# A Readme-Only Commit Can Register as a Release ## Claim A readme-only commit to a WordPress.org plugin — not just a code change — can register as a real release, so treat any SVN commit as release-triggering until confirmed otherwise on my own plugins. <!-- atomicity: 1 idea ✓ --> ## Scope & conditions - Directly affects my wp.org release workflow, where readme edits were previously safe to make casually. - Unconfirmed against my own plugins as of 2026-09-11; this is a stated behaviour change to verify, not a measured one. - The conservative practice costs little: batch readme edits with intended releases rather than committing them separately. - Interacts with the release review pipeline, which adds delay after the commit regardless of what triggered it. ## Evidence From the WordPress.org plugin repository change discussed in the Make WP Plugins post and follow-on community reporting. ## Links - [[An SVN Commit Succeeding Is Not Users Receiving the Update]] — the other half of the same workflow change — what triggers a release, and when it reaches anyone - [[Distribution Channel Control Is a Governance Surface Separate From the License]] — why a unilateral change to release mechanics is a governance event and not only an operational one - [[3. Resources/MOCs/WordPress Hosting Security Stack MOC]] — the release-and-distribution thread this operational change belongs to.