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.
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.
Jeff resurfaced this heads up from @annezazu, for anyone who’s working on something for 7.2 to ensure they flag that to Anne for the roadmap post:
Howdy! I’m starting to work on a roadmap for WordPress 7.2 since we’re less than 2 months from 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. 1. I wanted to check in to see what might be coming up across the project that folks are dedicated to working on. As a reminder, roadmaps aren’t meant to be completely comprehensive but are meant to reflect the priority work slated for the release. As a result, I won’t include every little detail and instead focus on getting the broad strokes in place. As always, I’ll share drafts as I go but just want to flush out anything early as I have a long list already!
@audrasjb: “On my side, I’d say this feature (ticket #65910) may be a huge thing for support teams (on dotorg as well as for plugins/themes support teams if we make it an 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.). Design welcome but I think we can probably make a POC with the existing dashicons and basic styling.”
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.
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.
Props to @audrasjb for collaborating on this agenda.
Yes, the dev chat is switching back to Wednesdays starting this week!
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.
Announcements 📢
Note: Dev Chat has been moved to Tuesdays at 15:00 UTC for the duration of the 7.1 release cycle.
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.
The Accessibility Improvementsdev notedev noteEach important change in WordPress Core is documented in a developers note, (usually called dev note). Good dev notes generally include a description of the change, the decision that led to this change, and a description of how developers are supposed to work with that change. Dev notes are published on Make/Core blog during the beta phase of WordPress release cycle. Publishing dev notes is particularly important when plugin/theme authors and WordPress developers need to be aware of those changes.In general, all dev notes are compiled into a Field Guide at the beginning of the release candidate phase. was published.
As of Aug 10th, 7.1 is branched. Committers: TrunktrunkA directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. is open for 7.2 and the 7.1 branchbranchA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch". requires double sign off.
More 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. thing than coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., but it sounds like https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/1181 had some folks at WCUS discussing it this week. So if anyone has interest or experience there, commenting with feedback on the ticketticketCreated for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. would be helpful.
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.
Announcements 📢
Note: Dev Chat has been moved to Tuesdays at 15:00 UTC for the duration of the 7.1 release cycle.
The Accessibility Improvementsdev notedev noteEach important change in WordPress Core is documented in a developers note, (usually called dev note). Good dev notes generally include a description of the change, the decision that led to this change, and a description of how developers are supposed to work with that change. Dev notes are published on Make/Core blog during the beta phase of WordPress release cycle. Publishing dev notes is particularly important when plugin/theme authors and WordPress developers need to be aware of those changes.In general, all dev notes are compiled into a Field Guide at the beginning of the release candidate phase. was published.
As of Aug 10th, 7.1 is branched. Committers: TrunktrunkA directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. is open for 7.2 and the 7.1 branchbranchA directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch". requires double sign off.
WCUS 2026 is this week!! (and WordPress 7.1 is slated for release live at WCUS on August 19th.)
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.
Planning is underway for WordPress 7.2! This post outlines the proposed schedule along with a call for volunteers to support the release process.
Following the typical cadence, the proposed final release date for 7.2 is Wednesday, December 9, 2026. This proposed timeline remains flexible for the resulting Release Squad and adjustments can be made if necessary as they determine what timeline works best for their schedule as well as adjustments in coordination with State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/..
Proposed Schedule
Milestone
Date
Alpha Begins
Immediately (7.2-alpha began in trunktrunkA directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. on August 10th with[63167])
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. 1
October 20-22
Beta 2
October 27-29
Beta 3
November 3-5
Beta 4
November 10-12
Release Candidaterelease 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). 1
November 17-19
Release Candidate 2
November 24-26
Release Candidate 3
December 1-3
Dry Run
December 7-9
Final Release
December 8-10
As always, all dates are subject to change based on development progress.
Call for Volunteers
Each WordPress release depends on contributors from across the project coming together to make it a success.
As with the 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, and 7.1 release cycles, WordPress 7.2 will continue the approach of forming a smaller, focused Release Squad based on feedback received. This streamlined structure places more emphasis on collaboration with the various Make Team Reps, who are encouraged to help coordinate efforts from within their respective teams. The goals are to reduce the overhead on the Release Squad while still ensuring each team’s contributions and priorities are represented throughout the cycle, and to reduce overlap between a Make Team RepTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. and that team’s Release Squad Leads. Noteworthy Contributors will be captured from Team Reps towards the end of the release cycle.
While the end goal is to publish the final release of WordPress 7.2 at State of the Word (aka SotW), traveling to or attending SotW is not a requirement to serve on the release squad. All communication related to the release process will continue to take place in the #coreSlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ channel.
If you are interested in helping lead WordPress 7.2 in one of the following roles, please comment below or reach out in the #7-2-release-leads Slack channel:
Release LeadRelease LeadThe community member ultimately responsible for the Release. – sets overall goals, makes final decisions on merging, gives final reviews where needed
Release Coordination – helps manage timelines, cross-team collaboration, and status updates
Tech Leads – oversees coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. development (including 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/), triagetriageThe act of evaluating and sorting bug reports, in order to decide priority, severity, and other factors., and critical issues
Triage Lead – help monitor issues, shepherd patches, and guide contributors
Test Lead – coordinates testing efforts across the community and test reports
Whether you have led a release before or are looking to get involved for the first time, there are many ways to contribute. Volunteers of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome!
If you are interested in volunteering, please leave a comment below noting your preferred area(s) by Friday, August 28th.@4thhubbard (or a designee), will review the nominations shortly after to confirm and announce the release squad as soon as possible.
Together we can make WordPress 7.2 the best one yet!
Thank you to everyone who responded to the original call for volunteers. The response was genuinely wonderful and made clear how much folks care about getting a great default theme out for 7.2. Joining lead designer @iamarinoh, I’m happy to share that @onemaggie and @poena will serve as co-lead developers. @juanfra will be taking on a new role as lead mentor and I want to share a bit about why that role exists.
Those who read through the comments may have noticed @juanfra mentioning his interest in mentoring and sharing his Twenty Twenty-Five experience with new leads. That interest sparked a larger conversation about how to bring a more explicit mentorship focus to this new default theme effort. With a head start on this theme compared to previous years, and with an increasing focus on Education programs in WordPress to help new contributors find meaningful entry points, there’s a real opportunity to do something more intentional here than before. Theme development is one of the more approachable and impactful areas to get involved in. As a result, the explicit mentorship angle is designed to bring more folks into the theme creation process in a structured, supported way rather than hoping people find their footing on their own. @juanfra will be taking point here but everyone working on the theme in a lead role will help make the mentorship approach a reality.
This goes beyond helping make Twenty Twenty-Seven a reality. It’s about expanding who feels equipped and welcome to contribute to theme work in WordPress more broadly.
If you expressed interest and are keen to contribute, stay tuned as the mentorship angle itself is forming alongside the theme design. More on how to get involved will be shared as the theme takes shape.
After aligning with @photomatt and @4thhubbard, I’m excited to announce a call for volunteers to work on the Twenty Twenty-Seven default theme alongside @iamarinoh who has been chosen as the lead designer. Please comment below to express your interest in helping with the development of the theme.
As a reminder, the default theme ships with the last release of the year. For this year, that will be 7.2 which is set to be released in early December. For anyone volunteering to help, please keep this timeline in mind as it means being available to help during that timeframe in particular as well as in these early stages.
To set us all up for success, this call for volunteers is being shared on the early side so folks have plenty of time to get started, complete iterations, and land something wonderful for the broader community. Thanks to all who consider helping with the next default theme!
If you are interested in volunteering, please leave a comment belowby Friday, March 27th.
