WordPress 6.4 Font Library Feature Punted to 6.5 Release – WP Tavern

The WordPress 6.4 launch squad has determined to punt the planned Font Library feature to 6.5 after core maintainers discovered main gaps within the Font APIs that can’t be resolved in time for the upcoming launch.

“I’m presently reviewing the font APIs PR,” WordPress REST API co-maintainer Jonny Harris stated. “I need to say, I’m very apprehensive concerning the PR in its present state. The code merely doesn’t comply with the WP core code type and doesn’t really feel WordPress.” He listed a variety of issues he discovered with the function:

• Restricted developer API. We’d like capabilities like wp_insert_font / wp_create_font and so on.
• Lack of filter or actions
• No approach to unregister font collections
• Capabilities. Creating new fonts ought to have capabilies and never merely map to edit_theme_options
• Complicated API construction.  Assortment ought to have embedded font objects
• What occurs to fonts when collections are unregistered?
• If fonts are saved as publish object, can I question to get all fonts from a group?
• Are fonts deleted when the person is deleted?
• No approach to filter the place a font is saved

“With time very restricted on this launch, it seems like actioning the above, really feel like it’s going too exhausting to attain on this launch,” Harris stated.

“I believe this function wants some extra time to bake.”

Harris stated not one of the REST API maintainers have been concerned within the early phases of the Font Library function and they’re presently “enjoying catch up.” The group was making an attempt to patch the prevailing design, however Harris stated if a redesign of the API is deliberate, he wish to perceive the necessities for the function earlier than drawing up a design.

Punting a flagship function is rarely a simple choice, nevertheless it’s way more preferable than transport poorly designed API’s that don’t permit customers to change and disable the function to suit their wants.

“No is momentary however sure is eternally,” WordPress core committer Aaron Jorbin stated. “As soon as the code is merged into core for launch, it’s one thing that must be maintained for our extenders eternally. To me, the considerations I see being raised about how folks will lengthen the function are sufficient to punt the function.”

The Font Library function was put ahead late within the launch cycle, touchdown in Gutenberg 16.7 final week, with little or no time for testing.

“Options have landed after beta 1 previously,” WordPress core committer Jonathan Desrosiers stated. “However my desire is to not land one thing with this a lot excellent suggestions. We’d be making final minute adjustments and merging for public launch with little or no precise testing. Certain, everybody right here would check as greatest they’ll. However ‘within the wild’ WordPress testing is way completely different and at all times uncovers some unusual use instances or points that we will’t foresee.”

Contributors briefly thought-about delaying the discharge date to permit the function extra time however the consensus was for punting to six.5, with the choice anchored in WordPress’ philosophy of “deadlines aren’t arbitrary.”

“Altering a scheduled launch date to go away room for finalizing a function—irrespective of its precedence—shouldn’t be thought-about,” WordPress core committer Joe McGill stated. “This could not be the primary time that we actually hoped to have a function shipped in a launch however delayed it to the subsequent launch. It appears to me that plenty of effort has gone into getting ready this function for launch and the consensus is that people want extra time to get it right into a state that is able to ship in a serious WordPress launch, which I do know is disappointing, but additionally speaks to the care and high quality of us need to guarantee we put into these releases. If it’s not prepared, it’s not prepared. Let’s delay it — in the meantime we’re nonetheless getting priceless person suggestions by way of the Gutenberg plugin, which is an efficient factor.”

WordPress 6.4 launch lead Josepha Haden Chomphosy made the tough decision to punt the feature based mostly on contributor suggestions. The elimination of the Font Library doesn’t have an effect on different key options anticipated to land within the launch. Jessica Lyschik, 6.4 default theme co-lead, confirmed the Font Library isn’t a requirement for Twenty Twenty-4. The theme will ship with preselected fonts that get loaded from the theme belongings, similar to earlier default themes.

WordPress 6.4 Beta 3 is scheduled for October 10, 2023. This would be the final scheduled beta earlier than RC1.