#62622 Bump minimum supported PHP version to 7.4

.github/workflows/install-testing.yml

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 # Confirms that installing WordPress using WP-CLI works successfully.
 #
 # This workflow is not meant to test wordpress-develop checkouts, but rather tagged versions officially available on WordPress.org.
+#
+# This workflow is triggered for all WordPress versions that are currently receiving security updates. It therefore needs to
+# retain support for older PHP and database versions.
 name: Installation Tests
 
 on:

.github/workflows/local-docker-environment.yml

@@ -105,11 +105,6 @@ jobs:
           - db-version: '9.1'
           - db-version: '9.2'
           - db-version: '9.3'
-          # MySQL 9.0+ will not work on PHP 7.2 & 7.3. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '9.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '9.4'
           # No PHP 8.5 + Memcached support yet.
           - php: '8.5'
             memcached: true

.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml

@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         event: ['${{ github.event_name }}']
         os: [ ubuntu-24.04 ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.3', '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.0', '8.4' ]
         tests-domain: [ 'example.org' ]
@@ -83,18 +83,6 @@ jobs:
         exclude:
             # Trim the matrix on Pull Requests to reduce the number of concurrent jobs.
             # Each PHP version is tested againgst one version of MySQL.
-            - event: pull_request
-              php: '7.2'
-              db-version: '8.0'
-            - event: pull_request
-              php: '7.2'
-              db-version: '8.4'
-            - event: pull_request
-              php: '7.3'
-              db-version: '5.7'
-            - event: pull_request
-              php: '7.3'
-              db-version: '8.4'
             - event: pull_request
               php: '7.4'
               db-version: '5.7'
@@ -209,7 +197,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         event: ['${{ github.event_name }}']
         os: [ ubuntu-24.04 ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.3', '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
         db-type: [ 'mariadb' ]
         db-version: [ '5.5', '10.3', '10.4', '10.5', '10.6', '10.11', '11.4', '11.8' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
@@ -219,48 +207,6 @@ jobs:
           # Trim the matrix on Pull Requests to reduce the number of concurrent jobs.
           # Each PHP version is tested against one version of MariaDB.
           # Each MariaDB version is tested at least once.
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '10.3'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '10.4'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '10.5'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '10.6'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '10.11'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '11.4'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '11.8'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '5.5'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '10.4'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '10.5'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '10.6'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '10.11'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '11.4'
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '11.8'
           - event: pull_request
             php: '7.4'
             db-version: '5.5'
@@ -456,27 +402,20 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         event: ['${{ github.event_name }}']
         os: [ ubuntu-24.04 ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.3', '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql', 'mariadb' ]
         db-version: [ '9.4', '12.0' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
         memcached: [ false ]
         db-innovation: [ true ]
 
         exclude:
-          # MySQL 9.0+ will not work on PHP <= 7.3 because mysql_native_password was removed. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '9.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '9.4'
           # Exclude version combinations that don't exist.
           - db-type: 'mariadb'
             db-version: '9.4'
           - db-type: 'mysql'
             db-version: '12.0'
           # On Pull requests, only test each innovation release once.
-          - event: pull_request
-            php: '7.3'
           - event: pull_request
             php: '7.4'
           - event: pull_request
@@ -521,7 +460,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.4', '8.0', '8.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '8.4' ]
         phpunit-test-groups: [ 'html-api-html5lib-tests' ]
@@ -550,7 +489,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        php: [ '7.2', '8.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.4' ]
         db-version: [ '8.4', '11.8' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql', 'mariadb' ]
         multisite: [ false ]

.github/workflows/reusable-upgrade-testing.yml

@@ -75,8 +75,6 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries="5"
           -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD="root"
           -e MYSQL_DATABASE="test_db"
-          --entrypoint sh ${{ inputs.db-type }}:${{ inputs.db-version }}
-          -c "exec docker-entrypoint.sh mysqld${{ inputs.db-type == 'mysql' && contains( fromJSON('["7.2", "7.3"]'), inputs.php ) && ' --default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password' || '' }}"
 
     steps:
       - name: Set up PHP ${{ inputs.php }}

.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml

@@ -63,20 +63,12 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ 'ubuntu-24.04' ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '8.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.4' ]
-        # WordPress 4.9 is the oldest version that supports PHP 7.2.
-        wp: [ '4.9', '6.6', '6.7', '6.8' ]
+        # WordPress 5.3 is the oldest version that supports PHP 7.4.
+        wp: [ '5.3', '6.6', '6.7', '6.8' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
-
-        exclude:
-          # The PHP <= 7.3/MySQL 8.4 jobs currently fail due to mysql_native_password being disabled by default. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '8.4'
-          # WordPress 4.9 does not support PHP 8.4.
-          - php: '8.4'
-            wp: '4.9'
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       php: ${{ matrix.php }}

.github/workflows/upgrade-testing.yml

@@ -68,23 +68,11 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ 'ubuntu-24.04' ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.3', '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.1', '8.2', '8.3', '8.4', '8.5' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.0', '8.4', '9.4' ]
         wp: [ '6.7', '6.8' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
-
-        exclude:
-          # The PHP <= 7.3/MySQL 8.4 jobs currently fail due to mysql_native_password being disabled by default. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '8.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '8.4'
-          # MySQL 9.0+ will not work on PHP 7.2 & 7.3. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '9.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '9.4'
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       php: ${{ matrix.php }}
@@ -105,16 +93,11 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ 'ubuntu-24.04' ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.4', '8.0', '8.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4', '8.0', '8.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.4' ]
         wp: [ '6.0', '6.3', '6.4', '6.5' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
-
-        exclude:
-          # The PHP <= 7.3/MySQL 8.4 jobs currently fail due to mysql_native_password being disabled by default. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '8.4'
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       php: ${{ matrix.php }}
@@ -124,7 +107,7 @@ jobs:
       new-version: ${{ inputs.new-version && inputs.new-version || 'latest' }}
       multisite: ${{ matrix.multisite }}
 
-  # Tests 5.x releases where the WordPress database version changed on the oldest and newest supported versions of PHP 7.
+  # Tests 5.x releases where the WordPress database version changed on the only supported version of PHP 7.
   upgrade-tests-wp-5x-php-7x-mysql:
     name: ${{ matrix.wp }} to ${{ inputs.new-version && inputs.new-version || 'latest' }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-upgrade-testing.yml
@@ -135,16 +118,11 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ 'ubuntu-24.04' ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.4' ]
         wp: [ '5.0', '5.1', '5.3', '5.4', '5.5', '5.6', '5.9' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
-
-        exclude:
-          # The PHP <= 7.3/MySQL 8.4 jobs currently fail due to mysql_native_password being disabled by default. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '8.4'
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       php: ${{ matrix.php }}
@@ -199,23 +177,11 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ 'ubuntu-24.04' ]
-        php: [ '7.2', '7.3', '7.4' ]
+        php: [ '7.4' ]
         db-type: [ 'mysql' ]
         db-version: [ '5.7', '8.0', '8.4', '9.4' ]
         wp: [ '4.7' ]
         multisite: [ false, true ]
-
-        exclude:
-          # The PHP <= 7.3/MySQL 8.4 jobs currently fail due to mysql_native_password being disabled by default. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '8.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '8.4'
-          # MySQL 9.0+ will not work on PHP 7.2 & 7.3. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/61218.
-          - php: '7.2'
-            db-version: '9.4'
-          - php: '7.3'
-            db-version: '9.4'
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       php: ${{ matrix.php }}

.version-support-php.json

@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 {
+	"7-0": [
+		"7.4",
+		"8.0",
+		"8.1",
+		"8.2",
+		"8.3",
+		"8.4",
+		"8.5"
+	],
 	"6-9": [
 		"7.2",
 		"7.3",

composer.json

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	"require": {
 		"ext-hash": "*",
 		"ext-json": "*",
-		"php": ">=7.2.24"
+		"php": ">=7.4"
 	},
 	"suggest": {
 		"ext-dom": "*"

docker-compose.yml

@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@ services:
       - ./tools/local-env/mysql-init.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/mysql-init.sql
       - mysql:/var/lib/mysql
 
-    # For compatibility with PHP versions that don't support the caching_sha2_password auth plugin used in MySQL 8.0.
-    command: ${LOCAL_DB_AUTH_OPTION-}
-
     healthcheck:
       test: [
         'CMD-SHELL',

phpcompat.xml.dist

@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@
 
 	<rule ref="PHPCompatibilityWP"/>
 
-	<!-- WordPress Core currently supports PHP 7.2+. -->
-	<config name="testVersion" value="7.2-"/>
+	<!-- WordPress Core currently supports PHP 7.4+. -->
+	<config name="testVersion" value="7.4-"/>
 
 	<!--
 	#############################################################################

src/readme.html

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ <h2>Migrating from other systems</h2>
 
 <h2>System Requirements</h2>
 <ul>
-	<li><a href="https://www.php.net/">PHP</a> version <strong>7.2.24</strong> or greater.</li>
+	<li><a href="https://www.php.net/">PHP</a> version <strong>7.4</strong> or greater.</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.mysql.com/">MySQL</a> version <strong>5.5.5</strong> or greater.</li>
 </ul>
 

src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-site-health.php

@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ public function get_test_php_extensions() {
 				'function' => 'mysqli_connect',
 				'required' => false,
 			),
+			// Sodium was introduced in PHP 7.2, but the extension may not be enabled.
 			'libsodium' => array(
 				'constant'            => 'SODIUM_LIBRARY_VERSION',
 				'required'            => false,

src/wp-admin/includes/misc.php

@@ -1621,8 +1621,8 @@ function wp_check_php_version() {
 
 	$response['is_lower_than_future_minimum'] = false;
 
-	// The minimum supported PHP version will be updated to 7.4 in the future. Check if the current version is lower.
-	if ( version_compare( $version, '7.4', '<' ) ) {
+	// The minimum supported PHP version will be updated to at least 8.0 in the future. Check if the current version is lower.
+	if ( version_compare( $version, '8.0', '<' ) ) {
 		$response['is_lower_than_future_minimum'] = true;
 
 		// Force showing of warnings.