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# React 19: punted beyond WordPress 7.1, experiment in Gutenberg

**[Make WordPress Core](https://daily.dev/sources/wordpresscore)** · 2 min read · 1 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

WordPress 7.1 will continue using React 18.3 as the React 19 upgrade has been deferred due to unexpected incompatibilities discovered during Gutenberg testing. A new experimental flag in the Gutenberg plugin (since version 23.4) allows developers to test React 19 on their WordPress sites. Common plugin failure modes include bundling react/jsx-runtime directly instead of using WordPress-provided externalized scripts, and using deprecated React APIs removed in React 19 such as string refs and legacy context patterns. A compatibility layer is being developed and refined before a broader rollout.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://make.wordpress.org/core/2026/07/24/react-19-punted-beyond-wordpress-7-1-experiment-in-gutenberg>

## Questions this post answers

### Is WordPress 7.1 upgrading to React 19?

No, WordPress 7.1 continues to use React 18.3. The core team briefly enabled React 19 in Gutenberg but discovered unexpected incompatibilities between old and new React versions, particularly in how plugins bundle and use React, and reverted the change to allow more time for testing and refining the compatibility layer.

_Track this WordPress and React 19 compatibility work as it develops on daily.dev._

### How can I test whether my WordPress plugin is compatible with React 19?

Install the Gutenberg plugin (version 23.4 or later) and enable the React 19 experimental flag on the Gutenberg Experiments settings page. Then exercise every part of your plugin that uses React, including blocks, extensions, and custom WP Admin pages, checking for broken UI or browser console errors.

_Plugin authors validating React upgrades can follow this kind of compatibility guidance on daily.dev._

### Why do WordPress plugins break when React is upgraded to version 19?

A common cause is plugins bundling their own react/jsx-runtime code instead of using the externalized react-jsx-runtime script WordPress provides, which mixes React 18 data structures with the React 19 runtime. Another cause is reliance on APIs removed in React 19 after long deprecation, such as string refs, default props on function components, and legacy context definitions.

_Developers debugging React version conflicts can keep up with fixes like these on daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [React 19 Upgrade in WordPress](https://daily.dev/posts/react-19-upgrade-in-wordpress-s4ndgbrgd) · Make WordPress Core · 37 upvotes · 7 comments
- [React 19 upgrade temporarily reverted in Gutenberg](https://daily.dev/posts/react-19-upgrade-temporarily-reverted-in-gutenberg-yyqdznzke) · Make WordPress Core · 38 upvotes · 2 comments
- [React 19.3 – React](https://daily.dev/posts/react-19-3-react-sfqiftbgy) · React · 209 upvotes · 27 comments

---

Tags: [#react](https://daily.dev/tags/react), [#wordpress](https://daily.dev/tags/wordpress)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/react-19-punted-beyond-wordpress-7-1-experiment-in-gutenberg-mwjbgn4vy)

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