WordPress 3.7 Released – “Basie”

I was working on a client’s website when I saw that WordPress 3.7 was released!

In the typical naming convention, this version, version 3.7 of WordPress, is in honor of the wonderful Count Basie!

You can now download and install it onto your site(s). There are some inportant changes that come with this significant version. The major changes as described from the good folks at WordPress are:

Updates while you sleep

With WordPress 3.7, you don’t have to lift a finger to apply maintenance and security updates. Most sites are now able to automatically apply these updates in the background. The update process also has been made even more reliable and secure, with dozens of new checks and safeguards.

Stronger password recommendations

Your password is your site’s first line of defense. It’s best to create passwords that are complex, long, and unique. To that end, our password meter has been updated in WordPress 3.7 to recognize common mistakes that can weaken your password: dates, names, keyboard patterns (123456789), and even pop culture references.

Better global support

Localized versions of WordPress will receive faster and more complete translations. WordPress 3.7 adds support for automatically installing the right language files and keeping them up to date, a boon for the many millions who use WordPress in a language other than English.

For developers there are lots of options around how to control the new updates feature, including allowing it to handle major upgrades as well as minor ones, more sophisticated date query support, and multisite improvements. As always, if you’re hungry for more dive into the Codex or browse the over 400 closed tickets.

I am looking forward to installing this version on a few test sites to see how everything interacts and plays with each other. Remember to always take a back up FIRST before you install any new version.