experience with Calypso was just memorable. I installed the Calypso app in my Mac, and no sooner I found many of my sites, of which I had no clue of their existence. Everything was falling into the place and without any delay I began updating plugins, themes and content of different sites that were not functional from a long time. Such an amazing beginning was all enough to make me a fan of Calyspo.
On the other hand, for an average user the Calypso is another name for improved UX. It will catalyze the speed of producing multiple posts/pages on different sites seamlessly. Forget those unintentional switching between multiple tabs, browsers, logging and logging out options, as with Calypso navigation, login and speed is highly improved. For all WordPress blogger, Calypso is an untold necessity.
Calypso- In Theme Authors Point Of View
It always depends on how adeptly you use this new WordPress avatar being a theme author. With Calypso, you no longer need to login into the WordPress admin panel to manage the content. There are possibilities that in the near future, WP admin would no longer be used. The theme customizer in Calypso work seamlessly with WordPress.com and self-hosted sites. The theme authors now will not have to build heavy frameworks and option panels that depend on the older version of WordPress for logging in. It’s time to celebrate… this new accomplishment.
Things To Know More About Calypso To Understand It Better
Calypso is¦
- Amazingly fast and manageable. Enjoy working on it!
- It is written only in JavaScript, thus sprinting the use of libraries like Node and React.
- Purely powered by API.
- A good platform to read and follow sites on the web (even those that are not using WordPress).
- Live on social networks with interesting stats, likes, and notifications.
- Device-agnostic. Highly responsive to the diverse screen sizes.
- Supports multi-site function for advanced users. This helps in managing hundreds of WP™s from a single destination.
- Can easily manage plugins and themes on Jetpack sites. Along with which it includes an auto-upgrading feature.
- 100% open source
WordPress’s Future Endeavors With Calypso
This is a call for change – for WordPress community and hopefully a good one. Calypso has come up with future possibilities for developers, only in case if they are ready to chisel their learning skills on JavaScript and the REST API’s. Calypso is going to be a new big thing in the realm of WordPress web development.
WordPress has emerged as the most preferred and viable choice of platform for developing web websites. As of now, millions of users are dependent on WordPress for creating their niche in the web industry. I would recommend you all to adapt and evolve with this new change instead of directly shifting to it. As this will make you understand it in a better way. There are lot more to expect and lot more to invent in the near future, so hold on your seat belts and drive crazy with WordPress.
The community of WordPress is diligently working on possibilities and future developments, which is aimed at expanding the realm of WordPress from websites to becoming the best solution for applications too. I really appreciate the way things are heading with Calypso, and believe me, if it continues at such a pace. Then the future of WordPress is all set on the right track.
Fingers crossed!
Conclusion
Calypso is the latest WordPress.com which you can start using by installing Jetpack plugin on the self-hosted blog of yours. It is a remarkable example of experimenting with WordPress REST API. The desktop apps offered by Calypso can help in accessing its features instead of interacting with the browser. Leveraging on the great architectural liberty offered by Calypso, developers are enabled to bring more impelling publishing experience for the users.
I think, Automattic’s comeback with Calypso needs no introduction. With over 50 unique Calypso-powered features, 100 individual contributors and thousands of lines of code make Calypso one of the phenomenal projects of its kind now. Calypso is all set to lead the way for many more REST API and JavaScript-powered WordPress sites and desktop applications. Gear up your shoes and get ready to experience this cutting-edge technology.