[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #63614: pre_get_lastpostdate filter

[WordPress Trac]

#63614: pre_get_lastpostdate filter
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 Reporter:  gddrt        |      Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement  |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Query        |    Version:
 Severity:  minor        |   Keywords:  has-patch
  Focuses:               |
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 This was suggested long ago in #40789, but the original reason for that
 ticket was to modify a post type, so it was closed because a different
 solution had resolved the problem.

 However, this filter would also be useful for avoiding the massive
 performance problems of `get_lastpostdate()`. Regardless of which timezone
 argument you pass to `get_lastpostdate()`, it queries the unindexed
 `post_date_gmt` column of wp_posts, which requires a full scan of all
 published posts of the given post type. This could be tens of thousands of
 rows for large sites.

 It would be better if `_get_last_post_time()` used the `post_date` column
 instead, but I understand that would be a breaking change (although, I
 think a trivial one). A `pre_get_lastpostdate` filter with a short-
 circuit, like the patch offered in #40789 would at least allow power users
 or a plugin to provide a more performant workaround.

 There is a `get_lastpostdate` filter, but it runs after the expensive
 query so it does not help.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63614>
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