this is not a stable version, but I personally have not staged or compared how to put it to see what has changed, but I am sure it is better to wait for the release
A little information about 2.3.8:
Based on a direct file-by-file comparison between XenForo
2.3.7 (full package) and your
2.3.8 (Preview) archive, version 2.3.8 introduces updates in the
template layer, adds
search-related API/controller components, including new
CLI rebuild commands and
jobs, expands
webhook criteria, and updates variable
vendor dependencies.
Important note: the 2.3.8 archive you provided is not a full install package (it locks entry scripts like index.php/admin.php, locks install/, data/, internal_data/, etc.). It looks like an upgrade/patch set rather than a complete installer.
What's new in 2.3.8 vs 2.3.7 (observed from your diffs)
1) Templates/Templater
- The template lexer adds support for the ?? (null coalescing) operator, enabling expressions like {$a?? $b} in templates.
- New template functionsare added (declared in Templater), including:
- array_diff
- array_reverse
- array_sum
2) API (Search extensions)
New search-related components appear, eg:
- src/XF/Api/Controller/SearchController.php
- src/XF/Api/Controller/SearchesController.php
- src/XF/ControllerPlugin/SearchPlugin.php
These typically indicated extended/standardized search handling at the API level and via controller plugins.
3) New CLI rebuilds and background jobs
Added maintenance facilities:
- CLI rebuild commands:
- RebuildMessageCounts.php
- RebuildReactionScore.php
- New job:
- src/XF/Job/MessageCount.php
4) Webhook criteria expansion
Webhook filtering criteria are extended (examples include):
- Post, ProfilePost, ProfilePostComment
- Report
- User, UserUpgrade
...providing more granular event filtering.
5) Vendor/dependency updates
There are meaningful updates under vendor dependencies (e.g., AWS SDK-related items, doctrine deprecation handling, CSS parsing libraries), suggesting 2.3.8 is more than a minor patch.
Recommendations for a NEW INSTALL
If your goal is a
fresh install:
- Do not use the 2.3.8 archive you provided for a clean install (missing install/ and entry scripts).
- Use an official full package from a trusted source (ideally xenforo.com).
- Post-install best practices:
- Set correct permissions for data/and internal_data/
- Enforce HTTPS and secure your web server rules (block direct access to internal_data)
- Install add-ons/styles gradually and test compatibility
Recommendations for UPGRADING from 2.3.7 to 2.3.8
If your production site is on
2.3.7 and you want to upgrade:
Safety checklist
- Full backs
- Database
- data/, internal_data/, add-ons, customizations
- Test on staging first
- Clone the site to staging and run the upgrade there before touching production
- Confirm package type
- If you're using an upgrade/patch package: copy only the integrated directories/files (eg, src/, js/, styles/, library/) per instructions
- Avoid “blind overwrite” with an complete package
- Verify add-on/style compatibility
- Essentially anything touching templates, search, and webhooks
- Run rebuild tasks where appropriate
- Since 2.3.8 adds message count/reaction score rebuild utilities, consider running relevant rebuilds after upgrading
Critical notes
- Your archive identifies itself as “2.3.8 (Preview)” → preview buildings may change behavior and can be less stable than official releases.
- Because your 2.3.8 archive is not a full install, it’s:
- Not suitable for fresh installations
- Potentially fine for upgrading only if it is a legitimate, correct upgrade package
- Security: matching “common malware/backdoor patterns” against 2.3.7 did not show obvious suspicious deltasin the core. Still:
- If the source isn’t official, you should verify checksums and/or scan with AV/IDS before production use.
