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The first major update of 2025 for the world's most popular CMS is here! WordPress 6.8, dubbed "Cecil" in tribute to the free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor, is now available. This new version confirms WordPress's desire to offer a smoother, faster and more accessible experience for everyone. G2RD Web Agency presents you with an overview of the major new features of this version.
Performance: Faster browsing thanks to the Speculation Rules API
WordPress 6.8 focuses on the performance and responsiveness. Thanks to the integration of theAPI Speculation Rules, the CMS can now preload or pre-render pages most likely to be visited. Result: a almost instant loading and one greatly improved user experience.
Maintenance of theInteractivity API, introduced in previous versions, also benefits from new coding best practices, making the lighter and more scalable front-end.
Gutenberg: the block editor reaches a new milestone
The block editor, the heart of the project Gutenberg, continues its modernization. WordPress 6.8 introduces 387 improvements And 525 bug fixes. Among the notable developments:
- 🎯 Conditional loading of resources : only the CSS and JS of the blocks actually used are loaded, which optimizes page speed.
- ⚠️ Warning in useSelect : Developers are alerted when an inline selector may cause unnecessary recalculations in React.
- 🎨 Enhanced design tools : each block offers a more intuitive panel of customization options.
- 🧩 Harmonized interface : the basic components (buttons, forms, etc.) gain in graphic consistency across the entire CMS.
Accessibility: WordPress is getting better for everyone
Accessibility remains a priority. WordPress 6.8 integrates more than 70 dedicated fixes in Gutenberg, including:
- Best keyboard navigation and focus management,
- Explicit tooltips And semantic HTML markup for navigation blocks,
- Reinforced behavior of the class
.screen-reader-textfor increased compatibility with screen readers.
Enhanced security and code modernization
WordPress 6.8 introduces a major but discreet change on the security side: the adoption of bcrypt for the password encryption, replacing the old phpass library. A real more on data protection.
L'REST API also evolves with the addition of a filtered allowing to control the exposed data in a headless context. A direct response to the expectations of specialized developers.
WordPress 6.8 by the numbers
Here are some key facts about this ambitious update:
- ✅ 300+ closed tickets on Trac,
- 🚀 104 new features and improvements,
- 🐞 170 bugs fixed,
- ♿ 34 accessibility improvements,
- ⚙️ 43 core components concerned,
- 🧪 387 developments and 525 fixes on the Gutenberg block editor.
Updating to WordPress 6.8: The Step-by-Step Procedure
Updating your site to WordPress 6.8 is quick and easy:
- Meet in the Dashboard,
- Click on Updates,
- Select Update now.
👉 G2RD Web Agency Council : before any update, carry out a full backup of your site, including the database. This ensures easy restoration in the event of a problem.
Why choose G2RD Web Agency for the creation or maintenance of your WordPress site?
Specialist in website creation, website redesign And WordPress maintenance, G2RD Web Agency supports companies in their digital transformation. Thanks to our continuous technological monitoring, we integrate the latest innovations such as WordPress 6.8 to offer sites that are both efficient, secured And easy to administer.
In summary
WordPress version 6.8 marks a new turning point in the evolution of the CMS: faster, more accessible, more modern. A major asset for all content creators and developers.
Looking to update your WordPress site or create a new one with version 6.8?
📞 Contact G2RD Web Agency today to benefit from tailor-made support.
