WordPress Telex: Vibe-Coding in Real-World Use
▼ Summary
– WordPress’s experimental AI tool, Telex, has been used in real-world applications like creating price comparisons and store information blocks just months after its September debut.
– Telex is a “vibe-coding” tool that allows developers to generate the modular Gutenberg blocks that make up a WordPress website.
– Demonstrations showed Telex creating complex, interactive web elements that previously required costly custom development, now achievable in seconds for minimal cost.
– The tool was discussed alongside other AI initiatives, including an Abilities API and MCP adapter, which let WordPress integrate with AI platforms like Claude and Copilot without needing separate integrations.
– WordPress plans to introduce benchmarks in 2026 for AI models to test their performance on specific WordPress tasks like editing text or managing plugins.
WordPress’s experimental AI tool, Telex, is already being used to build practical features for websites, demonstrating its potential to transform how developers create content. Introduced just a few months ago, the tool was showcased at the recent State of the Word event by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. He presented several real-world applications built by community developers, highlighting how Telex allows for the rapid generation of complex Gutenberg blocks that would traditionally require significant custom coding.
One example featured a fully functional pricing comparison tool. Mullenweg emphasized that creating such an interactive element used to demand a developer’s time and a client’s budget, but with Telex, it can be assembled in mere seconds. Another demonstration showed how a developer integrated real-time store hours, a contact number, and a dynamic map link directly into their site’s header. Additional use cases included building a partner logo carousel, a custom pricing calculator, a Google Calendar integration, and a uniform grid layout for homepage posts.
“The kinds of features that once required hiring a developer and spending thousands of dollars can now be built in a browser for practically nothing,” Mullenweg remarked. “It’s a dramatic shift in what’s possible.” The event also highlighted work from other creators, like Tammie Lister, who used Telex to build a new Gutenberg block daily throughout October, resulting in creative outputs like a playable ASCII Tetris game and a Halloween-themed trick-or-treat block.
The discussion of Telex was part of a broader look at WordPress’s AI strategy. This includes new architectural developments like the Abilities API and the MCP (Model Context Protocol) adapter. The Abilities API formally defines what actions WordPress can perform in a way that AI systems can understand. The MCP adapter then makes those capabilities available to any compatible AI tool. “This adapter approach lets WordPress join AI workflows without needing to rebuild logic or craft unique integrations for every single platform,” Mullenweg explained. “It means you can connect a WordPress site directly to popular AI assistants like Claude or GitHub Copilot.”
Mullenweg also observed that developers are increasingly incorporating AI into their daily work using advanced coding tools. This integration allows for refactoring code, searching codebases, automating tasks, and running scripts through the WordPress command-line interface alongside an AI agent. Looking ahead, he announced plans for 2026 to introduce standardized benchmarks. These evaluations will allow AI models to test their proficiency on common WordPress tasks, such as managing plugins, editing content, or navigating the admin interface using automated browser agents.
(Source: TechCrunch)
