WordPress 6.5 was released on April 2, 2024, one week later than first planned. Its headline features are the Interactivity API, the Font Library, the Block Bindings API and plugin dependencies.
The headline feature of 6.5 is the introduction of powerful APIs, which make developing with WordPress even better. But that’s not all – there are plenty of changes that will make building and creating content on your site easier and more enjoyable.
WordPress 6.5 (TOC):
Here are the main WordPress 6.5 changes at a glance.
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Interactivity API | Standard way to add interactive front-end behavior to blocks |
| Font Library | Install and manage fonts from the editor |
| Block Bindings API | Connect block content to custom fields and other sources |
| Plugin dependencies | Plugins can require other plugins |
| Script modules | Native JavaScript module support |
| Editor improvements | Drop shadows, cover overlays, block renaming and style revisions |
WordPress 6.5 Overview
Highlights of the release include:
- Introducing the Interactivity API: A new feature allowing developers to add interactions to block frontends in a standard way.
- Font Library: Manage fonts directly in the Editor with APIs for developers to control and adapt behavior.
- Block Bindings API: Populate Block content with external data like post metadata or custom PHP logic.
- Plugin Dependencies: Merged Plugin Dependencies feature plugin into Core.
- Script Modules API: Introduces native JavaScript Module support and provides modules for use with the WordPress Interactivity API.
- I18N Improvements: Merged Performant Translations feature plugin into Core.
- AVIF support: Added AVIF support to WordPress 6.5.
- Updates to HTML API: Enhanced HTML API in 6.5.
Additional Updates / Breaking Changes:
- The Minimum MySQL version has been raised to v5.5.5.
- PHP_CodeSniffer updated to v3.8.1.
- PHPMailer updated to v6.9.1.
- @wordpress/scripts version 17 no longer supports unmaintained Node.js versions. The oldest supported version is now Node.js 18.
- For the full list of changes, read the WordPress 6.5 Field Guide.
Notable changes to the Plugin Directory:
- Introducing Plugin Previews: Allows a demo of plugins via WordPress Playground.
- New word count limits for readme.txt sections (affects a very small percentage of plugins).
Below is what’s new in WordPress 6.5, with details and screenshots.
Exploring WordPress 6.5 Features & Improvements:
Interactivity API
WordPress 6.5 introduced the Interactivity API. It lets developers add interactive elements to their WordPress blocks, which simplifies creating engaging user experiences.
Additionally, the Interactivity API provides a standard way to implement various functionalities. These range from basic UI improvements like counters and pop-ups to more advanced interactions like instant searches, dynamic navigation, and even eCommerce features like carts and checkouts.
The Fonts Library
WordPress 6.5 introduced the Font Library. It allows you to manage fonts right from the editor and comes with handy APIs that allow developers to control its behavior. This addition is great because it lets you control the fonts used in your WordPress theme and throughout your website.
Block Bindings API
Block Bindings API is a new feature that simplifies adding different kinds of data to blocks. Imagine you have a basic block in the editor. Instead of just adding regular text, you can easily bring data from other sources, like post metadata or custom PHP. Plus, you don’t need much custom code to do it! The Block Bindings API takes care of the heavy lifting for you, making the whole process easy.
You can learn more about The Block Bindings API.
Plugin Dependencies
Some WordPress plugins depend on other plugins to work.
For example, a payment addon for WooCommerce requires WooCommerce to be installed.
Since WordPress 6.5, plugin authors can include a “Requires Plugins” entry in the plugin header, specifying which plugins need to be installed and activated for their plugin to work correctly. You also can’t delete a required plugin until you delete the plugins that depend on it.
WordPress 6.5 also introduces a new wp_plugin_dependencies_slug filter that lets you filter dependency slugs programmatically.
Script Modules in WordPress 6.5
WordPress 6.5 now supports Script Modules, which are native JavaScript modules. These modules use import and export functionalities and are also known as ECMAScript Modules or “ESM”.
You can learn more about Script Modules in WordPress 6.5.
Block Editor Improvements
Most WordPress users spend time in the block editor writing content, editing pages, and creating posts. Every time WordPress updates, the block editor gets new features and improvements. There are many changes in WordPress 6.5 that make writing and editing content easier for all users.
Drop Shadow Effect
In WordPress 6.5, a new Drop Shadow effect was added to several blocks. Here are some of the blocks where users can use this drop shadow effect:
- Image
- Columns and Column
- Buttons
To use the drop shadow effect, click on the block and find “Border & Shadow” in the Style Panel.
See the screenshot below:
Enhanced Overlay Colors for Cover Blocks
When you use the cover block, the overlay color can be automatically selected based on the background color of the image you pick.
Renaming Blocks in List View
In WordPress 6.4, users could rename Group blocks in the list view, making it easier to understand their contents.
Now with WordPress 6.5, this functionality is expanded, allowing users to rename any block directly from the list view.
See the screenshot below:
Easier Block Settings Access
In the previous version, you had to click the three dots next to a block to see its settings in the list view.
Now in WordPress 6.5, you can just right-click on any block to see its settings quickly.
Updated Preferences Panel
The preferences panel has been updated in WordPress 6.5. Now, it displays the Appearance and Accessibility panels, and previous options are better organized into categories.
Enhanced Style Revisions
When you checked style revisions in the previous version, you had to look through a timeline to see what changed.
Now, in WordPress 6.5, style revisions are simple. You’ll see a description of changes for each revision.
Release Timeline Overview
- The Dry Run was scheduled for Monday, 25 March 2024 at 21:00 GMT+5.
- The 24-hour code freeze started on Monday, 25 March 2024 at 22:00 GMT+5
WordPress 6.5 Beta 1 contains approximately 681 enhancements and 488 bug fixes for the editor, including about 229 tickets for WordPress 6.5 Core.
This post covers the 6.5 release. For the newest features, read everything new in WordPress 7.0.
That’s all! We hope you now understand what’s new in WordPress 6.5. With new features like the Interactivity API and improved font management, creating your site is easier and more fun than ever. Plus, the updated Block Editor means you can easily customize your content.
So, take advantage of these enhancements in WordPress 6.5!
And what features of WordPress 6.5 do you like the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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