We are pleased to announce the release of phpBB 3.1.0 Beta1, the "Bertie Skypes Without Pants" release. This is the first test version of the upcoming phpBB 3.1.0 feature release and introduces major changes and new functionality.
In order to ensure that the final release is of the highest possible quality, we are asking for your assistance with putting the beta through its paces and reporting any encountered bugs. If you find a problem or have a suggestion, please file an issue ticket in our bug tracker.
How to Update for Testing
An update from phpBB 3.0.12 can be performed using the automated update package, like any regular 3.0.x update. Many existing 3.0.x MODs will experience some compatibility issues with the new version, so you may instead prefer to replace your files with fresh copies to eliminate potential conflicts. Many MOD authors will convert their existing MODs to extensions in due course, removing any eventual need to reinstall them.
Support Status
This beta release is not intended for use in a production environment and only very-limited support will be offered with the express purpose of identifying bugs. As has always been the case, no assistance will be offered for updating from any beta release. Please do not ignore this warning.
Improvements
We have been highlighting various improvements introduced in phpBB Ascraeus 3.1 on our blog over the past weeks, but I would like to feature a few of the more important ones here.
phpBB Ascraeus introduces extensions as a replacement for phpBB MODs. Extensions modify or supplement phpBB's existing functionality using multiple plugin mechanisms and an events system, without modifying any core code. Extensions will streamline the update process and improve compatibility when multiple packages are used simultaneously.
Our default style, prosilver, has been modernized and updated. Its new responsive behaviour makes it a pleasure to use on smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices. Subsilver, our alternate style, has been removed from the default package, but will continue to be supported as a standalone package, like any other style in our database. Style authors are encouraged to base new styles on prosilver.
The user experience has likewise been substantially improved. A new notifications system, similar to those found on Facebook or Google, will inform you of new replies to watched topics, posts quoting you, or new moderation activity. The authentication system is now capable of supporting OAuth based login mechanisms, such as Facebook Connect or Google+ Logins.
Behind the scenes, we have restructured large parts of the code. The template engine is now based on twig, and you can use its full functionality in custom styles. We have replaced a number of phpBB subsystems with Symfony Components to focus more on phpBB's functionality and less on maintaining technical subsystems.
Special Thanks
I would like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed code to phpBB 3.1 Beta1:
Joas Schilling, Andreas Fischer, Nathan Guse, Oleg Pudeyev, Nils Adermann, Igor Wiedler, Marc Alexander, Vjacheslav Trushkin, David King, Joseph Warner, Dhruv Goel, Meik Sievertsen, Cesar G, Matt Friedman, Fyorl, Callum Macrae, Chris Smith, Michael Cullum, Bruno Ais, Henry Sudhof, Andy Chase, David M, rechosen, Erik Frèrejean, Senky, Crizzo, Rahul R, Marek A. Ruszczyński, Cullen Walsh, Shibu Lijack, Oliver Schramm, rxu, asperous, OpenShift guest, Vinny, Josh Woody, erangamapa, Lukasz, Patrick Webster, Rahul, Drae, Vic D'Elfant, Hari Sankar R, Forumhulp.com, David Colón, Marcus Vinicius, Tabitha Backoff, Jim Wigginton, Manuel Pichler, Marcus Vinny, Mario Skouat, Maël Soucaze, Paul Tarjan, Varun Agrawal, Zoddo, hanakin, hjpotter92, lucifer4o, riadhchtara, wagnerch, Crizz0, Eric, Fred Sauer, Gabriel Anca, Gaëtan Muller, Jesús Rafael Cova Huerta, Matt, Pico88, Prosk8er, RMcGirr83, Suhaib Khan, Victor Nagy, karan, mtrs, s9e, sakimahesh, we3b. You can find a full list of phpBB contributors on GitHub: https://github.com/phpbb/phpbb3/graphs/contributors.
For a complete list of changes with attributed ticket numbers, please consult our comprehensive changelog.
Security
If you find any security issues, please report them to the security tracker.
Download
The downloads are available on the Area51 downloads page.
If you cannot find the package you desire, please see our release archive.
Requirements
Please note that phpBB 3.1 has some requirements that differ from phpBB 3.0:
- PHP version 5.3.3 or greater is required
- PHP’s json extension is required
- For PostgreSQL users, only versions 8.3 and above are supported