Drupal Release: 8.6.5

TL;DR

Drupal 8.6.5: Bug Fix and Stability Release

This minor release includes numerous bug fixes and stability improvements across various Drupal subsystems. Key improvements include fixes for media handling, layout builder functionality, migration tools, and several critical backend issues. This update addresses issues with exposed date filters, domain URL language detection, and PostgreSQL date handling, among others. While there are no major new features, this maintenance release enhances overall platform stability and resolves several user-facing issues.

Highlight of the Release

• Fixed media types creation in the UI when JavaScript is disabled
• Resolved issues with exposed date filters 'empty' and 'not empty' functionality
• Fixed PostgreSQL date SQL serialization issues
• Improved domain URL language detection to prevent InvalidArgumentException errors
• Fixed Layout Builder rendering Book navigation block on non-book pages

Migration Guide

No specific migration steps are required for this update. This is a minor release focused on bug fixes and does not introduce any breaking changes that would require special migration procedures.

When upgrading from 8.6.4 to 8.6.5:

1. Follow the standard Drupal update procedure:

   • Back up your database and files
   • Put the site in maintenance mode
   • Update your codebase
   • Run the update script (update.php)
   • Take the site out of maintenance mode

2. If you're using PostgreSQL and have experienced date-related issues, this update should resolve those problems automatically.

3. If you've encountered issues with media type creation in the UI without JavaScript, this update addresses that functionality.

Upgrade Recommendations

This is a recommended upgrade for all Drupal 8.6.x sites. The release contains numerous bug fixes that improve stability and address several user-facing issues.

Priority: Medium

Who should upgrade immediately:

• Sites experiencing any of the specific issues fixed in this release, particularly:
  • Sites using PostgreSQL with date-related functionality
  • Sites with media management needs
  • Sites using Layout Builder with book navigation blocks
  • Sites using domain URL language detection
  • Development environments where testing frameworks are failing

Upgrade path:

• Direct upgrade from 8.6.4 to 8.6.5 is straightforward
• No database schema changes are included in this release
• Standard update procedure applies (update code, run update.php)

As this is a bug fix release with no security patches, sites not experiencing these specific issues may schedule the upgrade during regular maintenance windows.

Bug Fixes

Core System Fixes

• Fixed memory backend cache validation (Issue #3017753)
• Resolved an obsolete argument for hasPermission in node_node_access() (Issue #2883553)
• Fixed reverse proxy settings not being used during update.php execution (Issue #2618606)
• Addressed compatibility issues with Symfony 4:
  • Fixed TypeError in FilterResponseEvent constructor (Issue #3020579)
  • Updated Process command handling to avoid deprecation warnings (Issue #3020550)
• Fixed PostgreSQL date SQL serialization issues (Issue #3020902)
• Resolved domain URL language detection errors that caused InvalidArgumentException (Issue #3018942)
• Fixed transliteration issues with strings containing unknown characters (Issue #3001997)
• Fixed DateTimePlus test failures on PHP 7.3 (Issue #3023402)

Media and File Handling

• Fixed file element discarding attributes when using multiple files (Issue #2916595)
• Resolved issues with media types creation in the UI without JavaScript (Issue #3018539)
• Fixed duplicate test key in MediaUiFunctionalTest (Issue #3018764)

Layout and Block System

• Fixed Block Context assignment form showing when no options are available (Issue #2809305)
• Resolved Layout Builder rendering Book navigation block on non-book pages (Issue #3007439)
• Fixed error when adding Content Type Selection criteria or Context (Issue #2998462)

Views and Filters

• Fixed exposed date filters 'empty' and 'not empty' functionality (Issue #2865344)

Migration System

• Rerolled all migrate dump files (Issue #3016011)
• Improved error messages for unrecognized source IDs in lookupDestinationIds() (Issue #2974274)
• Removed maxocub from Migrate maintainers (Issue #3021204)

Testing Framework

• Fixed Functional JS Tests when XDEBUG_CONFIG is set as an environment variable (Issue #3019706)
• Converted ErrorHandlerTest to PHPUnit (Issue #2984072)
• Fixed BlockContentAccessHandlerTest coverage issue (Issue #3022183)
• Updated RestRegisterUserTest to use ResourceTestBase instead of deprecated RESTTestBase (Issue #2927768)

Documentation

• Replaced schema example with one actually used from a module (Issue #2883260)
• Updated hook_post_update_NAME() docs to explain batching parameters (Issue #3018774)
• Fixed capitalization of Umami when used as a proper noun (Issue #3016501)

New Features

New Content in Umami Demo

• Added a new article to the Umami demo installation profile: "Dairy-free chocolate" (Issue #2939908)

Security Updates

No specific security fixes were mentioned in this release.

Performance Improvements

• Improved memory usage in cache backend validation
• Enhanced PostgreSQL date handling for better database performance
• Optimized domain URL language detection to prevent unnecessary exceptions

Impact Summary

Drupal 8.6.5 is a maintenance release that focuses on bug fixes and stability improvements rather than introducing new features. The impact is primarily positive for existing Drupal 8.6.x users, resolving several frustrating issues across different areas of the platform.

The most significant impacts include:

1. Improved Media Management: Fixed issues with media type creation in the UI when JavaScript is disabled, making the platform more accessible.

2. Enhanced Layout Builder Functionality: Resolved the issue where Book navigation blocks were incorrectly rendered on non-book pages, improving the user experience for site builders.

3. Fixed Date Filtering: Corrected the functionality of exposed date filters with 'empty' and 'not empty' options, which were previously broken.

4. Better PostgreSQL Support: Fixed serialization issues with PostgreSQL date handling, improving database reliability.

5. Improved Multilingual Support: Resolved domain URL language detection issues that were causing exceptions.

6. Testing Framework Improvements: Fixed several issues in the testing framework, making development and quality assurance more reliable.

These changes collectively enhance the stability and reliability of Drupal 8.6.x without introducing breaking changes or requiring significant adaptation from users. The release demonstrates Drupal's commitment to maintaining a stable platform while continuously addressing issues reported by the community.