BuddyPress 11.0.0 Adds Filter for Improved JS and CSS Asset Loading, WebP Support, and New Ways to Fetch Activities

BuddyPress 11.0.0 is now available thanks to the efforts of 34 contributors. The release is named “La Scala” in honor of a pizza restaurant located in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, a Paris suburb.

Version 11.0.0 introduces a few important changes. BuddyPress has improved the way it loads its JavaScript and CSS assets with the addition of a new filter so that they are now only loaded on community pages. Previously, the plugin would load them indiscriminately on every page, a leftover from how they were loaded in the first Template Pack (BP Legacy). This change is being rolled out progressively, so users who want to take advantage of this improvement will need to add the filter to their bp-custom.php file.

add_filter( ‘bp_enqueue_assets_in_bp_pages_only’, ‘__return_true’ );

BP 11.0.0 also enables the use of use .webp images for profile and cover images, after a user requested it in a negative review. This feature requires WordPress 5.8 or newer.

This release introduces the ability to fetch activities for or excluding a group of users. For example, developers can now write code to fetch activities for a select few users based on user ID or block updates from some annoying users by excluding their user IDs.

“This change is simple but powerful!” BuddyPress core developer Dan Cavins said. “For instance, you could create custom interest activity streams, or build a mute feature to let your members take a break from other, too-chatty users!”

Version 11.0.0 also gives developers the ability to build custom xProfile loops including a specific set of profile field groups.

BuddyPress 10.0.0 introduced an add-ons section in the plugin administration screen for users to easily test plugins or blocks maintained by the BuddyPress development team and hosted on WordPress.org. BP lead developer Mathieu Viet said the team will soon be publishing a Community Media Attachments add-on and a block-based Activity Post Form that will “standardize the way to extend activity updates with richer and more engaging content.” These feature plugins are part of what Viet anticipates will be “a transitional year for BuddyPress” and may be published to the add-ons section independent of a major release.

BuddyPress users should watch for updates to the add-ons section and check out the full list of changes in 11.0.0 in the BuddyPress codex. Updating to the latest version will require WordPress 5.7 or later.