As WordPress grows from a simple blogging tool to a robust content management system powering dynamic sites, automation has become essential for developers aiming to optimize workflows and site interactivity. In this article, I’ll explore Action Scheduler—WordPress’s answer to reliable background processing—and show you how to leverage it for common automation tasks.

What is Action Scheduler?

Action Scheduler is a scalable job queue for WordPress, originally developed for WooCommerce, and now available for broader plugin and site development through the action-scheduler library. Unlike WP-Cron, which schedules PHP callbacks based on visitor traffic, Action Scheduler uses a database-backed queue, making it more suitable for reliably managing large or recurring background tasks.

Why Use Action Scheduler?

• Reliability: Handles thousands of queued actions without overwhelming your server.
• Scalability: Powers large e-commerce sites and sophisticated plugin logic.
• Flexibility: Trigger recurring or one-time custom tasks based on your needs.

Getting Started

To use Action Scheduler, you can either:

• Require it as a dependency in your custom plugin (composer require woocommerce/action-scheduler), or
• Leverage plugins like WooCommerce which bundle it by default.

Let’s look at a basic example—sending a weekly custom email digest.

Step 1: Schedule a Recurring Action

if ( ! as_next_scheduled_action( 'send_weekly_digest' ) ) {
    as_schedule_recurring_action( strtotime('next monday'), WEEK_IN_SECONDS, 'send_weekly_digest' );
}

Step 2: Hook Your Custom Function

add_action( 'send_weekly_digest', function () {
    // Retrieve posts, build email content, and send to users
} );

It’s that simple! You can queue one-off events with as_enqueue_async_action, process data imports in the background, or integrate with third-party APIs—without blocking the WordPress UI or risking timeouts.

Best Practices for Action Scheduler

• Monitor the Queue: Use the WP Admin interface (Tools > Scheduled Actions) for visibility.
• Error Handling: Include logging and exception handling to capture failures.
• Site Performance: Space out heavy tasks and test on staging before deploying.

When Should You Not Use Action Scheduler?

Avoid using Action Scheduler for real-time user-facing functionality. It’s designed for background processing and is not immediate.

Conclusion

Whether you’re maintaining a bustling WooCommerce store or building custom plugins, Action Scheduler is a modern automation solution every WordPress developer should have in their toolkit. It unlocks a new level of reliability and power for background jobs, paving the way for smarter, more responsive WordPress sites.

Happy automating!

—Presley

Gutenberg, the block editor introduced to WordPress in version 5.0, fundamentally transformed how users create and manage content. While the default set of blocks covers most needs, there comes a point in every developer’s journey where custom blocks are essential for delivering unique functionality and on-brand designs. In this article, I’ll walk you through the basics of building your own custom Gutenberg block and explain best practices to ensure maintainability and performance.

Why Create Custom Blocks?

Custom blocks empower you to:

• Tailor editing experiences to content creators
• Provide reusable design components
• Encourage brand consistency
• Extend functionality without shortcodes

Setting Up Your Plugin

To get started, you’ll want to create a new plugin. Begin by setting up your plugin directory (e.g., /wp-content/plugins/my-custom-blocks/) and placing a main PHP file inside:

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: My Custom Blocks
Description: Adds custom Gutenberg blocks.
Version: 1.0
Author: Presley
*/

Next, use register_block_type to register your block. You will need two main files:

• block.js (for block definition and React code)
• style.css (for block styling)

Example: A Simple Alert Box Block

1. Enqueue Scripts in PHP:

function mcb_register_block() {
    wp_register_script(
        'mcb-alert-block',
        plugins_url('block.js', __FILE__),
        array('wp-blocks', 'wp-element', 'wp-editor')
    );
    wp_register_style(
        'mcb-style',
        plugins_url('style.css', __FILE__)
    );
    register_block_type('mcb/alert-box', array(
        'editor_script' => 'mcb-alert-block',
        'style' => 'mcb-style',
    ));
}
add_action('init', 'mcb_register_block');

2. Block JavaScript (block.js):

const { registerBlockType } = wp.blocks;
const { RichText } = wp.blockEditor;

registerBlockType('mcb/alert-box', {
    title: 'Alert Box',
    icon: 'warning',
    category: 'widgets',
    attributes: {
        message: { type: 'string', source: 'html', selector: 'div' }
    },
    edit({ attributes, setAttributes }) {
        return (
            <RichText
                tagName="div"
                className="mcb-alert-box"
                value={attributes.message}
                onChange={(message) => setAttributes({ message })}
                placeholder="Type your message..."
            />
        );
    },
    save({ attributes }) {
        return <div className="mcb-alert-box">{attributes.message}</div>;
    }
});

3. Styling (style.css):

.mcb-alert-box {
  background: #fff3cd;
  border: 1px solid #ffeeba;
  padding: 16px;
  border-radius: 4px;
  color: #856404;
}

Best Practices for Custom Blocks

• Namespace your block names and CSS classes to avoid conflicts.
• Follow WordPress coding standards in PHP and JavaScript.
• Document your code for the benefit of other developers.
• Test across different themes and environments to ensure compatibility.
• Consider localization/internationalization via wp.i18n functions.

Final Thoughts

Custom Gutenberg blocks are a powerful way to enhance the WordPress editing experience for developers, designers, and content creators alike. Once you have the basics down, experiment with Inspector Controls, custom attributes, and server-side rendering to create sophisticated, flexible blocks.

Have you built any unique blocks? Share your experiences and questions in the comments below!

— Presley