[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #59633: Ensure theme files caching mechanisms are filterable and caches can be manually cleared

[WordPress Trac]

#59633: Ensure theme files caching mechanisms are filterable and caches can be
manually cleared
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 Reporter:  afercia       |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal        |   Milestone:  6.5
Component:  Themes        |     Version:  trunk
 Severity:  normal        |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                |     Focuses:  performance
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Comment (by afercia):

 Regarding the Theme File Editor at `/wp-admin/theme-editor.php` I would
 like to better understand what happens with the pattern files caching
 mechanism in place.

 To my understanding:

 - WordPress provides users with the ability to edit theme files, including
 patterns, directly via the Theme File Editor. I don't want to enter the
 debate whether the Theme File Editor should be deprecated or not. That has
 been discussed at length for years. The point is users can edit pattern
 files via the admin UI.
 - WordPress does _not_ provide users with the ability to edit `wp-
 config.php` via the admin UI (although there are plugins to do that).
 - As such, users can edit pattern files via the admin UI but they cannot
 edit `WP_DEVELOPMENT_MODE` via the admin UI.
 - As a consequence, I'm assuming that when editing pattern files via the
 Theme File Editor the changes won't have any effect on the front end
 because patterns are cached.
 - The admin UI doesn't provide any way to clear the caches.

 As I see it, this way WordPress 6.4 will ship with a non-fully-functional
 Theme File Editor.

 This appears to be one more legitimate scenario that hasn't been taken
 into consideration.

 If the above is correct, I'm not sure what the best way to solve this
 specific issue is at this point of the release cycle. I'm not sure making
 the Theme File Editor basically pointless for pattern files is a good
 thing for the release.

 - Should block themes entirely disable the Theme File Editor?
 - Should caches be invalidated when saving a file edited in the Theme File
 Editor?
 - Any other thoughts?

 @hellofromTonya when you have a chance, I'd appreciate your thoughts on
 whether this specific point warrants this ticket to be milestoned for 6.4.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/59633#comment:7>
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