WordPress 3.2 introduced an update to the automatic updates built into WordPress (you know, the functionality that lets you click one button and update your install) to allow for partial downloads. This meant that when automatically updating your WordPress site, after 3.2, only a partial download (of changes) would be necessary, and not a full copy.
According to Napkin MathTM by core developer and Audrey Capital Tech Ninja Andrew Nacin, shipping 3.2.1 (the update that came right after 3.2) as partial builds saved WordPress.org approximately one terabyte in bandwidth costs compared to the previous full download upgrades. Additional savings are expected in later versions as well, since a lot of people upgraded to 3.2.1 from 3.1 instead of 3.2.
This was one aspect of the move to partial downloads that I hadn’t really considered. Had you considered this benefit when you first found out about partial download upgrades?
Also, having the various international languages making that same switch to partial downloads will further help in cutting back that bandwidth.
Maybe for 3.2.2 (if required), definitely for 3.3. The localized build process is particularly complicated.
Good to know it’s on the radar. Who decides *if required*
If there’s a security release, or severe bug that triggers a maintenance release.
ah ok.. I thought you meant the other IF
New Napkin Math (TM) takes us to 1.5 TB of bandwidth saved. Each delta build of 3.2.1 saves 94.7% over a full download. It should have been 96.5% but I made a mistake
For the end user though, if you want to force update/re-install ALL of your WordPress files (to purge infected, corrupted, or missing files etc.), then do you have to update manually?
i.e. there is no option with the automatic updater to do anything but partial updates?
Once you’re on the current version, you’re given an option to reinstall. That will do a full download, rather than a delta.
Is there anything you guys don’t think of?
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