What’s New in WordPress 5.1 “Betty”
Version 5.1 of WordPress, named “Betty” in honour of acclaimed jazz vocalist Betty Carter, is available for download or update from your WordPress dashboard. As always, do remember to back-up and make sure your current plugin and themes are supported.
WordPress 5.1 focuses on polish, in particular by improving the overall performance of the editor. In addition, this release paves the way for a better, faster, and more secure WordPress with some essential tools for site administrators and developers. Advancements of the new features are as below compare to WordPress 5.0 version that was released just a few months back.
This release focuses more on making the popular blogging platform faster and more secure with new tools for site administrators and developers.
1. Focus on Site Health
When you try to install new plugins, your WordPress’s Site Health features will check them against the version of your current PHP that you’re running. If the plugin is not compatible with your website, WordPress will keep you from installing that plugin.
Technically, this tool is geared towards safety to prevent website breakage due to incompatible updates.
2. Better Performance Editor
In WordPress 5.1, a remarkable enhancement includes solid performance improvements within its own editor. The editor will feel a little quicker, and typing should feel smoother and better.
3. Supported Minimum PHP Version
WordPress has also done the updates on the minimum supported PHP version. The users will able to do their tasks even at the most basic PHP 5.6. However, PHP 7.0 is recommended by the WordPress experts as it can keep the user up-to-date regarding the security updates. For more info, visit here.
4. Happiness for Developer/Geek
Multisite Metadata
5.1 introduces a new database table to store metadata associated with sites and allow the storage of arbitrary site data relevant in a multisite / network context.
Cron API
The Cron API has been updated with new functions to assist with returning data and includes new filters for modifying cron storage. Other changes in behavior affect cron spawning on servers running FastCGI and PHP-FPM versions 7.0.16 and above.
New JS Build Processes
WordPress 5.1 features a new JavaScript build option, following the large reorganisation of code that started in the 5.0 release. Learn More
There is something excited from Gutenberg update;
The first phase of Gutenberg was just a trailer, however, the Gutenberg Phase 2 included many exciting features that you can get with WordPress 5.1. It comprises movement of third-party widgets even in the nation-widget. Along with this, Phase 2 also embodies additional blocks, even the conversion of Navigation menu to blocks.
Besides, they also had announced the proposed release schedule for WordPress 5.1.1 which will be held on March 4, 2019 (Release candidate) and March 7, 2019 will be the official release date.
For more information, you may want to check out how to backup your WordPress website before going to the update WordPress 5.1. Checkout cPanel Softaculus Backup Restore.
If you are using our New WordPress Hosting, backup/restore and event create a sand WordPress website for testing can easily be done in a few clicks. Backup and staging-creation have been shared in previous WordPress 5.0 update.
Feel free to ask us any questions through our website LiveChat. Cheers! 😉
