Update development dependencies?

[BlairCooper]

Is there any interest in updating the development dependencies to newer versions? I'd be happy to work on it but only if there is interest.

Is there a minimum PHP version requirement?

Is there a minimum WordPress version?

Maybe requiring a PHP 8.x version and a WordPress 6.3+ for a move to a 4.x version of reactpress?

[rockiger]

@BlairCooper I honestly don't know. What would be the advantage of bumping the dependencies? Does PHP 8 have any advantages for ReactPress. I remember file_get_contents to be a pita and needing a minimum of 7.4.

Can you think of any reasons? Or ideas that require newer dependencies?

[BlairCooper]

Since creating this issue I noticed that the the plugin page (https://wordpress.org/plugins/reactpress/) indicates that PHP 7.4 or later is required. That would be a starting point for the PHP dependency.

PHPStan would be the obvious one to update as newer versions identify additional issues. The current version (2.1.x) still supports PHP 7.4.

Updating PHPUnit would require moving to PHP >=8.1. There are only two tests currently so there would not be much advantage for updating PHPUnit.

WordPress 6.3 added loading strategies for scripts (https://make.wordpress.org/core/2023/07/14/registering-scripts-with-async-and-defer-attributes-in-wordpress-6-3/) . Short of requiring 6.3 this could be supported conditionally. Using a "defer" strategy should increase page performance.

Requiring a new version of PHP probably has less of an impact for ReactPress. While newer versions offer performance improvements there isn't that much PHP in ReactPress so any gains would be minimal. It would be more a case of keeping current. PHP 7.4 is now two years past EOL. PHP 8.2 has just entered the "Security Fixes Only" phase but will be supported for another two years.

Updating PHP would allow of using newer features of the language in upcoming changes. (I'll be creating another issue). Part of my thinking on a 4.x release would be that 3.3 could stay with the current requirements/dependencies and 4.x could implement the updated requires/versions.

[rockiger]

I like your list. Especially the new loading strategies should have positive impact for users.