[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #58964: Introduce dedicated function to set autoload value of an option already in the database

[WordPress Trac]

#58964: Introduce dedicated function to set autoload value of an option already in
the database
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 Reporter:  flixos90            |      Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement         |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal              |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Options, Meta APIs  |    Version:
 Severity:  normal              |   Keywords:
  Focuses:  performance         |
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 As outlined with more context in #42441 and #58962, "excessive
 autoloading" (i.e. autoloading too many options) can lead to performance
 problems, in some cases huge ones that even cause bugs.

 Part of the problem comes from options which are autoloaded unnecessarily,
 often from stale plugins that were once used on a site but then
 deactivated or deleted. While plugins are encouraged to provide
 uninstaller routines, deleting all plugin data in itself is problematic in
 the way that WordPress handles it (see e.g. #20578 and #31136), and even
 then it's not always desired by the end user. However, there is an
 argument to make that, as soon as a plugin gets deactivated, the options
 that it has added make no sense to be autoloaded anymore, as they will not
 be in use at all.

 A limitation with that is today WordPress only allows to modify the
 `autoload` field of an option by also updating (or adding) the option
 value, which is not exactly useful in this context. Therefore this ticket
 proposes adding a new function (or potentially set of functions)
 specifically to set the `autoload` value of an option - for example
 something like `wp_set_option_autoload( $option, $autoload )`. This
 provides a single-purpose low-level function that fits directly with other
 WordPress option functions.

 A somewhat related proposal is found in #55584, however there is an
 argument to make that the Settings API is not the right approach for that
 (see #55942), since not every plugin using options is using or has to use
 the Settings API.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58964>
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