👋 Hello, People of WordPress! I hope you’ve been bustling with excitement, setting up WordPress meetups all around, as we celebrate the remarkable 20th anniversary of our beloved platform. As we approach the end of May, it’s time for the WordPress Roundup! Amidst your busy schedules, I understand there might be a few things and announcements that you might have missed. But worry not, I’ve got you covered! 🤝
WordPress 6.2 Performance Review
According to this analysis by WordPress, version 6.2 loads 14-18% faster for block themes and 2-5% faster for classic themes. Also, server side performance boost of 17-23% for block themes and 3-5% for classic themes.
These improvements highlight WordPress’s ongoing dedication to optimizing performance for websites built on its platform, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that such websites deliver optimal speed and efficiency.
WordPress 6.2.1 Maintenance & Security Update
WordPress 6.2.1 released with minor maintenance and security update on May 16, 2023. This release features 20 bug fixes in the core and 10 bug fixes for the block editor. This was a short-cycle release preceding the major release WordPress 6.3.
If your sites support automatic background updates, it should have already been equipped with WordPress 6.2.1. In case your site isn’t up to date then you can download WordPress 6.2.1 from WordPress.org. If not, visit WordPress Dashboard > Updates > Update Now.
WordPress 6.3 Announcement
WordPress 6.3 is set to be released on August 8, 2023. The primary objective of this release is to enhance the user experience by facilitating direct editing of pages, easy navigation management, and seamless style adjustments within the Site Editor. It also aims to provide users with comprehensive and pertinent information while exploring different sections of the site. For instance, it will display the number of posts per page when viewing relevant blog templates.
Alongside these improvements, the release is expected to offer convenient access to revisions across various post types, such as templates and template parts, as well as styles. Furthermore, users can anticipate features like block theme previews, a command tool to expedite workflows, additional curated patterns, font management options, and a few new blocks.
You can view the release schedule, which remains the same as proposed, except for potential changes to Beta 2, which falls on US Independence Day. The decision regarding the change will be subjective and dependent on the availability of the contributors.
WordPress Playground Announcement
WordPress has recently introduced the WordPress Playground, an exciting tool designed for users, designers, and educators. This flexible tool enables you to explore, experiment, and play without the need for any setup.
With the WordPress Playground, you can easily try out different plugins and themes in a live virtual environment. It also allows you to experiment with an anonymous WordPress website, giving you the freedom to test and customize without any limitations.
Additionally, you have the option to embed a real WordPress site in your tutorial or course, enhancing the learning experience for your audience. Explore the possibilities and unleash your creativity with the new WordPress Playground.
Note: ⚠️ This is currently in an experimental phase – it might break or change without any warning.
Gutenberg Updates
There were two Gutenberg updates (15.7 and 15.8) this month, and the third one might release any time soon as Gutenberg 15.9 is in RC2.
- WordPress Gutenberg 15.7 – This version released on May 3, 2023. This release brings improvements to the existing UI and UX for all the content creators, site owners, and theme developers out there. With features like Site Logo replacement and Duo-tone controls to the block sidebar, display custom borders on the placeholder, fluid typography improvements, and much more.
- WordPress Gutenberg 15.8 – This version released on May 17, 2023. The latest version continues to improve the existing UI and UX for content creators, site owners , and theme developers. With features like recently updated preview pane to the site editor, global styles revisions, theme previews for block themes, and much more.
WordPress 20th Anniversary
WordPress celebrated its 20th anniversary marketing campaign until May 27, 2023. The campaign was about using the hashtag #WP20, marking two decades of remarkable progress and innovation. It’s truly incredible to reflect on how far we have come from the early days of simple blogs to the current era of dynamic block-based content creation.
Kudos to everyone who participated in the marketing campaign, and shared their memories they had with WordPress. 🍻
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