Introducing ClassicPress 1.0.0: Aurora

Aurora

Since ClassicPress began in August of 2018, our all-volunteer team has worked hard to bring ClassicPress to you. Today, we are pleased to announce the first official, stable release of ClassicPress: version 1.0.0, codenamed Aurora, available immediately.

Starting with Aurora, the ClassicPress v1 series is a long-term support (LTS) version for businesses who want the power and stability of WordPress 4.9.x and are seeking an equally stable alternative solution. Since all existing plugins and themes that are supported on WP 4.9.x are supported in ClassicPress 1.0.0, Aurora is also ideal for those that find that WordPress 5.0+ is no longer a fit for them.

ClassicPress 1.0.0 is based on the codebase of the WordPress 4.9 branch (currently WordPress version 4.9.9) and contains all changes from this version of WordPress, including the latest security fixes.

Of course, we’ve also made the codebase our own. Read on for more details…

Major changes from WordPress

  • Versioning strategy. We use the industry standard semver specification for predictable, logical ClassicPress version numbers.
  • Development process. ClassicPress is developed on GitHub, which allows us to take full advantage of development tools such as Travis CI and Renovate.
  • Security Updates.
    • GPG signed releases. We publish our releases using signed git tags and zip files served from GitHub, so that you know what you’re getting. Much more to come in future versions, including release verification during automatic and manual updates!
    • Updates. ClassicPress serves new version notifications from our own API servers, again with a well-tested and clearly-defined versioning policy.
    • PHP versions. ClassicPress requires PHP 5.6 or higher, as the first step in a strategy for encouraging ClassicPress users to keep their sites up to date. ClassicPress 1.0.0 also adds PHP 7.3 compatibility for all unit-tested code in the core software.
  • Translations. ClassicPress serves core translations from our own API servers. ClassicPress core is currently translated into 10 languages, and more to come with help from our community.
  • Admin dashboard. WordPress-specific features like community events and featured plugins have been removed and/or replaced with ClassicPress equivalents. For example, we’ve added a “Featured Petitions” widget to encourage community participation in our development process.
  • Renaming. We’ve renamed all visual aspects and comments/docblocks from WordPress to ClassicPress. For compatibility, class/function and file names have been left alone.
  • Installation. For new sites, ClassicPress has a re-branded installation process, with fewer steps. We also support installation using composer natively.
  • Simplifications. We’ve removed the Akismet and Hello Dolly plugins, but they can still be installed from the plugin directory. We’ll be making the core software even leaner in version 2.
  • Community. ClassicPress is what it is today due to input and support from our welcoming and thriving community. Thank you for helping us make ClassicPress a reality!

For a list of new or changed functions and filters in ClassicPress 1.0.0, see this post.

There are a lot of other places where we’ve been able to make small improvements to ClassicPress so far, such as better design and typography in parts of the admin dashboard, and other developer experience improvements. For more information, including links to download the release, installation instructions, and a more complete list of changes, please see the release notes on our forums.

We are excited about what the future holds for ClassicPress and encourage you to participate in the ClassicPress Community. We want to be the content management system of choice for businesses worldwide, and we need your support to succeed! Connect with us on Slack and join our forums and petitions sites to add your voice and vote to our community. Your contributions help ClassicPress continue to grow and thrive!

A word from Scott…

Today ClassicPress reaches a major milestone, and again I find myself without words to properly express my gratitude for each person in the Community who has worked to make Aurora happen. The time, effort and passion that has been dedicated to ClassicPress over these last several months has been awe-inspiring, and I am grateful for every hour each of you has given to the project. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Truly, ClassicPress is Community-led, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey with each of you.

I look forward to what comes next as we continue on toward creating a world-class content management system for businesses who want to have a powerful, versatile and predictable solution for their website needs.

– Scott Bowler

For more information, including links to download the release, installation instructions, and a more specific list of changes, please see the release announcement on our forums.

Avatar for Wade Striebel
About Wade Striebel

Community Team Lead.

Connect with me at [email protected]

Notable Replies

  1. Congrats! Great job everyone.

Continue the discussion at forums.classicpress.net

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