WordPress 6.4.1- uncovering critical bug fixes and their broader implications, offering users insights on navigating tech’s unpredictability.
WordPress users can breathe a sigh of relief as a maintenance release, version 6.4.1, has been swiftly rolled out to address critical issues that emerged shortly after the release of WordPress 6.4 on Tuesday, November 7th.
This new maintenance release comes as a lifesaver for users who encountered several bugs, with two of them having significant implications for the functionality of certain plugins, potentially wreaking havoc on affected websites. In the spirit of transparency, we break down the issues and their fixes in reverse pyramid style.
Critical Bug Causes Download to Fail
The most pressing issue addressed by WordPress 6.4.1 was a critical bug that caused users to encounter download failures, displaying a disheartening error message – “cURL error 28: Operation timed out.”
The root of this problem can be traced back to a major change in WordPress 6.4, specifically an update to the Requests library version. This update included a breaking change for users on hosts with curl version 7.29 or older, which was, unfortunately, more common than expected. The latest cURL version is 8.4.0, highlighting the need to stay up to date.
Backward Compatibility Bug
Another critical issue stemmed from the removal of code that was no longer used by the WordPress core, an action taken in an attempt to streamline and optimize the platform. However, the removal of this code inadvertently disrupted various plugins that still relied on it. The consequences of this action were far-reaching, causing a myriad of issues for users and their websites.
The solution provided by WordPress 6.4.1 was to reintegrate the removed code, ensuring that backward compatibility was maintained and that plugins could function without hiccups.
Typo In Code – Minor Cosmetic Issue
The final issue tackled by this maintenance release was relatively minor in comparison but still noticeable. A typographical error affected the appearance of a nag screen in the administrator panel, causing it to stretch awkwardly across the top of the page.
This typo was rectified with the release of WordPress 6.4.1, restoring the aesthetic integrity of the user interface.
The swift response by WordPress to address these issues exemplifies their commitment to improving the user experience and ensuring a seamless transition to new versions of the platform. While test versions are made available to the community for feedback and error reporting, some issues inevitably surface with the final release, as was the case with WordPress 6.4 codenamed Shirley.
