WordPress 5.6 Available
WordPress 5.6 is packed with 85 enhancements and feature requests and over 200 bug fixes.
WordPress 5.6 brings a lot of changes for both developers and site editors alike. A new theme is now available: Twenty-One and is AAA-ready. There are also a number of block editor changes which promise to make post complex layouts easier for anyone who is using the Gutenberg editor.
WordPress 5.6 is also PHP 8 ready (make sure your plugins/custom themes are before upgrading to PHP 8) and jQuery also gets an upgrade too. All sorts of other fun things are in this update too for developers like the new REST API authentication with Application Passwords, Block API version 2, and a number of other items. Make sure you spend some time going through everything.
I highly recommend downloading and using the Test jQuery Updates plugin before upgrading as well. If you notice any javascript issues with your site (ideally on a staging site before upgrading your production site) you can take care of the issue before upgrading to WordPress 5.6.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/11/20/wordpress-5-6-field-guide/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.6&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.5.3 Maintenance Release Available
Update to WordPress 5.5.3 to address an issue introduced in WordPress 5.5.2.
This maintenance release fixes an issue for new WordPress installations where the database connection has not yet been configured.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-5-3/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.5.3&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.5.2 Security and Maintenance Release Available
Time to apply the most recent WordPress security update.
This release should be installed for any site that is running WordPress 5.5.1 or earlier. There are 14 bug fixes as we’ll as 10 security fixes.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-5-2/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.5.2&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.5.1 Maintenance Release Available
Over 30 bug fixes and multiple enhancements for WordPress 5.5.1
This release should be installed for any site that is running WordPress 5.5. There are multiple block editor fixes as well as other important fixes for sitemaps, lazy loading, REST API, etc.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-5-1/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.5.1&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.5 Available
Auto-update plugins and themes, developer changes, sitemaps, lazy load, and block editor changes.
This is the second major release of WordPress in 2020 and it is packed of nice touches that help improve the WordPress experience for users and developers alike. With a big focus on site speed – I would highly recommend checking out the details about the lazy loading implementation. I would also recommend reading about the XML Sitemap implantation. If you have third party plugins that do either of those – it might be worthwhile looking to see if they are still needed.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-5/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.5&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
Fix Permissions Error with Redmine GitHub Hook
For years we have used svn and are in the process of migrating all of our repositories to git. Part of this migration process was then setting up a webhook within Github to then update our local repositories in Redmine when a change was pushed. In order to handle that – I installed and configured the Redmine GitHub Hook plugin. When testing out the initial webhook – I kept getting the following error:
GithubHook: Command 'git fetch origin' didn't exit properly. Full output: ["error: cannot open FETCH_HEAD: Permission denied\n"]
In order to fix that error – there is another step needed in the set up process documented in Redmine GitHub Hook plugin Readme (Step 2: Add the repository to Redmine)
If you get the same error after following this step: HowTo keep in sync your git repository for redmine try this:
chmod 777 -R project.git
The entire process would then be:
(Note: In the below examples, “git_user” and “project.git” should be modified for your GitHub project)
git clone --mirror git@github.com:git_user/project.gitcd project.gitgit fetch -q --all -pchmod 777 -R project.git(make sure you are have moved outside of the project.git directory first)
That will then update as need without giving the permission denied error.
WordPress 5.4.2 Security and Maintenance Release Available
This release contains 23 fixes and improvements as well as contains a number of security fixes too.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-4-2/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.4.2&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.4.1 Available
This security and maintenance release features 17 bug fixes in addition to 7 security fixes.
Because this is a security fix – please update your sites immediately.
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?milestone=5.4.1&group=component&col=id&col=summary&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=status&col=priority&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.4 Available
If you are not using the block editor – it is time to finally check it out.
A lot of people have been resisting the block editor – but it is clear the only place it is going is forward. WordPress 5.4 offers improved editor speed as well as introduces a number of nice block additions including making it easier to share media and add in social icons and buttons.
The latest version also offers additional reporting functionality of the privacy personal export to make any data erasure requests much easier and complete. Last but not least – we now have the ability to add custom fields to menu items (something I have wanted for years) which will make custom navigation much easier and streamlined for developers.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-4/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.4&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.
WordPress 5.3.2 Maintenance Release Available
This release addresses five fixes since WordPress 5.3.1.
You can read more by looking at the release notes: https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-3-2/
You can also see a complete list of changes: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&resolution=fixed&milestone=5.3.2&order=priority
If you have not done so already – download the update or simply use your existing installation of WordPress to update your site. Either way – this is an excellent time to make a backup copy of your site(s) before upgrading.