Ghost Release: 5.80.4

TL;DR

Ghost v5.80.4 adds a date-based cache buster to client scripts to prevent caching issues that were causing incidents. This small but important update ensures that users always receive the latest version of client-side scripts when Ghost is updated.

Highlight of the Release

• Added date-based cache busting mechanism for client scripts
• Fixed issues related to browser caching of outdated JavaScript files
• Addressed incident #39 related to client script caching problems

Migration Guide

No migration steps are required for this update. The cache busting mechanism is automatically applied when you update to v5.80.4.

Upgrade Recommendations

Recommended for All Users

This update is recommended for all Ghost installations to prevent client-side caching issues. The change is minimal and focused on improving reliability, with no breaking changes or migration requirements.

To upgrade:

1. Back up your Ghost installation
2. Follow the standard Ghost update process for your installation method
3. No additional steps are required after updating

Bug Fixes

Client Script Caching Issues

Fixed an issue where browsers would sometimes continue to use cached versions of client scripts after Ghost updates, leading to potential errors and inconsistent behavior. This fix directly addresses the incident reported in incident #39.

New Features

Date-based Cache Busting

Added a date-based cache busting mechanism to client scripts that automatically appends a timestamp parameter to script URLs. This ensures browsers always load the most recent version of client-side code after Ghost updates, preventing issues caused by outdated cached scripts.

Security Updates

No security fixes were included in this release.

Performance Improvements

Improved Update Reliability

While not a direct performance enhancement, this update improves the reliability of Ghost installations after updates by ensuring client scripts are properly refreshed. This eliminates a common source of post-update issues and reduces the need for manual cache clearing.

Impact Summary

This release addresses a specific issue with client script caching that was causing incidents in Ghost installations. By implementing a date-based cache busting mechanism, Ghost now ensures that users always receive the latest version of client-side scripts after updates, eliminating a common source of errors and inconsistent behavior.

The change is small but impactful, particularly for sites that update frequently or have users with browsers that aggressively cache content. Site administrators will benefit from more reliable updates without needing to instruct users to clear their browser caches.

This fix directly addresses incident #39, which was related to caching issues causing client-side errors after Ghost updates.

Full Release Notes