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WordPress 6.4.2 “Shirley” available for download, what’s new?

Kelvin smith
Update Wordpress

Finally today on 07 November 2023, WordPress 6.4.2 “Shirley” was officially released, and is available for download. The latest release brings some interesting features and enhancements, Notably, the update introduces the Twenty Twenty-Four theme, expanding the default theme’s capabilities beyond traditional blogging. With performance improvements incorporated, WordPress 6.4 aims to be a versatile and user-friendly content management system right from the start, offering a seamless experience for content creators.

Note: Minimum PHP Version Required to Run WordPress 6.4 Is Now 8.1 or greater. That means If you’re using an older version, you’ll need to update PHP before upgrading to WordPress 6.4. (via WordPress system requirement)

WordPress 6.4 “Shirley”

This version pays tribute to the legendary jazz artist Shirley Horn, known for her distinctive voice and remarkable piano skills

Download WordPress 6.4

Before update WordPress to 6.4 we recommend to check and make sure all installed plugins are up to date.

If you are looking to download WordPress 6.4 files visit the release archive. For step-by-step instructions on installing and updating WordPress follow this link

Keeping your WordPress installation up to date ensures the latest improvements and bug fixes are applied for a smoother user experience.

Update: WordPress 6.4.1 is now available! (9-nov-2023)

This minor release aims to enhance the stability and performance of the platform. Users can refer to the Release Candidate announcement for a summary of maintenance updates or check the list of tickets on Trac for detailed information.

Update: WordPress 6.4.2 is now available! (6-Dec-2023)

WordPress 6.4.2, a minor release, addresses 7 bug fixes in the Core, with a particular focus on resolving an issue related to stylesheet and theme directories that could occasionally return incorrect results.

WordPress 6.4.2 fixes 7 Big fixes

In addition to the bug fixes, this release includes a crucial security fix. As a security release, it is strongly advised to promptly update your WordPress sites to version 6.4.2 to ensure the application of the security fix and maintain the integrity and safety of your website.

WordPress 6.4 features

WordPress 6.4 focuses on “speed, security & search” and more than 60 tickets have been closed to improve performance. From REST API to multisite, from WP_Query to core block registration and from new site health checks to the addition of the async attribute for images, there are performance optimizations for every type of WordPress website. Whether you are a developer helping clients or you manage your site solo, here is all you need to know new things in this version of WordPress 6.4.

Twenty Twenty-Four Theme

WordPress 6.4 introduces the Twenty Twenty-Four theme, a versatile default theme designed for writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. With over 35 templates and patterns, it provides flexibility for creative site building.

Writing Enhancements

The update includes improvements for smoother content creation. New keyboard shortcuts in List View, enhanced list merging, and better control over link settings contribute to an improved writing experience.

Improved Command Palette

Building on the WordPress 6.3 feature, the Command Palette gets a refresh in design and introduces new commands for efficient block-specific actions, enhancing the overall building workflow.

Pattern Management

Users can now categorize and filter patterns, making it easier to organize and streamline the site-building process. Advanced filtering in the Patterns section of the inserter adds to the intuitiveness of pattern usage.

Expanded Design Tools

WordPress 6.4 introduces more design tools for creating beautiful and functional layouts. Background image support in Group blocks and the ability to add buttons to Navigation blocks without coding offer additional creative possibilities.

Enhanced Image Functionality

The update enables lightbox functionality for interactive full-screen images on click. Users can apply this globally or to specific images, customizing the viewing experience for site visitors.

Group Block Improvements

Custom naming for Group blocks allows users to organize content efficiently. List View previews for Gallery and Image blocks provide a quick visual overview of images in the content.

Pattern Sharing

Users can now import and export custom patterns as JSON files from the Site Editor’s patterns view, facilitating pattern sharing across different sites.

Block Hooks (Developer Feature)

For developers, Block Hooks allow the automatic insertion of dynamic blocks at specific content locations, enhancing the extensibility of block themes through plugins.

Performance Improvements

WordPress 6.4 prioritizes performance with over 100 updates, focusing on template loading, script loading strategies, and optimization of autoloaded options for a faster and more efficient user experience.

Accessibility Highlights

The release brings several accessibility improvements, including enhancements to List View, aria-label support for the Navigation block, and improved spoken messages in the Site Health feature. These enhancements contribute to a more accessible WordPress experience.

Learn more about all the work aimed at improving accessibility in this post.

The release of WordPress 6.4 was led by Josepha Haden Chomphosy and was supported by a release squad that made the new version with all its enhancements possible for the general users.

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