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Simple History 5.0.0 released – rewritten in React and WordPress components

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Pär Thernström

🚀 This update contains a huge update…that hopefully you won’t even notice! 🧐

With this version, the main GUI of Simple History has been entirely rewritten using React and WordPress components! It’s a big rewrite that has been in the works for quite some time now.

This new React implementation replaces the older Backbone implementation, offering better maintainability and extensibility.

Now some users may be worried: A rewrite you say? A new GUI to learn? Features that has been removed?

Nope, don’t worry. It pretty much looks the same! Just take a look at the next screenshot. Yes, it’s the new version! And it looks just like the old one 😋.

Screenshot: The 100 % brand new interface. That looks…well.. 99 % like the old one!

The reason for the switch to React and WordPress components was that the old code was…old! Difficult to maintain and written using technologies that today may seem a bit outdated. Also this rewrite comes with many improvements:

  • This enhances accessibility with improved keyboard navigation and screen reader support.
  • Is makes it much easier and faster to improve the interface and adding new features.
  • It will greatly reduce the time for add-on developers to add new features.

As mentioned, the new GUI looks almost identical to the old GUI. There are however some new features that you hopefully will notice:

  • Auto-Refreshing Filters: The event feed now updates automatically when filters are applied. Simply input text or set filters, and the events will refresh without needing to press the “Search events” button.IP
  • Address Info Update: Popups displaying IP address information now include the name of the server header where the IP was sourced.
  • New event actions menu: Now it’s possible to add actions for both individual events and for the entire log. At first this will contain actions to view event details and to copy a link to event. And even more actions are planned!
Screenshot: The three dots ⋮ reveal the new even actions menu.
Screenshot: Click the actions menu to view the new event actions menu.


Many agencies rely on this plugin for their projects. If you find it valuable and use it regularly, please consider supporting the ongoing development of Simple History.

Full changelog

Changed

  • Event Feed Rewrite: The event GUI has been entirely rewritten using React and WordPress components.
  • Auto-Refreshing Filters: The event feed now updates automatically when filters are changed.
  • IP Address Info Update: IP address information popup now include the name of the server header where the IP was sourced.
  • Quickstats Relocation: The “quickstats” box has been repositioned to the top of the stats sidebar.
  • WordPress 6.6 Minimum Requirement: Simple History now requires WordPress 6.6.
  • SecuPress Compatibility: Changes to post types introduced by SecuPress will no longer be logged.

Added

  • REST API Endpoints: REST API endpoints to fetch event logs at /simple-history/v1/events and /wp-json/simple-history/v1/events/<id>.
  • Action Menu for Events: Each event now includes an actions menu, with options to view event details, copy permalinks, and soon more. (Plugins and add-ons can extend the menu with custom actions so keep your eyes opened for more actions in the future.)
  • New Hooks for Developers:
    • simple_history/history_page/gui_wrap_top: Fired at the top of the history page GUI wrapper.
    • simple_history/dropin/stats/before_content: Fired inside the stats sidebar, after the headline but before the content.
  • Experimental Features: New option on the setting page to enable experimental features.

Removed

  • Settings Metabox: The metabox linking to the settings page has been removed, as settings are now accessible from the top menu bar.
  • Legacy Code Cleanup: Removed several old and unused files, functions, and JavaScript hooks that are no longer relevant to the current implementation.