WordPress 4.5, scheduled for final release this April, is much anticipated in the avid-user and developer communities for various reasons.

Here’s a full list of what can we expect:

The following features are currently (as in: at the time of writing this) being developed as plugins. Some of them may not roll out with 4.5 depending upon the state of development.

Nonetheless, some really fun features are decidedly on your way. Take a look:

• WordPress Images

Currently being developed as Image Flow (prototype) and Background Image Cropper (plugin)

Progress is being made on these features in an attempt to make image editing (for posts and design purposes) less of hassle in WordPress. The Image Cropper is being developed to make image editing more intuitive and less “anger inducing”.

Should it get integrated in the core, it will enable users to give better image editing tools (in the modal) than WordPress currently packs. Images will become easier to manage with accessible tools like crop, rotate, scale, etc.

It will, and I quote, also provide “an interface that is extensible so that plugin developers can create advanced image editing which can be easy integrated”. Essentially, get ready to embrace the more Instagram-like capabilities which will come with your WordPress install and newer, more awesome plugins soon enough.

The Background Image Cropper will be another handy addition: it will make the job of uploading background images easier and it will do exactly what it says on the tin.

• Easy Updates

Currently under development as Shiny Updates

This one is an amazing feature plugin (under development) which will make plugin/theme updates one step shorter and way easier to manage by removing the grey screen of step-by-step progress updates. “The Bleak Screen of Sadness™” has its days numbered, and we’re looking at a more straight forward experience when installing, updating, and deleting plugins and themes.

“Shiny Updates will deal with these details behind the scenes, leaving users with clear actions and results.”

Additionally, Shiny Updates adds a settings interface to activate automatic updates for major WordPress releases, plugins, and themes. It can be found in Dashboard -> Updates, together with all other updating tools.

• Security

Additional layer of login security to be added to core with a plugin (under development) called 2FA

If you couldn’t guess by the name, 2FA is Two Factor Authentication, popularized by the likes of Google and various plugins that you may currently be using (I hope so!) for your site. With this in the core, you won’t need them anymore.

• The Customizer

WordPress Customizer is currently undergoing development to improve Accessibility, Performance, and Responsiveness

Tickets are coming (and being addressed) hard and fast for little details that need improvement in the beloved Customizer. There are changes in color, contrast, Quick Preview panel, and the Customize Partial Refresh feature (which was meant for 4.4 Clifford) will hopefully be integrated to the core this time around.

Essentially, Customizer is on its way to become even faster and friendlier, and may even resolve the more common theme-appearance issue of lousy updates on changes.

That’s not quite all. We may also see some neat changes in WordPress toolbar, a super-easy shortcode management interface called Shortcake UI, and of course, the professional WordPress developers are already keen to see what magic can be created using Fields API and the Phase II of WP REST API.

Endnote

It’s going to be one heck of a ride. Contribute to the crazy-awesome development on Make WordPress 4.5.