Title: 4.4 – Make WordPress Core --- # Tag Archives: 4.4 [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmccue/) [Ryan McCue](https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmccue/) 9:23 pm _on_ April 6, 2016 Tags: 4.4, [4.5 ( 60 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-5/), [rest-api ( 107 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/rest-api/)    # 󠀁[REST API: Slashed Data in WordPress 4.4 and 4.5](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/04/06/rest-api-slashed-data-in-wordpress-4-4-and-4-5/)󠁿 Hi everyone. The REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) [https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/](https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/) team recently discovered a bugbug A 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. with parameter parsing in the APIAPI An 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. infrastructure, part of WordPress 4.4. For those of you using the API infrastructure, you need to be aware of a bug fix we’re making with the API. ## The Problem The REST API has several types of parameters that it mixes together. These come from several sources including the request body as either JSONJSON JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML. or URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org-encoded form data (`$_POST`), query parameters(` $_GET`), the API route, and internally-set defaults. Unfortunately, due to an oversight on our behalf, these parameters can be inconsistently formatted. In WordPress, the superglobal request variables (`$_POST` and `$_GET`) are “slashed”; effectively, [turning magic quotes on](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/18322) for everyone. This was originally built into PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher as a feature to help guard against SQL injection, but was later removed. Due to compatibility concerns, WP cannot change this behaviour for the superglobals. This only applies to the PHP superglobals, not to other sources of input like a JSON body or parameters in the URL. It additionally does not apply to form data on PUT or DELETE requests. Internally, some low-level WordPress functions [expect slashed data](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21767). These functions internally call `wp_unslash()` on the data you pass in. This means input data from the superglobals can be passed in directly, but other data needs to be wrapped with a call to `wp_slash()`. When the REST API gathers the data sources, it accidentally mixes slashed and unslashed sources. This results in inconsistent behaviour of parameters based on their source. For example, data passed as a JSON body is unslashed, whereas data passed via form data in the body is slashed (for POST requests). For example, the following two pieces of data are equivalent in the REST API: ``` // JSON body: {"title": "Foo"} // Form-data ($_POST) title=Foo // Both result in: $request->get_param('title') === 'Foo'; ``` However, if the data contains slashes itself, this will be inconsistently passed to the callback: ``` // JSON body: {"title": "Foo\Bar"} // Results in: $request->get_param('title') === 'Foo\Bar'; // Form-data ($_POST) (%3D = "\") title=Foo%3DBar // Results in: $request->get_param('title') === 'Foo\\Bar'; ``` This means that callbacks need to understand where parameters come from in order to consistently handle them internally. Specifically: * Data passed in the query string (`$_GET`, `$request->get_query_params()`) is slashed * Data passed in the body as form-encoded (`$_POST`, `$request->get_body_params()`) is slashed for `POST` requests, and unslashed for `PUT` and `DELETE` requests. * Data passed in the body as JSON-encoded (`$request->get_json_params()`) is unslashed. * Data passed in the URL (`$request->get_url_params()`) is unslashed. * Data passed as a default (`$request->get_default_params()`) is unslashed. In addition, parameters set internally via `$request->set_param()` are unslashed. Unit and integration tests for API endpoints typically use these directly, so the majority of tested code (such as the WP REST API pluginPlugin A 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.) assumes parameters are unslashed. See the related TracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. Ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. [#36419](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/36419) for more information. ## The Solution for WordPress 4.4 and 4.5 We are regarding inconsistently-slashed data as a major bug, and **are changing the API infrastructure to ensure unslashed data**. This will ensure that data is consistent regardless of the source. Callbacks will now receive unslashed data only, and can rely on this regardless of the original data source or request method. If you are using functions that expect slashed data in your callback, you will need to slash your data before passing into these functions. Commonly used functions that expect slashed data are `wp_insert_post`, `wp_update_post`, `update_post_meta`,` wp_insert_term`, `wp_insert_user`, along with others. Before passing data into these functions, you must call `wp_slash()` on your data. The fix for this issue, will be included in the WordPress 4.5 release candidates and final release. Due to the severityseverity The seriousness of the ticket in the eyes of the reporter. Generally, severity is a judgment of how bad a bug is, while **priority** is its relationship to other bugs. of the bug, we are also backporting the fix to the next minor WordPress 4.4 update. This also ensures you can update your plugins can act consistently across all versions of the REST API. We understand that this may inadvertently break some plugins that are expecting slashed data. Right now, it’s not possible to consistently ensure that callbacks receive slashed data, so it is likely that these plugins will already break in some conditions. **tl;dr:** if you’re using `wp_insert_*` or `*_post_meta` in your REST API callback, you need to ensure you are calling `wp_slash()` on data you are passing in, regardless of source. We apologize for this bug existing in the first place. Slashed data is a problem that has plagued WordPress for a long time, and we’re not immune to getting caught by the issue ourselves. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#4-5](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-5/), [#rest-api](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/rest-api/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/samuelsidler/) [Samuel Sidler](https://profiles.wordpress.org/samuelsidler/) 3:25 pm _on_ February 1, 2016 Tags: 4.4, 4.4.2, [maintenance ( 12 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/maintenance/), [release ( 30 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/release/)    # 󠀁[4.4.2 Release Candidate](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/02/01/4-4-2-release-candidate/)󠁿 A Release Candidaterelease candidate One 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)](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/?output_format=md#alpha-beta). for WordPress 4.4.2 is [now available](https://wordpress.org/nightly-builds/wordpress-4.4-latest.zip). This maintenance release is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2, but first it needs your testing. This release fixes 17 issues reported against 4.4 and 4.4.1. WordPress 4.4 has thus far been downloaded over 20 million times since it’s release on December 8. Please test this release candidate to ensure 4.4.2 fixes the reported issues and doesn’t introduce any new ones. ## Contributors Thank you to the following 11 contributors to 4.4.2: afercia, berengerzyla, boonebgorges, chandrapatel, chriscct7, dd32, firebird75,  ivankristianto, jmdodd, ocean90, salvoaranzulla ## Fixes A [total of 17 fixes](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?milestone=4.4.2&order=priority) are included in this RCrelease candidate One 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)](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/?output_format=md#alpha-beta).( [trac log](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/_wp_link_placeholder?output_format=md)). Notable fixes include: * [#35344](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35344) – Strange pagination issue on front page after 4.4.1 update.This was a very visible issue for certain users with specific settings. While remnants of this issue still exist (see [#35689](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35689)), the bulk of it has been fixed and is ready for testing. * Comments – A total of 6 issues were fixed within the Comments component. - [#35419](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35419) – Incorrect comment pagination when comment threading is turned off - [#35402](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35402) – per_page parameter no longer works in wp_list_comments - [#35378](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35378) – Incorrect comment ordering when comment threading is turned off - [#35192](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35192) – Comments_clauses filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. (issue) - [#35478](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35478) – 4.4 Regressionregression A software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or [blockers](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/?output_format=md#blocker). Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5. on Querying for Comments by Multiple Post Fields - [#35356](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/35356) – wp_list_comments ignores $comments parameter ## Download & Test We need your help to ensure there are no issues with the fixes in 4.4.2. Please [download the RC](https://wordpress.org/nightly-builds/wordpress-4.4-latest.zip) and test! [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#4-4-2](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4-2/), [#maintenance](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/maintenance/), [#release](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/release/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/) [Aaron Jorbin](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/) 12:17 am _on_ January 5, 2016 Tags: 4.4, 4.4.1, [maintenance ( 12 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/maintenance/), [release ( 30 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/release/)    # 󠀁[4.4.1 Release Candidate](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/01/05/4-4-1-release-candidate/)󠁿 A Release Candidaterelease candidate One 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)](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/?output_format=md#alpha-beta). for WordPress 4.4.1 is [now available](https://wordpress.org/nightly-builds/wordpress-4.4-latest.zip). This maintenance release is scheduled for Wednesday, January 6, but first it needs your testing. This release fixes 52 issues reported against 4.4. WordPress 4.4 has thus far been downloaded over 7 million times since it’s release on December 8. Please test this release candidate to ensure 4.4.1 fixes the reported issues and doesn’t introduce any new ones. ## Contributors A total of 36 contributors have contributed to 4.4.1: Compute, DvanKooten, JPr, KrissieV, SergeyBiryukov, ShinichiN, aaroncampbell, afercia, azaozz, boonebgorges, dd32, dossy, eherman24, gblsm, hnle, igmoweb, jadpm, jeff@pyebrook. com, joemcgill, johnbillion, jorbin, meitar, nacin, netweb, obenland, ocean90, pento, peterwilsoncc, redsweater, rmccue, rogerhub, salcode, smerriman, scottbrownconsulting, stephenharris, swissspidy, tharsheblows, tyxla, voldemortensen, webaware, wonderboymusic, wp-architect ## Notable Bug Fixes Two severe bugs have been fixed. In some cases, users with an out of date version of OpenSSL being used by PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher were unable to use the HTTPHTTP HTTP is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. APIAPI An 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. to communicate with to communicate with some httpsHTTPS HTTPS is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website that you are connected to. The 'S' at the end of HTTPS stands for 'Secure'. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted. This is especially helpful for protecting sensitive data like banking information. sites. Additionally, posts that reused a slug (or a part of a slug) would be redirected. The polyfill for emoji support has been updated to support Unicode 8.0. This means that diversity emoji, and other new emoji like 🌮 and 🏒 are fully supported.  ## All Changes Most components have received at least one change. This is a list of all tickets closed, sorted by component. [Continue reading →](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2016/01/05/4-4-1-release-candidate/#more-15989) [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#4-4-1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4-1/), [#maintenance](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/maintenance/), [#release](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/release/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kirasong/) [Kira Schroder](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kirasong/) 5:42 am _on_ December 11, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [4.5 ( 60 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-5/), [deputies ( 3 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/deputies/), [deputy ( 4 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/deputy/) # 󠀁[December 10 Meeting Summary and 4.5 Call for Volunteers](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/12/11/dec-10-meeting-summary-and-4-5-call-for-volunteers/)󠁿 We gathered together after the marvelous release of 4.4. Many congrats to [@wonderboymusic](https://profiles.wordpress.org/wonderboymusic/), his deputies [@sergeybiryukov](https://profiles.wordpress.org/sergeybiryukov/) and [@ocean90](https://profiles.wordpress.org/ocean90/), and all contributors who helped out! See the [full transcript](https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/core/p1449694804004526) for the entire chat. **On 4.4** * Post-mortem is planned for [Wednesday, December 16, 2015 16:00 UTC-5](https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20151216T2100) * We walked through [incoming tickets](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/40). The biggest issue mentioned was [#34939](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/34939), which affects Jetpack video in some cases. **What’s Next?** [@helen](https://profiles.wordpress.org/helen/) is building a product design team that is kicking off shortly. I’m excited about this — it’s an opportunity to really step up our game in the UXUX User experience space. She’ll be building out a few projects and calling for volunteers on [make/design](https://make.wordpress.org/design/), so watch there if you’re interested in getting involved. Officially, 4.5 doesn’t kick off until early January, but I’d like to start off with a ready-to-go set of teams. The time between now and then is also great for preparing feature plugins that you’re interested in seeing merged. **4.5 Call for Volunteers** Currently looking for those interested in: * Being a Release Backup/Deputy * Contributing to Week in CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Summary Posts * Working on a particular development focus or feature If you’re interested in contributing in any of these areas/roles, please leave a comment! Feel free to pingPing The act of sending a very small amount of data to an end point. Ping is used in computer science to illicit a response from a target server to test it’s connection. Ping is also a term used by Slack users to @ someone or send them a direct message (DM). Users might say something along the lines of“ Ping me when the meeting starts.” me in the Make WordPress SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform [https://slack.com/](https://slack.com/). The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at [https://make.wordpress.org/chat/](https://make.wordpress.org/chat/)( [@mike](https://profiles.wordpress.org/mike/)) if you have any questions on these roles. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#4-5](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-5/), [#deputies](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/deputies/), [#deputy](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/deputy/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/westonruter/) [Weston Ruter](https://profiles.wordpress.org/westonruter/) 11:29 pm _on_ December 2, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [customize ( 67 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/customize/), [dev-notes ( 616 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/)    # 󠀁[Customizer improvements in 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/12/02/customizer-improvements-in-4-4/)󠁿 Now an update for the hottest most buzz-worthy JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. [https://www.javascript.com](https://www.javascript.com/)-driven single page application( SPA) in WordPress: Calypso the CustomizerCustomizer Tool 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.. Earlier in the release cycle there was a [proposed roadmap](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/23/outlining-a-possible-roadmap-for-the-customizer/) for the Customizer and I wanted to share an update for what improvements have made it into the 4.4 release. I won’t include everything, but I’ll highlight some items that you may notice or want to make note of. ### Performance As noted on the roadmap, the focus for the Customizer in 4.4 has been to _improve performance_, and there are some drastic improvements in this release. Note that selective refresh ([#27355](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/27355), neé partial refresh) did not make it in, however the feature pluginFeature Plugin A plugin that was created with the intention of eventually being proposed for inclusion in WordPress Core. See [Features as Plugins](https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/about/release-cycle/features-as-plugins/) now [has a pull request](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/27355#comment:44) for review. #### Multidimensional Customizer settings (options & theme mods) are not scalable (󠀁[#32103](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32103)󠁿) In 4.3 the time to load/refresh the Customizer preview increases exponentially as the number of settings/controls grows. If you have 200 settings it can take 15 seconds for the preview to update. If you have 300 settings, it can take 36 seconds to load/ refresh the Customizer preview. And the time to reload the preview continues to grow exponentially as the number increases: [[ With the fixes in place for 4.4, the time to refresh the preview grows linearly very slowly (basically flatlined) as opposed to exponentially. I would share a graph, but it would be a very boring flat horizontal line. See also [aggregated multidimensional settings](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/?output_format=md#aggregated-multidimensional-settings) below. #### Reduce Customizer peak memory usage by JSONJSON JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML.-encoding settings and controls separately (󠀁[#33898](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33898)󠁿) In addition to the slow preview load/refresh time, when there are a lot of Customizer settings/controls registered, the process for exporting the data from PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher to JavaScript used a lot of server memory when it serializes the JSON data in 4.3. In 4.4, each setting and control now gets serialized individually in a loopLoop The Loop is PHP code used by WordPress to display posts. Using The Loop, WordPress processes each post to be displayed on the current page, and formats it according to how it matches specified criteria within The Loop tags. Any HTML or PHP code in the Loop will be processed on each post. [https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop](https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop) to avoid the memory spike, and this helps avoid any white screen of death due to the allowed memory size being exhausted in PHP. #### Defer embedding Customizer widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. controls to improve DOM performance (󠀁[#33901](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33901)󠁿) The previous performance improvements were for the server and reduced the amount of time it takes to get a response (TTFB). Nevertheless, for sites that have a lot of widgets, the Customizer would still load very slowly, not due to WordPress being slow on the server, but due to the JavaScript running in the browser. In 4.3 given 100 widgets (with a lot of inputs), the Customizer could take 40 seconds to finish building the page due to all of the widget controls being embedded into the DOM. So in 4.4 we defer the embedding of widget controls until the contained widget area section is expanded, that is until the widget control is actually shown to the user. This results in the Customizer loading over 10× faster: what did take 40 seconds now takes 3 seconds in WordPress 4.4. #### Widgets section in customize late to show up (󠀁[#33052](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33052)󠁿) The widgets panel now will now always be shown even if there are no widget areas currently displayed in the preview. This ensures that the widgets panel doesn’t slide down after the preview finishes loading. This is another browser-based improvement that doesn’t actually improve actual performance but it does improve perceived performance, or at least the user experience. ### Aggregated Multidimensional Settings The problem with the scalability of multidimensional settings for options or theme mods ([#32103](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32103)) is that the number of filters added to preview changes grows exponentially (see above). The fix for this is to ensure that only one filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. gets added for a multidimensional settings that share a common ID base.  The entire root value for the option or theme mod gets stored in a variable, and any previewed setting’s value gets applied to that variable once, and this root value then gets returned by the filter. This construct is referred to in the source as a “aggregated multidimensional setting”. Note that this has only been implemented for options and theme mods: custom multidimensional setting types that subclass ` WP_Customize_Setting` should also be able to make use of the functionality, although this has not been specifically tested. Two new actions have been introduced: * `customize_post_value_set` * `customize_post_value_set_{$setting_id}` These are triggered whenever `WP_Customize_Manager::set_post_value()` is called, and they allow for `WP_Customize_Setting::preview()` to update the value being previewed. You can now, for instance, call `preview()` on a setting up-front and then set the post value later, and the new value will be applied for previewing as expected. This can be called a “deferred preview” or “just in time” previewing. ### Facilitate plugins to override Customizer features (󠀁[#33552](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33552)󠁿) Sometimes widgets or menus are not applicable for a given site. Ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. #33552 introduces a new filter `customize_loaded_components` which allows nav menus or widgets to be skipped from initialization. For example, to prevent the nav menu functionality from being loaded the following pluginPlugin A 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. code can be used: ```notranslate add_filter( 'customize_loaded_components', function ( $components ) { return array_filter( $components, function ( $component ) { return 'nav_menus' !== $component; } ); } ); ``` ### JSJS JavaScript, a web scripting language typically executed in the browser. Often used for advanced user interfaces and behaviors. Inline Docsinline docs (phpdoc, docblock, xref) The Customizer is a JavaScript-heavy application, and in [#33503](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33503) [#33639](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33639) the inline docs for JS have been improved to help developers understand how it works. See [[33709]](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/33709) [[33911]](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/33911) [[33841]](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/33841). ### Non-autoloaded Option Settings (󠀁[#33499](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33499)󠁿) When settings are registered for options that don’t already exist in the DB, an update for these settings in the Customizer would result in `update_option()` called with the default `$autoload` parameter and thus them being saved as autoloaded.  In 4.4 you can now register option settings to explicitly not get added with autoloading, for example: ```notranslate $wp_customize->add_setting( 'foo[first]', array( 'type' => 'option', 'autoload' => false, ) ); ``` ### Other Improvements * [#21389](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21389) Retina theme custom headers * [#31540](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/31540) Dropdown pages Customizer description option * [#32637](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32637) Customizer should default to returning to the front page, not the themes page * [#32812](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32812) Customizer Menus: Escaping inconsistencies — You can now use limited markup in nav menu item titles in the Customizer. * [#33319](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33319) Customizer headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. image crop uses static URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org when refreshing UIUI User interface after crop. * [#33665](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33665) Menu Customizer: Implement indicators for invalidinvalid A resolution on the bug tracker (and generally common in software development, sometimes also _notabug_) that indicates the ticket is not a bug, is a support request, or is generally invalid. menu items * [#34432](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/34432) Customizer subclasses can be broken out and remain BC — All Customizer PHP classes now reside in a separate files. * [#34607](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/34607) Customizer: Wrapped labels should align to start of label, not checkbox or radio button * New methods: - `WP_Customize_Manager::get_preview_url()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::set_preview_url()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::get_return_url()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::set_return_url()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::set_autofocus()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::get_autofocus()` - `WP_Customize_Manager::customize_pane_settings()` Several [accessibility fixes](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=accepted&status=assigned&status=closed&status=new&status=reopened&status=reviewing&focuses=~accessibility&component=Customize&milestone=4.4&group=type&col=id&col=summary&col=milestone&col=status&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&col=focuses&col=keywords&order=priority) were also made. See also the [full list of tickets](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&component=Customize&milestone=4.4&group=type&col=id&col=summary&col=milestone&col=status&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&col=focuses&col=keywords&order=priority) that were closed during the 4.4 release for the customize component. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#customize](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/customize/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/) [Aaron Jorbin](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jorbin/) 4:18 pm _on_ November 11, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [dev-notes ( 616 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [field guide ( 33 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/field-guide/)    # 󠀁[WordPress 4.4: Field Guide](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/11/11/wordpress-4-4-field-guide/)󠁿 WordPress 4.4 is the next major releasemajor release A release, identified by the first two numbers (3.6), which is the focus of a full release cycle and feature development. WordPress uses decimaling count for major release versions, so 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, and 3.1 are sequential and comparable in scope. of WordPress and is shaping up to be an amazing release. While you have likely discovered many of the changes from testing your plugins, themes, and sites (you have been testing, right?), this post highlights some of the exciting 🎉changes developers can look forward to. 💥 ### Externally Embeddable > [New Embeds Feature in WordPress 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/new-embeds-feature-in-wordpress-4-4/) Using a handful of filters, you can customize how your site looks when it’s embedded elsewhere. As a part of the work around embeds, there are also a couple of new functions for retrieving and displaying embeddable content. The post above also links to a [plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/disable-embeds/) which will remove the ability to embed your site elsewhere. ## 󠀁[REST API Infrastructure Introduction](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/rest-api-welcome-the-infrastructure-to-core/)󠁿 The infrastructure to create a REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) [https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/](https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/) has landed in WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress..  Adding your own endpoints (or using the latest version of the [REST API plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/rest-api/)) is now even easier.  The new embed feature mentioned above uses this new infrastructure. ** Note**: If you are using v1 of the APIAPI An 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. pluginPlugin A 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party., it is incompatible with 4.4, however an update is planned before 4.4 ships. The update will not use the new REST API infrastructure, so you’ll want to update your REST API usage eventually. If you are using v2 of the API plugin, be sure you’re on betaBeta A 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. 5 or later; previous versions do not support WordPress 4.4. ## 󠀁[Responsive Image Insertion](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/11/10/responsive-images-in-wordpress-4-4/)󠁿 Through the use of a [display filter](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/26/responsive-images-feature-plugin-update-2/), image tags in WordPress now include srcset and sizes.  These two attributes to the` ` tagtag A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.) allow browsers to choose the most appropriate image size and download it, ignoring the others. This can save bandwidth and speed up page load times. There are new functions, filters, and an additional default image size available to help with the creation of responsive images. ## 󠀁[wp_title Deprecation Decision](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/20/document-title-in-4-4/)󠁿 Since WordPress 4.1, `add_theme_support( ``'title-tag'` `);` has been the recommended way of outputing a title tag for themes.  Now, a year later the `wp_title` function has been officially deprecated. Take a look at this post if you want to see all the great new filters you can use to modify title tags. UPDATE 12 November – wp_title has been [reinstated](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/35624) for the time being. It is a zombie function.  `add_theme_support( 'title-tag'` ); remains the recommended way to insert a title tag into your theme, however there were use cases for wp_title that were not accounted for in the original deprecation decison ## 󠀁[Term Taxonomy Tranquility](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/23/4-4-taxonomy-roundup/)󠁿 WordPress 4.4 is the latest in a string of releases to feature major updates to the taxonomyTaxonomy A taxonomy is a way to group things together. In WordPress, some common taxonomies are category, link, tag, or post format. [https://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Default_Taxonomies](https://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Default_Taxonomies). system. This release introduces of term metaMeta Meta 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., a new `WP_Term` class, and a host of other under the hood changes. ## Comment Component Cultivation > [Comment Object and Query Features in 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/comment-object-and-query-features-in-4-4/) > [Changes to fields output by comment_form in WordPress 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/25/changes-to-fields-output-by-comment_form-in-wordpress-4-4/) Comments received love both on the front end of sites and on the backend. On the front-end, the comment field will always appear first, before the name and email fields. This fixes a [longstanding bug](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/29974) where the behavior was different for logged in and logged out users. Under the hood, comments are now represented by a `WP_Comment` class and comment queries are now considerably more powerful. ## 󠀁[Multisite Momentum](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/multisite-focused-changes-in-4-4/)󠁿 Like taxonomy and comments, the multisitemultisite Used 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** features gains a new class, `WP_Network`. Additionally, there are now `*_network_option` functions which make it easier to use multiple networks. The linked post also highlights new hooksHooks In WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same., some notable bugbug A 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, and two newly-deprecated functions. If you use WordPress in a multisite environment, this is a must-read. ## 󠀁[Heading Hierarchy Happiness](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/headings-hierarchy-changes-in-the-admin-screens/)󠁿 Headings on the adminadmin (and super admin) screens are now more semantic. Be sure to update your custom admin screens to follow the proper heading structure. These changes help users of assistive technologies, such as screen readers. ## 󠀁[Twenty Sixteen](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/23/under-the-hood-of-twenty-sixteen/)󠁿 Each year, WordPress releases a new default theme and this year is no exception. Twenty Sixteen is a brand new theme, bundled with WordPress 4.4. Default themes are incredibly popular; be sure to test your plugins to ensure they function well with Twenty Sixteen. ## Other Notes So far, this release has had over two thousand commits. There are many additional changes not outlined above including: the removal of support for [my-hacks.php](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/18/my-hacks-php-no-longer-supported/)( Update Nov 20th: My Hacks support was added back), giving [add_rewrite_rule support for an easier-to-read syntax](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/07/add_rewrite_rule-accepts-an-array-of-query-vars-in-wordpress-4-4/), support for [single-{post_type}-{post_name} ](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/07/single-post_type-post_name-php-new-theme-template-in-wordpress-4-4/) in the template hierarchy, [pretty permalinks for unattached media](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/34690), and stronger enforcement of the [show_ui argument in custom post types](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/15/enforcing-the-show_ui-argument-for-post-types/). As with every major update, it is **very important** to test every feature in your plugins and themes to ensure there are no regressions in their behavior. ## Closing If you haven’t been testing your themes, plugins, and sites with WordPress 4.4, now is a great time to start. You can grab a copy from [svn](https://wordpress.org/download/svn/)( or [git](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2014/01/15/git-mirrors-for-wordpress/)), download [the nightly builds](https://wordpress.org/download/nightly/), or install it using the [Beta Tester Plugin.](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/) WordPress 4.4 is not recommended for use on production servers until the final release has been announced on the [WordPress News blog](https://wordpress.org/news/). The release is currently targeted for December 8, 2015. Get testing today! [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [#field-guide](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/field-guide/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/) [Joe McGill](https://profiles.wordpress.org/joemcgill/) 2:56 am _on_ November 10, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [dev-notes ( 616 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [media ( 90 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/media/), [respimg ( 6 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/respimg/) # 󠀁[Responsive Images in WordPress 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/11/10/responsive-images-in-wordpress-4-4/)󠁿 WordPress 4.4 will add native responsive image support by including `srcset` and` sizes` attributes to the image markup it generates. For background on this feature, read the [merge proposal](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/30/responsive-images-merge-proposal/). ## How it works WordPress automatically creates several sizes of each image uploaded to the media library. By including the available sizes of an image into a `srcset` attribute, browsers can now choose to download the most appropriate size and ignore the others— potentially saving bandwidth and speeding up page load times in the process. To help browsers select the best image from the source set list, we also include a default `sizes` attribute that is equivalent to `(max-width: {{image-width}}px) 100vw, {{image-width}}px`. While this default will work out of the box for a majority of sites, themes should customize the default `sizes` attribute as needed using the `wp_calculate_image_sizes` filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output.. Note that for compatibility with existing markup, neither `srcset` nor `sizes` are added or modified if they already exist in content HTMLHTML HyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers.. For a full overview of how `srcset` and `sizes` works, I suggest reading _[Responsive Images in Practice](http://alistapart.com/article/responsive-images-in-practice)_, by Eric Portis over at A List Apart. ## New functions and hooksHooks In WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same. To implement this feature, we’ve added the following new functions to WordPress: * `wp_get_attachment_image_srcset()` – Retrieves the value for an image attachment’s` srcset` attribute. * `wp_calculate_image_srcset()` – A helper function to calculate the image sources to include in a `srcset` attribute. * `wp_get_attachment_image_sizes()` – Creates a `sizes` attribute value for an image. * `wp_calculate_image_sizes()` – A helper function to create the `sizes` attribute for an image. * `wp_make_content_images_responsive()` – Filters `img` elements in post content to add `srcset` and `sizes` attributes. For more information about the use of a display filter, read [this post](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/09/26/responsive-images-feature-plugin-update-2/). * `wp_image_add_srcset_and_sizes()` – Adds `srcset` and `sizes` attributes to an existing `img` element. Used by `wp_make_content_images_responsive()`. As a safeguard against adding very large images to `srcset` attributes, we’ve included a `max_srcset_image_width` filter, which allows themes to set a maximum image width for images include in source set lists. The default value is 1600px. ## A new default image size A new default intermediate size, `medium_large`, has been added to better take advantage of responsive image support. The new size is 768px wide by default, with no height limit, and can be used like any other size available in WordPress. As it is a standard size, it will only be generated when new images are uploaded or sizes are regenerated with third party plugins. The `medium_large` size is not included in the UIUI User interface when selecting an image to insert in posts, nor are we including UI to change the image size from the media settings page. However, developers can modify the width of this new size using the `update_option()` function, similar to any other default image size. ## Customizing responsive image markup To modify the default `srcset` and `sizes` attributes,  you should use the `wp_calculate_image_srcset` and `wp_calculate_image_sizes` filters, respectively. Overriding the `srcset` or `sizes` attributes for images not embedded in post content( e.g. post thumbnails, galleries, etc.), can be accomplished using the `wp_get_attachment_image_attributes` filter, similar to how other image attributes are modified. Additionally, you can create your own custom markup patterns by using `wp_get_attachment_image_srcset()` directly in your templates. Here is an example of how you could use this function to build an `` element with a custom `sizes` attribute: ``` A rad wolf ``` ## Final notes Users of the RICG Responsive Images PluginPlugin A 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. should upgrade to [version 3.0.0](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ricg-responsive-images/) now in order to be compatible with the functionality that included in WordPress 4.4. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [#media](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/media/), [#respimg](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/respimg/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/afercia/) [Andrea Fercia](https://profiles.wordpress.org/afercia/) 8:14 pm _on_ October 28, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [accessibility ( 57 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/accessibility/), [dev-notes ( 616 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), example-flow, user-anecdote, visual-comparison    # 󠀁[Headings hierarchy changes in the admin screens](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/headings-hierarchy-changes-in-the-admin-screens/)󠁿 For a number of years, the headings hierarchy in the adminadmin (and super admin) screens have been setup without careful thought. WordPress 4.4 aims to fix this. This work is mainly focused on helping those users of assistive technologies such as screen readers, and is a continuation of the work started in 4.3 on [restoring the H1](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/07/31/headings-in-admin-screens-change-in-wordpress-4-3/)( heading level 1) to the admin screens. If you’re a pluginPlugin A 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/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. or theme author and you’re providing custom admin screens for settings, etc., there are a few things you should check and update. ### Why it matters Headings provide document structure, which can directly aid keyboard navigation. Users of assistive technologies use headings as the [predominant mechanism](http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey5/#finding) for finding page information. When heading levels are skipped, it’s more likely for these users to be confused or experience difficulty navigating pages. Putting it simply, one of the first things screen reader users do in a web page to find relevant content is to press the 1 key on their keyboard to jump to the first `

` heading and then they will try the key 2 to find the `

` headings and so on. Thus, it’s extremely important for WordPress to provide a correct headings hierarchy, ensuring no headings levels are skipped. ### How to fix your Plugin or Theme Restructure the document headings hierarchy to ensure that heading levels are not skipped. The main heading should be a `

` and any subsequent headings should ( likely) be bumped one level up. There should be no skipped levels. Check your headings in the Admin, for example in settings pages, list tables, screen options, (dashboard) widgets, and metaMeta Meta 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. boxes. See for example the screenshot below, the first heading (Sharing Settings) should be a `

` followed by a `

` for Sharing Buttons. ![main h1 heading example](https://make.wordpress.org/core/files/2015/10/h1.png) Your plugin screens should start with a H1! ### List Table headings List tables (such as on wp-admin/edit.php ) have now additional headings added, though you won’t see them. These headings are hidden with the `.screen-reader-text` CSSCSS Cascading Style Sheets. class and are intended to allow users to jump to the relevant sections in these screens. For more in-depth information on using the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.Core Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. `.screen-reader-text` class, the AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility( commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)Accessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Accessibility) team has a great [write-up](https://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/2015/02/09/hiding-text-for-screen-readers-with-wordpress-core/) on it. The screenshot below illustrates the new headings in the Posts and Categories screens. In the screen wp-admin/edit.php the heading structure is now: * H1: Posts * H2: FilterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks [https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks](https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks). They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. posts list (visually hidden) * H2: Posts list navigation (visually hidden) * H2: Posts list (visually hidden) In the screen wp-admin/edit-tags.php?taxonomyTaxonomy A taxonomy is a way to group things together. In WordPress, some common taxonomies are category, link, tag, or post format. [https://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Default_Taxonomies](https://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Default_Taxonomies). =categoryCategory The 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging. the heading structure is now: * H1: Categories * H2: Categories list navigation (visually hidden) * H2: Categories list (visually hidden) * H2: Add new category [⌊hidden headings for default posts and taxonomies lists⌉⌊hidden headings for default posts and taxonomies lists⌉[ The hidden headings in the default posts and taxonomies lists. If your plugin or theme provides custom post types or custom taxonomies, these new headings will use their default values “Post” and Category”: [⌊hidden headings for custom posts and taxonomies lists⌉⌊hidden headings for custom posts and taxonomies lists⌉[ The hidden headings in the custom posts and taxonomies lists. #### New post type and taxonomy labels in 4.4 In order to provide for better heading text, some new labels have been added for use with `register_post_type()` and `register_taxonomy()`. For `register_post_type()`: ```notranslate 'filter_items_list' => __( 'Filter your-cpt-name list', 'your-plugin-text-domain' ), 'items_list_navigation' => __( 'Your-cpt-name list navigation', 'your-plugin-text-domain' ), 'items_list' => __( 'Your-cpt-name list', 'your-plugin-text-domain' ), ``` For `register_taxonomy()`: ```notranslate 'items_list_navigation' => __( 'Your-tax-name list navigation', 'your-plugin-text-domain' ), 'items_list' => __( 'Your-tax-name list', 'your-plugin-text-domain' ), ``` Here’s an example for a custom post typeCustom Post Type WordPress can hold and display many different types of content. A single item of such a content is generally called a post, although post is also a specific post type. Custom Post Types gives your site the ability to have templated posts, to simplify the concept.: [⌊custom posts list with proper headings⌉⌊custom posts list with proper headings⌉[ Using the new labels to provide proper headings for a custom post. ### Screen Options tab changes Some plugins add custom options in the Screen Options tab. Previously, a `h5` heading was used for the options “title”. In WordPress 4.4, the Screen Options tab has been revamped and together with other changes, it has been decided to remove the `h5` heading which didn’t allow for a good headings hierarchy. Each group of options is now within its own form `fieldset` and uses a `legend` element as “title”. You’re strongly encouraged to change the HTMLHTML HyperText Markup Language. The semantic scripting language primarily used for outputting content in web browsers. you use for your plugin options and use the new markup. [⌊the new Screen Options tab⌉⌊the new Screen Options tab⌉[ The new Screen Options tab: each option is in a separate fieldset. ### Dashboard widgets and meta boxes changes All Dashboard widgets and meta boxes headings changed from an H3 to an H2. ```notranslate

your-widget-title

``` If you are a theme or plugin developer: please check the heading structure in the content of your widgets and meta boxes, use an H3 and lower in the right order and context. ### Get ahead of 4.4 and update now! Now is a great time to update your plugins and themes! [The power of the Web is in its universality](http://www.w3.org/WAI/). Help us to make the Web a place designed to work for all people. Any feedback and thoughts are more than welcome, please let us know in the comments below. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#accessibility](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/accessibility/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [#example-flow](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/example-flow/), [#user-anecdote](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/user-anecdote/), [#visual-comparison](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/visual-comparison/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeremyfelt/) [Jeremy Felt](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeremyfelt/) 7:18 pm _on_ October 28, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [dev-notes ( 616 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [multisite ( 90 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/multisite/)    # 󠀁[Multisite Focused Changes in 4.4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/multisite-focused-changes-in-4-4/)󠁿 WordPress 4.4 has been a very productive release for multisitemultisite Used 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**. In addition to some exciting new enhancements, we were able to resolve some long standing bugs. Check out the [full list of multisite focused changes](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&focuses=~multisite&milestone=4.4&group=milestone&col=id&col=summary&col=milestone&col=status&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=priority) on TracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. if you want even more wonderful reading material. 💖 ### Introduce WP_Network The `$current_site` global has been maintaining a `stdClass` object representing an assumed description of a networknetwork (versus site, blog) since the original merge of WordPress MU with WordPress. With the introduction of `WP_Network`, we give a network a bit more definition and open up possibilities for working with a network (or networks) in a more sane way. Take a look at `ms-settings.php` if you are using a custom sunrise.php to populate the `$current_blog` or `$current_site` globals. We now create a `WP_Network` object from the existing `$current_site` if it has been populated elsewhere. This is a backward compatible change, though should be tested wherever your code interacts with `$current_site`, especially if anything has been done to extend its structure. See [#31985](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/31985) for more discussion while this was built. ### Introduce *_network_option functions During the introduction of WP_Network, we needed a way to populate network options( stored in `wp_sitemeta`) for a network other than the current. `add_network_option()`,` update_network_option()`, `get_network_option()`, and `delete_network_option()` are all new functions in 4.4. Each takes the network ID as its first argument, matching the structure of the `*_blog_option()` functions. `*_site_option()` functions remain as the proper way for working with a current network’s options. These now wrap the new `*_network_option()` functions and pass the current network’s `$wpdb->site_id`. In a future release, likely 4.5, we can look at the introduction of network 0 as a way to store global options. See [#28290](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/28290) for more discussion. ### New actions and filters * `before_signup_header` fires before the signup headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. in` wp-signup.php`. [#17630](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/17630) * `ms_network_not_found` fires when the `$current_site` global has not been filled and `ms_not_installed()` is about to fire. [#31702](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/31702) * `invite_user` fires immediately after a user is invited to join a site, but before the notification is sent. [#33008](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33008) ### Other enhancements of note: * WordPress has always enforced a `/blog` prefix for the main site’s permalink structure to avoid collisions with other sites in a subdirectory configuration. This was always changeable in the network adminadmin (and super admin), though the permalinks UIUI User interface in the site admin never reflected the change and could cause confusion. Now, thanks to [#12002](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/12002), WordPress forgets that `/blog` was ever assigned if it is changed in the network admin to anything else. When changing this value, choose something that won’t conflictconflict A 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_.. * `manage_network_users` is now used to determine `edit_users` caps rather than` is_super_admin`. In preparation for 4.4, take a look at how you’re using the ` manage_network_users` capabilitycapability A **capability** is permission to perform one or more types of task. Checking if a user has a capability is performed by the `current_user_can` function. Each user of a WordPress site might have some permissions but not others, depending on their role. For example, users who have the Author role usually have permission to edit their own posts (the“ edit_posts” capability), but not permission to edit other users’ posts (the “ edit_others_posts” capability). in your code to be sure access is set as intended. [#16860](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/16860) * Network activated plugins are now visible as “network activated” in an individual site admin if the user can manage network plugins. These are not shown to site administrators. [#20104](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/20104) * Recently active plugins are now displayed as such in the network admin. [#20468](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/20468) * Language selection is now available when adding a new site through the network admin. 🌍 [#33528](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33528) * Language selection is also now available when signing up for a new site through` wp-signup.php`. 🌏 [#33844](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33844) * Network user searching has been improved by wrapping search terms in asterisk for looser matching. [#32913](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/32913) ### Bugs of note fixed: * It was previously impossible to set the upload limit for an individual site to 0 as it would then fallback to the default of 100MB. In 4.4, 0 is a respected number. [#34037](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/34037) * When a site’s home, siteurl, or page_on_front option was updated in the network admin, rewrite rules were previously flushed incorrectly, causing rewrite rules for the main site on the network to take the place of the rewrite rules for the site being changed. [#33816](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33816) * Subdirectory sites created on an HTTPSHTTPS HTTPS is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website that you are connected to. The 'S' at the end of HTTPS stands for 'Secure'. It means all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted. This is especially helpful for protecting sensitive data like banking information. network are now set to HTTPS rather than the incorrect HTTPHTTP HTTP is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands.. 🔒 [#33620](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33620) * A site’s title can now be longer than 50 characters! [#33973](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33973) ### Deprecated functions: Both `get_admin_users_for_domain()` #34122 and `create_empty_blog()` #34120 have never been used by WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. and are now deprecated. 🍻 [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#dev-notes](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes/), [#multisite](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/multisite/) [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/wonderboymusic/) [Scott Taylor](https://profiles.wordpress.org/wonderboymusic/) 4:24 pm _on_ October 28, 2015 Tags: 4.4, [agenda ( 1,124 )](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/agenda/) # 󠀁[Today’s 4.4 Dev Chat: Oct 28](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/10/28/todays-4-4-dev-chat-oct-28/)󠁿 Dev chat is still at 20:00 UTC this week, even though Europe lost an hour, but it will change next week to 21:00 UTC after the US changes. **TODAY’S DEV CHAT**: [Wednesday, October 28, 2015 16:00 UTC-4](https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20151028T2000): Agenda: * BetaBeta A 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. 2 * Open floor for components * Dev post roundup Fin. [#4-4](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4-4/), [#agenda](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/agenda/) # Post navigation [← Older posts](https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/4.4/page/2/?output_format=md)