Is your headless CMS setup giving you more freedom—or just more engineering headaches? In the fifth episode of the CMS Conf Podcast, we sit down with Elian Van Cutsem, Lead DevRel at React Bricks and an Astro maintainer, to discuss the shift toward a more intentional, content-focused web.

Elian brings a unique dual perspective: the deep technical world of Astro’s Island Architecture and the user-centric world of Visual CMS. We dive into why "content" is much more than just blog posts, how to avoid the trap of over-engineering headless integrations, and why accessibility should never be an afterthought.

We also explore the fascinating intersection of AI and web frameworks. Learn why Astro’s code-first, metadata-rich structure makes it the perfect environment for LLMs like Claude to act as your "ultimate junior developer," and what the future holds for the "universal frontend layer."

Meet Our Guest: Elian Van Cutsem 🚀 Elian is a passionate web developer, Astro maintainer, and the Lead DevRel at React Bricks. He’s on a mission to make the web faster, more accessible, and easier to manage for both developers and content editors. When he’s not coding or contributing to open-source, you can find him sharing insights on the latest web trends across the globe.

🚀 See Elian live! Elian will be a speaker at CMS Conf 2026 in Gdynia this November! He’ll be presenting a real-world case study on using Astro as a universal CMS frontend pattern.

Want to join him on stage? 🎤 Our Call for Papers is open until the end of April! If you have a story to tell about CMS, web architecture, or modern development, we want to hear from you.

👉 Apply here: https://cmsconf.com/call-for-papers/

🌐 Connect with Elian:

• Website & Blog: https://elian.codes/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianvancutsem/

• X (Twitter) / BlueSky: @eliancodes

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliancodes/

• Mastodon: https://webtoo.ls/@eliancodes

• Company: https://reactbricks.com/

Join Our Community: Stay updated with the latest in content systems, web architecture, and the future of remote work!

🌐 Website: https://cmsconf.com/ 

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/cmsconf/ 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmsconf/

Have any questions or ideas? 

💡 Feel free to drop us an email at: [email protected] ✉️. 

Subscribe to our channel to join the conversation on building a life and career powered by technology!

What if you could run a full WordPress site without a server, local hosting, or even an internet connection? In the 4th episode of the CMS Conf Podcast, we are joined by Adam Zieliński, the architect of WordPress Playground at Automattic, to explore a technology that seemed impossible until it wasn't.

This episode dives into the magic of WebAssembly (WASM). Adam shares the fascinating story of how he spent 100 hours automating a task to save three, leading to the birth of a tool that runs PHP directly in your browser. We discuss how WordPress Playground is changing the game for developers, contributors, and users—allowing anyone to test plugins, build apps, or contribute to WordPress Core with just a single link.

Warning: This episode contains some genuine laughter! Between technical deep dives into "index bloat" and browser engines, we explore the "kindness" of modern software architecture and why making tools accessible to everyone—even your mom—is the future of the web.

Meet Our Guest: Adam Zieliński 🎭 Adam is the creator of WordPress Playground, a WordPress core committer, and Tech Editor release lead for WordPress 6.0. By day, he is an engineering lead at Automattic; by night, he performs in improvised and scripted plays. Based in Wrocław, Poland, Adam is a man of many passions—from bouldering and machine learning to making jewelry (he even made his own wedding bands!). He’s a firm believer that explaining complex things through vivid metaphors is the best way to bridge knowledge gaps.

🚀 See Adam live! Adam will be a speaker at CMS Conf 2026 in Gdynia this November! He’ll be diving deeper into WASM and how different ecosystems can benefit from it.

Want to join him on stage? 🎤We are looking for speakers! Our Call for Papers is open until the end of April. If you have a story to tell about CMS, web architecture, or modern development, we want to hear from you.👉 Apply here: https://cmsconf.com/call-for-papers/

🌐 Connect with Adam:

Blog: https://adamadam.blog/

X (Twitter): http://x.com/adamzielin/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamziel/

Join Our Community: Stay updated with the latest in content systems, web architecture, and the future of remote work!

🌐 Website: https://cmsconf.com/ 

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/cmsconf/ 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmsconf/

Have any questions or ideas? 

💡 Feel free to drop us an email at: [email protected] ✉️. 

Subscribe to our channel to join the conversation on building a life and career powered by technology!

Is your WordPress site working for you, or is it quietly sabotaging your rankings? In the third episode of the CMS Conf Podcast, we are joined by Kacper Krasnodębski, SEO Team Leader at Vilaro, to uncover a hidden side of SEO—website structure.

This episode goes far beyond keywords and plugins. Kacper explains why the biggest SEO problem in WordPress isn’t usually bad content, but "index bloat"—the hundreds of low-value pages, tags, and archives that WordPress creates by default. From the trap of using tags as keyword storage to the "explosive" URL growth in WooCommerce, this conversation will change how you look at your CMS. Learn why a smaller, more intentional taxonomy is often the key to better visibility and how to stop WordPress from publishing pages that shouldn't even exist in search.

Meet Our Partner: Vilaro 🚀

Vilaro is a strategic SEO and marketing agency specializing in building high-performing website architectures. They help businesses turn complex WordPress sites into scalable, search-engine-friendly assets by mastering technical "invisibles."

🌐 Learn more at: https://vilaro.pl/

Join Our Community:

Stay updated with the latest in content systems, web architecture, and the future of remote work!

🌐 Website: https://cmsconf.com/

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/cmsconf/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmsconf/

Have any questions or ideas? 💡

Feel free to drop us an email at: [email protected] ✉️.

Subscribe to our channel to join the conversation on building a life and career powered by technology!

Is your website a solid fortress or a house built on sand? In the second episode of the CMS Conf Podcast, we are joined by Paulina Kołodziejczyk from Altumhost to explore the "dark side" of WordPress—security.

This episode is a deep dive into why security doesn't have to be scary or overly technical. Paulina explains how hackers use automated math rather than personal grudges, and why even the smallest blog is a target. From the importance of a certified hosting foundation to the power of "digital bouncers," this conversation will change the way you think about your digital home. Learn how to stop the panic and start creating with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your digital doors are truly locked.

Meet Our Partner: Altumhost 🛡️

Security and performance shouldn't be a luxury. Altumhost is a premium hosting provider committed to high standards of digital safety and infrastructure. As an ISO 27001 certified company, they provide the solid foundation every WordPress site needs - from automated malware scans and firewalls to secure off-site backups. Experience hosting that works quietly in the background, protecting your business while you focus on growth.

🌐 Learn more at: https://www.altumhost.eu/

Join Our Community:

Stay updated with the latest in content systems, web architecture, and the future of remote work!

🌐 Website: ⁠https://cmsconf.com/⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠http://instagram.com/cmsconf/⁠

💼 LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmsconf/⁠

Have any questions or ideas? 💡

Feel free to drop us an email at: ⁠[email protected]⁠ ✉️.

Subscribe to our channel to join the conversation on building a life and career powered by technology!

Can technology be your passport to freedom? In the very first episode of the CMS Conf Podcast, our host Ania Witko shares her remarkable journey - from dreaming of a remote life in Poland to working from the vibrant cafes of Vietnam and Bangkok.

This episode is a deep dive into how WordPress became more than just a tool; it became a bridge to a new lifestyle. Ania explains how a CMS can break down the barriers to the tech world, allowing anyone with the right mindset to build a career on their own terms, without a computer science degree.

Join Our Community:

Stay updated with the latest in content systems, web architecture, and the future of remote work!

🌐 Website: https://cmsconf.com/

📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/cmsconf/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmsconf/

Have any questions or ideas? 💡

Feel free to drop us an email at: [email protected] ✉️.

Subscribe to our channel to join the conversation on building a life and career powered by technology!

[PL]Witaj w CMSConf Podcast! Rozmawiamy o systemach CMS, marketingu internetowym i nowoczesnych stronach WWW. WordPress, SEO, wydajność i bezpieczeństwo – stawiamy na konkretne case studies i wiedzę od ekspertów, bez lania wody. Jeśli tworzysz, rozwijasz albo promujesz strony internetowe – to miejsce dla Ciebie.

[ENG]Welcome to CMSConf Podcast! We dive deep into the world of Content Management Systems, digital marketing, and modern web development. From WordPress to SEO and performance – we bring you real-case studies and expert insights. Subscribe to stay updated!

[PL]Witaj w CMSConf Podcast! Rozmawiamy o systemach CMS, marketingu internetowym i nowoczesnych stronach WWW. WordPress, SEO, wydajność i bezpieczeństwo – stawiamy na konkretne case studies i wiedzę od ekspertów, bez lania wody. Jeśli tworzysz, rozwijasz albo promujesz strony internetowe – to miejsce dla Ciebie.

[ENG]Welcome to CMSConf Podcast! We dive deep into the world of Content Management Systems, digital marketing, and modern web development. From WordPress to SEO and performance – we bring you real-case studies and expert insights. Subscribe to stay updated!