Drupal Release: 7.64

TL;DR

Drupal 7.64 brings important PHP 7.3 compatibility fixes, MySQL 5.7 compatibility improvements, and several bug fixes that enhance stability and performance. This release addresses issues with registry rebuilds, file field handling, and HTTP request handling during redirects. It's a maintenance release focused on ensuring Drupal 7 continues to work well with modern PHP versions and database systems.

Highlight of the Release

• PHP 7.3 compatibility improvements
• MySQL 5.7 compatibility fixes for system upgrades
• Support for ignoring node_modules folder when using npm/grunt/nodejs
• Improved registry rebuild process
• Fixed file field handling notices

Migration Guide

No specific migration steps are required for this release. This is a standard maintenance update that can be applied following the normal Drupal core update process:

1. Back up your database and site files
2. Put your site into maintenance mode
3. Update core files
4. Run update.php
5. Take your site out of maintenance mode

For detailed instructions, refer to the Drupal 7 update documentation.

Upgrade Recommendations

This release contains important compatibility fixes for PHP 7.3 and MySQL 5.7, as well as several bug fixes that improve stability. It is recommended that all Drupal 7 sites upgrade to this version, especially those running on PHP 7.3 or MySQL 5.7, or planning to upgrade to these versions.

The update is particularly important for:

• Sites experiencing issues with registry rebuilds
• Sites using file fields that encounter notices about undefined index: display_field
• Sites running on or planning to upgrade to PHP 7.3
• Development environments using npm/grunt/nodejs workflows

As with any update, make sure to back up your database and files before upgrading.

Bug Fixes

PHP 7.3 Compatibility Fixes

• Fixed strpos() explicit string needle warnings that appear in PHP 7.3
• Fixed notice in BootstrapMiscTestCase::testCheckMemoryLimit() when running on PHP 7.3

MySQL 5.7 Compatibility Fix

• Resolved incompatibility in system upgrade path 7061 that affected MySQL 5.7 installations

Registry Rebuild Improvements

• Fixed registry rebuild process to avoid parsing the same file twice in the same request, improving performance and stability
• Updated _registry_update() function and moved module_implements() and _registry_check_code() calls out of the try/catch block

Other Bug Fixes

• Fixed regression where the 'host' header wasn't being unset in drupal_http_request() during redirects
• Fixed "Undefined index: display_field" notice in file_field_widget_value() function
• Addressed Phar protection issues and failing Phar tests

New Features

Support for ignoring node_modules folder

Drupal 7.64 adds support for ignoring the node_modules folder in core, making it easier to use Drupal with modern front-end development tools like npm, grunt, and nodejs. This improvement helps developers who integrate these tools into their Drupal workflow by preventing Drupal from scanning these directories unnecessarily.

Security Updates

No specific security fixes were included in this release. For security-related updates, always refer to the official Drupal security advisories.

Performance Improvements

Registry Rebuild Performance

The registry rebuild process has been optimized to avoid parsing the same file twice in the same request. This change improves performance during registry rebuilds, which can be particularly noticeable on sites with many modules or when running update scripts.

Node Modules Folder Exclusion

By ignoring the node_modules folder, Drupal avoids unnecessary scanning of potentially thousands of JavaScript files that are part of front-end development dependencies. This can significantly improve performance during operations that scan the codebase, such as registry rebuilds and cache clears.

Impact Summary

Drupal 7.64 is primarily a compatibility and bug fix release that ensures Drupal 7 continues to work well with modern PHP versions (particularly PHP 7.3) and MySQL 5.7. The most significant improvements are related to PHP 7.3 compatibility, registry rebuild performance, and support for modern front-end development workflows.

The registry rebuild improvements help prevent issues during module updates and installations, making site maintenance more reliable. The fix for file field handling addresses a common notice that could appear during content editing.

For developers, the addition of node_modules folder exclusion is particularly valuable as it better supports modern JavaScript development workflows within Drupal 7 projects.

Overall, this release focuses on maintaining Drupal 7's compatibility with current technology stacks while fixing several long-standing issues that improve the platform's stability and performance.