[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #40934: Allow PHP version requirements for plugins & themes

[WordPress Trac]

#40934: Allow PHP version requirements for plugins & themes
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 Reporter:  joostdevalk     |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement     |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal          |   Milestone:  4.9
Component:  Administration  |     Version:
 Severity:  normal          |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  dev-feedback    |     Focuses:
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Comment (by jb510):

 I think it's a forgone conclusion this should have happened long ago...
 but I agree it needs to be as user-friendly as possible.  People running
 WordPress necessarily have a web host or enough technical skill to set one
 up on their own. They are not without resources to help them upgrade PHP
 versions.

 Replying to [comment:14 johnbillion]:
 > * What are the ''real'' benefits to plugin and theme authors of a PHP
 version constraint mechanism?
 > * What problems are caused by lack thereof?
 > * What are the benefits, if any, to end users?
 > * What are the benefits, if any, to WordPress core or the wider
 WordPress ecosystem?

 I agree these answer can definitely help inform implementation.

 I think the benefits to plugin and theme authors is pretty minimal
 actually. Sure it'd make development easier not having to think about
 multi-version support, but we can pretty easily put a version check in at
 activation and updates.

 I think the "real" benefits are to users:
 a) Users will be less likely to white screen their sites when
 installing/activating P/Ts
 b) Users will become familiar with a standardized experience of dealing
 with this issue that has good standardized support documentation (as
 opposed to now seeing upgrade notices phrased 3 different ways by 3
 different plugins with inconsistent documentation and support across
 them).

 I will say that I do think there should be a "tested up to" flag to bring
 things in line with the reporting on core version.  ie. min version PHP
 5.6 tested up to 7.0.

 It is useful for site owner to know the plugins they have installed have
 already been tested up to 7. There are still a lot of old plugins do break
 on 7 and while WP Engine's Compat testing is good, I think asking users to
 use that plugin is asking too much, it'd be better experience for them if
 they could just read a line of text that says "tested up to 7.0".
 (Obviously, the top end wouldn't be a hard fail the way the bottom end
 would be)

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/40934#comment:17>
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