Test WordPress Patches

Function: Test
Type: Task
Level: Beginner

Test patches on WordPress coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. tickets to validate fixes before release. Test independently at your own pace, or join weekly team sessions for guided support.

Before you start

Complete the common setup first, then:

Setup: Set up WordPress Playground for testing patches
Read: Patch Testing and Test Core Tickets with Playground
Connect: Join #core-test and introduce yourself

Steps

Find a ticket to test. You have two options here:

– On your own: Browse WordPress Trac for tickets that need testing. Look for tickets tagged with needs-testing or has-patch.
– With guidance: Join a Patch Testing Scrub, where experienced contributors assign tickets and guide you through testing. Check the Test team meeting calendar for upcoming scrub times.

Check for a testable patch. Look for a GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ PR link in the ticket. If there’s only a .patch file, ask in #core-test for help or skip to another ticket.
Open the patch in Playground. Click “View PR” to open the GitHub pull request. Find the comment that says “Test this pull request with WordPress Playground” and click the link.
Test the patch. Check:

– Whether the patch fixes the reported issue
– Any unintended side effects or regressions
– How it behaves in different scenarios

Submit your test report to TracTrac Trac is the place where contributors create issues for bugs or feature requests much like GitHub.https://core.trac.wordpress.org/.. Add a comment to the Trac ticket with your results using one of these methods:

– Test Reports pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.: Use Generating Reports with the Test Reports Plugin on your test site to auto-generate a report with your environment details pre-filled.
– Manual template: Copy the Patch Testing Report Template into a text editor, fill in your details and findings, then post it as a comment on the ticket.

Contribution checklist

Test report posted on the Trac ticket
Environment documented (OS, PHPPHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. https://www.php.net/manual/en/index.php, WordPress version, browser)
Confirmed whether patch fixes the issue and noted any regressions