I logged in to this site today, and was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by this notification.
I figured today, is as good as any day to reflect on my time using WordPress and what I had been doing with it.
2015: The Beginning
Created a blog at mtwoblog.wordpress.com thereby creating a free account on WordPress.com. Wrote about my experiments with Arduino. Little did I know my nephews would pick up that hobby almost a decade later.
2016: It Gets Real
Moved from a free hosting to a self-hosted site with a custom domain. Hosting was provided by my friend who now runs GuardKite. Learned about custom plugins and themes as well as about the WP repository.
Started frequenting the WordPress Colombo Meetup group. Met some amazing folks who I am in touch with until today.
Also, founded a WordPress agency based in Colombo.
2017: Community First
Helped organize the first WordCamp in my country.
Explored the WordPress REST API and GraphQL; two technologies that would define a large part of my career.
2018: Going Global
Wrote 3 articles for Smashing Magazine – a leading web publications for those working on the web.
Spoke at my first large online conference; another aspect that would go on to define my life and career.
2019: The Big League
Joined rtCamp – a top WordPress company in the world as a React Dev working remotely.
Represented at WordCamp US – my first flagship event – albeit remotely, as I did not get to physically be there.
2020: Adapting
COVID happened. I continued working remotely and writing on various topics, such as lessons learned which were not strictly about work or tech. This category of my writing resonated a lot with you all and I love to write about it too.
2021: Going Headless
Worked on a production headless WordPress project with GraphQL and Gutenberg. Continued speaking at a few events including the first WordCamp India.
It’s been an incredible decade. What started as a simple Arduino blog on WordPress.com has evolved into a career, a community, and a way of life.
2022: Deepening Roots
Continued deepening my expertise in headless WordPress and the block editor. The ecosystem was maturing rapidly, and I found myself at the intersection of traditional WordPress and modern JavaScript frameworks.
2023: Full Site Everything
Expanded my speaking engagements and continued contributing to the WordPress community. The rise of Full Site Editing brought new opportunities to explore and share knowledge about the evolving platform.
2024: Building Forward
A year of consolidation and growth. WordPress continued to evolve, and so did my role within the ecosystem. The community remained as vibrant as ever, with new faces joining and veterans continuing to contribute.
2025: A Decade In
And here we are – 10 years since I first created that Arduino blog. WordPress has been more than just a platform; it’s been a gateway to incredible opportunities, lasting friendships, and continuous learning.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined where this journey would take me. From experimenting with Arduino projects to writing for Smashing Magazine, from attending local meetups to speaking at international conferences, from running a small agency to working with one of the top WordPress companies in the world – every step has been shaped by this remarkable open-source community.
WordPress taught me that technology is ultimately about people. The code we write, the sites we build, the content we create – it all comes back to connecting with others and making their lives a little bit better.
Here’s to the next 10 years. 🎉
Conclusion
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