After months of excitement and speculation, over the weekend the WordPress core team made a big announcement: It’s time to merge the REST API into the WordPress core.
The proposal is still in its earliest stages, and so the team is currently looking for community feedback to take the project forward. If you have any suggestions for the team, be sure to head over to the Make WordPress Core blog.
We’ve talked a lot about the REST API here at Torque, so I won’t go into too many details. If you want to read more, be sure to check out some of these excellent posts:
- Introduction to the JSON REST API (Part One / Part Two)
- Client Side Applications Powered by the WordPress JSON REST API
- On the WordPress REST API: Reflecting on the Past and Looking to the Future
- Building the Front-end for the JSON REST API-Powered Single Page Web App
Best of all, Torque’s Josh Pollock has released a comprehensive eBook on the topic – Torque’s Ultimate Guide to the WordPress REST API. You can download it for free here.
Going Forward
The REST API project was first announced way back in Sept. 2012. Due to the community excitement and extensive testing, the core team has been able to generate a lot of data on the project. This has allowed the team to iron out the kinks, remove any bugs, and ensure the new API’s security is air-tight.
Even from its very earliest days, the REST API was always intended to make it to WordPress core — eventually. It looks like the time is finally here, and everyone’s hard work will now come to fruition.
The proposed merge looks set to be split into two stages.
- Stage One: Infrastructure – this stage is effectively the foundations, adding the code for routing requests, JSON serialization/deserialization, and building APIs inside the WordPress back-end.
- Stage Two: Endpoints – this stage is where all the complex code is added. This code will allow data mapping from external JSON formats to the internal data structures, full WordPress integration, and also put to bed any security issues.
It is expected that Stage One will be committed to the core in time for WordPress 4.4 – the next major release.
Stage Two will be delayed by a full release schedule, and is expected for WordPress 4.5. Delaying Stage Two highlights the importance of getting the endpoints right, and also gives additional time for the core team and other developers to test and review the endpoints for a smoother integration.
Final Thoughts
Before you celebrate the welcome addition of the REST API, it’s worth pointing out that this is only a proposal – nothing has been officially confirmed. It does, however, suggest that the REST API will be merged into the core sooner rather than later.
As always, Torque will keep you up to date with the latest WordPress core and REST API news.
In the meantime, what are your thoughts on the REST API? How do you think it will shape the future of the WordPress platform? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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