There\u2019s plenty to see here. Read on to get the highlights of WordPress news in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>WordPress 6.3 shows off Release Candidates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"WordPress](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/WordPress-RC2.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordPress version update 6.3 moved out of beta in July and into the final Release Candidates (RCs) \u2014 RC1<\/a> was released on July 18, 2023, and RC2<\/a> on July 25, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe highly-anticipated update is about to go live. In the meantime, you can check out the new features and help the WordPress team by reporting bugs. The final version of 6.3 will be released on Aug. 8, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\nRC1 came with 120+ updates, but the bugs are being squashed, as RC2 had only 15 updates. 6.3 is almost ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are plenty of fun features to try, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Synced Patterns<\/strong><\/a>, a fluid replacement for Reusable Blocks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Command Palette<\/strong>, a convenient shortcut to necessary admin commands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Style Revisions<\/strong>, which let you see previous versions of your website\u2019s visual design. Site Editor navigation has also been cleaned up, offering theme preview and Distraction Free mode.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- New blocks<\/strong><\/a>: Footnotes, Time to Read, Details and enhancements to existing blocks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The bug bounty has also doubled for those who report security vulnerabilities<\/a> in the Beta or Release Candidate versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRemember, you should only test the unstable Release Candidates on a test server, not your main website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WordPress Gutenberg update 16.3: small QoL updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Gutenberg](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/WordPress-Gutenberg-update.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGutenberg released two small quality-of-life (QoL) updates in July 2023: 16.2 on July 12 and 16.3 on July 26. While there are no groundbreaking new features, these tiny changes should simplify the tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what you can expect from the new WordPress updates for Gutenberg:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Consolidated patterns<\/strong>: Fixes to the patterns menu<\/a> make it more consistent across various menus.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Footnotes block bug fixes<\/strong>: Now you can manually insert the Footnotes block, which helps if you accidentally delete it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Vertical text orientation<\/strong>: Specific themes can now support vertical text, especially for displaying vertically written languages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Focus mode for patterns<\/strong>:You can now use \u201cfocus mode\u201d while working with Gutenberg patterns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Rename, duplicate and delete patterns<\/strong>:Accessing this functionality is now quicker and simpler.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There are dozens of other little changes to improve the Gutenberg experience. Read the Gutenberg 16.2<\/a> and Gutenberg 16.3<\/a> changelogs to learn about them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDeveloper updates: Development mode, Command Palette API and more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Development](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Development-mode.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor WordPress developers, July brought a ton of valuable updates designed to make your life easier and take your plugins to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- WordPress now has a Development Mode<\/strong>. It turns off caching, such as disruptive theme.json caches. In the future, you may get more precise error messages or the ability to use it with your debugging tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Command Palette<\/strong> now has a public API, so you can set up custom commands for your plugins and themes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Query Loop and its Post Template block now support CSS-Grid<\/strong>,so you can control the block spacing between posts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- New action and filter hooks<\/strong>, including plugins_list, bulk_edit_posts and wp_update_user_action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Various theme improvements<\/strong> from a new \u201cdescription\u201d property for style variations to better support for classic themes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s more to see, so check out the full changelog<\/a> for July 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you use Slack or Matrix to communicate with the WordPress development community, a Slack\/Matrix bridge<\/a> now syncs messages from both platforms to the same channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd remember, PHP 5 support is being dropped when WordPress 6.3 releases. You\u2019ll need to run your website on PHP 7.0.0 or newer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNew WordPress plugin vulnerabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/WooPayments-extension.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou should always stay current on the latest WordPress security<\/a> vulnerabilities. Sucuri released its patch roundup<\/a> for July 2023, urging users to update plugins with known vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are a few popular plugins with vulnerabilities listed, so take a look. The plugins include Rank Math SEO, All-In-One Security and The Events Calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome of these plugins have become vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS) and others could leak sensitive data like passwords and API keys.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re running any of these plugins, update them to the latest version<\/a> to patch any holes that could let unwanted actors in.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBleepingComputer also reported a critical exploit in WooCommerce Payments<\/a> that allowed a hacker to take admin control over a website. Though WordPress force-released a patch, a targeted campaign<\/a> against unpatched websites ran from July 14-16, targeting 157,000 websites with over 1.3 million attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEnsure you\u2019ve updated WooCommerce Payments<\/a> to the latest version so you aren\u2019t in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a good idea to always keep automatic WordPress updates on, especially if you have dozens of plugins installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WordPress Playground gains notoriety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"WordPress](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/WordPress-playground.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordPress Playground<\/a> has been around for months but flew somewhat under the radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis handy tool instantly sets up a test demo<\/a> of WordPress in your browser. With this, you can test WordPress themes and plugins, try a different WordPress or PHP version or even set up a website and save it to the host later.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn July 14, 2023, WordPress Playground reached #1 on Hacker News<\/a>, bringing many eyes to the valuable developer tool. It\u2019s an exciting milestone for those who worked to make it possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWordCamp U.S. approaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"WordCamp](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/WordCamp-locations.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordCamp<\/a> is always an exciting time for avid WordPress fans and community contributors, and it\u2019s finally almost here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWordCamp U.S. released the final round of tickets<\/a> on July 25 and the event will take place in late August. As of writing, tickets are still available, so get yours before they\u2019re gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther upcoming WordCamp events<\/a> include Kenya and Denmark in August, so buy tickets to this exciting community event if you live in or near those countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe 2023 WordPress Community Summit will also occur in National Harbor, Maryland, on Aug. 22-23. Applications were confirmed in June, so it\u2019s likely too late to attend if you haven\u2019t applied, but some exciting new perspectives are sure to come out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WonderSuite launches, offering AI-powered onboarding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"WonderSuite.\"](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Wondersuite.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLast month, we launched WonderSuite<\/a>, an AI-powered tool designed to make setting up WordPress intuitive and straightforward. Here are its features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- WonderStart<\/strong> will help you get set up correctly. Answer a few questions and get custom-picked designs, layouts and palettes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- With WonderTheme<\/strong>, you can generate various example webpages using the colors and layouts set by WonderStart, then pick the one that suits you best.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- WonderBlocks<\/strong> makes the WordPress block editor even easier to use and will get you set up fast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- WonderHelp<\/strong> is an AI-powered assistant that can answer questions about WordPress from within the dashboard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- WonderCart<\/strong> is available with Bluehost WooCommerce plans<\/a>. If you run an eCommerce shop, it will help you set up payment processing and other features like upselling and discounts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These features are easily accessible through WonderSuite\u2019s intuitive dashboard, where you can receive continual guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WonderSuite is included in all Bluehost WordPress plans<\/a>, so you can start using this tool immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Stay up to date<\/h2>\n\n\n\nFollow Bluehost to stay updated with the latest news in the WordPress community<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordPress version update 6.3 moved out of beta in July and into the final Release Candidates (RCs) \u2014 RC1<\/a> was released on July 18, 2023, and RC2<\/a> on July 25, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The highly-anticipated update is about to go live. In the meantime, you can check out the new features and help the WordPress team by reporting bugs. The final version of 6.3 will be released on Aug. 8, 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n RC1 came with 120+ updates, but the bugs are being squashed, as RC2 had only 15 updates. 6.3 is almost ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plenty of fun features to try, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bug bounty has also doubled for those who report security vulnerabilities<\/a> in the Beta or Release Candidate versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, you should only test the unstable Release Candidates on a test server, not your main website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gutenberg released two small quality-of-life (QoL) updates in July 2023: 16.2 on July 12 and 16.3 on July 26. While there are no groundbreaking new features, these tiny changes should simplify the tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what you can expect from the new WordPress updates for Gutenberg:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are dozens of other little changes to improve the Gutenberg experience. Read the Gutenberg 16.2<\/a> and Gutenberg 16.3<\/a> changelogs to learn about them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For WordPress developers, July brought a ton of valuable updates designed to make your life easier and take your plugins to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s more to see, so check out the full changelog<\/a> for July 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use Slack or Matrix to communicate with the WordPress development community, a Slack\/Matrix bridge<\/a> now syncs messages from both platforms to the same channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And remember, PHP 5 support is being dropped when WordPress 6.3 releases. You\u2019ll need to run your website on PHP 7.0.0 or newer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should always stay current on the latest WordPress security<\/a> vulnerabilities. Sucuri released its patch roundup<\/a> for July 2023, urging users to update plugins with known vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a few popular plugins with vulnerabilities listed, so take a look. The plugins include Rank Math SEO, All-In-One Security and The Events Calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of these plugins have become vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS) and others could leak sensitive data like passwords and API keys.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re running any of these plugins, update them to the latest version<\/a> to patch any holes that could let unwanted actors in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BleepingComputer also reported a critical exploit in WooCommerce Payments<\/a> that allowed a hacker to take admin control over a website. Though WordPress force-released a patch, a targeted campaign<\/a> against unpatched websites ran from July 14-16, targeting 157,000 websites with over 1.3 million attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure you\u2019ve updated WooCommerce Payments<\/a> to the latest version so you aren\u2019t in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a good idea to always keep automatic WordPress updates on, especially if you have dozens of plugins installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WordPress Playground<\/a> has been around for months but flew somewhat under the radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This handy tool instantly sets up a test demo<\/a> of WordPress in your browser. With this, you can test WordPress themes and plugins, try a different WordPress or PHP version or even set up a website and save it to the host later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On July 14, 2023, WordPress Playground reached #1 on Hacker News<\/a>, bringing many eyes to the valuable developer tool. It\u2019s an exciting milestone for those who worked to make it possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WordCamp<\/a> is always an exciting time for avid WordPress fans and community contributors, and it\u2019s finally almost here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WordCamp U.S. released the final round of tickets<\/a> on July 25 and the event will take place in late August. As of writing, tickets are still available, so get yours before they\u2019re gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other upcoming WordCamp events<\/a> include Kenya and Denmark in August, so buy tickets to this exciting community event if you live in or near those countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2023 WordPress Community Summit will also occur in National Harbor, Maryland, on Aug. 22-23. Applications were confirmed in June, so it\u2019s likely too late to attend if you haven\u2019t applied, but some exciting new perspectives are sure to come out of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last month, we launched WonderSuite<\/a>, an AI-powered tool designed to make setting up WordPress intuitive and straightforward. Here are its features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These features are easily accessible through WonderSuite\u2019s intuitive dashboard, where you can receive continual guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WonderSuite is included in all Bluehost WordPress plans<\/a>, so you can start using this tool immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow Bluehost to stay updated with the latest news in the WordPress community<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
WordPress Gutenberg update 16.3: small QoL updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Developer updates: Development mode, Command Palette API and more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
New WordPress plugin vulnerabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordPress Playground gains notoriety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordCamp U.S. approaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWonderSuite launches, offering AI-powered onboarding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Stay up to date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n