This festive holiday image showcases a beautifully illuminated Christmas tree rendered as an artistic composition of soft, out-of-focus bokeh lights against a deep navy blue night sky. The tree is constructed entirely from overlapping, translucent circular orbs of light, creating a dreamy, impressionistic effect.

Over the past few months, I have published a new article every week.

Together, we have explored deep technical insights, delved into the evolving landscape of Open Source, and contemplated the implications of artificial intelligence. We have also questioned what digital sovereignty means in our interconnected world.

Writing these weekly articles has been a labour of love, enabling me to share knowledge and spark conversations within our community.

A well earned pause

Today is Christmas Eve, however, and I take a break from my weekly articles. This is not because my passion for sharing has diminished, but because the festive season calls for something different.

The holiday season is a time for reflection, restoration, and celebration. Even the most dedicated among us take this opportunity to step back from our keyboards, spend time with loved ones, and recharge our batteries. This is why I do not have a meticulously researched, deeply insightful article to share with you today. Instead, I have something equally valuable: a gift for everyone who has followed my work throughout the year.

Your gift: Test smarter, not harder

Over the past year, PHPUnit has evolved significantly. New features have been added, workflows streamlined and capabilities expanded, all of which can fundamentally improve how you write and maintain your tests. If you have been curious about these improvements but have not had time to explore them in depth, now is your chance.

I would like to invite you to join me at a free online event called "Test smarter, not harder", in which I will bring you up to speed with all the improvements made to PHPUnit over the past year. Whether you are an experienced PHPUnit user or are just beginning your journey with the testing framework, this session will provide you with practical knowledge and actionable insights.

I will discuss the changes implemented for PHPUnit and show you how you can use new features in your own projects. You will learn how to write better tests, optimise your workflows, and prepare for future versions with confidence:

Learn more and secure your spot

Looking forward to 2026

As we step into the New Year, I am recommitting to sharing my experience with you. I aim to find a sustainable pace for my writing, continuing to explore the technical, strategic, and philosophical questions that matter to those of us who build software and steward Open Source projects.

For now, I wish you a restful and joyful holiday season surrounded by your loved ones. Thank you for your trust, engagement, and continued interest in my work.

Merry Christmas, and happy testing.