Today, we are releasing Divi 5 Dev Alpha. This is the first step on our journey towards the public release of Divi version 5. It’s also my first update in what will become a series of monthly videos and blog posts that will keep you up-to-speed on our progress. If you are a Divi developer, keep reading to find out how to access the alpha.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about Divi 5, you might be a little confused! I gave a high level overview of Divi 5 in my previous post, so be sure to check that out first.

What Is Divi 5? A Quick Refresher

To recap briefly, Divi version 5 is a foundational update to Divi’s core technologies and API. It’s focused on improving performance, stability, scalability and extend-ability. It won’t be introducing new features, but it will be blazing fast, it will open up amazing opportunities for third party development, and it will provide our team with the foundation we need to spring forward into the future.

We our building ourselves the foundation we need to sprint forward once again and release great new features at a consistent pace.

The Divi 5 Release Schedule

We are approaching the release of Divi 5 much differently that any previous version of Divi. This is due to the scope of the project and the agile nature of our development process.  Divi 5 will be released in five phases. With each new phase, the product will become increasingly feature-complete and will be released to a larger part of our community.

As we approach the public beta phase, you may even find it appropriate to use Divi version 5 on new websites if you find that the improvements offered in Divi 5 outweigh whatever features may be missing in the current build. Let’s take a look at the five phases of Divi 5:

1. Phase 1: Dev Alpha – In this version of Divi 5, the new API will be almost finished and a moderate portion of Divi’s features will have been developed on the new API. We will inviting developers to explore the API and give us feedback on Divi’s new foundation.
2. Phase 2: Dev Beta – In this version of Divi 5, the API will be finished and a large portion of Divi’s features will be ready. We will continue to work with the development community to iron out any API-related bugs.
3. Phase 3: Public Alpha – At this phase, the API will be finalized and a majority of Divi’s features will have been developed on the new foundation. Some features will be missing, but most of Divi’s core features and modules will be available. At this phase, we will invite a large part of our customer base to test Divi 5.
4. Phase 4: Public Beta – At this phase, 100% of Divi’s features will have been developed on the new Divi 5 foundation. We will have fixed all bugs found during the public alpha, and we will continue to address feedback as we roll out the beta to the entire Divi community.
5. Phase 5: Official Release – At this phase, we will officially release Divi 5 as a normal update in the WordPress dashboard. Everyone will be able to upgrade to Divi 5 without any disruption to their websites.

How To Get Access To The Dev Alpha

The two initial development versions (including today’s version) will be limited releases available to active Divi creators, such as those in the Divi Marketplace. It will allow creators to get up-to-speed on Divi’s new API so that they can be begin transitioning their products and working on new features that can be ready to go when Divi 5 is released to the public.

The Dev Alpha version we are releasing today is a limited version of Divi 5 with a relatively complete version of the API. It’s missing features. It’s not intended to be used.  However, the foundation is solid, we’re ready for feedback, and we want the community to be involved!

If you are an active Divi creator (meaning you have developed your own Divi modules or features), and you would like access to the Dev Alpha, fill out this form to request access.

Stay Tuned For Monthly Updates

Divi 5 is a huge project that the majority of our team has already been working on for the better part of two years. With the release of Dev Alpha, we’ve jumped over the first major hurdle! Once we have progressed through the initial development versions, we’ll be opening up the Public Alpha and Public Beta to larger parts of the community. Everyone will get to use it, test it, and we’ll be making sure that everything is in tip top shape before the final release.

Be sure to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss our ongoing Divi 5 updates. We will be shipping new Divi 5 versions every 2 weeks and I’ll being going over our progress each month. See you in the next one!

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