Ghost Release: 2.13.1

TL;DR

Ghost 2.13.1: Bug Fixes and Database Migration Reversion

This minor release addresses critical bugs related to content handling when dealing with null or empty values. Most notably, it reverts a database migration that converted empty strings to NULL values, as such significant database changes should be reserved for major releases. The update also fixes issues with plaintext attribute errors and word/image count calculations when HTML content is null.

Highlight of the Release

• Reverted database migration that converted empty strings to NULL values
• Fixed plaintext attribute error when dealing with empty content
• Fixed word and image count calculations when HTML content is null

Migration Guide

Migration Notes

This release reverts a database migration that was converting empty strings to NULL values. If you have already upgraded to Ghost 2.13.0 and run the migration, there's no action needed - the reversion keeps the migration file but changes the contents to a no-op so that the migrations table state remains consistent for all users.

For those upgrading directly to 2.13.1 from versions before 2.13.0, the migration will effectively do nothing, which is the intended behavior.

Upgrade Recommendations

This is a recommended upgrade for all Ghost users, especially those who:

1. Are experiencing issues with empty content fields
2. Have not yet upgraded to 2.13.0 and want to avoid potential database migration issues
3. Need reliable word and image count calculations

The update is backward compatible and focuses on bug fixes without introducing breaking changes. Standard upgrade procedures apply.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed plaintext attribute error when content is empty - Resolved an issue where the system would throw an error when trying to process empty plaintext attributes (#10388)

• Fixed word/image count calculations for null HTML content - Now properly returns 0 for word and image counts when HTML content is null, preventing potential errors in content statistics (#10429)

• Reverted "empty-string to NULL" database migration - Reverted a migration that was converting empty strings to NULL values in the database (#10430). The migration has been changed to a no-op to maintain compatibility with users who have already upgraded while preventing potential issues for new upgraders.

New Features

No new features were introduced in this maintenance release. Ghost 2.13.1 focuses exclusively on bug fixes and stability improvements.

Security Updates

No security fixes were included in this release.

Performance Improvements

• Improved handling of null values - The fixes for null and empty content handling should result in more efficient processing of content with empty fields, reducing unnecessary errors and processing overhead.

• Reduced database impact - By reverting the database migration that would have touched many rows, this release reduces the performance impact during upgrades.

Impact Summary

Ghost 2.13.1 is primarily a bug fix release that addresses issues with content handling when dealing with null or empty values. The most significant change is the reversion of a database migration that converted empty strings to NULL values, as such impactful database changes should be reserved for major releases.

This release improves stability for content creators working with empty fields and ensures more reliable word and image count calculations. For developers and administrators, it provides more consistent handling of null values and reduces the risk of database-related issues during upgrades.

While this is a minor release, it's recommended for all users to upgrade to ensure proper handling of content with empty fields and to benefit from the improved stability.

Full Release Notes