Besides this, WordPress 6.2\u20136.4 came out this year, and 70 WordCamps took place around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, let\u2019s wrap up the year with WordPress 6.4.2 (the last release of 2023), Gutenberg 17.2 and the State of the Word going to Madrid for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Security release: WordPress 6.4.2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Security-release-WordPress.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t keep automatic updates turned on \u2014 which you definitely should \u2014 it\u2019s time to update WordPress immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A potentially critical security issue introduced in WordPress 6.4 could allow remote code execution<\/a> and a full-site takeover when combined with insecure plugins. Luckily, it doesn\u2019t seem like the vulnerability was exploited significantly, if at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe quickly released WordPress 6.4.2 addresses this issue. You’re completely safe as long as your WordPress install is up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Roadmap to WordPress 6.5<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWith WordPress 6.4 settling in, it\u2019s time to look forward to the next release: WordPress 6.5<\/a>. Expect it early next spring on March 26, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile not all of these may make it into the final product, the WordPress team is looking to add these features and more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The Font Library feature previously planned for WordPress 6.4 will be coming to 6.5.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Block and pattern attributes will sync while still allowing local changes. For example, you can reuse a block\u2019s styling across your entire website but change the text within it on each page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Support for Appearance Tools and better Pattern management will come to Classic themes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Colorways feature will allow you to use predefined colors within Group blocks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A new feature-rich redesign for templates, template parts and patterns pages is in the works. Revisions will also come to templates and template parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Several new APIs, including the Interactivity API, will be available for developers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The minimum version of MySQL will rise to 5.5.5, and the team will work to improve compatibility with PHP 8.0+.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It will be an exciting update for WordPress designers, who will see many improvements and more options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gutenberg 17.2: Design experience improvements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Gutenberg](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Gutenberg-17.2.png\")
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGutenberg 17.1 and 17.2 came out in late November and early December, each bringing a few small but impactful features to enhance your experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s a highlight of the new features of Gutenberg 17.2 and 17.1:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The team made some improvements to accessibility<\/a> and writing flow. This includes small tweaks to make various features consistent with others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Quote block now supports block spacing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- You can drag and drop blocks onto the beginning and end of a document much more easily.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Table headers on large datasets are now sticky.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Distraction-Free Mode now features a Block Toolbar that slides into view when hovering at the top of the screen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>WordPress developer updates for December 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\nProgrammers of WordPress, tune in to the final developer updates for December<\/a>. We\u2019ve mentioned the roadmap to 6.5 and will go over the return of Plugin Previews, but here are some other highlights for the month:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- The Theme Handbook has added several new chapters focused on blocks, and the handbook overhaul is still underway.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The PHPMailer and getID3 libraries have been updated to their latest versions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Interactivity API in Gutenberg now supports a native store() API.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Gutenberg has added a theme.json layout setting to turn off custom content size controls.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Gallery blocks with nestled images now use a transparent scrollbar. This prevents issues with long captions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Tabs component recently replaced TabsPanel in Gutenberg and has received several improvements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Plugin Previews return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Plugin](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Plugin-previews.png\")
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you remember the initial launch of Plugin Previews<\/a>, you know it was quickly steeped in backlash. The premise \u2014 allowing people to try out plugins via the new WordPress Playground demo feature \u2014 was great in theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn execution, WordPress Playground didn\u2019t account for any plugin requirements. It simply didn\u2019t play nice with some plugins, making users see a broken plugin and decide not to install it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The WordPress team quickly removed Plugin Previews. Still, they listened to feedback and decided to reimplement the feature on an opt-in basis. Plus, developers can set up any install dependencies with other plugins or themes and other helpful changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Major vulnerabilities affect over 15.2 million websites<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLate November and early December have been stressful for WordPress users, as multiple major vulnerabilities in plugins and even the platform itself have been uncovered. Here are a few highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Wordfence<\/a> detected 100+ plugins affected<\/a> by a cross-site scripting exploit that uses shortcodes<\/a>. What\u2019s more, some of these plugins haven\u2019t been patched. Cumulatively, this affected over 6 million websites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- WordPress contained a major vulnerability allowing remote code execution, which 6.4.2 patched.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Elementor<\/a> patched a severe file upload vulnerability<\/a> that affected over 9 million users.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A significant vulnerability in the MW WP Form plugin<\/a>, affecting 200,000 users, was quickly patched.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Backup Migration, a plugin with over 90,000 users, swiftly patched a critical vulnerability that allowed remote code execution<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A phishing scam<\/a> of hackers claiming to be part of the WordPress security team has plagued WordPress administrators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Phishing ads hosted by Google<\/a> targeted Kinsta<\/a> users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To mitigate potential hacks, keep your plugins and WordPress core up to date and install a highly rated security plugin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nState of the Word 2023 recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/State-of-Word.png\")
Image Source<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe annual State of the Word premiered this December, taking place for the first time outside of the USA \u2014 in Madrid, Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year was WordPress\u2019 20th anniversary, so the event was an exciting reflection on how far WordPress has come. Hundreds of key developers and contributors attended, while millions watched online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The talk touched on topics like the Gutenberg project, its upcoming phases and the future of AI and WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can read the State of the Word 2023 recap<\/a> and watch the entire event on YouTube<\/a>. WordPress fans will enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe first WordCamps of 2024<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/WordCamp-2024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAll of the WordCamps for 2023 have come to a close. It\u2019s been a long and exciting year, with 70 WordCamps globally. Now, it\u2019s time to look forward to next year\u2019s WordPress events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While most of these are still in the works, a few WordCamps are planned for the early months of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This January, look forward to WordPress events in Kolkata, India; Pokhara, Nepal; Zaragoza, Spain; and Jakarta, Indonesia. February will also feature WordCamps in Kobe, Japan, and Phoenix, U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out the WordCamp schedule<\/a> to see what events are coming near you. Also, don\u2019t forget to take the 2023 Annual Meetup Survey<\/a> if you want to attend or organize WordPress events.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOfficial launch of Bluehost Professional Email<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Bluehost](\"https:\/\/www.bluehost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Bluehost-Professional-Email.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOnce you\u2019ve set up your professional website, a personalized email<\/a> is the next thing you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou can\u2019t launch an email marketing campaign from your personal email, and a branded email reduces customer confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why Bluehost launched Professional Email<\/a>, bringing you affordable email hosting<\/a> starting at only $1.25\/year for the first year. Give it a try if you need a branded email address for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Stay up to date<\/h2>\n\n\n\nFollow Bluehost to learn all the latest news in the WordPress community<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for a powerful, reliable and budget-friendly WordPress host, check out Bluehost\u2019s WordPress hosting plans<\/a>. And don\u2019t forget to sign up for our affordable Professional Email<\/a> service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As 2023 comes to a close, so too does an exciting year of WordPress updates. The biggest of these was WordPress\u2019 20th anniversary in May. There was also the first flagship WordCamp Asia, the push into stage 3 of the Gutenberg project and the release of WordPress Playground. Besides this, WordPress 6.2\u20136.4 came out this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":49377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"December 2023 WordPress Updates: WordPress 6.4.2 and More","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Catch up on all the latest and most exciting WordPress updates from December 2023. We cover WordPress 6.4.2, Gutenberg 17.2, events and more.","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,3060],"tags":[3317,3332],"ppma_author":[599],"class_list":["post-49376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-product-updates","tag-cms","tag-low-code-no-code"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t keep automatic updates turned on \u2014 which you definitely should \u2014 it\u2019s time to update WordPress immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A potentially critical security issue introduced in WordPress 6.4 could allow remote code execution<\/a> and a full-site takeover when combined with insecure plugins. Luckily, it doesn\u2019t seem like the vulnerability was exploited significantly, if at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The quickly released WordPress 6.4.2 addresses this issue. You’re completely safe as long as your WordPress install is up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With WordPress 6.4 settling in, it\u2019s time to look forward to the next release: WordPress 6.5<\/a>. Expect it early next spring on March 26, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While not all of these may make it into the final product, the WordPress team is looking to add these features and more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It will be an exciting update for WordPress designers, who will see many improvements and more options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gutenberg 17.1 and 17.2 came out in late November and early December, each bringing a few small but impactful features to enhance your experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a highlight of the new features of Gutenberg 17.2 and 17.1:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Programmers of WordPress, tune in to the final developer updates for December<\/a>. We\u2019ve mentioned the roadmap to 6.5 and will go over the return of Plugin Previews, but here are some other highlights for the month:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you remember the initial launch of Plugin Previews<\/a>, you know it was quickly steeped in backlash. The premise \u2014 allowing people to try out plugins via the new WordPress Playground demo feature \u2014 was great in theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In execution, WordPress Playground didn\u2019t account for any plugin requirements. It simply didn\u2019t play nice with some plugins, making users see a broken plugin and decide not to install it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The WordPress team quickly removed Plugin Previews. Still, they listened to feedback and decided to reimplement the feature on an opt-in basis. Plus, developers can set up any install dependencies with other plugins or themes and other helpful changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Late November and early December have been stressful for WordPress users, as multiple major vulnerabilities in plugins and even the platform itself have been uncovered. Here are a few highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To mitigate potential hacks, keep your plugins and WordPress core up to date and install a highly rated security plugin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The annual State of the Word premiered this December, taking place for the first time outside of the USA \u2014 in Madrid, Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year was WordPress\u2019 20th anniversary, so the event was an exciting reflection on how far WordPress has come. Hundreds of key developers and contributors attended, while millions watched online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The talk touched on topics like the Gutenberg project, its upcoming phases and the future of AI and WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can read the State of the Word 2023 recap<\/a> and watch the entire event on YouTube<\/a>. WordPress fans will enjoy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of the WordCamps for 2023 have come to a close. It\u2019s been a long and exciting year, with 70 WordCamps globally. Now, it\u2019s time to look forward to next year\u2019s WordPress events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While most of these are still in the works, a few WordCamps are planned for the early months of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This January, look forward to WordPress events in Kolkata, India; Pokhara, Nepal; Zaragoza, Spain; and Jakarta, Indonesia. February will also feature WordCamps in Kobe, Japan, and Phoenix, U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the WordCamp schedule<\/a> to see what events are coming near you. Also, don\u2019t forget to take the 2023 Annual Meetup Survey<\/a> if you want to attend or organize WordPress events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve set up your professional website, a personalized email<\/a> is the next thing you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t launch an email marketing campaign from your personal email, and a branded email reduces customer confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why Bluehost launched Professional Email<\/a>, bringing you affordable email hosting<\/a> starting at only $1.25\/year for the first year. Give it a try if you need a branded email address for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow Bluehost to learn all the latest news in the WordPress community<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for a powerful, reliable and budget-friendly WordPress host, check out Bluehost\u2019s WordPress hosting plans<\/a>. And don\u2019t forget to sign up for our affordable Professional Email<\/a> service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As 2023 comes to a close, so too does an exciting year of WordPress updates. The biggest of these was WordPress\u2019 20th anniversary in May. There was also the first flagship WordCamp Asia, the push into stage 3 of the Gutenberg project and the release of WordPress Playground. Besides this, WordPress 6.2\u20136.4 came out this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":49377,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"December 2023 WordPress Updates: WordPress 6.4.2 and More","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Catch up on all the latest and most exciting WordPress updates from December 2023. We cover WordPress 6.4.2, Gutenberg 17.2, events and more.","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,3060],"tags":[3317,3332],"ppma_author":[599],"class_list":["post-49376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-product-updates","tag-cms","tag-low-code-no-code"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>Roadmap to WordPress 6.5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Gutenberg 17.2: Design experience improvements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/a>WordPress developer updates for December 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Plugin Previews return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Major vulnerabilities affect over 15.2 million websites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
State of the Word 2023 recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The first WordCamps of 2024<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOfficial launch of Bluehost Professional Email<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Stay up to date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n