XF 2.3 What's new for developers in XenForo 2.3?

As promised, this week we're going to take a quick look at some of the more developer-centric changes coming in XenForo 2.3.

If a certain topic interests you more than others, click one of the links below:

• JavaScript
• SwiftMailer to Symfony Mail
• Doctrine Cache to Symfony Cache
• Updated Emogrifier
• Registry preload event
• Native IP conversion methods
• Support for class strings
• Updates to <time> tags - short date format
• Template names in HTML output
• AbstractCollection nth method
• Smart Javascript cache buster
• XF.createElement
• Template macro syntax changes
• Direct messages

Please note that the following libraries are no longer bundled with XF 2.3:

• ccampbell/chromephp
• doctrine/cache
• league/flysystem-ziparchive
• swiftmailer/swiftmailer
• symfony/debug
• web-token/jwt-signature-algorithm-eddsa
• web-token/jwt-signature-algorithm-hmac
• web-token/jwt-signature-algorithm-none
• web-token/jwt-signature-algorithm-rsa

While we do have a little more to show you, the next couple of weeks is going to be focused on getting XenForo 2.3 ready to be installed here and some additional "Have you seen...?" posts may arrive between then and a public beta release. Until then, thanks for coming on this journey with us.

 

[cdub]

Yes, Cloud instances will be automatically upgraded to 2.3 after it has been officially released.

This is why I could personally never be a cloud customer as I have 3rd party add-ons that will need to be upgraded to 2.3 compatibility before upgrading. But I also understand that I'm not the target cloud customer.

 

[Paul B]

Cloud customers can delay upgrades for a period of time.

 

[Offshore Dan]

This is why I could personally never be a cloud customer as I have 3rd party add-ons that will need to be upgraded to 2.3 compatibility before upgrading. But I also understand that I'm not the target cloud customer.

I chose cloud because I got tired of dealing with servers and upgrades manually. I want super easy with my new forum I am doing no 3rd party add-ons. I have template edits but those are very few.

 

[Mr Lucky]

Perfect! Thank you, looking forward to the front end CMS?article system.

I don't think there was any mention of changes to the current article system, maybe I missed it?

 

[Offshore Dan]

I don't think there was any mention of changes to the current article system, maybe I missed it?

Sorry I was referring to the featured content option that seems to bring a sort of CMS styling to the forum.

XF 2.3 - Featuring content

While the first few 'Have you seen...?' posts for XenForo 2.3 have focused on mostly aesthetic or performance changes, today we are taking the opportunity to talk about one of the first new major pieces of functionality we've been working on. Every release cycle we like to focus on at least one...

xenforo.com

 

[Alpha1]

Yes, Cloud instances will be automatically upgraded to 2.3 after it has been officially released.

Nice! That's a pretty good pool of sites and any remaining issues should surface much faster this way.

 

[Chris D]

Nice! That's a pretty good pool of sites and any remaining issues should surface much faster this way.

Well, there's no guarantee they'll want to upgrade immediately. They don't have to. Cloud customers have "maintenance options" for each Cloud subscription so they can specify how long to defer an upgrade for. And there's a different setting for minor versus major upgrades.

By default, unless they've specified a different schedule, it will automatically be deferred for 6 months. They can trigger the upgrade at any time before that, but many will need time to account for style changes and add-ons just the same as anyone else.

I chose cloud because I got tired of dealing with servers and upgrades manually. I want super easy with my new forum I am doing no 3rd party add-ons. I have template edits but those are very few.

Off topic but yeah. Basically everyone is the target market for Cloud. We have a wide breadth of customers ranging from brand new to the scene, don’t know one side of a server from another, to people who have managed sites and servers for decade but just don't want to anymore.

 

[Paul B]

They don't have to. Cloud customers have "maintenance options" for each Cloud subscription so they can specify how long to defer an upgrade for. And there's a different setting for minor versus major upgrades.

Just to show non Cloud customers how that looks.

 

[Paul B]

How does that work if the customer has addons that aren't 2.3 compatible? Do customers on the cloud platform get an option to not automatically upgrade? Just wondering is all.

Read the posts after that - it is all explained.

 

[Suzanne O]

Ok that sounds promising.

Still looking at the cloud services here.

 

[James]

Just to show non Cloud customers how that looks.

View attachment 294398

Are you on cloud for CTA or did you just utilise your superior powers to dig into a cloud test/instance for the shot? Just curious.

 

[Chris D]

CTA is on XenForo Cloud.

We’ve always liked the taste of our own dog food.

 

[Newsman]

Any ETA until the beta launches? This week?

 

[mjda]

Any ETA until the beta launches? This week?

I'd guess the first beta will be sometime next month. The goal, as I understand, is to have 2.3 running on this site this week. They won't release the first beta until some time after that.

 

[Newsman]

I'd guess the first beta will be sometime next month. The goal, as I understand, is to have 2.3 running on this site this week. They won't release the first beta until some time after that.

Ahh! Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Hausmeista]

And again in English please. ..

Hello, this must also be in Bavarian.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

Perhaps this has been answered, but I've spent time going through this material and can't find it.

As with many forums, we have lots of add-ons we depend on. They are updated when new versions are out.

Will they be all or mostly compatible with 2.3? Since we depend on the income from member upgrades, and use a third-party add-on to spruce up the interface and features, I'm seriously concerned whether it'll run properly after this upgrade.

Note: A few of these add-ons probably won't be updated, but still work so far.

 

[Jeremy P]

As always, you should seek advice from add-on maintainers with regards to compatibility prior to upgrading. We have done our best to avoid making backwards-incompatible changes where possible, so we expect most add-ons will continue to work fine with little to no changes. The major exception is the removal of jQuery, so add-ons which introduce custom JavaScript will need to be updated accordingly.

 

[James]

Note that while it is not recommended if you do have old addons that probably won't be updated and do depend on jQuery you can include it yourself so that these addons still function. It depends how vital the addons are to your user base.

 

[James]

Note that while it is not recommended if you do have old addons that probably won't be updated and do depend on jQuery you can include it yourself so that these addons still function. It depends how vital the addons are to your user base.