WordPress Knowledge Patch
Load this skill when upgrading WordPress sites, plugins, themes, blocks, or editor integrations, or when implementing against the APIs described here. Use the quick references for compatibility-sensitive decisions and open the topic guide that matches the work at hand.
Reference index
| Reference | Topics | | --- | --- | | Runtime, upgrades, and security | PHP requirements, hashing, hooks, query and URL compatibility, dependency changes, corrective and security upgrades | | Blocks, patterns, and styles | Block registration and assets, editor iframe behavior, Core blocks, bindings, patterns, Global Styles | | Data and integration APIs | REST access, calendar and HTML processing, Field and view APIs, abilities, AI, connectors, interactivity, email | | Media and administration | Image handling, media workflows, SVG icons, roles, navigation, Site Editor and plugin-list extensibility | | Collaboration and editorial behavior | Notes, visibility controls, author notifications, Style Book, deferred features |
Breaking changes and migration checks
Meet the PHP runtime requirements
WordPress 6.8 installation and upgrade explicitly require the PHP hash
extension. WordPress 7.0 raises the minimum PHP version to 7.4. WordPress 6.9
adds beta support for PHP 8.5 while retaining the older supported range.
Migrate the renamed transient action
WordPress 6.8 renames setted_transient to set_transient. Move extension
listeners to the new action.
Prepare block code for the iframe editor
For new or updated blocks, WordPress 6.9 accepts only apiVersion 3 in the
block.json schema and warns when version 1 or 2 blocks are registered.
WordPress 7.0 iframes the post editor when every inserted Block API block uses version 3 or newer. WordPress 7.1 enforces the iframe even with legacy meta boxes. Extension CSS and JavaScript must handle a separate editor document.
Recheck removed browser and asset behavior
WordPress 6.9 removes Internet Explorer conditional script and style loading. WordPress 7.0 permits scripts to depend on modules, removes HTML5 script theme support, and makes margin-free editor component styles the default.
Test query-dependent integrations
WordPress 6.9 changes WP_Query cache-key generation, although persistent
object-cache drop-ins should remain compatible. Its get_adjacent_post()
query changes require compatibility testing for Storefront-derived themes.
Admin-menu search now uses parsed $_GET values instead of
$_SERVER['QUERY_STRING'].
Account for bundled dependency updates
WordPress 7.0 updates Backbone to 1.6.1, Requests to 2.0.17, PHPMailer to 7.0.2, and the CodeMirror 5 lint stack, replacing Esprima with Espree. WordPress 7.1 updates jQuery UI to 1.14.2, which can change dependent plugin behavior or styling.
Security and corrective upgrades
Treat 7.0.2 as a forced security update
WordPress.org enabled forced automatic updates for sites affected by the critical and high-severity issues addressed in WordPress 7.0.2 instead of relying only on the normal update path.
Follow the 6.9 corrective sequence
WordPress 6.9.2 could leave the front end blank when themes passed stringable objects while loading template files. WordPress 6.9.3 addressed that regression. WordPress 6.9.4 was then required because some 6.9.2 security fixes had not been fully applied.
Apply safer role defaults
WordPress 7.0 excludes Administrator and Editor from the default-role selector
and adds a Site Health warning for an existing unsafe selection. Use
default_role_dropdown_excluded_roles to change the excluded role set.
Block and editor quick reference
Control block asset loading
WordPress 6.8 adds should_load_block_assets_on_demand to choose global or
on-demand block CSS and JavaScript. It also warns about inline useSelect
selectors that can cause excess renders. WordPress 6.9 applies on-demand block
styles to Classic themes.
Register a PHP-only server-rendered block
In WordPress 7.0, declare
'supports' => array( 'autoRegister' => true ) with a render callback to
register a server-rendered block without a separate client implementation.
PHP-defined attributes are exposed to the editor and can receive generated
DataForm inspector controls.
Configure Pattern Overrides and content-only editing
WordPress 6.9 adds
block_bindings_supported_attributes_{$block_type} for controlling bindable
attributes. In WordPress 7.0, Pattern Overrides work with custom and Core
blocks through those supported attributes.
WordPress 7.0 applies contentOnly more broadly to unsynced patterns. Opt out
with disableContentOnlyForUnsyncedPatterns or
block_editor_settings_all. Declare content attributes with
"role": "content" in block.json; use "listView": true support for a
dedicated List View inspector tab.
Use newer block and style capabilities
WordPress 7.0 adds per-block custom CSS, textIndent, width, height, and
minimum-height supports and presets, plus Button pseudo-element states in
theme.json.
WordPress 7.1 adds background-gradient and minimum-width supports, responsive style variations with configurable viewports, pseudo and custom states, text shadows, and a design-token theming foundation.
API and integration quick reference
Expose and consume abilities
The WordPress 6.9 Abilities API lets Core, plugins, and themes register
functionality in a standardized machine-readable form. WordPress 7.1 adds
filtering to wp_get_abilities(), execution lifecycle hooks, a unified
public exposure flag, and client-compatible JSON Schema preparation.
WordPress 7.0 adds @wordpress/core-abilities for fetching and registering
server abilities through REST and @wordpress/abilities for client-side and
hybrid abilities. The core/abilities store provides reactive useSelect
access.
Use the AI client and connectors
WordPress 7.0 introduces a provider-agnostic AI client with centralized
request routing and credentials. Plugins can order models with
using_model_preference(), select by required capabilities, build calls with
WP_AI_Client_Prompt_Builder, and use wordpress/wp-ai-client for transition
compatibility.
The WordPress 7.0 Connectors API discovers providers from the AI Client
registry and supplies the Settings > Connectors screen. Metadata supports
api_key and none authentication. wp_connectors_init can override
connector metadata; other authentication methods can use the PHP registry;
client-side registration customizes the UI.
Use current Interactivity API behavior
WordPress 6.9 adds unique directive IDs and the router-region attachTo
CSS-selector property. WordPress 7.0 adds signal-tracking watch() and the
data-wp-watch lifecycle directive. Server directive processing populates
state.url until the first client navigation.
Media, admin, and collaboration quick reference
Handle current media processing
WordPress 7.1 introduces client-side image processing before upload, REST dimension validation, size-aware encoding quality, and registration of one sideloaded file for multiple image sizes. The Media Library grid defaults to infinite scrolling, with a per-user pagination opt-out.
Support persistent cross-context navigation
WordPress 7.1 keeps the toolbar across supported front-end, admin, Site Editor, and Block Editor navigation. Extensions must handle client-side navigation and each context.
Respect editorial notifications and Notes
WordPress 6.9 adds threaded block Notes with resolution, editing, and post
author email notification. WordPress 7.1 adds mentions and inline feedback.
In WordPress 7.1, notify_post_author has final authority over whether
post-author notifications are sent.
Do not assume deferred features shipped
In WordPress 7.1, the Classic block remains in the inserter, React 19 remains experimental outside Core, and real-time collaborative editing is not enabled.