Serving as the second major WordPress release of 2017 and the last one of the year, WordPress 4.9 is the next big development WordPress users are looking forward to. Scheduled for release on November 14th, there’s still a little way to go but details have started to be released about what we can expect from the upcoming version.
The 4.9 Kickoff meeting took place back at the beginning of August and the contributors have been hard at work since, working on the new features, enhancements for existing features, and other improvements we’ll see in this new version.
Beta 1 is due for release at the beginning of next month, with Beta 2, Beta 3 and Beta 4 coming out each consecutive week after. The end of October should see the release candidate, and the code freeze begins on November 13th, ready for November 14th’s release. It’s always fascinating to follow the process behind each WordPress version and follow along with the contributing team’s progress as the months go on.
So what can we expect from WordPress 4.9?
Improvements to both code editing and customisation are two of the main priorities, with numerous changes to the Customiser in the works, as well as an enhanced code editing experience and safer file editing. Changes to the Media widgets and functionality are also planned.
One of the biggest plans that users might skim over involves the REST API. The API endpoints for Gutenberg are due to be implemented, as well as some other details that haven’t yet been shared publicly. With Gutenberg planned for inclusion with WordPress 5.0, it’s great to see the foundations being laid ahead of time.
What new features would you most like to see in WordPress 4.9? Don’t forget to comment below with your predictions for WordPress 4.9 so you can check back after the release to see if you were correct!
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