WordPress 5.5 Comes with the Latest jQuery Version

As we all know, WordPress has been using jQuery version 1.2.14 for years. While this provides the advantage of maintaining backward compatibility, plugins and themes compatible with later versions of jQuery either require a migration process or demand other solutions to resolve conflicts.

WordPress users had been holding their breath and waiting for an update on jQuery until July 2020. Then, on June 30th, the much-anticipated announcement came: WordPress version 5.5 will now be distributed with the latest version of jQuery.

So, what should those with themes and plugins not compatible with the latest version of jQuery do?

With the ‘Test jQuery Updates‘ plugin developed by the WordPress team, you can check the compatibility of the themes and plugins used on your website.

To test:

1. Disable jQuery Migrate and use the default jQuery version provided by WordPress. Check if these settings disrupt or cause functionality loss on your site’s front end.
2. Enable jQuery Migrate and select the latest jQuery version (currently 3.5.1). Verify if these settings lead to any disruption or functionality loss on your site’s front end. This option allows you to test the jQuery version with WordPress 5.5.
3. Activate jQuery Migrate and choose the most recent jQuery and jQuery UI versions. With these settings, verify if any disruptions or functionality loss occur on your site’s front end. This option lets you test the latest jQuery version for WordPress 5.6.
4. Deactivate jQuery Migrate and select the newest jQuery and jQuery UI versions. See if these settings cause issues or functionality loss on your site’s front end. This choice allows you to experiment with the latest jQuery version of WordPress 5.7.

We recommend testing on your staging server or local host to avoid issues affecting your site visitors.

Stay well.