Ten years ago, on August 5, 2015, I made my first comment and officially started reviewing themes. I reviewed my first WordPress theme named Loney.
At the time, I didn’t imagine that a small act of curiosity would turn into a decade-long journey filled with learning, collaboration, and purpose.
That first review was a humble beginning. I still remember opening the ticket, trying to understand the guidelines, and realizing how much there was to learn about WordPress standards, GPL licensing, and accessibility. It was equal parts exciting and intimidating.
But it was also the start of a story – one that would connect me with thousands of contributors across the world and shape my identity in open-source work.
How It All Began
When I started reviewing themes, my goal was simple: to learn.
I wanted to understand what made a theme not only attractive but technically sound and ethically licensed. The Theme Review Team, now known as the Themes Team – became my classroom and community.
In those early days, the process was entirely manual. Every single line of code was checked by hand. I made mistakes, asked questions, and learned fast.
WordPress Slack channel was the easiest way to ask and learn. I utilize it fully.
My first review, Loney, taught me more about collaboration and humility than any tutorial could. But sad part is, I had to close this ticket as not-approved due no response from the author.
Each ticket after that deepened my respect for the developers who build for millions of users and for the volunteers who help ensure their work meets WordPress’s standards.
Growing with the Community
As months turned into years, reviewing became a habit then a passion, and eventually a responsibility. And now, it’s a job.
I began mentoring new reviewers, joining team meetings, writing documentation, and helping improve our review tools and processes. Over the years, Theme Check plugin became powerful and helping us a lot for the review process.
Over time, I became a Themes Team Representative, helping guide discussions about guidelines, innovation, and community engagement.
Over these ten years, I’ve had the privilege to:
- Review more than 7,000 themes for the WordPress.org Theme Directory.
- Speak at multiple WordCamps, including WordCamp Tokyo 2017 and WordCamp Bangkok 2019, sharing insights on theme guidelines and community standards.
- Lead the Themes Table during Contributor Days, mentoring new contributors and helping them make their first open-source contributions.
- Contribute to documentation, mentoring programs, and community initiatives that strengthen the review ecosystem.
Each review, talk, and discussion has been a small thread in the larger tapestry of WordPress’s growth. I’m so grateful to see how WordPress is growing over the years.
My work and the collective work of the Themes Team has helped make the theme ecosystem safer, more consistent, and more accessible to millions of users around the world.
A Decade of Change in WordPress
When I began in 2015, themes were Classic Themes built with PHP templates, widgets, and the Customizer.
Today, we live in the era of Block Themes and Full Site Editing, where users can visually design every part of a site.
The transformation has been remarkable. Developers have shifted from enqueueing scripts to registering block patterns and global styles. Page builders are playing vital roles and now the biggest alternatives for themes.
It’s amazing to see how Astra, Hello Elementor, GeneratePress, Kadence, etc are growing and getting trust of millions of users.
The review process evolved alongside these changes- with automation, better documentation, and clearer accessibility and security standards.
Watching this evolution firsthand has been a privilege. WordPress has changed, but its heart openness, collaboration, and learning – remains the same.
Lessons from 10 Years of Reviewing
After reviewing thousands of themes, a few lessons continue to guide me.
- Every line of code carries intent. Behind each theme lies a creator’s effort, creativity, and ambition. Reviewers ensure that work meets standards without losing its soul.
- Quality grows through feedback. A good review is not criticism; it’s collaboration. Together, authors and reviewers elevate each other’s work. Sometimes it’s hard to convince theme authors.
- Mentorship sustains the community. I learned through others’ patience, and passing that forward keeps the open-source spirit alive.
- Contribution fuels growth. Every review, patch, and pull request no matter how small helps WordPress become stronger, safer, and more inclusive.
These lessons shaped not only my technical skills but my outlook on leadership, teamwork, and contribution.
Gratitude to the WordPress Community
None of this would have been possible without the WordPress community.
To the thousands of theme authors who trusted the review process — thank you for your creativity and persistence.
To my fellow Themes Team members, both past and present – thank you for the teamwork, late-night discussions, and countless hours you’ve poured into improving the ecosystem.
To Rank Math, for sponsoring my open-source contributions your support turned passion into sustainable impact.
And to everyone who has ever submitted a patch, reviewed a theme, or helped a new contributor you are the heartbeat of this project. Together, our work ensures that WordPress continues to grow, evolve, and empower millions worldwide.
And lastly, thank you everyone who joined themes team meeting and share your ideas and thoughts.
A New Chapter: Joining the Plugins Team
As I celebrate a decade of reviewing themes, I’ve also stepped into a new challenge — joining the WordPress Plugins Team.
It feels exciting to explore another cornerstone of the ecosystem and to understand the unique responsibilities that come with plugin review and community trust.
I’m eager to learn, contribute, and bring the same spirit of collaboration that shaped my journey in the Themes Team.
This new role is another way to give back and to continue ensuring that WordPress remains a platform users and developers can rely on.
Looking Ahead
The next decade of WordPress will be defined by innovation from AI-assisted design and security automation to new approaches in accessibility and performance. I hope to keep contributing wherever I can reviewing, mentoring, building, and sharing knowledge across teams.
Ten years of reviewing themes taught me that open source isn’t just about code — it’s about care, connection, and community. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps WordPress grow and that makes every minute spent contributing truly meaningful.
Thank you for being part of my journey here’s to another decade of growth, learning, and contribution.
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