BuddyPress 12.0 Introduces New Community Visibility Feature
BuddyPress 12.0 is set to introduce a new Community Visibility feature that gives site administrators the option to restrict access to the community sections of the site. This highly anticipated feature has been frequently requested by BuddyPress site admins and is being introduced as a basic toggle. The Community Visibility setting makes it possible to create a private community site without adding any plugins to BuddyPress.
When a site is set to “members only,” non-logged-in users will encounter an access error message and a login form when they try to view a page generated by BuddyPress. This feature provides site owners with greater control over who can access their community sections, ensuring that only registered members can participate in discussions, view profiles, and engage with other members.
The introduction of the Community Visibility feature is a significant step forward for BuddyPress, as it addresses a long-standing need within the community. It provides a simple and effective solution for site owners who want to create exclusive communities and maintain a sense of privacy for their members.
David Cavins, a BuddyPress contributor who worked on the feature, mentioned that this new functionality lays the groundwork for future, more granular privacy controls. While the current release focuses on basic visibility settings, it opens up possibilities for more advanced privacy options in future updates.
In addition to the Community Visibility feature, the BuddyPress core development team has also released the BP Classic plugin ahead of the 12.0 release. This plugin ensures backwards compatibility for sites using plugins or themes that are not yet ready for the BP Rewrite API, which will be introduced in BuddyPress 12.0.
The BP Classic plugin includes features and templates that have been fully deprecated, such as the BP Legacy widgets and the BP Default theme. It also addresses the deprecation of the BP Legacy navigation globals, buddypress()->bp_nav and buddypress()->bp_options_nav.
An advisory about the BP Classic plugin has been posted on the official BuddyPress blog to help site owners determine if they will need this plugin. If required, site owners can install the plugin ahead of time, and it will remain dormant until it is needed during the upgrade process.
The new Community Visibility feature was recently committed to trunk and is on track to be included in the next major release, BuddyPress 12.0. The release is anticipated to be available on October 30, 2023. Beta 1 is overdue and expected to be released soon, providing users with an opportunity to test the new features and provide feedback before the official release.
In conclusion, BuddyPress 12.0’s new Community Visibility feature is a highly anticipated addition that gives site administrators greater control over the accessibility of their community sections. This feature allows site owners to create private communities without the need for additional plugins, fulfilling a long-standing request from BuddyPress users. The introduction of the BP Classic plugin also ensures backwards compatibility for sites using older plugins or themes, providing a smooth transition to the upcoming BuddyPress 12.0 release. With these updates, BuddyPress continues to evolve and meet the needs of its growing user base.
