WordPress 0.71 – (June 2003)

• Admin panel features direct blog post writing on its landing page
• Basic blogging functionalities
• Generated XHTML 1.1 compliant templates
• Users could only assign one category per post
• New admin interface

WordPress 1.0.1 (Miles – 2004)

• Multiple category options added
• Introduction of plugin architecture
• Comment moderation feature implemented
• Improved setup with new installer
• Optimized for search engines through SEO-friendly URLs

WordPress 1.2 – Mingus (May 2004)

• Improved plugin architecture
• Added customizable fields for posts
• Automatic thumbnail generation is available
• Preview function before publishing posts
• Enhanced security with encrypted passwords

WordPress 1.5 – Strayhorn (Feb 2005)

• Introduced pages alongside posts
• Supports installing multiple themes
• Pages functionality
• Comment moderation
• Kubrick default theme

WordPress 2.0 – Duke (Dec 2005)

• Full WYSIWYG editor added
• New backend interface with AJAX
• Introduction of the Akismet plugin against comment spam
• Better file and image upload capabilities
• Theme previews using thumbnails

WordPress 2.1 – Ella (Jan 2007)

• Dedicated admin screen for managing comments
• Option to delete or approve comments instantly
• No need to reload the page

WordPress 2.3 – Dexter (Sep 2007)

• Built-in tagging support
• Enhanced built-in tagging functionality for posts
• Notification alerts when plugin updates are available
• Auto redirection to appropriate WordPress URL based on user settings

WordPress 2.5 – Brecker (Mar 2008)

• One-click upgrade added for plugins
• One-click updates
• Plugin installation
• New backend design
• Better visual editor and built-in gallery included

WordPress 2.6 – Tyner (2008)

• Track modifications to all posts and pages
• Capability to publish content from any location on the web
• “Press This” content curation tool
• Quickly shares external content to WordPress sites

WordPress 2.7 – Coltrane (Dec 2008)

• Admins can add comment replies from the admin panel
• Features such as threaded comments, sticky posts, keyboard shortcuts, and comment pagination are available

WordPress 2.8 – Baker (2009)

• Customizable widget API
• Drag-and-drop widgets administration interface
• Advanced Widgets API offered
• Syntax highlighting & code assistance integrated into the plugin/theme editor
• Browse and install themes straight from the WP admin theme directory

WordPress 2.9 – Carmen (Dec 2009)

• WordPress 2.9 introduced a plugin update system
• Image manipulation functions: Crop, Resize, Rotate, Scale, Flip
• Effortless one-click plugin update option included

WordPress 3.0 – Thelonious (2010)

• Merged WordPress MU into core WordPress, creating WordPress multisite
• WordPress 3.0 transformed WordPress into a CMS with new features
• Custom taxonomies
• Custom post types
• Multisite capabilities

WordPress 3.1 – Django Reinhardt (2011)

• Admin bar, post formats, and improved internal linking feature added
• Easy internal linking
• Friendlier write interface
• Post format flexibility
• Improved list views
• Upgraded exporter/importer
• Developer perks: custom content types, advanced queries

WordPress 3.3 – Sonny (2011)

• Added fly-out menus for improved navigation
• Revamped admin bar
• Drag-and-drop media uploader
• Tooltips for added clarity

WordPress 3.5 – Elvin (2012)

• Accessibility for all mobile and high-resolution devices
• Enhanced media library
• New default theme introduction
• Streamlined user interface for retina display devices
• Upgraded icons and adaptive styles

WordPress 3.7 – Basie (2013)

• Automatic background updates
• Improved search functionality
• Security and maintenance updates
• Daily developer build and security updates
• Stronger password meter
• Localized translation (faster & more complete)

WordPress 3.8 – Parker (2013)

• Improved mobile functionality and accessibility
• New modern admin design
• Better mobile support
• Clear typography & contrast emphasis
• Cutting-edge external libs integration
• Expanded color schemes for variety
• Improved RTL (Right-To-Left) language support

WordPress 3.9 – Smith (2014)

• Flat buttons added to the post editor
• Drag-and-drop image uploads enabled
• Gallery previews are now available
• Live previews for adding widgets in theme customizer

WordPress 4.0 – Benny (2014)

• Well-organized Media Gallery grid, seamless editing
• Editing convenience: spacious canvas & floating utilities
• Live embed previews inside the editor
• Smoother plugin installation & insightful grid view
• Dev boost: Customizer parts, polished libs, WP_Query organize choices

WordPress 4.2 – Powell (2015)

• Swift sharing
• Real-time theme testing
• Simple plugin updates and installations
• Expansion of language and character support
• Features focus on ease of use and compatibility

WordPress 4.5 – Coleman (2016)

• New inline link editing and text shortcuts added
• Enhanced inline editing for links in Visual Editor
• Updated Comment Management
• Code transformation shortcuts in Visual Editor
• Responsive previews in the theme customizer for different devices

WordPress 4.6 – Pepper (2016)

• Native Fonts and Streamlined Updates
• Uses native fonts over Open Sans
• Allows plugin/theme installation/update without page reloading

WordPress 4.8 – Vaughan (2017)

• Added new media widgets: images, audio, video, rich text
• Added a dashboard widget for WordPress news and events

WordPress 4.9 – Tipton (2017)

• Improved browsing and preview
• Added syntax highlighting and auto-completion to code editors

WordPress 5.0 – Bebo (2018)

• Gutenberg: New block-based editor
• Simplified content layout creation
• Blocks for each content element with individual settings
• Ability to save and reuse blocks
• Extended block editor functionality across WordPress
• Option to revert to old editor with Classic Editor plugin

WordPress 5.2 – Jaco (2019)

• WordPress Block Editor Improvements
• Added new features and bug fixes
• Introduced recovery mode for error display
• Allows quick issue fixing without extensive troubleshooting

WordPress 5.4 – Adderley (2020)

• Block editor key focus of WordPress in 2020
• Continued improvement with new blocks and tools
• Full-screen editor default with WordPress 5.4
• New toolbar for mobile screen editing

WordPress 5.5 – Eckstine (2020)

• Introduced block patterns
• A pattern consists of pre-arranged blocks
• Designed for quick addition of common elements like headers, footers, intros, calls to action, and more

WordPress 5.8 – Tatum (2021)

• Enhances Block Editor
• Added new templates and site-wide blocks
• Introduced block-based widgets
• Allows widgets as blocks in sidebars and widget-enabled areas

WordPress 5.9 – Josephine (2022)

• Full-Site Editor Introduction
• Replaced navigation menus, widgets, and theme customizer links with site editor link
• Twenty Twenty-Two now default theme supports site editor
• Site editor uses block editor for consistent website editing

WordPress 6.0 Arturo (2022)

• Significant upgrades to site editor experience
• Added support for editing more templates
• Added more tools to different block settings

WordPress 6.1 – Misha (2022)

• Improved site editor, especially templates and template parts
• Added new tools and enhancements to the block editor
• Started bringing consistency to block tools and settings

WordPress 6.2 – Dolphy (2023)

• Releases Block-Based Site Editor
• Focuses on easier site editing and customization
• Allows theme customization, layout creation, template creation, and style

WordPress 6.3 – Lionel (2023)

• Site Editor Update
• Introduced new navigation screen for easy access to templates, pages, patterns, styles, and menus
• Added ‘Command Palette’ for Command+K or CTRL+K keys
• Allows access to WordPress shortcuts and search for content, blocks, patterns, and templates

WordPress 6.4 – Shirley (2023)

• New site editor features in WordPress 6.4
• Added pattern management and categories
• Command palette update for working with blocks
• New commands and actions for blocks
• UI update for better usability and visibility

WordPress 6.5 – Regina (2024)

• List view drag and drop enhancements
• Background and shadow tools for visual interest
• Revision history for templates and template parts
• Accessibility improvements
• Link core block attributes to custom fields
• Plugin dependency alerts