Title: Move Legacy Code into WordPress Plugin?
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Move Legacy Code into WordPress Plugin?

 *  [Dave Mackey](https://wordpress.org/support/users/davidshq/)
 * (@davidshq)
 * [10 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/move-legacy-code-into-wordpress-plugin/)
 * WordPress is well-known for its endeavors to maintain backwards compatibility
   with older releases. This is something it is both lauded and criticized for.
 * What I am wondering is why this legacy functionality isn’t separated into a plugin?
 * The reasons I think this would be a good thing:
    - The core codebase would shrink.
    - The surface area available for attack would shrink.
    - It would be clearly apparent which hooks, filters, etc. are preferred because
      older ones simply wouldn’t exist in the core code.
 * Some might object that this makes it more difficult for individuals who need 
   backwards compatibility, since they would need to install the plugin…but this
   could become part of the update process, e.g., the plugin could auto-install.
 * This isn’t a criticism, it is more of a pondering. I know there are really bright
   folks in the WP community but I don’t see much discussion around this topic. 
   Has there been some discussion that shut this idea down? If so, can you point
   me to it? If there hasn’t been discussion – what do you think?
 * Thanks,
    Dave

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  [Takis Bouyouris](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nevma/)
 * (@nevma)
 * [10 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/move-legacy-code-into-wordpress-plugin/#post-6891990)
 * I believe the issue with backwards compatibility is not whether legacy code could
   be encapsulated in a plugin, but how code parts are interwoven with each other.
   One part of code calls some other part of code and this one in return calls some
   other part. It is very hard to know and predict what might break if something
   is missing and the theme and plugin ecosystem is extremely big nowadays.
 * In my mind the way WordPress has achieved backwards compatibility all these years,
   along with the ease of installation, low learning curve, beautiful themes and
   a vast plugin repository to choose from, have been key values to its success.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘Move Legacy Code into WordPress Plugin?’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [20q2016](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/20q2016/)
 * [backwards compatibility](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/backwards-compatibility/)

 * In: [Requests and Feedback](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/requests-and-feedback/)
 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Takis Bouyouris](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nevma/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/move-legacy-code-into-wordpress-plugin/#post-6891990)
 * Status: not resolved

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