The WordPress Performance team is addressing a critical issue with IMG tags in Gutenberg blocks, aiming to prevent incorrect application of fetchpriority attributes. This move is poised to enhance image loading performance across WordPress sites.
During the recent performance chat on March 10, 2026, discussions centered around a newly filed ticket #64823, which highlights the problem of fetchpriority=high being erroneously applied to hidden IMG tags within Gutenberg blocks. This misapplication could lead to suboptimal resource loading, impacting site speed and user experience. The proposed solution involves backporting recent changes from Gutenberg and refining core functions such as wp_get_loading_optimization_attributes() and wp_maybe_add_fetchpriority_high_attr(). These refinements aim to introduce more appropriate use of fetchpriority values, including auto and low.
A Remote Code Execution in Elementor Pro, Version 3.11
Pull request #11196, which addresses these changes, is now ready for review. The review process is currently underway, with contributor @mukesh27 leading the initial examination. However, as noted by @westonruter, the pull request would benefit from further scrutiny by the Performance team to ensure robustness and reliability.
Another topic of discussion was the proposal to sunset Web Worker Offloading within the Performance Lab Plugin. Despite the inclusion of an inline warning notice in over 6000 updates, there has been a notable lack of user feedback on this proposal. This absence of response raises questions about user engagement and awareness regarding this functionality.
The meeting also touched on logistical updates, with @westonruter announcing travel plans that will prevent participation in the next two performance chats. The next scheduled meeting is set for March 24, 2026, at 16:00 UTC in the #core-performance Slack channel, where ongoing discussions will continue to shape the future of WordPress performance enhancements.
What To Do
- Developers: Review and test PR #11196 to provide feedback on the proposed changes.
- Site Operators: Monitor updates to the Performance Lab Plugin for changes related to Web Worker Offloading.
- Performance Team Members: Participate in the upcoming performance chat to stay informed on the latest developments.
