WordPress Release: 3.7.7

TL;DR

WordPress 3.7.7 is a critical bug fix release that addresses an issue with the WordPress database (WPDB) class where write queries containing non-ASCII characters would fail for certain character sets. This fix ensures proper handling of string conversions when performing database operations, maintaining data integrity and preventing query failures.

This maintenance release is important for sites using non-Latin characters or multilingual content, as it resolves a potential blocker that could prevent content from being saved to the database.

Highlight of the Release

• Fixed critical database issue preventing write queries with non-ASCII characters from completing successfully
• Corrected data structure returned from wpdb::strip_invalid_text() function
• Improved compatibility with various character sets in database operations

Migration Guide

No migration steps are required for this update. This is a maintenance release that fixes a bug without introducing any breaking changes or requiring configuration adjustments.

Simply update to WordPress 3.7.7 using your preferred update method:

1. Through the WordPress admin dashboard
2. Via WordPress CLI: wp core update
3. Manual update by downloading and replacing files

No database schema changes are included in this release.

Upgrade Recommendations

This update is highly recommended for all WordPress 3.7.x users, especially for sites that:

• Use non-Latin characters in content
• Support multilingual content
• Have experienced database write failures with non-ASCII characters

The bug fix addresses a critical issue that could prevent content from being saved to the database, so upgrading should be prioritized to ensure proper site functionality.

As this is a maintenance release with a focused bug fix, the update process should be straightforward with minimal risk of compatibility issues.

Bug Fixes

Database Write Query Fix

Fixed an issue in the WordPress database (WPDB) class where the wpdb::strip_invalid_text() method was returning an incorrect data structure during string sanity checks. This bug was causing all write queries containing non-ASCII characters to fail for certain character sets.

The fix ensures that when WordPress sends strings to MySQL for conversion checks, the proper data structure is returned, allowing write operations to complete successfully regardless of the character set being used.

This resolves issue #32051 where users were experiencing database write failures when working with content containing non-Latin characters.

New Features

No new features were introduced in this maintenance release. WordPress 3.7.7 focuses exclusively on fixing a critical bug in the database handling functionality.

Security Updates

No security fixes were included in this release. The update focuses on resolving a functional bug in the database handling system.

Performance Improvements

No specific performance improvements were included in this release. The focus was on fixing the critical database functionality issue.

Impact Summary

WordPress 3.7.7 resolves a significant bug that affected database write operations containing non-ASCII characters. The impact of this fix is particularly important for international WordPress sites and those working with multilingual content.

Prior to this fix, users may have experienced:

• Failed attempts to save or update content containing non-Latin characters
• Error messages when performing database write operations
• Inconsistent behavior when working with different character sets

This release ensures that WordPress properly handles string conversion checks when interacting with MySQL, resulting in more reliable database operations regardless of the character set being used. The fix maintains WordPress's commitment to internationalization and ensures that users worldwide can effectively use the platform in their native languages.

While this is a targeted bug fix release without new features, it represents an important maintenance update that improves the core stability of WordPress for international users.