Mike Lopez

I’m Mike Lopez. I ⌨️ build software, 🎹 write and release songs, 🎤 lead worship, and 📣 share what I learn along the way. Expect code, music, faith, AI, and the occasional rabbit hole. Different hats, same person. Which one brought you here?

When a task keeps slipping, what do you check first: scope, dependencies, or workload?

Check authorization on every protected server-side action.

Before you hit upload: [ ] Correct master [ ] Artwork [ ] Artist name + credits One for the budget, too: 7% off DistroKid signup. distrokid.com/vip/seven/1338… Affiliate link. I may earn a commission.

Protected focus needs a reliable route for blocked teammates. Agree on response windows, review coverage, and backups with real authority. Try my two-week communication agreement: mikelopez.com/blog/1747/

Distinguish a deadline from an estimate.

WordPress is exploring how MCP should fit into the default experience. My rule for agents: small jobs, limited access, verifiable results. Let them earn more responsibility. make.wordpress.org/ai/2026/1…

WordPress 7.2’s Abilities API work has my attention. For membership plugins, “can manage members” needs a precise definition. Especially when an AI agent is doing the managing. wordpress.org/news/2026/10/w…

WordPress says everything is updated. Is your server’s PHP patched too? The October 21 advisory covers two critical PHP vulnerabilities. Updating plugins won’t fix the runtime. wordpress.org/news/2026/10/c…

Giving an AI agent WordPress access is easy. Deciding its permissions is the engineering. WordPress is moving toward MCP by default. Access control deserves as much attention as the demo. make.wordpress.org/ai/2026/1…

What makes you trust a new leader sooner: how they listen, what they know, or whether they follow through?

Recognize steady maintenance work, not just dramatic rescues.

Teach the full AI workflow: define behavior, inspect the patch, run checks, and reject bad suggestions. Have the learner drive and explain the correction. Try my practical team learning exercise: mikelopez.com/blog/1753/

Which Bible story could you hear again and again without getting tired of it?

Use version control for configuration templates and database migrations.

WordPress trunk testing is useful when stable and trunk run the same plugin, fixtures, and checks. Keep core and its PHPUnit library matched, and triage the differences. Use my compatibility matrix: mikelopez.com/blog/1735/

Cancel recurring meetings that no longer serve a purpose.

A merged PR does not prove a fix is live. AI status reports should link claims to evidence and leave unconfirmed deployment, owners, and forecasts unresolved. Try my source-grounded reporting prompt: mikelopez.com/blog/1755/

Upgrading PHP gets much less exciting when you have a repeatable test setup. That’s a good thing.

Delegate outcomes while leaving room for others to choose the approach.

Membership software should fit the customer lifecycle. Map purchases, access, renewals, and cancellations to the exact components you need, then test in staging. Use my MemberPress product-fit checklist: mikelopez.com/blog/1734/