WordCamp Leipzig entered its third round and took place once again this year at the Ost-Passage Theatre. The minimalist concept has now established itself and makes the camp something very special. Everything was well thought out, personal and focussed on what it’s really about: good content, genuine exchange and a strong community.
This time there was even something extra. On Friday evening, there was a WordPress workshop where participants worked together on projects. A great way to kick off the weekend in a small group and get straight into dialogue.
The actual camp on Saturday then followed the tried and tested principle: one room, one track, full attention for each individual presentation. This meant that everyone could really take in everything that the speakers had prepared. This clear structure makes WordCamp Leipzig so pleasantly manageable and at the same time strong in terms of content.
Here is an overview of all the sessions that took to the stage that day:
All presentations from #WCLe25
Set up an online shop the smart way 🇩🇪
Gritt opened with an overview of how non-techies can set up a simple online shop with WordPress and WooCommerce. Her 7-point roadmap covered everything from the basics to legal issues and extensions. A solid introduction to the topic and a relaxed start to the day.
Which shop system is right for you? Here are three links from Gritt that might help you:
Accessibility on mobile devices from the perspective of a blind person 🇩🇪
In her presentation, Manuela showed very impressively how she navigates through websites as a blind user with the iPhone and VoiceOver. Using concrete examples, it quickly became clear where barriers arise and what often gets in the way. An exciting and important insight into a topic that is often neglected in the everyday lives of many web workers.
Invisible errors – curiosities from 20 years of WordPress 🇩🇪
By: Torsten Landsiedel, Talk description
In his presentation, Torsten showed which technical pitfalls in WordPress are often overlooked. From .htaccess and autoload options to sitemaps and robots.txt, it became clear how many things can go wrong in the background if you don’t keep an eye on them. As always with him, there were exciting insights, clear explanations and the odd aha moment.
Websites for Gen Z – Why modern UX design is crucial 🇩🇪
By: Marie Möller & Dustyn Model, Talk description
Unfortunately, I missed this lecture because my lunch break got a little too cosy 🫣😜Luckily, the recording is now online, so I can watch it at my leisure.
How accessible is WordPress? 🇩🇪
Katja showed what you should pay attention to in order to make websites with WordPress as accessible as possible. She talked about core, themes, page builders and plugins and explained what the new Accessibility Reinforcement Act has to do with them.
Block Themes – an introduction with practical examples 🇩🇪
Hans-Gerd explained what block themes actually are and why they differ so significantly from classic WordPress themes. Using Twenty Twenty-Five as an example, he demonstrated live how to customise or create new templates. A helpful introduction for anyone who is still struggling with the new theme system.
In line with this topic, it’s also worth taking a look at Birgit’s presentation from last year: Use the Create Block Theme plugin to put together themes
The Blind Insighter: About accessible websites – or not 🇩🇪
Mathias showed very clearly how accessibility affects the use of websites. The moment when he switched off the screen and only the screen reader could be heard was particularly impressive. The audience was asked to describe what was happening, and it was at this point that many people realised how poorly many websites are implemented. A thought-provoking presentation that shows how important real accessibility is.
Increase website performance: even with 500,000 attachments 🇩🇪
By: Christoph Daum, Talk description
In his presentation, Christoph showed how he analysed an extremely slow website and made it fast again. With lots of technical details and tools such as XHProf, dbDelta and his own analysis methods, he went deep into optimisation. For me, at the end of a long day, it was a bit too much technology all at once. But anyone who is interested in performance topics will certainly get their money’s worth here.
Impressions in pictures
A few impressions of WordCamp Leipzig are of course a must. From the Ost-Passage theatre to the sessions and the community atmosphere – here are a few pictures that capture the day:
In the end, the main thing that remains is a good feeling: a day full of exciting impulses, friendly encounters and genuine togetherness. Thank you to the organising team and all the helpers who put their heart and soul into making this event possible. I am already looking forward to the next edition in Leipzig.
