24 Days in Umbraco Finale, Why Composability Gets Complicated, a Christmassy umbraCoffee Roundup and much more...

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UMB.FYI 2025-12-24

24 Days

Is Umbraco MCP Server Usable in Practice, or Is It Just a Phase? (9 minute read)

In a mildly sarcastic exploration, Tobias Høst reflects on Umbraco MCP Server, a tool designed to automate CMS tasks through prompts. While it offers potential for non-developers to simplify content creation, the author highlights challenges in effective prompting and automation. Ultimately, MCP represents a hopeful, if chaotic, glimpse into the future of CMS technology.

[ ] [ #ai ] [ #umbracomcp ]

Modular Umbraco sites with NuGet, RCLs and uSync (7 minute read)

Callum Whyte discusses the challenges of using starter templates in Umbraco projects, highlighting maintainability issues and upgrade difficulties. He introduces a modern approach using Razor Class Libraries (RCLs) and uSync Roots to create reusable features, improving efficiency and reducing development time from weeks to days while ensuring easier upgrades.

[ ] [ #starterkits ]

A Practical Guide to Unlocking Accessibility of Websites (6 minute read)

In "Using WAVE to Enhance Web Accessibility," Nurhak Kaya discusses the importance of website accessibility for inclusivity and compliance with global standards like WCAG. The article highlights common accessibility issues, introduces the WAVE tool for identifying problems, and emphasizes integrating accessibility into development workflows for ongoing improvement.

[ ] [ #accessibility ] [ #bestpractices ] [ #guides ]

An Introduction to Fluid Responsive Typography (11 minute read)

Dean Leigh discusses fluid responsive typography, emphasizing its importance for web design. By utilizing CSS functions like min(), max(), clamp(), and container queries, typography can adapt dynamically to various devices and contexts, enhancing readability and user experience. This approach fosters a harmonious and elegant design system.

[ ] [ #accessibility ] [ #css ] [ #roundups ]

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Lessons learned on my first Umbraco Commerce project (6 minute read)

Jesper Mayntzhusen shares insights from building his first e-commerce solution with Umbraco Commerce, emphasizing the importance of thorough documentation and the official demo store. Key learnings include understanding default properties, setting up custom email notifications, managing multiple carts per member, and the need for more community resources.

[ ] [ #documentation ] [ #umbracocommerce ]

Some (more) wintery wordplay! (1 minute read)

Lotte Pitcher presents a cryptic crossword themed around Umbraco and technology, inviting enthusiasts to solve it for a chance to win a reward. A guide for solving cryptic crosswords is available, and support can be found on the Umbraco Discord server. Happy solving and holidays!

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10 tips to make your Umbraco site more sustainable (10 minute read)

Lyle Lanley's article outlines practical strategies for enhancing website sustainability, emphasizing the tech industry's role in combating climate change. Key recommendations include updating software, optimizing images, reducing third-party scripts, utilizing CDNs, and adopting efficient coding practices. Implementing these tips can significantly lower carbon emissions associated with web operations.

[ ] [ #sustainability ] [ #tips ]

Umbraco HQ

Why Composability Gets Complicated (4 minute read)

Umbraco and CMS Critic's webinar highlighted that composability isn't failing; rather, its application often leads to unmanaged complexity. Key insights include the importance of intentional system design, understanding data governance, and aligning organizational perspectives. Successful composability evolves with context, enabling flexibility and a foundation for AI innovation.

[ ] [ #industry ]

Community

Say Hello to uMux: Sync videos from Umbraco to Mux effortlessly (3 minute read)

uMux, created by Søren Kottal, is a free, open-source package for Umbraco 17+ that simplifies video hosting by integrating Mux's streaming and analytics directly into the CMS. It allows editors to manage videos seamlessly without switching platforms, while Mux handles encoding, bandwidth, and global delivery, enhancing performance and user experience.

[ ] [ #packagedev ]

Building an AI Content Generator App Plugin for Umbraco 17 (3 minute read)

Aditya Bhatti describes the development of the AI Content Helper, a custom App Plugin for Umbraco 17 that integrates Google Gemini AI to generate content directly from the Umbraco dashboard. The plugin allows editors to create page summaries, meta descriptions, and more, enhancing workflow efficiency with a simple backend integration.

[ #ai ] [ #backoffice ]

How to Use Arro Simple Form in Umbraco 13–17 (6 minute read)

Arro Simple Form, developed by Keyur Garala, enables users to create dynamic forms in Umbraco versions 13 to 17 without coding. It features a drag-and-drop interface, multiple input types, data collation, and email notifications. The package ensures security with anti-forgery tokens and allows seamless integration into websites.

[ #guides ]

Altering Custom Table Columns in Umbraco Migrations (2 minute read)

Nathaniel Nunes discusses two approaches to alter a column in an Umbraco table from NVARCHAR(500) to NVARCHAR(MAX). The first method involves using raw SQL within a migration, while the second employs the Migration API with AsCustom to specify the SQL type. Both methods provide practical solutions for handling larger data storage needs.

[ #guides ] [ #migrations ]

Keeping Claude Code and Claude Desktop in sync (3 minute read)

Simon Antony discusses the challenge of maintaining context between Claude Code and Claude Desktop for Umbraco Cloud projects. He proposes using a self-updating CLAUDE.md file to capture essential project details and suggests creating a custom slash command to automate updates. This method helps preserve institutional knowledge until native integration is developed.

[ #ai ] [ #umbracocloud ]

When GitKraken Desktop Runs Slow (3 minute read)

Owain.Codes discusses performance issues in GitKraken Desktop, attributing slowdowns during startup, pull requests, and merge conflicts to interference from MemoryBytes antivirus. By adding local Git repository folders to the antivirus exclusion list, performance improved significantly, restoring the tool's intended speed. This common practice enhances development workflows without compromising system security.

[ #git ] [ #performance ]

Watch & Listen

umbraCoffee - Ho Ho Ho!

In this episode of #umbraCoffee, hosts Marcin and Callum, along with guest Rune Strand, discuss Umbraco's recent developments, including AI integration and cloud efficiency. They highlight the importance of Long-Term Support (LTS) versions, upcoming upgrades, and the launch of the Umbraco MCP developer tool, fostering community engagement and innovation.

[ ] [ #ai ] [ #integrations ] [ #umbracoffee ]

Packages

Umbraco.Community.uMux

Automatically sync local video assets from Umbraco to Mux

UmbracoForm.MailChimp.WorkFlow

Umbraco Forms V17 Mailchimp Integration WorkflowType

[ #automation ] [ #umbracoforms ] [ #umbracoworkflow ]

uThemes.FlaticonPicker

Flaticon picker property editor for Umbraco CMS 17

[ #propertyeditors ] [ #theming ] [ #umbracocms ]

Umbraco.Community.Cloud.HealthChecks

A package for adding Umbraco Cloud health checks

[ #umbracocloud ]

Umbraco.Community.EnhancedMedia

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