As we reflect on another remarkable year in the WordPress ecosystem, Jewel Theme stands out as a beacon of innovation and user-centric development.
2024 has been a transformative period for our company, marked by significant product enhancements, growing user adoption, and strengthened community engagement.
From revolutionizing WordPress admin experiences with WP Adminify to improving productivity with WP Spotlight, we've remained committed to our core mission: making WordPress more intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable for everyone.
In this year-in-review, we'll take you through our key achievements, product milestones, and the impact we've made in the WordPress community.
Admin Bar Editor
First off we’d like to talk about the Admin Bar Editor which has been one of our standout products of 2024.
Users embraced its ability to control their WordPress Admin Bars, allowing them to customize and optimize their workflows effortlessly.
This year, we introduced several key updates and enhancements:
- Frontend and Backend Admin Bar Editors: A major step forward, enabling users to edit the Admin Bar both on the dashboard and the live site view.
- Icon Picker and Nested Menu Options: New features to help users better organize and visually enhance their Admin Bar items.
- Advanced CSS Management Tab: For those who want granular control over the design and appearance of their Admin Bars.
- Improved Compatibility: Seamless integration with WP Adminify, making it easier for users to use both products together.
Throughout the year, we prioritized user feedback, addressing issues such as UI improvements, better functionality for "Howdy" text customization, and data migration compatibility.
Both the Free and Pro versions saw new feature additions with each update.
Admin Bar Editor has quickly become an indispensable tool for many WordPress professionals seeking to create user friendly admin bars for their team member and clients alike.
WP Spotlight
This year finally saw the launch of WP Spotlight, a native WordPress search and assistant aimed at further ramping up productivity for experienced WordPress users.
We faced a few hiccups initially relating to competitors and product pricing. Still, we’ve kept moving forward.
We’ve introduced new features, and adjusted pricing, all powered through community feedback.
Pricing Updates: Accessibility Meets Value
Not every decision we took this year was the right one. We admittedly got the initial pricing wrong and the community was quick to point it out.
We recognized that we needed to lower the barrier for entry so that WP Spotlight can be adopted my more users as a productivity tool.
The current pricing reflects our dedication to making WP Spotlight Pro more accessible to individuals, businesses, and agencies alike.
To check out the full pricing update and breakdown check out the full length post we published.
Notable Improvements and Features in WP Spotlight This Year
Over the past few months, WP Spotlight has grown tremendously, with a steady flow of updates introducing new features and significant enhancements.
Here are some of the most noteworthy additions and improvements:
Enhanced Updates Management
- Plugin and Theme Uploaders: Users can now upload plugin and theme ZIP files directly from within WP Spotlight, streamlining installation processes.
Media Management Upgrades
- Media Dropzone: Users can now bypass the traditional uploader with a dropzone for instant uploads directly from the search interface.
- Download Functionality: Installed plugins and themes can now be downloaded directly through Spotlight, providing a convenient way to back up or migrate assets.
User Management
- Added features like resetting passwords, and deleting users directly through the search bar, simplifying administrative tasks.
Dark Mode
- A dark mode option was introduced, enhancing usability for users who prefer working in a low-light interface.
We regularly publish content on all the latest updates, feature releases and news related to WP Spotlight on our blog. Subscribe now to stay in the loop.
A Fully Updated Free Version
This year also saw the launch of an updated and fully featured free version of WP Spotlight, making it easier than ever for users to experience the power of WP Spotlight without committing upfront.
The free version includes most of our core features, with only a few advanced functionalities exclusive to Pro users.
This means users can truly test WP Spotlight in their specific workflows, whether they’re managing posts, searching for media, or updating plugins, before upgrading to unlock even more potential.
As WP Spotlight grows, we remain committed to constant improvement.
Our roadmap includes exciting new features like advanced WooCommerce order management, enhanced search capabilities, and improved multisite management tools—all of which are designed to make WordPress even more intuitive.
Try our new and improved free version today to see how you can use it for your custom workflow.
And when you’re ready for even more functionality, our Pro version is just a step away.
Demo WP Spotlight here: https://demo.wpspotlight.pro/
Download the free version here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/spotlight/
Get the Pro version here: https://wpspotlight.pro/pricing
Master Addons
In 2024, we took a measured approach with Master Addons, focusing on refining existing features and addressing user-reported issues.
While this year was quieter in terms of new releases, it laid the groundwork for an exciting year ahead with several innovative features and extensions in the pipeline.
Key Highlights of 2024
Throughout the year, we released critical updates to ensure seamless functionality and compatibility with Elementor’s latest versions:
- Performance Optimization: Improved TTFB (Time to First Byte) with optimized static content caching, ensuring faster loading speeds and better performance scores.
- UI/UX Enhancements: Updated the Mega Menu, Demo Importer, and Modal Popup for a smoother user experience.
- Security Improvements: Regular updates to address vulnerabilities and ensure a secure environment for users.
- Improved Compatibility: Transitioned from waypoints.js to the native Intersection Observer API, ensuring forward compatibility with Elementor and enhanced script performance.
- Advanced Features Fixes: Resolved critical issues with modules such as the Team Slider, Logo Slider, and Tooltip Extension to enhance their usability.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we enter 2025, we’re committed to releasing new widgets and features, including:
- Image Slider and WooCommerce Product Carousel: Highly requested widgets for better visual storytelling and enhanced eCommerce capabilities.
- WooCommerce Upsell and Category-Based Product Addons: Helping users maximize their eCommerce potential.
- Minicart Widget: A modern, streamlined cart experience for WooCommerce stores.
These are just a few examples of what’s in store as we aim to expand Master Addons’ capabilities while continuing to deliver the quality and reliability our users have come to expect.
Our sole focus this year will be to grow Master Addons into one of the premier Elementor Addons on the market.
WP Adminify
This year was monumental for WP Adminify, marked by a major update(V4.0) and several critical enhancements aimed at improving both functionality and user experience.
Key Highlights of 2024
The Big Update
The release of version 4.0 introduced a complete UI redesign, making the admin dashboard cleaner, faster, and more intuitive than ever:
This update also brought:
- Screen and Help Tab Removal for distraction-free workflows.
- The highly requested Advanced Dark Mode, for seamless performance and better accessibility.
- Expanded support for popular builders like Bricks, and improved admin customization with features like admin favicon options and a redesigned menu width setting.
Addon Separation
To enhance performance and flexibility, some features were separated into standalone plugins. This change allows users to pick and choose tools that best suit their needs, reducing unnecessary load on WordPress installations.
Major Bug Fixes and Optimizations
- Addressed long-standing issues, including admin menu layout bugs, multisite network conflicts, and plugin update notification glitches.
- Improved compatibility with popular plugins and page builders like Rank Math SEO, Elementor, and Divi, ensuring a smoother workflow for users.
Website Transformation
We transitioned the WP Adminify website to a headless architecture, significantly improving site speed and user experience for visitors. Do drop by and let us know what you think.
Control Heartbeat API
Ending the year on a high note, we introduced the Control Heartbeat API feature, giving site admins the ability to fine-tune WordPress’s default AJAX behavior. This helps reduce server load, ensuring faster performance for high-traffic sites.
Read the full WP Adminify 2024 Year in Review for a deeper dive into this year’s developments.
Thank You For Your Continued Support!
Thank you for being part of our journey in 2024! Your support and feedback have helped shape Jewel Theme's growth and success. We're excited to share our ambitious plans for 2025, with new features and improvements that will make WordPress administration even better. Here's to another great year together!
