Javier Casares 16:34 on 2024-04-05
Tags: ,   

WordPress 6.5 PHP Compatibility

As we explained in the previous post, for each new version of WordPress, we aim to release an article explaining the compatibility of PHPPHP PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a general-purpose scripting language especially suited to web development. PHP code is usually processed on a web server by a PHP interpreter. On a web server, the result of the interpreted and executed PHP code would form the whole or part of an HTTP response. with the WordPress versions and our team’s recommendation for that specific version.

On this occasion, once again, we will explain the details of compatibility, including “betaBeta Beta is the software development phase following alpha. A Beta phase generally begins when the software is feature complete but likely to contain a number of known or unknown bugs. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software, speed or performance issues, and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. compatible” or “compatible with exceptions”.

So, here you have the compatibility information, this time, for WordPress 6.5.

WordPress’ serverServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers. requirements

Even if there are more stable software versions, that doesn’t mean they are the ones WordPress recommends.

This makes WordPress 6.5 requirements:

  • PHP: 7.0+
  • MySQLMySQL MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS). MySQL is free and open-source software under the terms of the GNU General Public License.: 5.5.5+
  • MariaDBMariaDB MariaDB is a fork of the MySQL relational database management system (RDBMS), intended to remain free and open-source software under the GNU General Public License. MariaDB intended to maintain high compatibility with MySQL, ensuring a drop-in replacement capability with library binary parity and exact matching with MySQL APIs and commands.: 5.5.5+

You can read more at Server requirements.

WordPress’ compatibility “at the time”

WordPress 6.5 was released on April 2, 2024, and at that time we had the following components available (stable or security-maintained versions only, and RCRelease Candidate A beta version of software with the potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge. only for informational purposes).

  • PHP: 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3
  • MySQL: 8.0 (LTS), 8.2, and 8.3.
  • MariaDB: 10.4 (LTS), 10.5 (LTS), 10.6 (LTS), 10.11 (LTS), 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3

You can read more at WordPress Compatibility.

WordPress and PHP

PHP is a programming language on which WordPress code is based. This language runs on the server, and it is critical to keep it up to date, both for security and functionality.

WordPress supports many versions of PHP, some even obsolete (PHP Compatibility and WordPress Versions).

WordPress 6.5 (coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress.) is:

  • fully compatible with PHP 7.01, 7.11, 7.21, 7.31, and 7.41.
  • compatible with exceptions with PHP 8.01, 8.1, and 8.2.
  • beta compatible with 8.3.

1 SECURITY ALERT: These versions are not officially maintained by PHP, so they are considered insecure and obsolete versions and should not be used in production. Check with your hostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. provider about the security maintenance they can do.

What “compatible with exceptions” mean?

PHP 8.0

  • Named parameters. WordPress does not support named parameters.
    PHP 8.0 supports optionally calling functions and class methods by specifying the parameter name, instead of calling them on the order of parameters that they are declared.
    PHP, and many other programming languages, support positional parameters: The caller passes the parameters in the same order the function/method declares its parameters.
  • Filesystem WP_Filesystem_FTPext and WP_Filesystem_SSH2 when connect fails.
    An investigation is underway as to why on some occasions the access to the files returns some type of error.

PHP 8.1

  • Not all “passing null to non-nullable” issues have been found.
    In PHP, you can tell a function exactly what type of information it should accept. If you tell a function to expect a certain type of information, and you give it nothing at all (null is like saying “nothing”), then PHP gets confused and gives an error. This problem happens when someone accidentally gives a function “nothing” when the function wasn’t designed to handle “nothing”.
  • htmlentities() et al needs the default value of the flags parameter explicitly set.
    According to htmlentities(), the default for flags for PHP 8.1 was “changed from ENT_COMPAT to ENT_QUOTES | ENT_SUBSTITUTE | ENT_HTML401”. All use cases for this functionality in WordPress Core are being investigated.
  • Replace most strip_tags() with wp_strip_tags().
    There are rare occasions when the strip_tags() function is passed a null value, which generates a warning that the string is deprecated.

PHP 8.2

What “beta” mean?

PHP 8.3

  • Deprecation notices
    A deprecation notice is not an error, but rather an indicator of where additional work is needed for compatibility before PHP 9.0. With a deprecation notice, the PHP code will continue to work and nothing is broken.

Hosting Team Recommendation

Taking all this into account, the Hosting Team’s recommendations for WordPress 6.5 are as follows (which may differ from the global ones).

  • PHP: 8.2.x
  • MySQL: 8.0.x
  • MariaDB: 10.11.x

IMPORTANT: These recommendations are intended, primarily, for new installations by hosting providers.

Props: @luciaalcantara

#core, #php

Javier Casares 06:21 on 2024-07-03
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team meeting agenda 2024-07-03

WordPress 6.6 will be here in a few weeks. Are you ready?

This Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled with the following details:

Agenda

WordPress Community

  • WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress. news
  • WordPress Community news

HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team Time

  • Some news
  • Post Discussion: WordPress 6.6 ServerServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers. Compatibility

Hosting Team To-Do

  • Hosting / Test badges
  • Hosting Directory PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.
  • Documentation update for WordPress 6.6

Open Floor

  • Anything not in the agenda

Closing

  • Next Meeting Times

Next Meetings

  • 2024-07-10 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-17 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-24 0900 UTC
  • 2024-08-07 1800 UTC
  • 2024-08-14 0900 UTC
  • 2024-08-21 1800 UTC
  • 2024-08-28 0900 UTC

Ideas or suggestions

Anything else? Please leave a comment to add to the meeting.

#agenda, #meetings, #weekly-hosting-chat

Javier Casares 15:35 on 2024-06-25
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team meeting agenda 2024-06-26

WordPress 6.6 will be here in a few weeks. Are you ready?

This Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled with the following details:

Agenda

WordPress Community

  • WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress. news
  • WordPress Community news

HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team Time

  • Some news
  • Discussion: Are “bots” and their maintainers Test contributors?
  • Post Discussion: WordPress 6.6 ServerServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers. Compatibility

Open Floor

  • Anything not in the agenda

Closing

  • Next Meeting Times

Next Meetings

  • 2024-07-03 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-10 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-17 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-24 0900 UTC

Ideas or suggestions

Anything else? Please leave a comment to add to the meeting.

#agenda, #meetings, #weekly-hosting-chat

Javier Casares 18:17 on 2024-06-19
Tags: ,   

The Image Revolution: AVIF and WebP

With the release of WordPress 6.6 in July, extended support for optimized image formats such as AVIF and WebP is being introduced. This update represents a significant improvement in how images are managed and served on the web, which is crucial for both developers and hostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. companies. Below, we explore these formats in detail and their importance in image optimization compared to more traditional formats like JPEG.

What are AVIF and WebP?

AVIF

AVIF (AV1 Image File Format) is an image format derived from the AV1 video codec. It offers superior compression and image quality compared to traditional formats. Key features of AVIF include:

  • Efficient Compression: AVIF provides more efficient lossless and lossy compression than JPEG, resulting in significantly smaller file sizes.
  • Image Quality: Maintains high image quality even at high compression rates.
  • Transparency Support: Like PNG, AVIF supports transparency, making it ideal for a wide range of applications.
  • High Dynamic Range (HDR): AVIF supports HDR, enhancing visual quality on compatible devices.

WebP

WebP, developed by Google, is an image format designed to reduce image file sizes without compromising quality. Its key features include:

  • Lossy and Lossless Compression: Offers both lossy and lossless compression, adapting to different needs.
  • Transparency: Like AVIF and PNG, WebP supports transparency.
  • Animations: WebP can store animated images, offering an alternative to traditional GIFs with smaller file sizes.
  • Loading Speed: Due to its efficient compression, WebP images load faster, improving website performance.

Comparison with JPEG

JPEG has been the de facto standard for web images for many years. However, it has limitations compared to AVIF and WebP:

  • Compression: JPEG uses lossy compression that can result in visible artifacts at high compression rates.
  • File Size: JPEG images are typically larger than their AVIF and WebP counterparts for the same image quality.
  • Transparency and Animations: JPEG does not support transparency or animations, limiting its versatility.

Benefits for Hosting Companies

With the extended support for AVIF and WebP in WordPress 6.6, hosting companies should be prepared to take full advantage of these technologies. Here are some recommendations:

Installation of Necessary Libraries:

  • PHPPHP PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a general-purpose scripting language especially suited to web development. PHP code is usually processed on a web server by a PHP interpreter. On a web server, the result of the interpreted and executed PHP code would form the whole or part of an HTTP response. GD and ImageMagick: Ensure that the PHP GD and ImageMagick libraries are updated and configured to support AVIF and WebP. This may involve installing additional dependencies or recompiling the libraries with support for these formats.
  • Libavif and Libwebp: These libraries are essential for the compression and decompression of AVIF and WebP images. Hosting companies should ensure they are installed on their servers.

Performance Optimization:

  • ServerServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers. Configuration: Adjust server settings to efficiently serve AVIF and WebP images. This includes configuring appropriate HTTPHTTP The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, where hypertext documents include hyperlinks to other resources that the user can easily access, for example by a mouse click or by tapping the screen in a web browser. headers for cachingCache A cache is a component that stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster; the data stored in a cache might be the result of an earlier computation or a copy of data stored elsewhere. and compression.
  • Automatic Conversion: Implement solutions that automatically convert uploaded images to these optimized formats.

Education and Support:

  • Training: Provide clients with educational resources on the benefits of AVIF and WebP and how to use them on their websites.
  • Technical Support: Be prepared to assist clients with the configuration and use of these new formats.

Installation on Debian / Ubuntu

Installing libavif and libwebp

Update system packages:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade -y

Install essential dependencies:

   sudo apt install -y build-essential cmake git

Install libwebp:

   sudo apt install -y libwebp-dev

Install libavif:
First, install libaom, a library needed for libavif.

   sudo apt install -y libaom-dev

Then proceed with libavif:

   git clone https://github.com/AOMediaCodec/libavif.git
   cd libavif
   mkdir build
   cd build
   cmake ..
   make
   sudo make install

Configuring PHP GD and ImageMagick

Install PHP and necessary extensions:

   sudo apt install -y php php-gd php-imagick

Verify that the extensions are enabled:

   php -m | grep -E 'gd|imagick'

Restart the web serverServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers.:

   sudo systemctl restart apache2  # For Apache
   sudo systemctl restart nginx  # For Nginx

Installation on CentOS / Red Hat

Installing libavif and libwebp

Update system packages:

   sudo yum update -y

Install essential dependencies:

   sudo yum groupinstall -y "Development Tools"
   sudo yum install -y epel-release
   sudo yum install -y cmake3 git

Install libwebp:

   sudo yum install -y libwebp-devel

Install libavif:
First, install libaom.

   sudo yum install -y libaom-devel

Then proceed with libavif:

   git clone https://github.com/AOMediaCodec/libavif.git
   cd libavif
   mkdir build
   cd build
   cmake3 ..
   make
   sudo make install

Configuring PHP GD and ImageMagick

Install PHP and necessary extensions:

   sudo yum install -y php php-gd php-pecl-imagick

Verify that the extensions are enabled:

   php -m | grep -E 'gd|imagick'

Restart the web server:

   sudo systemctl restart httpd  # For Apache
   sudo systemctl restart nginx  # For Nginx

Conclusion

By following these steps, hosting companies can ensure their servers are fully prepared to handle images in the AVIF and WebP formats. This will not only improve the quality and loading speed of images on their clients’ websites but also provide a significant competitive advantage in the hosting services market. The update to WordPress 6.6 in July will be a crucial moment to implement these strategies and lead in the support of next-generation image formats.

Props: @adamsilverstein

#performance, #php

Javier Casares 18:13 on 2024-06-19
Tags:   

Hosting Directory: Next Steps

Last Thursday, June 13, 2024, during the Contributor Day of WordCamp Europe 2024, we had a specific meeting for the WordPress Hosting Directory project, which was attended by various hostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. providers.

In the meeting, which lasted 1 hour, the context behind this proposal was explained, as already announced in the document and in its previous components.

Conclusions

As stated in the proposal, initially the directory will be hosted at //make.wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org//hosting/directory/ and will allow filtering and segmentation by environments (shared, VPSVPS A virtual private server (VPS) is a virtual machine sold as a service by an Internet hosting service. A VPS runs its own copy of an operating system (OS), and customers may have superuser-level access to that operating system instance, so they can install almost any software that runs on that OS., cloud…).

The directory will operate based on an algorithm that rewards elements but does not penalize them. For example, if the provider supports WP-CLIWP-CLI WP CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way., they will earn more points. If they participate in Five for the Future, they will also earn more points.

The information retrieval will be done through a JSONJSON JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is an open standard file format, and data interchange format, that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of attribute–value pairs and array data types. It is a very common data format, with a diverse range of applications, such as serving as a replacement for XML in AJAX systems. file located in the /.well-known/ folder.

The repository github.com/javiercasares/hosting-handbook has already been requested to be moved to the WordPress organization, so all communication regarding this project will be conducted through the Issues or Discussions of the repository. In any case, it is possible that the initial phase of communication will be done privately, and subsequently, once the feed is approved, everything will be made public. This is to establish communication between the Review Team and the provider and validate details that initially do not need to be public. This system could evolve and change once the project is launched.

The first phase will involve providers that are already using their “bot” in the Host Test Results, so the team will work with providers they already have a relationship with. This will also help validate the functionality of the tests and ensure that communication is bidirectional over time.

Once the first version of the directory is launched, with about 25 providers, it will be opened to the participation of other providers.

Until then, the Review Team will be limited and small to document and iterate on the JSON Schema as needed and request changes from the pilot phase providers. Once the first version is launched, the team will open to the participation and training of new members.

Next Steps

The next steps will be directed in two ways.

The first path is the creation of the pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. for the Hosting site where the directory will be created. In the coming weeks, the necessary materials will be prepared, and the development team will be assembled. If you are interested in participating, please contact @javiercasares on SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/..

The second path will be to release a betaBeta Beta is the software development phase following alpha. A Beta phase generally begins when the software is feature complete but likely to contain a number of known or unknown bugs. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software, speed or performance issues, and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. version of the JSON Schema and start contacting various providers who want to participate to prepare an initial version of the file and work through the review process.

The goal is to have a functional version in approximately 3 months (if possible, before WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. US 2024), so that by October we can launch a first version, finalize the Schema, and begin opening the Review Team processes and directory access in a generalized manner.

Soon

In the coming weeks, we will publish two more posts.

The first one will focus on the plugin, explaining its functionalities, the required features, and how it will be managed. This post will provide a comprehensive overview of the plugin’s architecture and the development steps necessary to ensure its successful implementation.

The second post will be dedicated to the Review Team. It will outline the requirements for joining the team, the initial review process, and how subsequent reviews will be conducted based on available tools. Additionally, we will discuss the preparation of an onboarding process for new members as we make further progress in the project.

#hosting-directory

Javier Casares 05:45 on 2024-06-10
Tags: , , ,   

WCEU 2024 Contributor Day Agenda

The WordPress HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team is gearing up for WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024, focusing on Contributor Day activities and the proposed WordPress Hosting Directory. This blog post outlines the schedule and the key projects, inviting community participation and feedback.

Schedule

  • 08:30 Registration
  • 09:15 Opening and welcome
  • 10:00 Contributing to WordPress (Hosting Test Tools)
  • 10:30 WordPress Hosting Directory meeting
  • 12:15 Group photo
  • 12:30 Lunch
  • 14:00 Contributing to WordPress
  • 16:30 Teams summaries and wrap-up

10:30 – 11:30: Meeting on the WordPress Hosting Directory
10:00 – 16:30: Hosting Test Tools

WordPress Hosting Directory

Create a comprehensive directory of hosting companies based on objective criteria, helping users make informed decisions.

Proposal: WordPress Hosting Directory

Hosting Test Tools

Review the Multi-PHPPHP PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a general-purpose scripting language especially suited to web development. PHP code is usually processed on a web server by a PHP interpreter. On a web server, the result of the interpreted and executed PHP code would form the whole or part of an HTTP response. Environment Proposal, that aims to provide diverse PHP environment setups for testing and compatibility purposes. Enhances the testing capabilities within the WordPress ecosystem.

Proposal: PHPUnit Test Runner with Multi-PHP and Multi-Environment

#agenda, #contributor-day, #meetings, #wceu

Javier Casares 16:23 on 2024-05-28
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team Meeting Agenda 2024-05-29

Are you going to the WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 Contributor DayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/ https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/.?

This Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled with the following details:

Agenda

WordPress Community

  • WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress. news
  • WordPress Community news

HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team Time

  • WordCamp Europe Contributor Day

Open Floor

  • Anything not in the agenda

Closing

  • Next Meeting Times

Next Meetings

  • 2024-06-05 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-12 – no meeting (WordCamp Europe)
  • 2024-06-19 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-26 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-03 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-10 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-17 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-24 0900 UTC

Ideas or suggestions

Anything else? Please leave a comment to add to the meeting.

#agenda, #meetings, #weekly-hosting-chat

Crixu 15:14 on 2024-05-22
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team Meeting Agenda 2024-05-22

Are you going to the WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 Contributor DayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/ https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/.?

This Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled with the following details:

Agenda

WordPress Community

  • WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress. news
  • WordPress Community news

HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team Time

  • Rollback for PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. Auto-Updates
  • WordPress Hosting Directory
  • WordCamp Europe Contributor Day

Open Floor

  • Anything not in the agenda

Closing

  • Next Meeting Times

Next Meetings

  • 2024-05-29 0900 UTC
  • 2024-06-05 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-12 – no meeting (WordCamp Europe)
  • 2024-06-19 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-26 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-03 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-10 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-17 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-24 0900 UTC

Ideas or suggestions

Anything else? Please leave a comment to add to the meeting.

#agenda, #meetings, #weekly-hosting-chat

Javier Casares 06:57 on 2024-05-16
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team meeting summary 2024-05-15

On Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 0900 UTC we had the Hosting Meeting, and this is a summary of that conversation focused on the WordPress HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Directory Project.

SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. conversation.

Participants: @javiercasares, @ashiquzzaman, @zunaid321, @kirasong, @Crixu, @justlevine, @markoheijnen, @ipajen.

Summary of WordPress Hosting Directory Project

The Basics

The WordPress Hosting Directory project aims to provide a comprehensive, objective, and community-driven resource for selecting WordPress hosting services. By leveraging both technical criteria and community contributions, the directory will support informed decision-making for users while fostering greater transparency and collaboration within the WordPress ecosystem. The project welcomes community involvement and feedback to ensure its success and relevance.

Overview

The WordPress Hosting Team discussed the proposal for the “WordPress Hosting Directory” project. The goal is to create a directory to help users choose hosting services based on objective criteria such as technical features, proximity, and community contributions. This directory aims to be a reliable resource for WordPress users, supporting informed decision-making for their hosting needs.

Key Discussion Points

  1. Project Background and Goals
    • The project has evolved from previous proposals and initiatives, such as the WordPress.org Recommended Hosts Page Requirement Matrix Criteria, Project Bedrock, and Hosting Application Rubric.
    • The directory will feature extensive filtering options, including hosting type (shared, VPSVPS A virtual private server (VPS) is a virtual machine sold as a service by an Internet hosting service. A VPS runs its own copy of an operating system (OS), and customers may have superuser-level access to that operating system instance, so they can install almost any software that runs on that OS., cloud), WP-CLIWP-CLI WP CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. access, and serverServer A server is a piece of computer hardware or software that provides functionality for other programs or devices. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers. energy types, among others, totaling over 50 variables.
  2. Community and Technical Contributions
    • The directory will also highlight hosting providers’ contributions to the WordPress community, incorporating elements like Five for the Future (5ftF) commitments.
    • An example project similar in spirit is Yoast’s WordPress Hosting overview.
  3. Hosting (Data) Review Team
    • A new Hosting Review Team will be formed to oversee and validate the data submitted by hosting providers.
    • The review process will likely involve initial private reviews to resolve sensitive issues before making data public on platforms like GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner..
    • Transparency is a key aim, but balancing it with privacy and sensitivity is essential to avoid conflicts and misinformation.
  4. Process and Workflow
    • Initial reviews may be conducted privately to iron out issues before public disclosure.
    • Discussions suggested mimicking successful practices from the Plugins Review Team and Themes Review Team as well as the vetting process currently in place for WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. sponsoring.
    • Public transparency is preferred, but sensitive initial discussions may be necessary to maintain quality and avoid conflicts.
  5. Technical Implementation
  6. Next Steps
    • Discussions and work planned for WordCamp Europe 2024 Contributor Day.
    • Refining the JSONJSON JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is an open standard file format, and data interchange format, that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of attribute–value pairs and array data types. It is a very common data format, with a diverse range of applications, such as serving as a replacement for XML in AJAX systems. Schema and creating the initial version of the directory pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party..
    • Collecting and reviewing the first JSON submissions from hosting providers.
    • Publishing the directory plugin and website.
    • Expanding the review team and scaling the process globally.

Concerns and Challenges

  • Public vs. Private Reviews
    • Balancing public transparency with the need for private initial reviews to handle sensitive issues.
    • Concerns about public conflicts and misinformation were raised, suggesting initial private handling before public release.
  • Vetting and Compliance
    • Ensuring hosters comply with community standards and technical requirements.
    • Developing a rubric to assess community contributions and technical reliability.
    • Addressing concerns about subjectivity in vetting processes, especially around values and historical brand perception.
  • Technical and Community Integration
    • Creating a seamless process for hosters to submit and update their data.
    • Leveraging community input to refine and improve the directory over time.

Community Engagement

  • Encouraging participation from developers, hosting providers, and community members.
  • Inviting feedback on the JSON Schema and contributions to the plugin development.
  • Emphasizing the importance of community feedback and transparency throughout the project.

#meetings, #summary, #weekly-hosting-chat

Javier Casares 06:40 on 2024-05-14
Tags: , ,   

Hosting Team meeting agenda 2024-05-15

Are you going to the WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 Contributor DayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/ https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/.?

This Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled with the following details:

Agenda

WordPress Community

  • WordPress CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Team builds WordPress. news
  • WordPress Community news

HostingHosting A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Team Time

  • WordPress Hosting Directory
  • WordCamp Europe Contributor Day

Open Floor

  • Anything not in the agenda

Closing

  • Next Meeting Times

Next Meetings

  • 2024-05-22 1800 UTC
  • 2024-05-29 0900 UTC
  • 2024-06-05 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-12 – no meeting (WordCamp Europe)
  • 2024-06-19 1800 UTC
  • 2024-06-26 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-03 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-10 0900 UTC
  • 2024-07-17 1800 UTC
  • 2024-07-24 0900 UTC

Ideas or suggestions

Anything else? Please leave a comment to add to the meeting.

#agenda, #meetings, #weekly-hosting-chat