[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #55712: Remove _copy_dir() as originally intended

[WordPress Trac]

#55712: Remove _copy_dir() as originally intended
------------------------------+---------------------
 Reporter:  afragen           |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement       |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal            |   Milestone:  6.1
Component:  Upgrade/Install   |     Version:  3.2
 Severity:  normal            |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch commit  |     Focuses:
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Comment (by costdev):

 ''Scroll to the bottom for the TL;DR''.

 **Search 1**
 As linked above, I searched wpdirectory.net for public plugins and themes
 referencing `_copy_dir\(`.
 - There was one result, a plugin, which called the function.
 - The call was protected by a `function_exists()` guard.
 - It was submitted 11 years ago.
 - It was a plugin for unit testing.
 - This plugin is now closed.
 - Its version was `0.0.2`.
 -----
 **Search 2**
 I searched Google for `_copy_dir`: No codebase or developer discussions on
 this.
 -----
 **Search 3**
 I searched GitHub for `_copy_dir` with:
   - The language set to `PHP`.
   - The extension set to `php`.
   - `Search *not* in forks` set.

 The first 20 pages, the last 10 pages, and the middle 10 pages are all
 from `wp-admin/includes/update-core.php` stored in the repositories. I
 can't find any usage of it anywhere, other than from the 11 year old
 plugin mentioned in the results in my earlier comment.

 -----
 **Search 4**
 I ran [https://wpdirectory.net/search/01G2VMF3RG5VY6T2R16SHN5VJX this
 search] on wpdirectory.net (which accounts for different coding styles)
 for plugins that have:
 1. A `require/require_once/include/include_once` statement for `wp-
 admin/includes/update-core.php`.
 2. A reference just to `wp-admin/includes/update-core.php`.

 After reviewing all 53 results:
 1. These are used either for calling `update_core()`, or making use of the
 `$_old_files` array.
 2. These are references to the file, and don't concern me.

 -----
 **Overview**
 - Doesn't appear in the developer documentation.
 - Is marked with a leading underscore.
 - Needs a `require` or `include` statement in order to be used.
 - Has an alternative via `copy_dir()`, which was introduced earlier
 (2.5.0), is public, is available in developer documentation and can be
 found in references online.
 - Available sources that do have a
 `require/require_once/include/include_once` statement for the file
 containing this function are only looking at `update_core()` and the
 `$_old_files` array.
 - Has one ancient, now defunct, reference to it online (from 11 years ago,
 which is when this function was introduced).

 I think this is just about as safe as anyone could expect when removing a
 function from Core, and can't find any indication that deprecating it
 would be of any benefit here.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/55712#comment:6>
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