The WordPress coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. development team builds WordPress! Follow this site for general updates, status reports, and the occasional code debate. There’s lots of ways to contribute:
Found a bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority.?Create a ticket in the bug tracker.
The live meeting will focus on the discussion for upcoming releases, and have an open floor section.
The various curated agenda sections below refer to additional items. If you have ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. requests for help, please continue to post details in the comments section at the end of this agenda or bring them up during the dev chat.
WordPress 6.8.2 RC1 is scheduled on Tuesday 8, 2025.
Discussions 💬
The discussion section of the agenda is for discussing important topics affecting the upcoming release or larger initiatives that impact the CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Team. To nominate a topic for discussion, please leave a comment on this agenda with a summary of the topic, any relevant links that will help people get context for the discussion, and what kind of feedback you are looking for from others participating in the discussion.
Open floor 🎙️
Any topic can be raised for discussion in the comments, as well as requests for assistance on tickets. Tickets in the milestone for the next major or maintenance release will be prioritized.
Please include details of tickets / PRs and the links in the comments, and indicate whether you intend to be available during the meeting for discussion or will be async.
Over 15 small pull requests have been submitted under #63268, addressing code quality issues revealed by PHPStan. While a few contributors have been handling most of the reviews and commits, additional committers are invited to help reduce the workload. Coordination has so far been informal, with contributors commenting on tickets and pull requests to avoid overlap.
PHPUnit Test Suite Updates
Ongoing work on #53010 (namespacing test classes) and #62004 (updating for PHPUnit 10–12 compatibility) aims to modernize the test suite. These tasks are considered related to the ongoing PHPStan efforts. A suggestion was made to form a dedicated team to accelerate progress, though the main blockerblockerA bug which is so severe that it blocks a release. remains limited commit time and unresolved technical feedback.
PHPStan Integration into CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.
A proposal is in progress to formally integrate PHPStan into the Core test suite. Current efforts are manual and patchpatchA special text file that describes changes to code, by identifying the files and lines which are added, removed, and altered. It may also be referred to as a diff. A patch can be applied to a codebase for testing.-based. The upcoming proposal will aim to provide a sustainable and automated approach for ongoing code analysis.
MultisitemultisiteUsed to describe a WordPress installation with a network of multiple blogs, grouped by sites. This installation type has shared users tables, and creates separate database tables for each blog (wp_posts becomes wp_0_posts). See also network, blog, site Privacy Tools and Feature PluginFeature PluginA plugin that was created with the intention of eventually being proposed for inclusion in WordPress Core. See Features as Plugins. Consideration
#43738 suggests extending personal data export/delete tools to support networknetwork(versus site, blog)-wide functionality. Discussion focused on whether the scope of the enhancementenhancementEnhancements are simple improvements to WordPress, such as the addition of a hook, a new feature, or an improvement to an existing feature. justifies building a feature plugin. While the feature could be useful for multisite operators, it was noted that it does not address a critical GDPR requirement and may not meet the criteria for core inclusion. Prototyping the feature as a pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party was recommended to assess usage and value.
Handling of .git-blame-ignore-revs
The .git-blame-ignore-revs file, used to exclude formatting-only commits from blame output, was discussed. While a few entries have been added manually, the file is not systematically maintained. Suggestions were made to either update it regularly or de-prioritize it due to limited practical impact.
The full chat log is available beginning here on Slack.
WordPress Performance TracTracAn open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. tickets
@westonruter mentioned that the PR adding fetchpriority support for scripts (PR #8815) needs additional reviews if it is to land in the next minor releaseMinor ReleaseA set of releases or versions having the same minor version number may be collectively referred to as .x , for example version 5.2.x to refer to versions 5.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.3, and all other versions in the 5.2 (five dot two) branch of that software. Minor Releases often make improvements to existing features and functionality.. But if WordPress 6.9 really is coming later this year then, the feature may be better suited as a major enhancementenhancementEnhancements are simple improvements to WordPress, such as the addition of a hook, a new feature, or an improvement to an existing feature. for WordPress 6.9.
@flixos90 suggested that if WordPress 6.9 is going to be released this year, ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.#61734 should be moved from the 6.8.2 milestone to 6.9, as there would no longer be a reason to allow enhancements in a minor release.
@westonruter noted that he added this topic to the agenda for the coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.committercommitterA developer with commit access. WordPress has five lead developers and four permanent core developers with commit access. Additionally, the project usually has a few guest or component committers - a developer receiving commit access, generally for a single release cycle (sometimes renewed) and/or for a specific component. meeting later that day, asking whether the temporary relaxation of the minor release policy should be reconsidered if WordPress 6.9 is happening this year.
@flixos90 emphasized the need to start triaging tickets targeted for WordPress 6.9, noting many lack assigned owners or updates. Prompt action was encouraged to ensure timely progress.
@rollybueno raised questions regarding caching improvements for the ticket #63045.
@flixos90 acknowledged the point about using more readable cache keys but noted that this would break a convention used consistently throughout WordPress Core. He suggested that this requires further discussion to decide if breaking that convention is worthwhile and, if so, whether other cache keys across Core should also be updated for consistency.
Performance Lab PluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (and other performance plugins)
@flixos90 shared that he addressed feedback on View Transitions PR #2037, and it is now ready for another round of review.
He also announced plans for a new release of the View Transitions plugin soon, highlighting several significant enhancements and bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. fixes currently pending in open PRs.
@mukesh27 shared an update regarding the Auto Sizes plugin, confirming successful smoke testing and announcing the release of Auto Sizes version 1.5.0, which improves calculation of image sizes in nested blocks such as Group and Columns.
Open Floor
@b1ink0 asked for volunteers to lead the upcoming Performance Bug Scrub scheduled for July 8, 2025. Interested contributors were invited to sign up on the schedule spreadsheet.
The live meeting will focus on the discussion for upcoming releases, and have an open floor section.
The various curated agenda sections below refer to additional items. If you have ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. requests for help, please continue to post details in the comments section at the end of this agenda or bring them up during the dev chat.
The discussion section of the agenda is for discussing important topics affecting the upcoming release or larger initiatives that impact the CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Team. To nominate a topic for discussion, please leave a comment on this agenda with a summary of the topic, any relevant links that will help people get context for the discussion, and what kind of feedback you are looking for from others participating in the discussion.
From @sirlouen – Should this ticket https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/43738 be considered a feature pluginFeature PluginA plugin that was created with the intention of eventually being proposed for inclusion in WordPress Core. See Features as Plugins.? It might be too big for a report, but small for a feature plugin. Is it worth the effort? Discussion appreciated.
Open floor 🎙️
Any topic can be raised for discussion in the comments, as well as requests for assistance on tickets. Tickets in the milestone for the next major or maintenance release will be prioritized.
Please include details of tickets / PRs and the links in the comments, and indicate whether you intend to be available during the meeting for discussion or will be async.
CustomizerCustomizerTool built into WordPress core that hooks into most modern themes. You can use it to preview and modify many of your site’s appearance settings.: Bugfixes Only
The Customizer is no longer under active development. New feature requests will not be considered, though bugfixes are still welcome to ensure compatibility. A manual review of the 78 open tickets is planned—no automatic closures. A proposal to introduce an official “maintenance mode” for legacy components (e.g., Customizer, Widgets, TinyMCE) is in the works.
Unicode Email Addresses PatchpatchA special text file that describes changes to code, by identifying the files and lines which are added, removed, and altered. It may also be referred to as a diff. A patch can be applied to a codebase for testing.
A patch enabling support for Unicode email addresses was introduced and is under review. Initial feedback is positive. Targeted for WordPress 6.9, not for 6.8.x minor releases.
Custom Error Handling Revisited
The long-standing ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. on registering custom error and exception handlers (#59282) was brought back into focus. Progress is stalled but will be revisited for a future release.
Improving FSE PluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party Discoverability
A suggestion to improve the visibility of Full Site Editing (FSE) plugins was raised. The idea needs clearer definition—whether it’s a metaMetaMeta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. issue or an initiative for contributors remains open.
Next Bug Scrubs: June 26 and June 30
A 6.8.2 bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. scrub is scheduled for Thursday, June 25 at 3 PM GMT.
A bug scrub is scheduled for Monday, June 30 at 3 PM GMT to help triagetriageThe act of evaluating and sorting bug reports, in order to decide priority, severity, and other factors. and manage open tickets.
#47218 (Update TinyMCE to 5.x or 6.x) and #48277 (Update plupload library) were discussed due to frequent security audit flags. While the pluploadticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. is closed as WordPress already the last license-compatible version, updating TinyMCE is technically very difficult. Instead, better documentation explaining the current status and reasons for keeping older versions (and how the CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. team ensures their security) is planned, for example as a page in the developer handbook.
PHPStan Integration in Core Development
#61175 covers how to handle PHPStan errors in the core development process. The team is deciding which errors to ignore, baseline, or fix. Help with fixing these errors is welcomed.
Errors from Direct File Execution
#62722 (Fix all ABSPATH direct access errors) and #63316 address warnings caused by direct file execution. Some think this should be handled at the server level, but it was suggested to review and fix security-relevant cases individually.
Improving Testing Processes
The need to revive structured user testing and better use of betaBetaA pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. plugins was discussed. The goal is closer collaboration between Core and Test teams to improve test quality and timing. Ideas include live usability tests at WordCamps and providing easy testing environments like Playgrounds.
The full chat log is available beginning here on Slack.
Open Floor
@swissspidyshared a previous question from @spacedmonkey, regarding the use of static variables in coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. for in-memory caching, and whether the object caching APIAPIAn API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways. with a non-persistent cache group might be a better alternative. Benefits noted included cache invalidation capabilities and improved testing scenarios. In the original discussion thread:
@flixos90 questioned the practical advantages of cache invalidation for non-persistent caches.
@spacedmonkey clarified it would allow developers to optionally enable persistent caching, improve testability by clearing caches between tests, and align with the intended usage of the object cache API.
@flixos90 agreed that while making these caches persistent could introduce issues, improved testing practices were indeed a valid benefit.
@spacedmonkey also requested feedback on PR #8728, inviting further input from contributors.
The live meeting will focus on the discussion for upcoming releases, and have an open floor section.
The various curated agenda sections below refer to additional items. If you have ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. requests for help, please continue to post details in the comments section at the end of this agenda or bring them up during the dev chat.
The discussion section of the agenda is for discussing important topics affecting the upcoming release or larger initiatives that impact the CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Team. To nominate a topic for discussion, please leave a comment on this agenda with a summary of the topic, any relevant links that will help people get context for the discussion, and what kind of feedback you are looking for from others participating in the discussion.
The following tickets were mentioned by Will Garcia on Slack. They asked whether these tickets are likely to be fixed, since the related dependencies are frequently pointed out as outdated by security compliance audits:
Concerning #61175 (Integrate PHPStan into the core development workflow): “We still to have a serious look at what PHPPHPThe web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher Static Analysis errors we want to ignore (e.g. bc they conflictconflictA conflict occurs when a patch changes code that was modified after the patch was created. These patches are considered stale, and will require a refresh of the changes before it can be applied, or the conflicts will need to be resolved. with WPCSWordPress Community SupportA public benefit corporation and a subsidiary of the WordPress Foundation, established in 2016., should be handled in a follow-up after the tool is merged, etc) vs baselined (enforced on new code, but not justifiable enough on it’s own to the required criteria for a code refactor).” For more info on this topic, see this thread in the #core-coding-standards channel.
Also they pointed out that “there’s some PHPStan Level 0 +1 errors that I need help remediating (if we dont baseline/ignore them in the previous bullet) […] If anyone else is interested in lending a hand here, please chime in on the ticket, in chat, or via DM”.
@sirlouenmentioned: as per Monday’s bugbugA bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. scrub there are two tickets that need to discussed about errors in Direct Execution of Files. See tickets #62722 and #63316. The discussion should go around if this kind of issues should be covered or is not something of priority for WP.
Finally, @krupajnanda proposed the following: “I’d love to discuss some pointers shared in the recent WCEU Core Committers notes, especially around improving the quality and timing of testing, reviving structured user testing, and making better use of tools like the betaBetaA pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process.pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. Looking forward to some guidance and input on how test team can align better with the Core team’s needs.”
Open floor 🎙️
Any topic can be raised for discussion in the comments, as well as requests for assistance on tickets. Tickets in the milestone for the next major or maintenance release will be prioritized.
Please include details of tickets / PRs and the links in the comments, and indicate whether you intend to be available during the meeting for discussion or will be async.
Since WordPress 6.8 on April 2025, contributors have kept a close eye on incoming reports to the WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ Support Forums, TracTracAn open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress., and the GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ repository on GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/. There are currently a handful of tickets planned for 6.8.2.
Specific times for RCrelease candidateOne of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta). and General release will be announced in the 6.8 Release Leads room and will be based on availability of individuals helping with the release.
Targeted Fixes
One ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. has high priority:
WordPress 6.8.2 is intended to be mainly focused on bugfixes introduced in 6.8, but some other bugs may be fixed in this release, depending on how self contained and straightforward the related changes are, and how confident are committers to ship these changes within a minor releaseMinor ReleaseA set of releases or versions having the same minor version number may be collectively referred to as .x , for example version 5.2.x to refer to versions 5.2, 5.2.1, 5.2.3, and all other versions in the 5.2 (five dot two) branch of that software. Minor Releases often make improvements to existing features and functionality..
Get Involved with 6.8.2
Bug Scrubs will happen in the #core Slack channel during the times posted above. Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions to help moving milestoned tickets towards a resolution. Each of the open tickets is going to require development work along with testing and review.
You can also run your own scrubs to help ensure that all of the correct tickets are fixed in this release. If you plan to run a 6.8.2 focused scrub, please get in touch with @audrasjb, @zunaid321 or @estelaris so it can be added to the release schedule.
General coordination for the release will happen in the #6-8-release-leads channel and decisions around code for the release will be made in the #core room.
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2025 Recap
GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ Release posts are online
The first AI Team chat takes place tomorrow at 16:00 UTC in #core-ai. Open to all – a great opportunity to learn more about ongoing projects, ask questions, and connect with the team.
Forthcoming releases 🚀
WordPress 6.8.2 and beyond
The CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Team is putting together a squad for future minor releases. A release squad for 6.8.2 should be announced soon. Follow #6-8-release-leads for updates.
Discussion 💬
Discussion on TicketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.#49442 (parse_blocks() Filter)
Ticket #49442, which proposes adding a filter to the result of parse_blocks(), is currently assigned to the 6.9 milestone. During the discussion, it was noted that the ticket still lacks test coverage (needs-test-info).
Creating a minimal test case was suggested to help move the ticket forward. It was also recommended to raise the topic in the Gutenberg repository for broader feedback and discussion.
Open Floor 🎙️
Improvements to the Docker Environment
@westonruter is working on several enhancements to the built-in Docker environment for wordpress-develop. The goal is to address various minor issues and “paper cuts” encountered during development. The first pull request with initial changes is ready for review, with more substantial improvements to follow in separate PRs. Feedback and reviews are welcomed to help improve the development environment for everyone involved.
PHPStan Code Quality
@justlevine has submitted several small pull requests aimed at improving code quality using PHPStan for version 6.9. The PRs are intentionally kept small to minimize conflicts and speed up integration. Support from reviewers and committers is appreciated to help keep the codebase cleaner and more maintainable. See #63268
