Tag Archives: development

Jeffrey Paul 7:27 pm on April 14, 2025
Tags: , development, dry-run,   

WordPress 6.8 Release Day Process

Preparation for the WordPress 6.8 release is underway.

This post shares the release process, including the timeline and how you can help.

Release Timeline Overview

24-Hour Code Freeze

A mandatory 24-hour code freeze will be in effect for the 6.8 branchbranch A 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". after the Dry Run finishes on April 14th.

What does this mean?

No source code for 6.8.0 (i.e., in the 6.8 branch) can be changed during these 24 hours.

What happens if a critical 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. is reported during this period?

The release squad will meet with committers and maintainers to determine if the issue is a blockerblocker A bug which is so severe that it blocks a release..

  • If yes, another 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). release happens, and the release process restarts (meaning the Dry Run repeats, and then the 24-hour code freeze clock restarts).
  • If not, then the bug is targeted for 6.8.1.

The Release Party

The WordPress 6.8 Release Party will start on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 15:00 UTC in the #core Slack channel.

The release party walks through the steps in the Major Version Release process if you want to follow along.

Please note: releasing a major version requires more time than releasing a 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. or 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)..  There are more steps in the process. If any last-minute issues need addressing, those issues will take more time, as well.

How You Can Help

A key part of the release process is checking that the ZIP packages work on all the available server configurations. If you have any of the less commonly used servers available for testing (IIS, in particular), that would be super helpful. Servers running older versions of PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher and MySQLMySQL MySQL is a relational database management system. A database is a structured collection of data where content, configuration and other options are stored. https://www.mysql.com/. will also need testing.

You can start this early by running the WordPress 6.8 RC4 packages, which are built using the same method as the final packages.

During the release party, you will get access to several ways to help test the release package.

Tips on What to Test

In particular, testing the following types of installs and updates would be much appreciated:

  • Does a new WordPress install work correctly? This includes running through the manual install process, as well as WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ or one-click installers.
  • Test upgrading from various versions.
  • Remove the wp-config.php file and test a fresh install.
  • Test single site and 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/networknetwork (versus site, blog) (both subdirectory and subdomain) installations.
  • Does it upgrade correctly?  Are the files listed in $_old_files removed when you upgrade?
  • Does multisite upgrade properly?

Testing the following user flows on both desktop and mobile would be great to validate each function as expected:

  • Publish a post, including a variety of different blocks.
  • Comment on the post.
  • Install a new 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party/theme, or upgrade an existing one.
  • Change the site language.
  • If you’re a plugin developer, or if there are complex plugins you depend upon, test that they’re working correctly.

For a more in-depth list of what features to test, make sure to check the Help Test WordPress 6.8 post.

Props to the following for help contributing to this post: @michelleames, @marybaum, @joemcgill, @desrosj.

#6-8, #development, #dry-run-2, #releases

Jeffrey Paul 5:00 pm on April 14, 2025
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.8 Release Candidate 4

The fourth 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). (“RC4”) for WordPress 6.8 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development.  Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites.  Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC4 on a test server and site.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone.  While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.8 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 6.8 RC4 in four 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-partyInstall and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install.  Select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “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./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). Only” stream.
Direct DownloadDownload the RC4 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website.
Command LineUse the following WP-CLI command: wp core update --version=6.8-RC4
WordPress PlaygroundUse the 6.8 RC4 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.

The current target for the WordPress 6.8 release is April 15, 2025.  Get an overview of the 6.8 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.8-related posts leading up to next week’s release for further details.

What’s in WordPress 6.8 RC4?

Get a recap of WordPress 6.8’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement.  The following updates have been addressed since RC3:

  • #62887 – Editor: Restore static properties for deprecated __experimentalLinkControl.
  • #63248 – Docs: Correct the type of the $return parameter in embed_handler_html filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of 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..

How you can contribute

WordPress is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. software made possible by a passionate community that collaborates and contributes to its development.  The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.

Get involved in testing

Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable.  It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.8.  For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.

If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report.  You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Curious about testing releases in general?  Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.

Search for vulnerabilities

From now until the final release of WordPress 6.8 (scheduled for April 15, 2025), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled.  Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.

Update your theme or plugin

For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.  For more details on developer-related changes in 6.8, please review the WordPress 6.8 Field Guide.

Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.8 beta releases.  With RC4, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.8.

If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English?  ¿Español?  Français?  Русский?  日本語?   हिन्दी?  मराठी?  বাংলা?  ಕನ್ನಡ?  You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.

An RC4 haiku

RC4 steps in,
One last note in six-eight’s song,
Soon the last refrain.

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @joemcgill, @vgnavada, @desrosj, @surajswalstar.

#6-8, #development, #releases

David Baumwald 6:55 pm on November 11, 2024
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.7 Release Candidate 5

The fifth 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). (RC5) for WordPress 6.7 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC5 on a test server and site.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.7 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 6.7 RC5 in four 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-partyInstall and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “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./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). Only” stream).
Direct DownloadDownload the RC5 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website.
Command LineUse the following WP-CLI command:
wp core update --version=6.7-RC5
WordPress PlaygroundUse the 6.7 RC5 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.

The current target for the WordPress 6.7 release is November 12, 2024. Get an overview of the 6.7 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.7-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.

What’s in WordPress 6.7 RC5?

Get a recap of WordPress 6.7’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC4, you can browse the following links:

  • [59383] Feeds: Avoid fatal error with empty blog_charset value.
  • [59381] Media: Remove dimension suffix from full size converted HEIC images.

How you can contribute

WordPress is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.

Get involved in testing

Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.7. For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.

If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.

Search for vulnerabilities

From now until the final release of WordPress 6.7 (scheduled for November 12, 2024), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.

Update your theme or plugin

For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users. 

Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.7 beta releases. With RC5, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.7.

If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本? हिन्दी? বাংলা? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.

Release the haiku

RC5 arrives,
Final release dawns tomorrow,
Code’s last breath awaits.

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @jorbin.

#6-7, #development, #releases

David Baumwald 6:05 pm on November 7, 2024
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.7 Release Candidate 4

The fourth 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). (RC4) for WordPress 6.7 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you evaluate RC4 on a test server and site.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 6.7 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 6.7 RC4 in four 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-partyInstall and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “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./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). Only” stream).
Direct DownloadDownload the RC4 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website.
Command LineUse the following WP-CLI command:
wp core update --version=6.7-RC4
WordPress PlaygroundUse the 6.7 RC4 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.

The current target for the WordPress 6.7 release is November 12, 2024. Get an overview of the 6.7 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.7-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.

What’s in WordPress 6.7 RC4?

Get a recap of WordPress 6.7’s highlighted features in the Beta 1 announcement. For more technical information related to issues addressed since RC3, you can browse the following links:

How you can contribute

WordPress is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.

Get involved in testing

Testing for issues is critical to ensuring WordPress is performant and stable. It’s also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.7. For those new to testing, follow this general testing guide for more details on getting set up.

If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.

Search for vulnerabilities

From now until the final release of WordPress 6.7 (scheduled for November 12, 2024), the monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.

Update your theme or plugin

For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users. 

Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.7 beta releases. With RC4, you’ll want to conclude your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.7.

If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本? हिन्दी? বাংলা? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.

Release the haiku

Six point seven near,
RC4 slips in swift,
Release waits, held breath.

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @jorbin.

#6-7, #development, #releases

Mary Baum 3:17 pm on July 15, 2024
Tags: development, RC4   

WordPress 6.6 RC4

WordPress 6.6 RC4 is ready for download and testing!

This unplanned RC4 release does not change the general WordPress 6.6 release date, which is scheduled for July 16, 2024.

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, please evaluate RC4 on a test server or a local environment.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is a worthy achievement. While release candidates are considered ready for release, your testing is still vital to make sure everything in WordPress 6.6 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 6.6 RC4 in four 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-partyInstall and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “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./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). Only” stream).
Direct DownloadDownload the RC4 version (zip) and install it on a WordPress website.
Command LineUse this WP-CLI command:
wp core update --version=6.6-RC4
WordPress PlaygroundUse the 6.6 RC4 WordPress Playground instance (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.
Please test WordPress 6.6 RC4 in one or more of these four ways.

The target for the WordPress 6.6 release is Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Get an overview of the 6.6 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.6-related posts in the next few weeks for further details.

What’s in WordPress 6.6 RC4?

Thanks to your testing (and many other contributors‘ up to now) this release includes two reverts for the Editor and one standard task:

  • Editor revert: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61654 which reverts an Editor change for “triggering multi-entity save panel in post with 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. changes”
  • Editor: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59595 revert of “caching of global styles for blocks”.

This ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. is for the theme bumps (a typical task in a major) https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/60701

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.

Props to @hellofromtonya, @crixu, @eboxnet, @joedolson,@ rmartinezduque @meher, and @audrasjb for peer review.

#development, #rc4

Héctor Prieto 7:11 pm on August 7, 2023
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.3 Release Candidate 4 (RC4) Now Available for Testing

This unplanned RC4 release does not impact the general WordPress 6.3 release date, which is scheduled for tomorrow, 2023-08-08 19:00 UTC

The following issue has been addressed since RC3:

Thank you to all of the contributors who tested the 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./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). releases and provided feedback. Testing is a critical part of making each release strong and a great way to contribute to WordPress.

Installing RC4

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended that you install RC4 on a test server and site. 

You can test WordPress 6.3 RC4 in three ways:

Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).

Option 2: Direct download the release candidate version (zip).

Option 3: Run the following command to upgrade via WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/:
wp core update --version=6.3-RC4

Plugin and Theme Developers

All plugin and theme developers are encouraged to complete testing of their respective extensions against WordPress 6.3 RC4 and update the “Tested up to” version in their readme file to 6.3 this week. If you find compatibility problems, please post detailed information to the support forums, so these items can be investigated promptly.

Review the WordPress 6.3 Field Guide, for more details on this release.

You can find additional information on the entire 6.3 release cycle.

Check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.3-related developer notes for further details on the 6.3 release.

How to Help Test WordPress

Testing for issues is critical for stabilizing a release throughout its development. Testing is also a great way to contribute to WordPress. If you are new to testing, check out this detailed guide that will walk you through how to get started.

If you think you have run into an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report, you can file one on WordPress Trac. This is also where you can find a list of known bugs.

Can you speak and write in a language other than English? Help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages!

Props to @meher, @rajinsharwar

#6-3 #development #releases

Lauren Stein 5:33 pm on March 23, 2023
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.2 Release Candidate 4

To get ready for the final release of WordPress 6.2 on March 28, 2023, an RC4 has been put together to help cover some last-minute fixes. 

Here’s what’s changed since RC3:

  • Revert changesets [55358] and [55360], restoring the wp_insert_user() function back to its previous state, to avoid a regressionregression A software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. 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 the related wp_update_user() function (see tickets #57967 and #57394).

Thanks to everyone who has assisted with testing this release. Your feedback and help in filing 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. reports keep the WordPress experience stable, smooth, and delightful. It’s critical work and a great way to contribute to the project—especially in these final moments before release day.

How to install RC4

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended that you test RC4 on a test server and site. 

You can test WordPress 6.2 RC4 in three ways:

  • Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “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./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). Only” stream).
  • Option 2: Direct download the RC4 version (zip).
  • Option 3: Use the following WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ command:

    wp core update --version=6.2-RC4

Keep WordPress bug-free—help with testing

Without your testing support, hitting important product milestones would be a much bigger challenge. It’s also a meaningful way to contribute to the project. If you’re new to testing, or it’s been a while, this detailed guide can help you get started. 

If you think you have run into an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, you can file one on WordPress Trac. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Test your plugins and themes

As you test your latest versions against RC4, make sure you update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.2. If you find compatibility problems, please post detailed information to the support forums.

Check out the WordPress 6.2 Field Guide for more details about the major changes in this release.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? Help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages.

Release the haiku

What’s this? RC4?
Get those fixes out the door
Release day is close

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @audrasjb @hellofromtonya

#6-2, #development, #releases

Mary Baum 5:46 pm on March 7, 2023
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.2 Beta 5

WordPress 6.2 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 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you test Beta 5 on a test server and site.

You can test WordPress 6.2 Beta 5 in three ways:

Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “Beta/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). Only” stream).

Option 2: Direct download the Beta 5 version (zip).

Option 3: Use the following WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ command:

wp core update --version=6.2-beta5

The current target for the final release is March 28, 2023, which is three weeks away. Your continued help with testing is vital to ensuring everything in this release is the best it can be.

Get an overview of the 6.2 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.2-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.

This is an extra beta

Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a great way to start contributing to WordPress—now more than ever. This detailed guide is a great place to start if you’ve never tested a beta release.

This beta fixes a newly discovered bug that first appeared in Beta 1 and potentially affected every user who uses the Back button in any major browser. 

The 6.2 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)., which will now happen on Thursday, March 9, depends on your confirmation that this fix works well. So please download and test.

A haiku from the beta-five mind for 6.2

One little 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. found
Beta 5 to test a fix
RC 1 awaits

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @jpantani @cbringmann @davidbaumwald @audrasjb

#6-2, #development, #releases

Jonathan Pantani 5:35 pm on March 1, 2023
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.2 Beta 4

WordPress 6.2 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. 4 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it’s recommended that you test Beta 4 on a test server and site.

You can test WordPress 6.2 Beta 4 in three ways:

Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “Beta/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). Only” stream).

Option 2: Direct download the Beta 4 version (zip).

Option 3: Use the following WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ command:

wp core update --version=6.2-beta4

The current target for the final release is March 28, 2023, which is four weeks away. Your continued help with testing is vital to ensuring everything in this release is the best it can be.

Get an overview of the 6.2 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.2-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.

Calling all testers! We need your help

Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a meaningful way for anyone to contribute—whether you have experience or not. This detailed guide is a great place to start if you’ve never tested a beta release.

If you build products for WordPress, you probably realize that the sooner you can test this release with your themes, plugins, and patterns, the easier it will be for you to offer a seamless experience to your users.

Want to know more about testing releases in general? You can follow along with the testing initiatives that happen in Make CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. You can also join the #core-test channel on the Making WordPress Slack workspace.

If you think you may have run into an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report, you can file one on WordPress Trac. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Interested in the details on the latest GutenbergGutenberg The 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/ features? Find out what’s been included since WordPress 6.1 (the last 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). You will find more details in these What’s new in Gutenberg posts for 15.1, 15.0, 14.9, 14.8, 14.7, 14.6, 14.5, 14.4, 14.3, and 14.2.

What’s new in Beta 4

This release contains more than 292 enhancements and 354 bug fixes for the editor, including more than 286 tickets for the WordPress 6.2 core. Expect even more fixes as the 6.2 release cycle continues.

This phase of the release addresses approximately 79 issues since last week’s Beta 3—props to all the Beta testers out there. (Without you these releases couldn’t happen, so great job, and thank you!) 

Discover 6.2 enhancements such as the new collections of 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. and footer patterns that make creating with WordPress smoother than ever before. There’s plenty more in this release so check out the Beta 1 announcement for more details on other notable highlights.

“Four” you another haiku for 6.2

Time for soft string freeze
Loose ends of Beta 3 tied
Beta 4 for all

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @laurlittle and @davidbaumwald
Haiku by @shilpashah

#6-2, #development, #releases

Lauren Stein 6:09 pm on February 21, 2023
Tags: , development,   

WordPress 6.2 Beta 3

WordPress 6.2 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. 3 has arrived and is now ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, you should test Beta 3 on a test server and site.

You can test WordPress 6.2 Beta 3 in three ways:

Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party (select the “Bleeding edgebleeding edge The latest revision of the software, generally in development and often unstable. Also known as trunk.” channel and “Beta/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). Only” stream).

Option 2: Direct download the Beta 3 version (zip).

Option 3: Use the following WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ command:

wp core update --version=6.2-beta3

The current target for the final release is March 28, 2023, which is five weeks away. Your support with testing is vital to ensuring everything in this release is the best it can be.

Get an overview of the 6.2 release cycle, and check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.2-related posts in the coming weeks for further details.

We Need You… to Test!

Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a meaningful way for anyone to contribute—regardless of experience level. This detailed guide is a great place to start if you’ve never tested a beta release.

If you build products for WordPress, you probably realize that the sooner you can test this release with your themes, plugins, and patterns, the easier it will be for you to offer a seamless experience to your users.

Want to know more about testing releases in general? You can follow along with the testing initiatives that happen in Make CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress.. You can also join the #core-test channel on the Making WordPress Slack workspace.

If you think you may have run into an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible 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. report, you can file one on WordPress Trac. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs. Ready to learn more about GutenbergGutenberg The 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/ features? Find out what’s been included since WordPress 6.1 (the most recent 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). You will find more details in the currently available What’s new in Gutenberg posts for 15.1, 15.0, 14.9, 14.8, 14.7, 14.6, 14.5, 14.4, 14.3, and 14.2.

Changes for Beta 3

This phase of the release addresses approximately 34 issues since last week’s Beta 2—props to all you Beta testers out there. Reaching each release milestone would be impossible without your help.

So far, WordPress version 6.2 contains more than 292 enhancements and 354 bug fixes, including more than 258 Trac tickets resolved in the 6.2 milestone. Expect even more fixes as the 6.2 release cycle continues.

Enhancements in the 6.2 release cycle will make this the most modern way yet to build with WordPress. Are you ready to discover a new interface in the Site Editor giving you more control of the creation process? That’s just one of the highlights from the 6.2 release. For more information refer to the Beta 1 announcement for other notable highlights.

Add to Calendar: 6.2 Live Demo

Release squad members @annezazu and @rich will showcase some of the exciting features slated for the 6.2 release. Get a closer look at a Zoom live demo presentation on Thursday 2 March 2023, 17:00 UTC.

A Third Haiku for 6.2

Another week’s here
Beta 3 it’s you and me
Party, download, test

Thank you to the following contributors for collaborating on this post: @jpantani @davidbaumwald

#6-2, #development, #releases