We’re announcing an important update regarding Action Scheduler — the scalable job queue for processing large queues of tasks in the background in WordPress. In our ongoing commitment to keeping Action Scheduler reliable and efficient, we are officially adopting an “L-2” dependency version policy.
This policy will be effective starting with the next release of Action Scheduler.
What is the “L-2” Policy?
The “L-2” policy, short for “Latest Minus Two,” means that Action Scheduler will support:
- The latest version of WordPress, the version before that, and the version before that.
- The latter version’s minimum PHP version.
For example, at the time of writing, the latest WordPress version is 6.3. The “minus two” version is WordPress 6.1, which requires PHP 5.6 or later. Action Scheduler would therefore require WordPress 6.1 or later and PHP 5.6 or later. Please also see this overview of which WordPress versions work with what PHP versions.
This policy ensures that Action Scheduler and plugins that depend on it remain compatible with a wide range of WordPress installations while keeping up with the latest advancements in the WordPress and PHP ecosystems.
Why Adopt “L-2”?
By implementing the “L-2” policy, we aim to strike a balance between supporting the latest WordPress features and providing stability for users with slightly older WordPress installations. Here’s why this policy is beneficial:
- Reliability: as Action Scheduler drops support for outdated versions, we can simplify its code and as a result decrease the probability for bugs.
- Modern Features: with the adoption of this policy, Action Scheduler now has a defined path towards being able to use modern APIs provided by both WordPress and PHP.
- Security: Keeping up with updates to WordPress and PHP helps maintain the security of Action Scheduler as well as your site or plugin.
What Action Should I Take?
As a consequence of this new policy, the next version of Action Scheduler will require WordPress 6.2 or later as well as PHP 5.6 or later.
If you are a user of WooCommerce or WordPress, it is always a good idea to update them regularly. The same is true for the PHP version installed on your server and any plugins or extensions you might be using. If you’re following this advice there’s nothing else you need to do to ensure you’ll continue to have access to the latest Action Scheduler features.
If you are the developer of a WordPress plugin that depends on Action Scheduler, we recommend that you adopt a similar policy. This ensures that your plugin will be able to benefit from any and all updates to Action Scheduler. If this is not an option in your specific situation, you are free to continue using the latest version of Action Scheduler that is compatible with your extension. Note that this means your users might miss out on important bug fixes, however.
We understand that every WordPress project is unique, and our goal is to make Action Scheduler as versatile and dependable as possible. For more information, updates, and documentation, please visit our official Action Scheduler repository on GitHub.
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to the friendly WooCommerce community on Slack or leave a comment here.
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