WordPress 3.5 nears with a release candidate

WordPress Lead Developer Andrew Nacin has announced the availability of a release candidate for version 3.5 of WordPress. Nacin has previously detailed the changes in the next major update to the open source blogging and publishing platform. Most importantly, it overhauls the WordPress "media experience" to make it easier to upload photos, arrange galleries and insert images into posts.

The new default Twenty Twelve theme for WordPress 3.5
Source: WordPress A simplified welcome screen has been added, as has a new colour picker. The software's dashboard has been updated to support the new Retina display (HiDPI) in Apple's latest MacBook Pro laptops. Other changes include accessibility improvements, more options for installing plugins from WordPress.org, and the addition of a new default theme called Twenty Twelve.

Nacin reminds users that the release candidate is aimed at testers and developers who need to check the compatibility of their plugins and themes; use on production sites is not advised. The final release of version 3.5 should ship in the next two weeks.

Those interested in testing the release candidate can upgrade to WordPress 3.5 RC by installing the Beta Tester plugin on their existing site and selecting "bleeding edge nightlies", or by downloading and installing it directly. Users testing the release are encouraged to provide feedback and report any bugs that they find.

The most recent stable release of WordPress is version 3.4.2, a maintenance and security update from early September.

See also:

• WordPress for iOS adds Featured Image support, a report from The H.
• WordPress for Android updated with all-new stats, a report from The H.
• WordPress 3.4 "Green" has new theme customiser, a report from The H.

(crve)