The release date of WordPress 6.8 is April 15, 2025. This version mostly concentrates on improving the previous functionality rather than adding many new features.

With features like a redesigned Style Book, easier options for managing data views in the block editor, and the ability to ignore sticky posts in the Query Loop, the latest version improves editor and usability. 

It also introduces bcrypt for password hashing and Speculative loading, which improves performance and security.

In this article, we provide readers with an in-depth preview of the new WordPress 6.8 release. It highlights the key features, improvements, and updates that users can expect, focusing on how these changes will improve website functionality, design flexibility, and user experience.

Planned Revisions in WordPress 6.8

WordPress 6.8 introduces several planned revisions aimed at refining usability, performance, and developer experience. Here are some key updates:

• Security and Accessibility
  • Bcrypt for password hashing
• Editor Improvements
• Design and Style Updates
• Performance Optimizations
  • Speculative Loading
• Developer-Focused Changes

Security and Accessibility

WordPress 6.8 will use bcrypt for password hashing, which significantly hardens WordPress security. Other hashing is getting hardened, too, throughout the security apparatus. You won’t have to change anything in your daily workflow.

What is bcrypt for password hashing?

Currently, WordPress utilizes phpass, which is not deemed optimal for modern security practices. WordPress 6.8 will adopt the more robust bcrypt encryption algorithm.

The primary advantage of bcrypt is its improved difficulty in being cracked, necessitating greater time and resources, which reduces the success rate of cyberattacks.

Additionally, application passwords, user password reset keys, personal data request keys, and the recovery mode key will transition from phpass to the faster and more secure BLAKE2b hashing algorithm.

Editor Improvements

The latest version, WordPress 6.8, offers a range of updates that improve the overall experience of managing and creating content.

Simplified methods for viewing your options in Data Views are now available, and you have the choice to disregard sticky posts within the Query Loop. Additionally, numerous minor improvements have been made to the editor.

Design and Style Updates

The release of WordPress 6.8 features notable upgrades to the site editing experience. The Global Styles interface has been improved for easier navigation and immediate customization. 

Furthermore, the Style Book has expanded its capabilities to include classic themes, thereby linking contemporary and traditional WordPress workflows.

Performance Optimizations

WordPress 6.8 introduces speculative loading, a performance improvement that anticipates user navigation and begins loading pages before they are clicked. 

This feature leverages the Speculation Rules API, allowing WordPress to prefetch or prerender URLs based on user behavior.

Speculative Loading

One of the key improvements in WordPress 6.8 is the implementation of speculative loading, which aims to smooth the speed and fluidity of browsing. 

This feature utilizes the browser’s speculation rules API to forecast which internal pages, including menu items, buttons, or frequently visited internal links, a user may navigate to next and start preloading them in the background.

By preemptively loading these potential next pages, WordPress significantly reduces the perceived wait time when transitioning between pages. This improvement leads to a more seamless user experience, especially on slower networks or on content-rich websites.

Speculative loading is enabled by default in supported browsers, but developers have the option to control it. If necessary, filters can disable or adjust this feature, providing flexibility for more intricate site configurations or performance tuning.

With this update, WordPress strengthens its commitment to creating faster and more interactive websites, eliminating the need for additional plugins or complex configurations.

Developer-focused Changes

With the arrival of WordPress 6.8, developers can take advantage of several exciting updates. These changes make creating and managing blocks easier, improving user interfaces, and increasing website performance. 

The following is a detailed look at the new features and how they can optimize development workflows.

Support for Speculation Browser API

The release of WordPress 6.8 brings native support for speculative loading, which utilizes the Speculation Rules API to improve site performance by enabling near-instantaneous page loads.

This feature allows for prefetching or prerendering URLs based on user interactions, such as link hovering, effectively reducing load times for subsequent pages.

WordPress 6.8 adopts a conservative prefetching strategy by default, ensuring a balance between performance improvements and resource efficiency. Developers can modify the behavior of speculative loading through new filters, as the API lacks user interface controls.

The existing Speculative Loading feature plugin will be modified to fit the core implementation, allowing for greater customization. You can test this feature in supported browsers (currently Chrome 108+ and Edge 108+, with more browsers being evaluated) and share feedback on tickht #62503 to refine it.

Summary

The release of WordPress 6.8 introduces a variety of improvements that improve design flexibility, block features, performance, and security, representing a major step forward in website development. 

This version makes building and maintaining websites more straightforward and efficient, with a strong focus on innovations that benefit developers and improve user experience.

New features such as expanded design tools, refined block editor capabilities, improved PHP compatibility, and streamlined plugin and theme management highlight WordPress’s commitment to progress. 

Performance upgrades and accessibility improvements further reinforce its status as a premier content management system, allowing users to create compelling digital experiences.

Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any inquiries. Wishing you the best of luck!

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