Drupal Release: 9.3.0-rc1

TL;DR

Drupal 9.3.0-rc1 is the first release candidate for Drupal 9.3.0, bringing important dependency updates and PHP compatibility changes. This release updates the email-validator library to version 3 and increases the recommended PHP version to 8.0, signaling Drupal's continued modernization efforts. These changes primarily affect developers and site administrators who need to ensure their environments meet the new requirements.

Highlight of the Release

• Updated egulias/email-validator library to version 3
• Increased DRUPAL_RECOMMENDED_PHP to 8.0
• First release candidate for Drupal 9.3.0

Migration Guide

PHP 8.0 Compatibility

If you're currently running on PHP 7.x, you should:

1. Review your custom code for compatibility with PHP 8.0
2. Test your site thoroughly in a PHP 8.0 environment before upgrading production
3. Check that all contributed modules you use are compatible with PHP 8.0
4. Consult the PHP 8.0 migration guide for details on language changes

Email Validator Update

The update to egulias/email-validator v3 may affect email validation behavior:

1. Test any forms with email fields to ensure validation works as expected
2. If you've extended or customized email validation, review your code for compatibility
3. Be aware that some previously accepted email formats might now be rejected or vice versa

Upgrade Recommendations

This is a release candidate (RC1) for Drupal 9.3.0, intended primarily for testing purposes.

• For production sites: Wait for the final 9.3.0 release unless you specifically need to test this RC.
• For development/staging environments: Consider upgrading to test compatibility with your custom code and modules.
• For all environments: Begin planning for PHP 8.0 compatibility as this will become increasingly important for future Drupal versions.

Before upgrading any environment:

1. Create a complete backup of your site and database
2. Test the upgrade process on a staging environment first
3. Review the full release notes and any module compatibility issues
4. Ensure your hosting environment supports PHP 8.0

Bug Fixes

No specific bug fixes were mentioned in the commit messages for this release candidate. The changes appear to be focused on dependency updates and PHP version requirements rather than addressing specific bugs.

New Features

No significant new features were introduced in this release candidate. This release focuses on dependency updates and PHP compatibility improvements as part of the preparation for the stable Drupal 9.3.0 release.

Security Updates

No security fixes were explicitly mentioned in the commit messages for this release candidate. However, keeping dependencies updated (such as the email-validator library) is generally good practice for security maintenance.

Performance Improvements

No specific performance improvements were mentioned in the commit messages for this release candidate. The focus appears to be on dependency updates and PHP compatibility rather than performance enhancements.

Impact Summary

This release candidate represents an important step in Drupal's evolution toward modern PHP standards. By increasing the recommended PHP version to 8.0, Drupal is signaling its commitment to leveraging newer language features and maintaining security through updated dependencies.

The email validator library update may affect how strictly email addresses are validated in forms throughout Drupal sites. While this change is unlikely to affect most users, sites with custom email validation or that accept unusual email formats should be tested thoroughly.

These changes primarily impact the technical foundation of Drupal rather than introducing visible features for end users. The focus is on preparing for a more modern, secure, and maintainable Drupal ecosystem in the 9.3.x branch and beyond.

Site owners and administrators should begin planning for PHP 8.0 compatibility as part of their regular maintenance and upgrade cycles, as this will become increasingly important for future Drupal versions.