[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #64494: Bump minimum PHP version to 8.*

[WordPress Trac]

#64494: Bump minimum PHP version to 8.*
--------------------------+--------------------------------
 Reporter:  masteradhoc   |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal        |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  General       |     Version:
 Severity:  normal        |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                |     Focuses:  php-compatibility
--------------------------+--------------------------------
Description changed by SergeyBiryukov:

Old description:

> This ticket tracks discussion and work on the next bump to the minimum
> PHP version to v8.0 or higher.
>

> == Policy / Criteria for Version Bumps (by @justlevine)
>
> There is **no official policy or criteria**
> [[https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58719#comment:30|(ref)]] for
> handling PHP Version bumps. Pending
> [[https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58719#comment:1|that
> discussion]], the following is based on the processes used until now:
>
> 1. Matt is the ultimate decision maker on whether to bump the minimum PHP
> version.
> 2. That discussion is initiated by the release/project leads based on
> several (public and private) factors.
> 3. A **general** litmus test to gauge whether a version should be bumped
> is if the % of users (via https://wordpress.org/about/stats/) left behind
> by the bump is `< 5%`.
> 4. However, usage stats alone are not reason to bump the minimum PHP
> Version but also have a positive impact on the
> project/codebase/tooling/etc.
>
> **Important:** Bumping the minimum PHP version (this ticket) is not the
> same as changing the [[https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/|minimum
> ''recommended'' version]] (v8.3 as of 10 Jan 2026).
>
> Background: #62622, #58719, #51043, #57345
>

> == Data Points
> Since many years @samiamnot has monthly put the stats updates in comments
> of the old tickets - see backgroound above. We can continue on this
> ticket with tracking the appropriate data.
>
> The Stats projection page of @johnbillion [[https://johnbillion.github.io
> /wp-stats/php.html|can be found here]].
>
> **Note**: .org Stats do not offer a cross-reference between WP/PHP
> versions. As such these percentages include sites that may already be
> (colloquially) abandoned on a previous WordPress release,but could
> theoretically upgrade if their plugin/theme stack supports recent WP
> versions.
>
> Bumping the minimum version to v8.0 would allow us to remove a lot PHP
> 7.* compatibility code. The work for this release could be bigger then
> usual so we should communicate early for when this is planned to be set.
>

> == Projection
> This could take quite some time to get below the 5% threshold. Currently
> as of January 2026 it sits on 22.1%. We'll see how fast it can come down.
>
> An important comment in my view from @jrf about the big effort in
> maintaining WP running PHP cross-version see
> https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58719. Hopefully we can find some
> other supportive measures to make users more aware that an upgrade is
> needed - but thats for another ticket. For the moment lets keep
> discussions here on how to get to 8.0 and have a space to track usage by
> @samiamnot
>

> == Previously
> #62622 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.4 in WordPress 7.0
> #58719 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.2 in WordPress 6.6
> #57345 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.0 in WordPress 6.3
> #46594 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 5.6 in WordPress 5.2
> #16917 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 5.2 in WordPress 3.2

New description:

 This ticket tracks discussion and work on the next bump to the minimum PHP
 version to v8.0 or higher.


 == Policy / Criteria for Version Bumps (by @justlevine)

 There is **no official policy or criteria**
 [[https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58719#comment:30|(ref)]] for
 handling PHP Version bumps. Pending
 [[https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/58719#comment:1|that
 discussion]], the following is based on the processes used until now:

 1. Matt is the ultimate decision maker on whether to bump the minimum PHP
 version.
 2. That discussion is initiated by the release/project leads based on
 several (public and private) factors.
 3. A **general** litmus test to gauge whether a version should be bumped
 is if the % of users (via https://wordpress.org/about/stats/) left behind
 by the bump is `< 5%`.
 4. However, usage stats alone are not reason to bump the minimum PHP
 Version but also have a positive impact on the
 project/codebase/tooling/etc.

 **Important:** Bumping the minimum PHP version (this ticket) is not the
 same as changing the [[https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/|minimum
 ''recommended'' version]] (v8.3 as of 10 Jan 2026).

 Background: #62622, #58719, #51043, #57345


 == Data Points
 Since many years @samiamnot has monthly put the stats updates in comments
 of the old tickets - see backgroound above. We can continue on this ticket
 with tracking the appropriate data.

 The Stats projection page of @johnbillion [[https://johnbillion.github.io
 /wp-stats/php.html|can be found here]].

 **Note**: .org Stats do not offer a cross-reference between WP/PHP
 versions. As such these percentages include sites that may already be
 (colloquially) abandoned on a previous WordPress release,but could
 theoretically upgrade if their plugin/theme stack supports recent WP
 versions.

 Bumping the minimum version to v8.0 would allow us to remove a lot PHP 7.*
 compatibility code. The work for this release could be bigger then usual
 so we should communicate early for when this is planned to be set.


 == Projection
 This could take quite some time to get below the 5% threshold. Currently
 as of January 2026 it sits on 22.1%. We'll see how fast it can come down.

 An important comment in my view from @jrf about the big effort in
 maintaining WP running PHP cross-version see #58719. Hopefully we can find
 some other supportive measures to make users more aware that an upgrade is
 needed - but thats for another ticket. For the moment lets keep
 discussions here on how to get to 8.0 and have a space to track usage by
 @samiamnot


 == Previously
 #62622 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.4 in WordPress 7.0
 #58719 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.2 in WordPress 6.6
 #57345 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 7.0 in WordPress 6.3
 #46594 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 5.6 in WordPress 5.2
 #16917 Bumping the minimum PHP version to 5.2 in WordPress 3.2

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/64494#comment:1>
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