[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.

[WordPress Trac]

#33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------
 Reporter:  alexander.rohmann                    |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  closed
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:
Component:  General                              |     Version:
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:  maybelater
 Keywords:  needs-codex dev-feedback 2nd-        |     Focuses:
  opinion                                        |
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------

Comment (by knutsp):

 What about these two facts:

 1. To make a patch for core you have to "unlearn" some language
 constructs, functions and defaults introduced i PHP after 5.2

 2. To make a theme or plugin you either have to "unlearn" the same as
 above, or introduce really bad UX by bailing on activation when the
 potential users PHP is 5.2.

 For each new version of PHP and (probably mostly young) people that learn
 PHP using a no yet EOL'ed PHP version, it gets worse and worse.

 I make a lot of simple plugins and introduce a lot of presentation related
 functionality in local child themes, but almost all I do is for "private"
 (client use) only. I could have made a lot of this for the public domain
 (wp.org), but I find it cumbersome to revert to ancient constructs, and to
 install PHP 5.2 to test code. Also also think that automatically
 deactivating things when "special" requirements (PHP > 5.2) are not met is
 not they right thing to do towards users ("bullying" them with blah, wrong
 PHP version!).

 I would hate not being able to use anonymous functions or traits, proper
 dereferencing, and namespacing, and I do love `[]` as array constructor,
 as a very few examples. I refuse to "unlearn" those things. I have instead
 chosen to argue here that WordPress must grow up, or at least have
 strategy to do so.

 So when saying WordPress (Core?) doesn't "need" later PHP, please take a
 broader picture.

--
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33381#comment:57>
WordPress Trac <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/>
WordPress publishing platform