On Thursday, WordPress made available version 4.7.4 to the public as a maintenance release. The update comes along with 47 patches and improvements, mostly related to minor bugs and malfunctions of the platform.
It is the latest release since 4.7.3 rolled out earlier last month with important security fixes that addressed cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Users were prompted to download and install that version as soon as possible.
The platform is now in the fourth launch of its update cycle, which is expected to continue on a semi-regular monthly basis. At some point this year or the next, depending on its scale, WordPress plans to release version 4.8 to webmasters around the globe.
What’s new in WordPress 4.7.4?
WordPress developers deliver 47 fixes to bugs found in the previous release. These include everything from minor customization tweaks to functionality patches dealing with the REST API.
Aesthetically speaking, the Twenty Seventeen theme that debuted with WordPress 4.7 is getting corrections. In total, there are four, and they tackle issues that, in turn, affect how some elements are displayed when the theme is in use. For example, incorrect heading hierarchy for front pages in sites.
The Customize section was the most widely updated with thirteen fixes in total, ranging from tweaks to the Customizer tool to the addition of several design alternatives. Internet Explorer, for instance, presented some issues displaying things like previewable links before this release.
The Editor in WordPress 4.7.4 is also getting some work, as are the Media options for posts. A cursor position bug in the editor is gone, and developers have patched another one that made audio/video uploads and thumbnails break.
Users in earlier versions also had reported an accessibility issue in some browsers, including Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. That problem made users close the browser completely to log out, but it has since been resolved.
Why should I update my site to WordPress 4.7.4?
WordPress engineers and developers are always working to keep the platform up and running, and the only way to stay up to date is to follow suit and update every time a new release comes out.
You can do this manually or set up your site to do it automatically. From the Dashboard, you need to select the Updates tab, and there you will find the new version if it is readily available.
Hackers find exploits and vulnerabilities in old service platforms all the time, and sometimes you can only get protection through a new release. 4.7.4 is a zip file that weighs just 8.4 MB, so it should take less than a minute to download.
Source: WordPress