Drupal Release: 8.2.0-rc2

TL;DR

Drupal 8.2.0-rc2 brings significant improvements to the user interface with the renamed "Settings Tray" (formerly Outside-in) module, enhanced dialog animations, and better configuration feedback. This release also includes critical security fixes, testing framework improvements, and various bug fixes across core modules. It's an important step toward the stable 8.2.0 release with focus on UI enhancements and security hardening.

Highlight of the Release

• Critical security fix (SA-CORE-2016-004) addressing multiple vulnerabilities
• Renamed Outside-in module to 'Settings Tray' with improved UI feedback
• Fixed regression where plugins extending from uninstalled modules caused fatal errors
• Improved dialog animations for better user experience
• Updated CKEditor library to version 4.5.11
• Fixed issue where anonymous users could access editor dialogs

Migration Guide

Migration from Outside-in to Settings Tray

The Outside-in module has been renamed to "Settings Tray" in the UI and comments. This is primarily a naming change and doesn't require any technical migration steps from users. The module's functionality remains the same but with improved UI feedback and styling.

For Developers Using Plugin System

If you're developing plugins that extend from classes in other modules, be aware of the fix for issue #2796953. Previously, plugins extending from classes of uninstalled modules would lead to fatal errors. This has been fixed, but you should ensure your code doesn't rely on this behavior.

REST Module Update Path

If you're using the REST module, be aware that there was a fix for rest_update_8201() which could fail and break installations. If you've experienced issues with REST module updates, this release should resolve those problems.

Upgrade Recommendations

This release contains a critical security fix (SA-CORE-2016-004) and important bug fixes that address regressions in previous versions. We strongly recommend all sites running Drupal 8.2.0-rc1 or earlier to upgrade to this release as soon as possible.

For sites already on the 8.2.x branch, this upgrade should be straightforward with no major compatibility issues. The renamed Settings Tray module (formerly Outside-in) is a UI change only and requires no special upgrade steps.

For sites on 8.1.x or earlier that are planning to upgrade to 8.2.x, we recommend waiting for the final 8.2.0 release unless you need the specific fixes in this RC2 release.

Bug Fixes

Critical Fixes

• Fixed security vulnerability (SA-CORE-2016-004) addressing multiple issues
• Fixed regression where plugins extending from classes of uninstalled modules led to fatal errors
• Fixed issue where rest_update_8201() could fail and break installations
• Fixed issue allowing anonymous users to access editor dialogs because all users have plain_text format

UI and Form Fixes

• Fixed form validation errors and status messages on form submission being shown after page refresh when form is rendered in block
• Reworked animation for standard dialog system for better user experience
• Fixed misleading text in block visibility pages description

Migration and Update Path Fixes

• Fixed obsolete destination properties in d6_file/d6_user_picture_file
• Fixed variable to config migration for language_default in Drupal 6
• Fixed issue where PathItem::delete() never runs because the path field type is a computed field

Testing Framework Fixes

• Fixed random automatic testing failures on SQLite with PHP 5.5
• Fixed failing tests: Drupal\field\Tests\Update\FieldUpdateTest, Drupal\views\Tests\Update\EntityViewsDataUpdateTest, and Drupal\comment\Tests\CommentFieldsTest
• Fixed typo in CurrentUser.php
• Fixed issue where TestSuiteBaseTest cannot be executed as standalone test

New Features

Settings Tray (formerly Outside-in) Improvements

The Outside-in module has been renamed to "Settings Tray" in the UI and comments to better reflect its functionality. This change comes with several UI enhancements:

• Added visual feedback to indicate which page element is being configured
• Improved styling of the off-canvas tray for better user experience
• Added feedback on load for the off-canvas tray
• Updated help text for clearer understanding of the module's purpose

Testing Framework Enhancements

• Added support for clickLink()'s second argument to BrowserTestBase
• Improved error reporting in failing PHPUnit tests when using run-tests.sh
• Added an empty $modules property in BrowserTestBase
• Fixed environment preservation when running phpunit with a different user

Security Updates

• Applied critical security fix SA-CORE-2016-004 addressing multiple vulnerabilities (details available in the security advisory)
• Fixed issue where anonymous users could access editor dialogs because all users have plain_text format
• Upgraded random_compat library to latest version to enhance security
• Fixed potential security issues in the REST module update path

Performance Improvements

• Moved file_directory_os_temp() to a class in Drupal\Component\FileSystem for better organization and performance
• Upgraded random_compat library to latest version for improved performance and security
• Fixed issues in the testing framework that improve test execution performance

Impact Summary

Drupal 8.2.0-rc2 delivers significant improvements to the administrative user interface through the renamed Settings Tray module (formerly Outside-in) with better visual feedback and styling. The release includes a critical security fix (SA-CORE-2016-004) that all sites should apply immediately.

Several important regressions have been fixed, including issues with plugins extending from uninstalled modules and problems with the REST module update path. The testing framework has been enhanced with better error reporting and fixes for random test failures.

UI improvements include better dialog animations, clearer block visibility descriptions, and fixes for form validation message display. The CKEditor library has been updated to version 4.5.11, providing the latest improvements from that project.

This release candidate brings Drupal 8.2.x closer to a stable release with a focus on security, user interface improvements, and bug fixes. It represents an important step in the Drupal 8 release cycle with 35 issues resolved since RC1.