The highly popular WordPress blogging platform (which happens to power the website you are just surfing as well) got a new release, version 3.1 “Reinhardt” named in the honor of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. The database version is 17056 and the Trac revision is 17485. Per WordPress blog, there were over 2000 commits on the codebase and 820 closed issues. I just performed the update and around 5 seconds later everything was good to go, the website still works as you can see and everything is fine. The admin interface feels updated and everything just feels faster than before.
The advanced taxonomy and custom fields queries, archive pages for custom content types and Post Formats support that enable themes to create portable tumblelogs with different styling for different types of posts enhance WordPress’s value as a CMS system as well.
Among the most important new features, you can find:
Highlights
- Internal Linking – click a button for an internal link and it allows you to search for a post or browse a list of existing content and select it for inclusion.
- In my experience, adding a link is faster than before, for both external and internal content and this is a very welcome addition.
- Admin Bar – contains various links to useful admin screens. By default, the admin bar is displayed when a user is logged in and visiting the site and is not displayed in admin screens for single blog installs. For multisite installs, the admin bar is displayed both when visiting the site and in the admin screens.
- Streamlined Writing Interface – new users of WordPress will find the write screen much less cluttered than before, as more of the options are hidden by default. You can click on Screen Options in the top right to bring them back.
- Post Formats – meta information that can be used by themes to customize presentation of a post. Read more in the article Post Formats.
- Network Admin – move Super Admin menus and related pages out of the regular admin and into a new Network Admin screen.
- List-type Admin Screens – sortable columns for list-type screens and better pagination.
- Exporter/Importer Overhaul – many under the hood changes including adding author information, better handling for taxonomies and terms, and proper support for navigation menus.
- Custom Content Type Improvements – allows developers to generate archive pages, and have better menu and capability controls. Read more in the article Post Types.
- Advanced Queries – allows developers to query multiple taxonomies and custom fields.
- Refreshed Blue Admin Color Scheme – puts the focus more squarely on your content.
Conclusion: WordPress 3.1 is a worthy successor and a must upgrade version above 3.0.x. A trivial and lightning upgrade process and redesigned Admin screens make the installation a breeze and the upgrade a no-brainer. Above all, it is absolutely free, like always.
via WordPress.org
