WordPress Release: 5.6.3

TL;DR

WordPress 5.6.3 is a maintenance and security release that addresses several key improvements. It updates jQuery to version 3.5.1, fixes PHP 8 compatibility issues with GetID3, enhances the REST API to allow authors to read their own password-protected posts, and includes various build and test tool improvements. This release focuses on security, compatibility, and developer experience without introducing major new features.

Highlight of the Release

• Updated to jQuery 3.5.1, removing the need for a custom WordPress fork
• Fixed PHP 8 compatibility issues in the GetID3 library
• Enhanced REST API to allow authors to read their own password-protected posts
• Significant improvements to build and test tools for developers

Migration Guide

No significant migration steps are required for this maintenance release. The update from WordPress 5.6.2 to 5.6.3 should be seamless for most users.

For developers who have custom code that depends on specific jQuery behaviors, it's recommended to test your code with jQuery 3.5.1 to ensure compatibility.

Upgrade Recommendations

This release contains important security updates and compatibility improvements. All WordPress site administrators are recommended to update to version 5.6.3 as soon as possible.

The update process should be straightforward and can be performed through the WordPress dashboard or via your preferred update method.

Bug Fixes

External Libraries

• GetID3 Library: Fixed compatibility issues with PHP 8, ensuring proper media handling on newer PHP versions.

REST API

• Fixed an issue where authors couldn't access their own password-protected posts through the REST API.

New Features

REST API Enhancement

The REST API now allows authors to read their own password-protected posts, improving the content management workflow for authors who use password protection for their content.

Security Updates

jQuery Update

WordPress 5.6.3 updates to jQuery 3.5.1, removing the need for a custom WordPress fork of jQuery. Previously, jQuery 1.12.4 was maintained in the WordPress SVN repository with backported security patches from jQuery 3.4.0. This update improves security by using the standard, unmodified version of jQuery installed via NPM.

Performance Improvements

Build System Improvements

• Split single site and multisite tests into parallel jobs for faster test execution
• Split slow tests into separate, parallel jobs for PHP 5.6
• Added ability to run PHPUnit tests from src instead of build
• Improved branch and path scoping for GitHub Action workflows

Impact Summary

WordPress 5.6.3 is primarily a security and maintenance release that focuses on improving compatibility and developer experience rather than introducing new user-facing features.

The jQuery update to 3.5.1 is particularly important as it addresses security concerns while simplifying WordPress's dependency management by using the standard npm package instead of a custom fork.

PHP 8 compatibility improvements through the GetID3 library fix ensure WordPress continues to work well on newer PHP versions, which is crucial for sites looking to stay current with PHP updates.

The REST API enhancement for password-protected posts resolves a workflow issue for content authors, allowing them to properly manage their protected content through the API.

For developers, the numerous build and test tool improvements make contributing to WordPress and testing changes more efficient, with better GitHub Actions integration and parallel test execution.