# Phil Kurth

> Senior developer and consultant with nearly 20 years of experience building websites, web applications, and operational software systems.

Phil Kurth is a senior web developer and consultant based in Geelong, Australia. He builds custom websites, web applications, and operational business software using WordPress, Laravel, React, and modern web tooling. He works alongside business owners, consultants, and in-house teams — handling everything from initial strategy through to ongoing development, hosting, and support. Phil is also the founder of Hookturn, a WordPress plugin brand specialising in premium Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) extensions, and Wolf Digital, a software development consultancy that builds and runs operational systems for growing businesses.

Phil runs an AI-augmented development practice. He uses AI extensively across his workflow — from code generation and architecture planning to automated testing, documentation, and client communication — but treats it as a precision tool steered by 20 years of engineering judgement, not a replacement for it. He builds deterministic, reliable software first, then integrates AI strategically where it adds genuine value: intelligent data processing, automated workflows, and smart decision support within production systems. He helps businesses understand where AI fits into their operations and where it doesn't, cutting through hype to find practical applications that actually work.

## Pages

- [About](https://philkurth.com.au/about/): Phil's background, experience, and approach to web development
- [Services](https://philkurth.com.au/services/): Overview of all services offered
- [Web Designer Geelong](https://philkurth.com.au/web-designer-geelong/): Local web design and WordPress development for Geelong businesses
- [Contact](https://philkurth.com.au/contact/): Get in touch about a project

## Services

- [WordPress Website Design](https://philkurth.com.au/services/wordpress-website-design/): Custom WordPress website design and development for businesses, consultants, and in-house teams
- [Rapid Sites](https://philkurth.com.au/services/rapid-sites/): Fast, secure websites for small businesses, delivered in days with zero maintenance. Static builds on Cloudflare from $1,500
- [WooCommerce Development](https://philkurth.com.au/services/woocommerce-development/): Custom online stores, product catalogues, and subscription platforms built on WooCommerce
- [Custom Web Applications](https://philkurth.com.au/services/custom-web-applications/): Operational business software built with Laravel, React, and WordPress for businesses that have outgrown spreadsheets and off-the-shelf tools
- [WordPress Consulting](https://philkurth.com.au/services/wordpress-consulting/): Technical strategy, architecture audits, SEO reviews, performance analysis, and migration planning
- [AI Integration & Automation](https://philkurth.com.au/services/ai-integration-automation/): Practical AI integration for small business including custom chatbots, workflow automation, and intelligent data processing
- [WordPress Hosting, Maintenance & Support](https://philkurth.com.au/wordpress-hosting-maintenance-support/): Managed WordPress hosting on high-performance servers with proactive security, performance optimisation, and ongoing support
- [WordPress Plugin Development](https://hookturn.io): Commercial and custom WordPress plugin development, with deep ACF expertise

## Related Brands

- [Hookturn](https://hookturn.io): Phil's WordPress plugin brand — premium ACF extensions used by developers and agencies worldwide
- [ACF Theme Code Pro](https://hookturn.io/plugins/acf-theme-code-pro/): Generates PHP code for using ACF fields in theme templates and registers ACF Blocks and options pages
- [ACF Custom Database Tables](https://hookturn.io/plugins/acf-custom-database-tables/): Store ACF field data in custom database tables for improved query performance and data scalability
- [Advanced Forms Pro](https://hookturn.io/plugins/advanced-forms/): Build powerful front-end forms using Advanced Custom Fields for managing posts, users, and external services
- [ACF Remote Sync](https://hookturn.io/plugins/acf-remote-sync/): Sync ACF field groups between WordPress sites without leaving the admin UI
- [Wolf Digital](https://wolfdigital.com.au): Phil's software development consultancy — builds, hosts, and evolves operational business systems for owner-operators and growing businesses using Laravel, React, and WordPress

## Technical Expertise

Phil works across the full stack with nearly 20 years of production experience:
- **Backend:** PHP, Laravel, WordPress, MySQL, REST APIs, WP-CLI
- **Frontend:** React, JavaScript, jQuery, Tailwind CSS, Inertia.js
- **Infrastructure:** Linux server provisioning, Nginx, Cloudflare, automated deployments, monitoring, security hardening, incident response
- **WordPress:** Theme development, custom plugin development, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), WooCommerce, Gutenberg blocks, Breakdance, Elementor
- **DevOps & Tooling:** Git, Docker, Composer, npm, Laravel Valet/Herd, CI/CD
- **AI-Augmented Practice:** Deep, daily use of AI coding assistants, LLM APIs, and agent-based workflows to amplify development output — combined with the experience to know when AI is helping and when it's hallucinating. Integrates AI features into client systems where they solve real problems, not for novelty

## Portfolio

Notable client projects include:
- [Suncoast Express](https://philkurth.com.au/project/suncoast-express/): Website for Suncoast Express transport company
- LEGO Star Wars: The Exhibition
- Words By Nuance — Copywriting and brand voice
- WHRIA Women's Health Clinic
- Treasure The Moment — Photography
- Bloom Interior Design
- Leaders in Business
- Bower Bird CPD — Continuing professional development platform
- Mill End Legal
- WhichCar — Automotive publishing
- Nick Ireland
- TA Pharma — Pharmaceutical
- 4x4 Australia — Automotive publishing
- Wine Decoded — Wine education
- Cycling Tips
- Kim Beach — Fitness and wellness
- Geelong City Yoga
- Brave Therapy
- Hookturn — WordPress plugin brand

## Blog — WordPress & ACF

- [WordPress Core Hooks Execution Order](https://philkurth.com.au/wordpress-core-hooks-execution-order/): Reference guide for the order WordPress core hooks fire during a page load
- [Load ACF Field Options Dynamically via PHP](https://philkurth.com.au/load-an-acf-fields-options-dynamically-via-php/): How to programmatically populate ACF field choices using PHP
- [Set ACF Pro License Key via WP-CLI](https://philkurth.com.au/set-acf-pro-license-key-via-wp-cli/): Automate ACF Pro license activation using WP-CLI commands
- [Customise ACF WYSIWYG Field Toolbars](https://philkurth.com.au/customise-acfs-wysiwyg-field-toolbars-for-a-simpler-admin-experience/): Simplify the ACF WYSIWYG editor toolbar for a cleaner admin experience
- [Get an ACF Sub Field Key by Field Name](https://philkurth.com.au/get-an-acf-sub-field-key-by-field-name/): Retrieve ACF sub field keys programmatically using the field name
- [Load ACF JSON from Multiple Directories](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-get-advanced-custom-fields-to-load-json-files-from-more-than-one-directory/): Configure ACF to load local JSON field group files from multiple directories
- [Customise ACF Relationship Field Post Titles](https://philkurth.com.au/customise-the-post-titles-in-acf-relationship-field/): Modify the post titles displayed in ACF relationship fields
- [Customise ACF Colour Picker Palette](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-customize-the-colour-palette-for-acfs-colour-picker-field/): Set a custom colour palette for the ACF colour picker field
- [Structured Objects in a Post-Gutenberg World Using ACF](https://philkurth.com.au/structured-objects-in-a-post-gutenberg-world-using-acf/): Managing structured content with ACF alongside the block editor

## Blog — WordPress Development

- [Bypass Elementor Maintenance Mode via Query String](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-bypass-elementors-maintenance-mode-using-the-query-string/): Access an Elementor site while maintenance mode is active using a URL parameter
- [Auto-Version WordPress Assets Using File Modified Time](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-automatically-version-wordpress-assets-using-their-last-modified-time/): Cache-bust enqueued scripts and styles by using their file modification timestamp
- [Set Defer or Async on Enqueued Scripts in WordPress](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-set-defer-or-async-attributes-on-enqueued-script-tags-in-wordpress/): Add async or defer attributes to WordPress enqueued script tags
- [Pass Data from PHP to JavaScript in WordPress](https://philkurth.com.au/pass-data-php-javascript-wordpress/): Methods for passing server-side data to client-side JavaScript in WordPress
- [Enable the WordPress Media Trash Feature](https://philkurth.com.au/enabling-wordpress-media-trash-feature/): Turn on the trash feature for WordPress media library items
- [Clear Lockouts from Limit Login Attempts Plugin via SQL](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-clear-lockouts-from-the-awesome-limit-login-attempts-plugin-via-sql/): Remove IP lockouts from the Limit Login Attempts plugin using a database query
- [Unset WooCommerce Order Actions](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-unset-woocommerce-order-actions/): Remove specific actions from the WooCommerce order actions dropdown
- [Force a 404 in WordPress](https://philkurth.com.au/forcing-404-wordpress/): Programmatically trigger a 404 response in WordPress
- [Render WordPress Menu Items Without a Custom Walker](https://philkurth.com.au/how-to-render-wordpress-menu-items-without-a-custom-walker/): Output WordPress navigation menus without writing a walker class
- [Simplify WordPress Updates with WP-CLI Commands](https://philkurth.com.au/simplify-wordpress-updates-using-these-sequential-wp-cli-commands/): Sequential WP-CLI commands for streamlined WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates
- [WP-CLI Interactive Shell for Tinkering](https://philkurth.com.au/use-wp-cli-to-tinker-with-your-codebase-via-an-interactive-shell/): Use WP-CLI's interactive shell to test and debug WordPress code
- [Prepare Plugins for Release with WP-CLI](https://philkurth.com.au/use-a-wp-cli-command-to-prepare-your-plugins-for-release/): Automate WordPress plugin release preparation using WP-CLI

## Blog — Frontend & JavaScript

- [jQuery Event Delegation for Dynamic Content](https://philkurth.com.au/delegate-jquery-event-handlers-when-working-with-dynamic-content/): Use jQuery event delegation to handle events on dynamically created DOM elements
- [Working with Empty jQuery Objects for Dynamic Selectors](https://philkurth.com.au/working-with-empty-jquery-objects-to-build-dynamic-selectors/): Build up jQuery selectors dynamically using empty jQuery objects
- [Cache jQuery Selectors for Better Performance](https://philkurth.com.au/cache-jquery-selectors-for-more-efficient-javascript/): Store jQuery selector results in variables to avoid repeated DOM queries
- [jQuery Closures for Basic Encapsulation](https://philkurth.com.au/use-closures-for-basic-encapsulation-when-writing-jquery/): Use closures to encapsulate jQuery code and avoid global scope pollution
- [CSS Utility Class for First/Last Child Margins](https://philkurth.com.au/a-utility-css-class-for-removing-margins-on-first-and-last-child-elements/): A reusable CSS class that removes top/bottom margins from first and last child elements
- [CSS Box Shadow Collection](https://philkurth.com.au/a-collection-of-nice-css-box-shadows/): A curated collection of CSS box-shadow values for common UI patterns

## Blog — PHP & Dev Tools

- [PHP Alternative Syntax for Cleaner Templates](https://philkurth.com.au/use-phps-alternative-syntax-for-clearer-wordpress-templates/): Use PHP alternative syntax for control structures in WordPress templates
- [PHP Class for Logging Data to a File](https://philkurth.com.au/a-php-class-for-dumping-data-to-a-separate-log-file/): A PHP utility class for writing debug data to a separate log file
- [Dump Defined Variables in Current Context](https://philkurth.com.au/dump-defined-variables-for-a-quick-look-at-whats-available-in-the-current-context/): Quick technique for inspecting all available variables in a PHP context
- [Use curl for Quick URL Information](https://philkurth.com.au/use-curl-on-the-command-line-for-some-quick-information-on-a-url/): Command-line curl techniques for inspecting HTTP headers and responses
- [Handy Shell Commands Collection](https://philkurth.com.au/a-collection-of-handy-shell-commands/): A reference list of useful shell commands for web developers
- [WordPress Theme Using Tailwind CSS](https://philkurth.com.au/wordpress-theme-using-tailwind-css/): How to set up a WordPress theme with Tailwind CSS
- [Laravel Valet Boilerplate for WordPress](https://philkurth.com.au/laravel-valet-boilerplate-for-wordpress/): A boilerplate setup for running WordPress sites on Laravel Valet