WordPress 6.5 Delayed by One Week

The upcoming WordPress 6.5 release is highly anticipated by many in the community.

Originally expected to be released today, it will now be unveiled on April 2nd, 2024, marking a departure from its initial launch date.

The decision to postpone comes as the WordPress development team prioritizes making essential alterations to the new Font Library feature, ensuring that the delivery is polished and user-ready.

Moreover, the team is addressing significant bugs identified in the Font Library to integrate seamlessly with the forthcoming Gutenberg 18 update. The delayed update will incorporate these critical fixes and provide an opportunity for thorough testing.

Why WordPress Decided This

The decision to adjust the forthcoming WordPress version was taken with meticulous caution and an adherence to the project’s longstanding principles. The introduction of the Font Library feature is poised to enrich a multitude of sites by allowing easy access with no further installations or settings adjustments required.

Key Considerations:

• The issue of font storage has been thoughtfully resolved, designating the wp-content/uploads/fonts directory as the secure spot for fonts, aligning with the standard WordPress structure.
• Quality and confidence are paramount, and contributors opted for the most conservative course of action after evaluating the nuances of implementing the feature.
• Ease of use remains a cornerstone of WordPress design philosophy; features demanding user configuration or advanced technical know-how stray from this vision.

Update Summary:

• Internal discussion among experienced contributors sparked a consensus to delay, ensuring the release upholds their rigorous quality benchmarks.
• Anticipated bug resolution through more than 20 fixes specifically for the Editor.
• The Release Candidate, a near-final version, will undergo further rigorous testing before the confirmed release date of April 2.

This careful contemplation and the community’s devotion to refining WordPress is what propels the platform toward excellence with each new release.

Post Release

The WordPress team will release a roadmap detailing the future direction of the project’s components. This plan involves introducing new, innovative concepts that go beyond the software’s traditional structure, such as breaking down themes into more manageable elements like fonts, patterns, and templates.

Adjustments to the fonts directory will also be discussed; should the wp-content become alterable, a secure method will be proposed to website administrators.

And additional diagnostics are under consideration to be incorporated into the Site Health feature, aiming to further bolster WordPress’s robustness.