WordPress Core Multilingual Roadmap and Multisite Language Switcher

  • ChrisFo

    (@chrisfo)


    3 weeks, 1 day ago

    I manage several WordPress installs, including Multisite, single-site, and one WPML site, and I’m planning a new multilingual build in the next 3–5 weeks. From the current WordPress roadmap, 7.1 is planned for 19 August 2026 and 7.2 for 10 December 2026, with multilingual support core implementation listed only as long-term Phase 4 roadmap work, not yet as a confirmed feature for 7.2 or is it? Seems somewhere I saw such a claim, but can’t find a link.

    My question is: is there any possible insight or guidance on how the upcoming core multilingual work is expected to affect Multisite Language Switcher? In particular, could WP core multilingual support eventually complement Multisite Language Switcher rather than be “useless” in the first iteration for Multisite (only be optimized for single site language plugins), and are there likely advantages for Multisite-based multilingual setups?

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Plugin Author Dennis Ploetner

    (@realloc)

    1 week ago

    Hi,

    Short answer: no, multilingual is not a confirmed feature for 7.2. As far as I can see, it is still where you found it, Phase 4 without a timeline. Also keep in mind that the roadmap is only partly delivered. Real-time collaboration was deferred again and did not make it into 7.1. So I would not expect much from Phase 4 based on dates.

    My own view: Core will come with a solution at some point, and I expect it to be a foundation (data model, language and translation relations, routing) and not a finished translation product. That would complement MSLS rather than replace it, because MSLS could then build on a standard instead of inventing its own. Long term I still see Multisite in a good position, since one site per language already gives you clean separation of content, users, plugins and caching.

    This is my reading, not inside knowledge. I have not seen any signs yet that Phase 4 work has started. I would be interested in that discussion, also because I am involved as a maintainer of the Multisite component in Core.

    Thread Starter ChrisFo

    (@chrisfo)

    6 days, 10 hours ago

    Thank you for your view on this. Helps planning for the next (at least) 6-12 months, meaning MS remains the foundation for ML WP imho. Even if I have to use WPML on some sites I admin and I tried other plugins (not really in the last year), I still prefer “the clean separation” and independence of MS setup which ultimately is independent even from MSLS.
    Good Luck with anything coming regarding core ML standards.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

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