In June, it was time for the third MODX meetup of the year! This time, Julian Weaver from Finetuned Limited invited us to the city of records: Brighton. In one afternoon, we learned all about web accessibility, got a sneak peek of ContentBlocks 2.0, and listened to Graeme from GEL Studios talking about how MODX has become an integral part of their business over the years. Let’s dive in!
Making your website accessible.
In 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into effect. This law requires most companies to make their services digitally accessible. Chances are, this applies to you too! So, it's high time to learn what we can do to make our websites even more accessible for all users. And that’s exactly what Tim Luigjes from Census told us all about.
To make your website accessible, it must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The four key principles are:
- Perceivable: Is all content available to everyone?
Provide text alternatives for non-text content by filling in alt tags for images, adding captions and descriptions for multimedia, and ensuring sufficient contrast between different content. - Operable: Are all functionalities usable for everyone?
Make your website functional for users who only use a keyboard, give enough time to read and use content, and avoid content that could cause physical reactions (like flashing lights). - Understandable: Are the functionalities and content understandable for everyone?
Write in simple and clear language, ensure web pages appear and work in predictable ways, and help users avoid errors. - Robust: Does the website work on any device, now and in the future?
Use HTML and other technologies correctly, compatible with current and future tools, and provide a reliable and consistent user experience across different browsers and devices.
Want to test if your website is accessible? You can! For automated testing, you can use Lighthouse, WAVE, or Axe. For manual testing, you can navigate with your keyboard, test the color contrast and readability of the texts, and try screen reader software to see how visually impaired or blind users can use your website.
Did you know that Brighton holds the record for the most people fitting into a Mini?
MODX as an integral part of your business.
GEL Studios has been a huge MODX fan for years. Even after testing various CMSs, they keep coming back to MODX. It’s no wonder Julian invited Graeme from GEL Studios to talk about how they use MODX for their clients. The stories varied widely. Graeme says the strength of MODX lies in its security, which stands like a rock compared to, for instance, WordPress. He shared a case where a client had 50 contexts in one MODX installation. So multiple digital products in various languages in one CMS! GEL Studios even won an award in the past for building a website where one could buy a movie ticket with a single click, while the other two nominees were huge agencies.
Brighton loves marathons. So much so that there are several records: the fastest half marathon dressed as a surfer (male), the fastest marathon dressed as a fairy (female), the fastest half marathon dressed as a bottle (male), and the most marathons completed by twins.
More creative freedom with ContentBlocks 2.0.
During the meetup, Mark Hamstra from modmore gave us a preview of the new ContentBlocks! We won't reveal too much yet, but with the new ContentBlocks, you'll see much better on the back end how a page will look on the front end. Plus, this new version offers a lot more customization options per content block. Stay tuned!
Brighton holds the record for the highest speed in a jet suit controlled by the human body, with a speed of 136.891 km/h.
