[wp-hackers] Simplicity in 2.next

[Andy Skelton]

On 2/6/06, Jon Abad <jonabad at gmail.com> wrote:
> At minimum, this sounds like it would be useful to us: add a
> WP-Version-Range line to the Plugin file structure so that people know
> which versions the plugin has been tested on.

To keep with the FF model, this should not be coded into the plugin
but available via a URL to be checked as part of the upgrade process.

Before the user copies all the new core files, one new file
(pre-upgrade.php) is copied to ABSPATH and run from the browser. It
goes through the installed/activated plugins one by one, checking the
URL for compatibility notices and ending with a message stating which
plugins are known-good, known-bad and untested. This way the user
isn't already stuck with overwritten files and new db schema. It also
provides a channel for explicit upgrade instructions, such as the
ever-ignored advice to deactivate plugins, make backups, etc.

The URL may be specified by the author in an additional line in the
plugin's leading comments. Alternatively, plugins without the URL
would be checked against a centralized list of tested plugins.

Andy