Navigation: Restore block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() as deprecated shim by ecairol · Pull Request #78484 · WordPress/gutenberg

ecairol · 2026-05-21T00:42:27Z

What

Restores block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() as a deprecation shim and removes the backwards-incompatibility introduced by #74853.

Why

In #74853 the function was removed from packages/block-library/src/navigation-submenu/index.php as part of consolidating submenu icon rendering into the new shared helper block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon(). The removal landed without a _deprecated_function() notice or a backwards-compatible alias.

Once that change synced into Core (wordpress-develop #10865, scheduled for WordPress 7.0), any theme or plugin that called the function — for example from a render_block_core/navigation-submenu filter to customise the dropdown chevron — started triggering a fatal PHP error.

Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/65287

How

Adds the shim to packages/block-library/src/navigation-submenu/index.php — the same file the original was first deleted from. ~~Wrapped in a function_exists guard so a future Core sync that brings the shim back to Core itself doesn't double-declare.~~
The shim triggers _deprecated_function() so callers see actionable guidance to migrate to the new shared helper, and returns the new helper's output to preserve the rendered markup.
Adds a phpunit test asserting the deprecation notice fires and that the return value matches the new helper. The test exercises the gutenberg_-prefixed name (matching the build's plugin output and the existing block-navigation-link-variations-test.php convention).

Notes for reviewers

The build's gutenberg_ prefix transform (packages/wp-build/lib/build.mjs:413-422) applies to plugin builds but is skipped for Core (IS_WORDPRESS_CORE branch at L392-397). That means:

Core 7.0+ (after sync): receives block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() unprefixed — fixes the fatal on standalone Core installs.
Gutenberg plugin builds: the function becomes gutenberg_block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon(). On WP 7.0+ + plugin, theme calls to the unprefixed name resolve to Core's shim (once synced), so the bug is fixed there too.

Testing Instructions

On a site running WordPress 7.0 (or trunk after the Gutenberg → Core sync), apply this change.
Add a theme/plugin snippet that calls block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() (e.g. inside a render_block_core/navigation-submenu filter).
Load a page containing a Navigation block with a submenu.
Expected: the page renders without a fatal error, and a deprecation notice points to block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon().
Before this PR: the page fatals with "Call to undefined function block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon()".

Also runnable: phpunit --filter Block_Core_Navigation_Submenu_Render_Submenu_Icon_Test.

Screenshots or screencast

N/A — backend-only change with no UI impact.

Types of changes

Bug fix (backwards-compatible).

Checklist

My code is tested.
My code follows the WordPress code style.
My code has proper inline documentation.
I've included developer documentation if appropriate — N/A, function is deprecated.
I've updated all React Native files affected by the changes — N/A, PHP only.
I've tested the changes on Android and iOS — N/A, PHP only.

…() as deprecated shim In WordPress#74853 the function was removed from packages/block-library/src/navigation-submenu/index.php without a _deprecated_function() notice. Once that change synced into Core (wordpress-develop WordPress#10865, scheduled for WP 7.0), themes and plugins that called the function — for example from a render_block_core/navigation-submenu filter — started fatal-erroring. This restores it as a thin wrapper that triggers _deprecated_function() and returns block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon(), the new shared helper that replaced it. Adding it to the shared file means it's available wherever the original was previously rendered. A phpunit test asserts the deprecation notice fires and the return value matches the new helper. Trac ticket: https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/65287

github-actions · 2026-05-21T00:42:36Z

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Co-authored-by: ecairol <ecairol@git.wordpress.org>
Co-authored-by: ramonjd <ramonopoly@git.wordpress.org>
Co-authored-by: t-hamano <wildworks@git.wordpress.org>
Co-authored-by: tyxla <tyxla@git.wordpress.org>
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github-actions · 2026-05-21T00:43:15Z

👋 Thanks for your first Pull Request and for helping build the future of Gutenberg and WordPress, @ecairol! In case you missed it, we'd love to have you join us in our Slack community.

If you want to learn more about WordPress development in general, check out the Core Handbook full of helpful information.

PHPCS in packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/shared/ enforces a function-name prefix of block_core_shared*, which forbids the deprecation shim's name. Move the shim into navigation-submenu/index.php (where the function originally lived and block_core_navigation_submenu_* is allowed), guarded by function_exists so a future Core sync that brings the shim back into Core doesn't double-declare. Drop the require_once in the test — its path resolution differed from the plugin's own init load and was triggering "Cannot redeclare" fatals against the already-loaded block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon(). Normal plugin boot loads navigation-submenu/index.php during block registration, so the shim is available to the test without an explicit require.

The build prefixes packages/block-library functions with gutenberg_ before the plugin loads them, so in the plugin test env the shim exists as gutenberg_block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon, not the unprefixed Core name. Match the existing block-navigation-link-variations test convention of asserting on the prefixed name with setExpectedDeprecated().

ramonjd · 2026-05-21T01:33:36Z

+	 *
+	 * @return string SVG markup for the submenu icon.
+	 */
+	function block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() {


Just checking something... the PR description says it should live in packages/block-library/src/navigation-link/shared/render-submenu-icon.php.

To be clear, packages/block-library/src/navigation-submenu/index.php is fine since it was first deleted here:

https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/74853/changes#diff-a22b96046ab15d77ae0b88e24a4cf01e5dbfea45c5bb8e489db9204c134026bfL87

Good catch, thank you — you're right that the description was stale. I started with the shim in render-submenu-icon.php (commit 1), then moved it into navigation-submenu/index.php (commit 2) because PHPCS in the navigation-link/shared/ directory only accepts function names matching the block_core_shared* prefix. I just updated the PR description to match the code, and linked to the same L87 deletion you pointed at as the justification for the placement. Appreciate the review!

ramonjd · 2026-05-21T01:38:19Z

LGTM thanks for the quick patch @ecairol 🙇🏻

@scruffian @getdave do you think this is worth a point release? if so, we might need to coordinate with @ellatrix or someone in the release squad.

t-hamano · 2026-05-21T03:34:41Z

 require_once __DIR__ . '/navigation-link/shared/render-submenu-icon.php';
 require_once __DIR__ . '/navigation-link/shared/build-css-font-sizes.php';

+if ( ! function_exists( 'block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon' ) ) {


Wrapped in a function_exists guard so a future Core sync that brings the shim back to Core itself doesn't double-declare.

I don't think a double declaration can occur, so we can remove this function existence check.

Agreed. The only way that comes to mind would be if a theme/plugin declares it after seeing it doesn't exist in 7.0, but it's as rare an edge case as using the function in a theme/plugin in the first place.

Thanks! This has been removed (84e2c4a)

tyxla · 2026-05-21T07:44:34Z

+/**
+ * @group blocks
+ */
+class Block_Core_Navigation_Submenu_Render_Submenu_Icon_Test extends WP_UnitTestCase {


The existence test for a deprecated function felt a bit like overkill to me. Is it really necessary? I'm generally fine with regression tests, but I don't see a good need for that, unless it's actually used somewhere.

Agreed, removed. (84e2c4a)

tyxla · 2026-05-21T07:46:19Z

 require_once __DIR__ . '/navigation-link/shared/render-submenu-icon.php';
 require_once __DIR__ . '/navigation-link/shared/build-css-font-sizes.php';

+if ( ! function_exists( 'block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon' ) ) {


Agreed. The only way that comes to mind would be if a theme/plugin declares it after seeing it doesn't exist in 7.0, but it's as rare an edge case as using the function in a theme/plugin in the first place.

tyxla · 2026-05-21T07:47:25Z

+	 * Renders the submenu icon SVG for the Navigation Submenu block.
+	 *
+	 * @since 5.9.0
+	 * @deprecated 7.0.0 Use block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon() instead.


Just to confirm, it's intended to land in a patch version?

I don't think this is confirmed yet. The last thing I know is @ramonjd asked if this is worth a point release.

I'll leave it like this for now, but happy to bump the version string if needed.

tyxla · 2026-05-21T07:50:39Z

+ * In Gutenberg plugin builds, the function name is prefixed with `gutenberg_`
+ * by the build system to avoid colliding with the WordPress Core version. These
+ * tests therefore exercise the prefixed name; the unprefixed counterpart is the
+ * one Core ships once the change syncs back.


Is this really true for this function? I see no prefixing happening with that function at all.

Apologies. This was AI adding unnecessary comments. Apparently, there's an automatic prefixing at build that prepends gutenberg_:

The build genuinely rewrites function NAME( → function gutenberg_NAME( for everything under packages/block-library/src/**/*.php

However, the comment was pure noise, and it's been removed now (84e2c4a)

talldan · 2026-05-22T05:07:43Z

Added the label to backport this to the next minor WP release, as that seems like the likeliest thing that will happen.

talldan · 2026-05-22T06:07:11Z

Looks like the PHP test caused a CI failure on trunk, I expect it might need to be gated by WordPress version or something. I can follow up on it.

ramonjd · 2026-05-22T06:17:20Z

Ah, block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon doesn't exist in older versions of WP in the test matrix of multiple WordPress versions.

I don't think that matrix runs on PRs.

I guess we could guard the test so it only runs when the shared core helper exists. I dunno.

		if ( ! function_exists( 'block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon' ) ) {
			$this->markTestSkipped( 'block_core_shared_navigation_render_submenu_icon() is not available in this WordPress version.' );
		}

talldan · 2026-05-22T07:45:45Z

It should be fixed via d8688b2

ecairol requested review from ajitbohra and fabiankaegy as code owners May 21, 2026 00:42

github-actions Bot added [Package] Block library /packages/block-library First-time Contributor Pull request opened by a first-time contributor to Gutenberg repository labels May 21, 2026

westonruter requested review from MaggieCabrera, getdave and scruffian May 21, 2026 00:52

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ramonjd mentioned this pull request May 21, 2026

Menus: Deprecate block_core_navigation_submenu_render_submenu_icon() rather than removing it WordPress/wordpress-develop#11914

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t-hamano mentioned this pull request May 21, 2026

Misc fixes for WordPress-Develop 7.0 merges #75985

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Address review feedback: drop function_exists guard and existence test

84e2c4a

ecairol requested review from ramonjd, t-hamano and tyxla May 21, 2026 13:56

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Guard PHP unit test to avoid failures on old wp versions #78547

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