Startof the meeting inSlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/, facilitated by @audrasjb See the agenda post.

From @jeffpaul

More a metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. thing than coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., but it sounds like https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/1181 had some folks at WCUS discussing it this week. So if anyone has interest or experience there, commenting with feedback on the ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. would be helpful.

#7-1, #7-2, #core, #dev-chat

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The next WordPress Developers Chat will take place on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 15:00 UTC in thecorechannel onMake WordPress Slack.

The live meeting will focus on the discussion for upcoming releases, and have an open floor section.

The various curated agenda sections below refer to additional items. If you haveticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.requests for help, please continue to post details in the comments section at the end of this agenda or bring them up during the dev chat.

Announcements

Note: Dev Chat has been moved to Tuesdays at 15:00 UTC for the duration of the 7.1 release cycle.

7.1

• 7.1 RC3 was released on August 12th.
• The Accessibility Improvements dev notedev note Each important change in WordPress Core is documented in a developers note, (usually called dev note). Good dev notes generally include a description of the change, the decision that led to this change, and a description of how developers are supposed to work with that change. Dev notes are published on Make/Core blog during the beta phase of WordPress release cycle. Publishing dev notes is particularly important when plugin/theme authors and WordPress developers need to be aware of those changes.In general, all dev notes are compiled into a Field Guide at the beginning of the release candidate phase. was published.
• 7.1 RC4 was released on August 17th.
• WordPress 7.1 Field Guide
• As of Aug 10th, 7.1 is branched. Committers: Trunktrunk A directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. is open for 7.2 and the 7.1 branchbranch A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch". requires double sign off.
• Learn more about WordPress 7.1 Release Day Process.

7.2

• A call for volunteers was published for WP 7.2.

General

• The new WordPress Contributor Toolkit 1.0 was introduced.
• 7.0.4 Security release
• WCUS 2026 is this week!! (and WordPress 7.1 is slated for release live at WCUS on August 19th.)

#7-1, #7-2, #agenda, #core, #dev-chat

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Preparation for the WordPress 7.1 release is underway.

This post shares the release process, including the timeline and how you can help.

Release Timeline Overview

• 7.1 RC4 was released on August 17, 2026 at 15:00 UTC,
  immediately followed by the Dry Run.
• An extended code freeze is now in effect and will remain in place until the General Release.
• The final release party is planned for August 19, 2026 at 19:45 UTC in the #core Slack channel.

Extended Code Freeze

A mandatory code freeze will be in effect from August 17, 2026 at 14:00 UTC through the General Release on Wednesday, August 19. It begins one hour ahead of the RC4 release at 15:00 UTC, which is followed immediately by the Dry Run. Committing does not reopen once the Dry Run is complete. At the request of the CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Committers, the freeze has been extended beyond the usual 24 hours, so everyone has time to verify the release in full before it ships.

What does this mean?

No source code for 7.1.0 (i.e., in the 7.1 branchbranch A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch".) can be changed during the code freeze.

What happens if a criticalbugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority.is reported during this period?

The release squad will meet with committers and maintainers to determine if the issue is a blockerblocker A bug which is so severe that it blocks a release..

• If it is, another RCrelease candidate One of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta). release happens and the release process restarts,
  meaning the Dry Run repeats and the code freeze starts again.
• If it is not, the bug is targeted for the 7.1.1 release.

The Release Party

The WordPress 7.1 release party will run in two parts.

Part one is scheduled on August 19, 2026 at 19:45 UTC in the#core Slack channel and covers the release process itself.

Part two will take place live on stage at WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what theyve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. US in Phoenix and will also be streamed. From August 19, 2026 at 23:10 UTC, WordPress 7.1 will be published from the event. The party in the #core Slack channel continues alongside it, where the remaining release tasks are completed.

The release party walks through the steps in theMajor Version Release processif you want to follow along.

Please note: releasing a major version requires more time than releasing abetaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process.orrelease candidaterelease candidate One of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta)..There are more steps in the process. If any last-minute issues need addressing, those issues will take more time, as well.

How You Can Help

A key part of the release process is checking that the .zip packages work on allserver configurations. If you have any less commonly used servers available for testing (IIS, in particular), that would be super helpful. Servers running older versions of PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 7.4 or higher and MySQLMySQL MySQL is a relational database management system. A database is a structured collection of data where content, configuration and other options are stored. https://www.mysql.com will also need testing.

You can start this early by running the WordPress 7.1 RC packages, which are built using the same method as the final packages.

During the release party, you will be instructed on several ways to help test the release package.

Tips on What to Test

In particular, testing the following types of installs and updates would be much appreciated:

• Does a new WordPress install work correctly? This includes running through the manual install process, as well as WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ or one-click installers.
• Test upgrading from various versions.
• Remove the wp-config.php file and test a fresh install.
• Test single site and multisitemultisite Used to describe a WordPress installation with a network of multiple blogs, grouped by sites. This installation type has shared users tables, and creates separate database tables for each blog (wp_posts becomes wp_0_posts). See also network, blog, site/networknetwork (versus site, blog) (both subdirectory and subdomain) installations.
• Does it upgrade correctly?Are the files listed in $_old_files removed when you upgrade?
• Does multisite upgrade properly?

Testing the following user flows on both desktop and mobile would be great to validate each function as expected:

• Publish a post, including a variety of different blocks.
• Comment on the post.
• Install a new pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party./theme, or upgrade an existing one.
• Change the site language.
• If youre a plugin developer, or if there are complex plugins you depend upon, test that theyre working correctly.

For a more in-depth list of what features to test, make sure to check the Help Test WordPress 7.1

Props to @amykamala, @benjamin_zekavica, @westonruter, @joedolson and @wildworks for help reviewing to this post.

#7-1, #development, #dry-run, #releases

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The fourth Release Candidaterelease candidate One of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta). (RC4) for WordPress 7.1 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, its recommended that you evaluate RC4 on a test server and site.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 7.1 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 7.1 RC4 in four ways:

The scheduled final release date for WordPress 7.1 is August 19, 2026. The full release schedule can be found here. Your help testing RC versions is vital to making this release as stable and powerful as possible.

Please continue checking the Make WordPress Core blog for 7.1-related posts for more updates and information.

Whats in WordPress 7.1 RC4?

WordPress 7.1 RC4 contains more than 26 updatesand fixes since the RC3 release, including8 in the Editorand 18 in CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress..

Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? Take a look at the WordPress 7.1 Field Guide. For technical information related to issues addressed since WordPress 7.1 RC1 release, you can browse the following links:

• Gutenberg commits for 7.1 since August 12
• Closed WordPress Core Trac tickets since August 12

How you can contribute

WordPress is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the worlds most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.

Get involved in testing

Testing for issues is crucial to the development of any software. Its also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute.

Your help testing the WordPress 7.1 RC4 version is key to ensuring that the final release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 7.1.

If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.

Update your theme or plugin

For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.

Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 7.1 beta releases. If you havent yet, make sure to conclude your testing and update the Tested up to version in your plugins readme file to 7.1

If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.

Test on your hosting platforms

Web hosts provide vital infrastructure for supporting WordPress and its users. Testing on hosting systems helps inform the development process while ensuring that WordPress and hosting platforms are fully compatible, free of errors, optimized for the best possible user experience, and that updates roll out to customer sites without issue.

Want to test WordPress on your hosting system? Get started with configuring distributed hosting tests here.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? Espaol? Franais? ? ? ? ? ? ? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages. This release milestone (RC4) also marks the hard string freeze point of the 7.1 release cycle.

An RC4 haiku

The code goes quiet,
we run it through once for real
Phoenix waits ahead.

Props to@amykamala, @krupajnanda, @wildworks and @annezazu for proofreading and review.

#7-1, #development, #release

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WordPress 7.1 continues to polish accessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both direct access (i.e. unassisted) and indirect access meaning compatibility with a persons assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) across WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. and GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses blocks to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/, advancing the goals to meet accessibility standards. In this release, high-impact changes include the new accessible tooltips APIAPI An API or Application Programming Interface is a software intermediary that allows programs to interact with each other and share data in limited, clearly defined ways., improved predictability for screen readers, and improved labeling in many places in the adminadmin (and super admin). The editor ships with new Tab and Playlist blocks and extensive improvements to editor navigation and interaction.

Core

Enhancements to WordPress core include 44 accessibility enhancements and bugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. fixes. Major changes include enhancements to focus states, improvements to screen reader support in post list tables, and the introduction of a tooltip mechanism for exposing accessible names in WordPress core.

Media

WordPress 7.1 delivers an enhanced media experience including refined labels for caption fields to provide clearer usage guidance (#43178). Navigation within theme and media modals was adjusted to prevent single-key arrow interactions from conflicting with screen reader patterns (#63760). Technical fixes address duplicate ID elements in figcaption elements when reusing images (#65315) and ensure accurate visible labeling for untitled items in the grid view (#65438). In the image editor, the width input label was corrected (#65685). Improvements to the Media grid include resolving unlabeled date filters (#65711), styling fixes for bulk editing toolbars (#65732), and ensuring focus indicators remain fully visible (#65755).

Classic Editor

The editing environment is landing with architectural improvements, such as support for invoker command attributes in KSES (#64576) and the autofocus attribute for dialog elements (#65491). Classic editor users will benefit from layout enhancements to the Publish box visibility controls (#65530) and status dropdown menus (#65532).

List Tables

List table structures were updated to identify the post title cell as the row headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitors opinion about your content and you/ your organizations brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. instead of the selection checkboxes (#32892, #65743). To assist blind users, subpages in page lists now include proper structural indicators (#64932), while untitled posts can display an excerptExcerpt An excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugins metabox. of the content in post lists (#65022).

Labeling and Accessible Names

Work continues on semantic clarity, addressing missing plural forms for specific strings (#29299) and adding necessary visible text to responsive preview icons in the CustomizerCustomizer Tool built into WordPress core that hooks into most modern themes. You can use it to preview and modify many of your sites appearance settings. (#36447). Core now includes a standardized mechanism for accessible tooltips (#51006), which has been applied to metaboxMetabox A post metabox is a draggable box shown on the post editing screen. Its purpose is to allow the user to select or enter information in addition to the main post content. This information should be related to the post in some way. order buttons (#50921) and the Remember Me login option (#55343).

Users

The user management flow was improved with better guidance during user deletion (#56914) and clearer identification of links on the login page (#65075). The language switcher now consistently employs visible labels and icons (#65464), and the Add User screen no longer forces initial focus onto the password field (#65630).

Administration

Administrative improvements focus on high contrast and consistency. Contrast in admin color schemes was boosted for sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme. compatibility with the blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. editor (#65382), and active states for buttons and tabs are now properly identified in Windows High Contrast Mode (#65153, #65419). UIUI User interface inconsistencies during tagtag A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.) management (#63372), Quick Draft error handling (#64952), and Settings API section titles (#65027) have been resolved. Further enhancements include toolbar visibility in the Site Editor (#65091), standardized focus indicators of at least 2 CSSCSS Cascading Style Sheets. pixels (#65645), and labeling improvements for data export requests (#65246).

Focus states on the admin bar and the admin menu have been improved (#65765, #65726), enhancing the usability of the now-universal toolbar. Mouse cursor interaction inconsistencies when the admin menu is collapsed have been fixed (#65250). Route-based admin pages now all render appropriate feedback when JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a users browser. https://www.javascript.com rendering is not available or fails (#65690).

The theme browser now has consistent navigation behavior when navigating from the first theme (#65715), and the scrollbar is no longer partially hidden in the pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. installer modal (#65334). When performing setup or installation, the language of the page is made available (#65454).

Front-end

On the front end, password-protected content receives styling and usability upgrades (#64569). The RSS widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user. was updated to prevent accessibility issues when multiple instances are present (#47670), and the comment reply link no longer triggers unexpectedly on touch interactions (#46713).

Editor

The editor includes 43 accessibility enhancements and bug fixes covering screen reader, forced colors, and keyboard navigation improvements, as well as shipping two new front-end blocks for post content. The editor changes in 7.1 greatly improve consistency on a number of fundamental components that should lead to a better experience for all.

Editing Experience

Refinements to the editing interface include fixing keyboard activation for template action previews (#78641) and resolving focus loss issues when dismissing the pattern creation dialog (#78957). Localized aria-live regions were replaced with the more robust speak() function to improve auditory feedback (#79600). The DataForm panel layout now correctly exposes accessible names via tooltips on edit buttons (#77024), and tooltips now also display keyboard shortcuts for block movement (#76992).

Visual and interaction fixes address cursor instability in the color picker (#80205) and prevent layout shifts by relocating contrast warnings within the color popover (#79512). Advanced contrast checking now extends to viewport and pseudo-states (#80223), while note selections are now preserved across browser tab transitions (#75955).

Additional refinements include adding word-break support to screen reader classes (#75539) to prevent inconsistencies, and an error in spoken messages announced during block insertion was fixed (#79004).

Blocks

Block-level improvements focus on semantic accuracy and control. The Breadcrumbs block now hides decorative separators from assistive technologyAssistive technology Assistive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, thetechnology needed to accomplish such tasks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology (#78524), while the icon browser provides full labels for better identification (#80256). The Image block introduces a dedicated toggle for marking media as decorative (#78064), and the Cover block gains attributes to restrict video providers, helping prevent inaccessible embeds (#80092).

In Accordion blocks, navigation shortcuts using arrows and the home and end keys were removed (#75891) due to conflicting behaviors, and a focus loss in settings was fixed in the Stretchy Text block (#75092).

Admin Screens

Updates to admin screens emphasize readability and standard compliance. Centered text is removed from Connectors to improve scanning (#78125), and Page component headers are promoted to h1 by default to align with core semantic structures (#77617). Focus issues in the Font Library (#78671) and labeling mismatches in the NavigableRegion (#75899) have been addressed.

Admin Components

The component library received numerous technical fixes. Focus traps broken by specific display properties were resolved (#77381), and invalidinvalid A resolution on the bug tracker (and generally common in software development, sometimes also notabug) that indicates the ticket is not a bug, is a support request, or is generally invalid. object-based labels in ValidatedRangeControl were corrected (#77042). Help text associations were improved for ComboboxControl (#76761) and ToggleGroupControl (#76740). RadioControl fieldsets now properly employ the radiogroup role (#76745).

For users in High Contrast mode, focus rings are now consistently rendered on Tab panels and CollapsibleCard headers (#77469, #77468).

Button states were also refined, addressing focusable defaults when disabled (#78526), loading indicator visibility in forced colors (#78820), and click feedback styling (#76833). Furthermore, label associations in ContentEditableControl were fixed (#80344), Dialog components now prioritize focusing content over the close button (#76910), and screen reader text for DataForm card toggles was standardized (#76039).

Visual RevisionsRevisions The WordPress revisions system stores a record of each saved draft or published update. The revision system allows you to see what changes were made in each revision by dragging a slider (or using the Next/Previous buttons). The display indicates what has changed in each revision.

The Visual Revisions experience received significant updates. Contrast for difference position marker stripes was increased (#78473), and title attributes were replaced with aria-describedby for better annotation support (#80440). The timeline now includes specific labels for autosaves (#79950). Navigation was improved by auto-focusing the revisions slider (#79691) when the editor is activated.

Non-color indicators were added using CSS outlines as secondary indicators for document changes (#78393), and proper pluralization for revision count labels (#78382) was added. The Post Summary sidebar now includes an aria-label for the revisions trigger (#78140) to provide better context for screen reader users.

New blocks

WordPress introduces new interactive elements, including a Playlist Block (#80203) and a Tabs Block (#80163). Both blocks have been tested for accessibility concerns, although feedback is always welcome.

Known Accessibility Regressionregression A software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5.

In WordPress 7.1, the default behavior of the media library is being changed from including a load more button to having infinite scroll, a known inaccessible pattern.

To compensate for this, there is an option in the User Profile allowing individual users to turn it off. You can also use the existing filter media_library_infinite_scrolling to disable it by default, returning the value false.

A feature has been added in the WP Accessibility plugin that inverts the logic, switching the default value to false and altering the User Profile option to allow users to turn it on.

You can also try the Gutenberg Experiment to replace the media library. This feature is still in development, and has not had a full accessibility review. The infinite scroll in the updated media library will be governed by an in-modal toggle, and is not currently enabled.

There is also work continuing to try to add a similar toggle to the existing media library in #65775. That work is progressing, but the implementation did not reach consensus in time to land in WordPress 7.1

Reviewed by @annezazu, @amykamala, @sabernhardt

#7-1, #accessibility, #dev-notes, #dev-notes-7-1

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The third Release Candidaterelease candidate One of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta). (RC3) for WordPress 7.1 is ready for download and testing!

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, its recommended that you evaluate RC3 on a test server and site.

Reaching this phase of the release cycle is an important milestone. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing remains crucial to ensure that everything in WordPress 7.1 is the best it can be.

You can test WordPress 7.1 RC3 in four ways:

The scheduled final release date for WordPress 7.1 is August 19, 2026. The full release schedule can be found here. Your help testing RC versions is vital to making this release as stable and powerful as possible.

Please continue checking the Make WordPress Core blog for 7.1-related posts for more updates and information.

Whats in WordPress 7.1 RC3?

WordPress 7.1 RC3 contains more than 90 updatesand fixes since the RC1 release, including37 in the Editorand 57 in Core.

Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? Take a look at the WordPress 7.1 Field Guide. For technical information related to issues addressed since WordPress 7.1 RC1 release, you can browse the following links:

• Gutenberg commits for 7.1 since August 05
• Closed WordPress Core Trac tickets since August 05

How you can contribute

WordPress is open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. software made possible by a passionate community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline various ways you can help the worlds most popular open source web platform, regardless of your technical expertise.

Get involved in testing

Testing for issues is crucial to the development of any software. Its also a meaningful way for anyone to contribute.

Your help testing the WordPress 7.1 RC3 version is key to ensuring that the final release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. This detailed guide will walk you through testing features in WordPress 7.1.

If you encounter an issue, please report it to the Alpha/Beta area of the support forums or directly to WordPress Trac if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bugbug A bug is an error or unexpected result. Performance improvements, code optimization, and are considered enhancements, not defects. After feature freeze, only bugs are dealt with, with regressions (adverse changes from the previous version) being the highest priority. report. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.

Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel on Making WordPress Slack.

Update your theme or plugin

For plugin and theme authors, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.

Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 7.1 beta releases. If you havent yet, make sure to conclude your testing and update the Tested up to version in your plugins readme file to 7.1

If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the support forum.

Test on your hosting platforms

Web hosts provide vital infrastructure for supporting WordPress and its users. Testing on hosting systems helps inform the development process while ensuring that WordPress and hosting platforms are fully compatible, free of errors, optimized for the best possible user experience, and that updates roll out to customer sites without issue.

Want to test WordPress on your hosting system? Get started with configuring distributed hosting tests here.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? Espaol? Franais? ? ? ? ? ? ? You can help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages. This release milestone (RC3) also marks the hard string freeze point of the 7.1 release cycle.

An RC3 haiku

Small cracks catch the light,
We polish, not propose
Almost ready now.

Props to@benjamin_zekavica, @amykamala, @wildworks and @annezazu for proofreading and review.

#7-1, #development, #release

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The next WordPress Developers Chat will take place on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 15:00 UTC in thecorechannel onMake WordPress Slack.

The live meeting will focus on the discussion for upcoming releases, and have an open floor section.

The various curated agenda sections below refer to additional items. If you haveticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker.requests for help, please continue to post details in the comments section at the end of this agenda or bring them up during the dev chat.

Announcements

Note: Dev Chat has been moved to Tuesdays at 15:00 UTC for the duration of the 7.1 release cycle.

7.1

• 7.1 RC1 was released Wed August 5th.
• A silent RC2 security release was released on August 6th.
• RC3 scheduled for Wednesday, August 12th.
• WordPress 7.1 Field Guide
• 7.1 Release Candidate phase
• As of Aug 10th, 7.1 is branched. Committers: Trunktrunk A directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. is open for 7.2 and the 7.1 branchbranch A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses branches to store the latest development code for each major release (3.9, 4.0, etc.). Branches are then updated with code for any minor releases of that branch. Sometimes, a major version of WordPress and its minor versions are collectively referred to as a "branch", such as "the 4.0 branch". requires double sign off.

General

• 7.0.3 Security release
• Whats new in Gutenberg 23.7 Aug 5th.
• WCUS 2026 is next week!! (and WordPress 7.1 is slated for release live at WCUS on August 19th.)

#7-1, #agenda, #core, #dev-chat

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Now that WordPress 7.1 has entered the Release Candidate phase, the following policies are in place.

These policies mainly cover how and when CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. committers can commit. For non-committing contributors, this post may help explain why Core committers make certain decisions.

Committing to Trunk

In order to not interfere with ongoing efforts to improve github actions, branching has been delayed until early next week. This post will be updated after the branch is created.

As a result, all commits to trunk will require double sign-off by two core committers until the 7.1 branch is created.

The dev-feedback keyword should be used to request a second committercommitter A developer with commit access. WordPress has five lead developers and four permanent core developers with commit access. Additionally, the project usually has a few guest or component committers - a developer receiving commit access, generally for a single release cycle (sometimes renewed) and/or for a specific component.s review, dev-reviewed should be added to indicate a second committer has reviewed and approved the commit to trunk. Commits to the test suite do not require double sign-off. Only committers should add the dev-feedback and dev-reviewed keywords.

String Freeze

RC1 release marks the hard string freeze point of the release cycle. While this normally means the Polyglots teamPolyglots Team Polyglots Team is a group of multilingual translators who work on translating plugins, themes, documentation, and front-facing marketing copy. https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/ can begin translating strings from the upcoming release into their local language, a version-specific branch is required. As a result, strings will not be available for translationtranslation The process (or result) of changing text, words, and display formatting to support another language. Also see localization, internationalization. until the 7.1 branch is created.

Despite this, the normal rules for hard string freeze will be followed:

• No new strings are permitted. Exceptions can be made for critical strings (the About page, for example) provided they are properly tagged with the i18n-change keyword in TracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. and the Polyglot team is made aware.
• Existing strings can be removed and/or duplicated if needed.

Seek guidance from the Polyglots team reps for any strings reported as buggy. A buggy string is one that can not be translated to all languages in its current form.

Tickets on the WordPress 7.1 milestone

Only two types of tickets may be placed on/remain on the 7.1 milestone:

• Regressions: bugs that have been introduced during the WordPress 7.1 development cycle, either to existing or new features.
• Test suite expansion: tests can be committed at any time without regard to code or string freezes. This can cover either new or existing features.

Bumping Trunk to WordPress 7.2-alpha

After the 7.1 branch is created, this post will be updated and a @committers announcement will be made in slackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ informing everyone that trunk is open for commits related to the next version of the software.

Props @joedolson for peer review.

#7-1

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This guide outlines major developer features and breaking changes in 7.1 and is published during the Release Candidaterelease candidate One of the final stages in the version release cycle, this version signals the potential to be a final release to the public. Also see alpha (beta). phase to help inform WordPress extenders, CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. developers, and everyone else interested in the latest WordPress development.

There are more than 310 Core Trac tickets included in WordPress 7.1, over 100 of which are enhancements and feature requests, and more than 180 bug fixes. This release includes 40+ tickets focused on the Editor, with the most attention going to accessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both direct access (i.e. unassisted) and indirect access meaning compatibility with a persons assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) (46), UIUI User interface (40), and administration (28) focuses. Additionally, this release includes almost 600 enhancements and more than 630 bug fixes, coming from GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses blocks to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/.

A quick search of the diff between 7.0.2 and the current trunktrunk A directory in Subversion containing the latest development code in preparation for the next major release cycle. If you are running "trunk", then you are on the latest revision. (7.1-beta4) reveals 20 new hooksHooks In WordPress theme and development, hooks are functions that can be applied to an action or a Filter in WordPress. Actions are functions performed when a certain event occurs in WordPress. Filters allow you to modify certain functions. Arguments used to hook both filters and actions look the same. (19 filters and 1 action), 1480 total files changed with 88163 insertions and 18601 deletions. Kudos to everyone who contributed to the 7.1 release, in any way, shape, or form.

Below is a breakdown of the most important developer-related changes included in WordPress 7.1.

1. Media
   1. Client-side media processing
   2. Media library
2. Accessibility
   1. Administration
   2. Accessible tooltips in core
3. Abilities API
4. Global styles
5. SVG Icon API
6. DataViews, DataForm, and View Config APIs
7. Editor
   1. New Block Support
   2. Enforced iframed editor
   3. Editor components
8. Design System
9. Persistent Admin Bar
10. External libraries
11. Other updates
12. But wait, theres more!
13. What changes didn't make the 7.1 release
    1. Classic block
    2. Real-time collaboration
    3. "On This Day" widget
    4. Merge proposals

SVG Icon API

Starting with WordPress 7.1, the SVG Icon API provides a standardised way to register and render custom icons in WordPress.

DataViews, DataForm, and View Config APIs

The DataViews and DataForm APIs continue to mature in WordPress 7.1, alongside new View Config capabilities for controlling Site Editor screens. Developers can use the expanded APIs to customize data-driven interfaces and filterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. which views and layouts are available in supported editor contexts.

Editor

WordPress 7.1 includes a broad collection of editor improvements spanning block behaviour, extensibility APIs, interface components, styling tools, and the editing environment itself. The sections below highlight the changes most likely to affect block, theme, and pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. developers.

Enforced iframed editor

WordPress 7.1 completes the move to an iframeiframe iFrame is an acronym for an inline frame. An iFrame is used inside a webpage to load another HTML document and render it. This HTML document may also contain JavaScript and/or CSS which is loaded at the time when iframe tag is parsed by the users browser.-based post editor, including for sites that register legacy metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. boxes. This creates a more consistent editing environment, but plugins that rely on reaching across the editor document boundary should review their JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a users browser. https://www.javascript.com and CSSCSS Cascading Style Sheets. for compatibility.

Editor components

The editor component library receives new features, refinements, and API updates in WordPress 7.1. Developers building editor interfaces should review the component changes for new capabilities, updated behaviour, and any migrationMigration Moving the code, database and media files for a website site from one server to another. Most typically done when changing hosting companies. considerations.

Design System

WordPress 7.1 introduces a theming foundation for the WordPress Design System. The new approach uses design tokens and shared styles to make interfaces more consistent while giving supported environments a structured way to apply different visual themes.

Persistent Admin Bar

The WordPress toolbar now remains available while navigating supported editor screens, creating a more consistent path between the front end, administration area, Site Editor, and Block Editor. Developers extending the toolbar should review how their items behave across these contexts and during client-side navigation.

External libraries

WordPress 7.1 updates bundled third-party dependencies to improve compatibility, maintenance, and security. The most notable change is the update to jQuery UI 1.14.2, which may require testing for plugins that depend on jQuery UI behaviour or styling.

Other updates

Several developer-facing changes in WordPress 7.1 do not fall under any of the larger feature areas but may still affect existing integrations. These include adjustments to notification filtering and other focused API or behavioural changes.

But wait, theres more!

7.1 offers so much more! More than 180 Core bugs, over 630 Gutenberg bugs, 100 enhancements and feature requests, and more than 20 blessed tasks have been marked as fixed in WordPress 7.1.

The following highlights call attention to smaller changes that may affect integrations, expected return values, generated markup, compatibility, or established developer workflows:

AI #65504 AI Client updates execute_abilities() to mirror has_ability_calls() by checking is_ability_call() before executing, and adds regressionregression A software bug that breaks or degrades something that previously worked. Regressions are often treated as critical bugs or blockers. Recent regressions may be given higher priorities. A "3.6 regression" would be a bug in 3.6 that worked as intended in 3.5. coverage for mixed ability and non-ability calls.

Comments #65392 Show more comments fails for comment types other than comment

Editor and blocks:

• #64838 Prevent block pseudo-state styles from being applied to the default state
• #65039 Add context to _doing_it_wrong() messages in WP_Block_Type_Registry::register()
• #65373 Query LoopLoop The Loop is PHP code used by WordPress to display posts. Using The Loop, WordPress processes each post to be displayed on the current page, and formats it according to how it matches specified criteria within The Loop tags. Any HTML or PHP code in the Loop will be processed on each post. https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop block: add an option to exclude the current post

Formatting and compatibility #42517 Make sure get_file_data() recognises headers prefixed by a <? tagtag A directory in Subversion. WordPress uses tags to store a single snapshot of a version (3.6, 3.6.1, etc.), the common convention of tags in version control systems. (Not to be confused with post tags.).

Login, installation, and multisitemultisite Used to describe a WordPress installation with a network of multiple blogs, grouped by sites. This installation type has shared users tables, and creates separate database tables for each blog (wp_posts becomes wp_0_posts). See also network, blog, site #65506 Fix incorrect HTTPHTTP HTTP is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. URLs in multisite signup and activation when SSLSSL Secure Sockets Layer. Provides a secure means of sending data over the internet. Used for authenticated and private actions. is enabled

Privacy

• #44498 Run _wp_personal_data_cleanup_requests() on cron
• #44723 Return the WP_User_Request user ID as the documented type

REST API and XML

• #65536 XML-RPC: fix the argument mismatch in _multisite_getUsersBlogs
• #65670 Prevent WP_REST_Attachments_Controller::get_attachment_filesize() from failing on non-integer metadata

Themes and templates

• #42513 Improve WP_Theme::get_post_templates() performance for large themes
• #64848 Prevent implicit coercion in WP_Theme_JSON::to_ruleset()
• #65049 Templates: add a date field

What changes didnt make the 7.1 release

Not every feature explored during the release cycle was ultimately included in WordPress 7.1. The following initiatives were deferred, changed direction, or remained experimental, giving contributors more time to validate their design and implementation before they reach Core.

as sometimes what we dont add is more valuable than what we do.

Anne McCarthy in #7-1-release-leads

Classic block

An initial proposal would have hidden the Classic block from the inserter for new content while preserving existing instances. After further discussion and testing, the change was reverted, so the Classic block remains available in WordPress 7.1.

The ReactReact React is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org 19 upgrade was also deferred beyond WordPress 7.1 and continues as an experiment in the Gutenberg plugin.

Real-time collaboration

Real-time collaborative editing received extensive testing and feedback during the WordPress 7.1 cycle, but it is not enabled in the final release. Work continues on the editing experience, conflictconflict A conflict occurs when a patch changes code that was modified after the patch was created. These patches are considered stale, and will require a refresh of the changes before it can be applied, or the conflicts will need to be resolved. handling, compatibility, and the path toward a future Core integration.

On This Day widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user.

The proposed On This Day dashboard widget was considered during the WordPress 7.1 cycle but was not included in the release. Further work and discussion can continue in the associated TracTrac An open source project by Edgewall Software that serves as a bug tracker and project management tool for WordPress. ticketticket Created for both bug reports and feature development on the bug tracker. #65801.

Merge proposals

Several projects presented merge proposals during the WordPress 7.1 cycle. Some related foundations were included in the release, while the broader proposals continue to evolve and may be considered again after further testing, documentation, and feedback.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this version of WordPress, whether through code, testing, or something else your contributions matter and help Make WordPress.

Props to @joedolson and @benjamin_zekavica for collaboration and review.

#7-1, #field-guide

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WordPress 7.1 changes whenwp_new_comment_notify_postauthor()checks a comments approval status: the check now happensbeforethenotify_post_authorfilterFilter Filters are one of the two types of Hooks https://codex.wordpress.org/Plugin_API/Hooks. They provide a way for functions to modify data of other functions. They are the counterpart to Actions. Unlike Actions, filters are meant to work in an isolated manner, and should never have side effects such as affecting global variables and output. is applied, rather than after. As a result, the filter receives an accurate default value, and its return value fully determines whether a notification is sent. See#64217.

Previous behavior

The filter received a default derived only from thecomments_notifyoption (or thewp_notes_notifyoption for notes). The comments approval status was checkedafterthe filter ran, which had two consequences:

1. The filter received a misleading default oftruefor unapproved comments whenever the option was enabled, even though no notification would be sent.
2. Returningtruefrom the filter could not force a notification for an unapproved comment the return value was silently discarded.

New behavior in 7.1

The approval status is now incorporated into the default value passed to the filter, and the filters return value is final:

• The default isfalsefor comments that are not approved, including those held in moderation, marked as spam, or trashed.
• The default for approved comments continues to follow thecomments_notifyoption, and the default for notes continues to follow thewp_notes_notifyoption regardless of approval status.
• Returningtruefrom the filter now sends the notification, even for an unapproved comment.

Two smaller changes ship alongside this:

• The default passed to the filter is now always a strict boolean. Previously the raw option value (for example the string'1') could be passed through, so callbacks that strictly compare the incoming$maybe_notifyvalue should compare againsttrue/false.
• When the passed comment ID does not resolve to a valid comment, the function now returnsfalseimmediately without applying the filter. Previously, the filter still fired in this case.

Who is affected

Sites or plugins using a callback such as__return_trueonnotify_post_authorto force notifications will now also receive emails for comments held in moderation, marked as spam, or trashed. If that is not desired, the callback should check the comments approval status:

add_filter(
	'notify_post_author',
	function ( $maybe_notify, $comment_id ) {
		$comment = get_comment( $comment_id );

		// Only force notifications for approved comments.
		if ( $comment && '1' === $comment->comment_approved ) {
			return true;
		}

		return $maybe_notify;
	},
	10,
	2
);

Callbacks that onlysuppressnotifications (returningfalse) are unaffected, as are sites that do not filternotify_post_authorat all.

Props to @milana_cap for peer review.

#7-1, #dev-notes, #dev-notes-7-1

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