# I was at WordCamp Gdynia 2024

- Author: Maciek Palmowski (https://maciekpalmowski.dev/)
- Published: 2024-10-15
- Topics: conferences, wordpress
- URL: https://maciekpalmowski.dev/blog/i-was-at-wordcamp-gdynia-2024/

> WordCamp Gdynia 2024 recap — a first security talk on the WordPress ecosystem, standout presentations from other speakers, and what makes this event special.

Some time ago I took part in WordCamp Gdynia. A lot happened and it's time to sum up this amazing event.

**WordCamp Gdynia** remains my favorite WordCamp in Poland. Why? You have to visit it to feel its unique atmosphere. There is something really magical about it and every year, I'm in Gdynia at least once (either for WordCamp or WordUp).

This year wasn't any different - the event was amazing. Apart from amazing talks, it was a great opportunity to talk with many of my friends. There was a lot of discussion about what is currently happening in the ecosystem.

*[Image: A concrete office building with a grid of windows, photographed in black and white.]*
*The venue*

## I was speaking there

I wasn't speaking about headless or Astro this time but about security. I decided to explain the state of security in WordPress, what we are doing well, where we are failing, and what we can do better as developers and users.

I already [wrote an article](https://maciekpalmowski.dev/blog/wordpress-security-is-it-really-that-bad/) based on this presentation, so if you want to learn more, just check it out.

I won't lie - I was a bit nervous because this was my first time speaking about security, but based on reviews people enjoyed it (4.59/5).

*[Image: A speaker at a lectern holding a microphone, with a slide reading '…est bezpieczny?' (Polish for '…is secure?') behind.]*

## I was listening to others

This year's agenda was filled with amazing talks. What were my favorites? 

**Tomek Dziuda - Traps hidden in plugins** 

His talk listed many cases where plugins behaved in a way they shouldn't. I liked the case when one version of the plugin introduced a vulnerability. 

**Krzysztof Dróżdż - Is it true magic or just fake spells**

**Krzysiek** did a great job explaining that in most cases, all the services that promise a one-click solution are just a lie. Very often they require a lot more than just this one click. Especially I like the Accessibility widget example - the "high contrast mode" led to yellow text on a yellow background.

**Przemek Hernik - MVC Model**

**Przemek** is doing a lot to show less trivial approaches to WordPress. This time he tried to explain how MVC works and if is it a good idea to use it together with WP.

*[Image: A speaker at the WordCamp Gdynia lectern in front of a projected slide, with a banner reading 'Wejście GDY' and WordPress branding.]*

**Adam Zieliński - WordPress Playground**

I have seen so many of **Adam's** talks already, but I am always happy to see how he extends it and shows new features in WordPress Playground.

## We were sponsors

This time, I managed to bring the [Patchstack](https://patchstack.com/) team with me. Together with **Mart** and **Darius**, we spent a lot of time explaining what Patchstack is and how it works.

We also convinced a few developers to join our mVDP program, which I consider a great success. 

I have a feeling that next time we'll also visit Gdynia together.

*[Image: Three Patchstack team members at a booth with a tablecloth reading 'WordPress is safe, change my mind' and a 'V for vPatch' banner.]*

## I was drinking a lot of coffee 

Do you know there are a lot of great specialty cafes in Gdynia? I'm always a bit surprised by the amount of it. This year I tried:

- **Hygge Cafe**
- **Może Kawy?**
- **Kofeina**
- **Coffee Sens**

All of them were amazing, but **Może Kawy?**remains my favorite for its great location and amazing coffee.

*[Image: A cup of coffee and a slice of cake on a wooden table beside a marina with sailboats.]*

## Time to sum up

I already said it a few times, but let me repeat myself once again - it was amazing. **Mariusz**, you and all the co-organizers did an amazing job. I know how difficult it is to organize such a big event, but you did it. 

Can't wait to visit Gdynia again.