WordPress has announced a release date for its next major update. WordPress 6.5 will be the first major update of 2024 and will release Tuesday, March 26, 2024. What’s new in WordPress 6.5?
Font library
By far, the most important addition to WordPress 6.5 is the introduction of a new font library. The font library will enable users to upload fonts directly to WordPress, which previously was only possible with a plugin or theme that offered such functionality. The font library will also include the ability to install Google Fonts, which would then be downloaded to your site and served locally.
The WordPress font library will make it much easier for anyone to use custom typography on a WordPress site and is a welcome change to WordPress core.
Plugin dependencies
Another major step forward for WordPress is the addition of plugin dependencies. Some plugins require others to be installed in order to work correctly. For example, a plugin that adds features to WooCommerce would need WooCommerce to also be installed in order to work properly. This feature allows plugin creators to specify which plugins are required in order to install a plugin. WordPress will also not allow you to deactivate plugins that others rely on. Both of these features ensure all plugins can function correctly, instead of displaying an error message as previous versions of WordPress did.
Interactivity API
WordPress is introducing a new Interactivity API. The goal is to allow simple interactions with blocks (adding an item to a shopping cart, clicking a heart icon to like a post, leaving a comment, etc.) without reloading the page. The development team created a movie website as a proof of concept for the Interactivity API, so take a look to see how it works. You can read the complete Interactivity API proposal on the WordPress website.
Other new features
As always, WordPress comes packed with smaller new features, under-the-hood improvements, and bug fixes. Some things you might notice include:
- Drop shadows for more blocks: Drop shadows are now available for Image, Column, and Button blocks.
- Custom fields for blocks: Users can associate custom fields with block attributes, allowing you to fill blocks with dynamic data.
- Grid view in site editor: WordPress introduced a new grid view to view pages, patterns, and templates within the site editor.
- Numerous other changes: For a complete list of changes, visit the WordPress 6.5 Field Guide.
