WordPress 5.2 Beta 3 Testing: Learn About the Unique Features

On 12th April 2019, WordPress released the third version of Beta 5.2. As the version is available for testing, WordPress suggests not to use it on production site. It is better to test it in a testing site. If you are also waiting for the update then here is the place where you can try the latest beta version.

Earlier on April 9th, the second version of beta was released. 40 tickets have been closed which includes many small bugs and there were also many improvements that would ensure the ease in using it. Beta 2 directs users to update the PHP version. Before the official release of 5.2 at the end of the moth, WordPress suggests to at least update the minimum PHP version 5.6.20.

Source: https://wordpress.org/news/2019/04/minimum-php-version-update/

Release Calendar of WordPress

Source: WordPress

Notable Features of 5.2 Beta 3

According to WordPress, the following features of the latest version has been described.

– The version refines the Site Health feature

– If the site is running an unsupported version of PHP then the plugins will no longer be updated

– It is more apparent now if a site is running in Recovery Mode

– The distraction-free button no longer breaks keyboard navigation in the classic editor

– With assistive technologies helps in announcing admin bar submenus

– You can now see more consistent subject lines in WordPress emails

– Only when a user is downloading their data then only the personal data export will show as completed

– There would be more improvements to accessibility

What to do if you have found a Bug

Before the final release at the end of April this year, the WordPress web development team is working to and fro to remove every single bug from the version. Anyone who finds a bug can report to Alpha/Beta area in the support forum of WordPress.

Why You Should Always Use the Latest Version of WordPress

With every update of WordPress, there is a common concern of users whether they should update or not. Along with this, people are also concerned about the safety of the site each time with an update. Well, if you are also in the dilemma of whether to update or not here are a few highlighting points.

We all know that it is a free platform which is developed by a community of developers. It is an open source where it allows developers to find and fix the bugs. With every new update, new features are added and bugs are fixed. Along with this every update also promises in performance improvement of the website. In order to keep the business up to date with industry standards, it is necessary to update with the latest version. There are many other important things too that makes it essential to update WordPress every time there is a new version. They are mentioned below.

Security: The first and foremost concern of every site is security. According to WP Beginners WordPress currently powers 23% of all websites in the world. The popularity of WP makes it the target of hackers, malicious code distributors, wannabe hackers, and data thieves. WordPress is an open source that allows everyone to read the code. As hackers find ways to break the code the good hackers fix the bug. There is a community of developers that constantly work on such vulnerabilities and correct the same. So, every time a security vulnerability is reported the WordPress team works on it and fix the issue. If you are not updating the version then hackers may easily find your website and would corrupt it with malware. Along with WordPress, plugins, themes, and core also needed to be updated.

New Features: If you are looking for something positive in an update then new features would fascinate you. Every update comes with a new feature. The team constantly works on improvement of WordPress and hence adds on features which can meet with the tech expectancy of the time. If you are not updating your WP then you would be at a disadvantage. Along with this, it will be difficult to find help online for those using the old version.

Speed: Every update comes with the improvement that helps in speeding up WordPress and making it more efficient. Several WordPress sites are dedicated for SEO therefore not updating the version can degrade SEO performance.

Bug Fixes: Bugs may slip through cracks despite several testing. This is the reason why WP brings several updates in a shorter period of time. For instance, there were 40 bugs in WordPress 5.2 Beta 2 version. If you are using an old version and face a bug then the first thing support team will tell you is to update the version.

Compatibility: The theme and plugin developers coordinate with major releases of WordPress. If you have the latest version then it will increase the compatibility. On the other hand, an update can also break existing plugins in case they are not following the coding structure.

All the points that have been mentioned here clearly suggest that updating the version is always beneficial. Apart from the only loophole of plugin breakage an updated version always benefits the users. Keeping it updated will ensure you are utilizing it.

The Final Takeaway

WordPress 5.2 Beta 3 update is available for testing now. There can be bugs in that too and this is the reason WordPress has suggested not to use it in the production site. Every update is the improved version and users are getting special features too. Updating the version is always good for the site. If you have a dedicated team of web development then they would ensure that WordPress is updated. Updated version fixes bugs and improves website performance too.