WordPress 6.3 RC3

[Wordpress]

WordPress 6.3 RC3 is ready for download and testing.

This version of the WordPress software is under development. Please do not install, run, or test this version on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, you should evaluate RC3 on a test server and site. 

The WordPress 6.3 release is scheduled for August 8, 2023—just one week away. Now is your last opportunity to test it before the general release. 

For a deeper look into this release, read this overview of the 6.3 release cycle, check the Make WordPress Core blog for 6.3-related posts, review new features in WordPress 6.3, or watch a recorded demo. 

What’s new since RC2

Since the RC2 release on July 25, 2023, there have been approximately 14 issues resolved in Github and Trac. To prepare for 6.3 general availability, RC3 also addresses several bugs and adds fixes for retrieving templates (#4940) and resolving child theme issues (#53138). Thank you for testing, WordPressers!

Developers and extenders should review the comprehensive WordPress 6.3 Field Guide for detailed technical notes regarding new features and improvements.

Ways to contribute

WordPress is open source software made possible by the community of people collaborating on and contributing to its development. The resources below outline a variety of ways you can help, regardless of your technical expertise.

Download RC3 for testing

You can test WordPress 6.3 RC3 in three ways:

• Option 1: Install and activate the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).
• Option 2: Direct download the RC3 version (zip).
• Option 3: Use the following WP-CLI command:
  wp core update --version=6.3-RC3

Keep WordPress bug-free—help with testing

Testing for issues is a critical part of developing any software, and it’s a meaningful way for anyone to contribute—whether you have experience or not. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is too.  

• Encountered an issue? Please report it to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, you can file one on WordPress Trac. You can also check your issue against a list of known bugs.
• New to testing? This detailed guide is a great place to start if you’ve never tested a beta/RC release.
• Want to know more about testing releases in general? Follow along with the testing initiatives in Make Core and join the #core-test channel in Making WordPress Slack.

Search for vulnerabilities

The monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities is doubled between the Beta 1 release and the final release candidate (RC). Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the HackerOne page and in the security white paper.

Update your theme or plugin

Do you build themes or plugins? Your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for users of all types worldwide. 

This is your final opportunity to test your latest versions against RC3. You will want to continue your testing and update the “Tested up to” version in your plugin’s readme file to 6.3. 

If you find compatibility problems, please post detailed information to the support forums.

Help translate WordPress

Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Português? Русский? 日本? Help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages. 

Release the haiku

Phase two, soon complete
A monumental release
Then onto six-four.

Thank you to the contributors who collaborated on this post: @Meher, @DanSoschin, and @jpantani

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