WordPress version 3.9 releases, new features added

The WordPress.org team recently released version 3.9 of the popular CMS.

 

Interestingly, the 3.9 update follows closely on the heels of the WordPress 3.8.2 security update, an update that the WordPress Security Team characterized as “an important security release for all previous versions” (emphasis added). WordPress users are strongly encouraged to update their sites in order to be protected from potential malicious attacks.

 

If you have not already updated to WordPress 3.8.2, the security team says that the important security issues addressed in that patch are also included in version 3.9. There is no need to “stair-step” your updates to 3.8.2, and you can update directly to 3.9.

 

Maintaining the recent jazz theme of the past several versions of the platform, WordPress version 3.9 is named “Smith” in honor of jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Previous jazz-themed WordPress releases include: versions 3.5 “Elvin” (named after drummer Elvin Jones), 3.6 “Oscar” (jazz pianist Oscar Peterson), 3.7 “Basie” (pianist and bandleader William James “Count” Basie), and 3.8 “Parker” (saxophonist Charlie Parker, Jr.).

 

WordPress version 3.9 includes several new features that are sure to please WordPress users, both new and longtime WordPress veterans alike.

 

For starters, you will no longer have to refresh your browser window every time you make a change in order to actually view those theme changes. As Search Engine journal reported earlier, “Now you can see what everything looks like before it goes live. Under the Appearance > Themes > Customize Page in the admin system you can now ‘Live Preview’ themes.”

 

The report goes on to say that “all customizable assets in your theme,” such as widgets, can also be adjusted while in the newly enhanced live preview mode.

 

WordPress 3.9 will also include enhancements for:

 

The 3.9 update also includes several improvements for WordPress developers, particularly for plugin authors. The WordPress Core team said in a statement that TinyMCE received a major update. Also, WordPress 3.9 now uses the MySQLi Improved extension for sites running PHP 5.5.

 

For more information on the new WordPress 3.9 release, you can visit the official announcement notice from the WordPress team here.