Update autoprefixer supported browser matrix

[netweb]

caniuse.com documents browser usage ​http://caniuse.com/usage-table, this data is sourced from ​http://gs.statcounter.com/

In the build tools we currently use a browser matrix to determine supported browser for autoprefixer, the autoprefixer browser matrix is powered by ​https://github.com/ai/browserslist which sources its data from ​http://caniuse.com/usage-table

Our current browser matrix is: (source)

• Android >= 2.1
• Chrome >= 21
• Edge >= 12
• Explorer >= 7
• Firefox >= 17
• Opera >= 12.1
• Safari >= 6.0

Below are some current worldwide browser stats:

Top 5 browsers: browserslist ">6.5%"

• and_chr 51
• and_uc 9.9
• chrome 51
• chrome 50
• ios_saf 9.3

Browsers with greater than 2.5% market: browserslist ">2.5%"

• and_chr 51
• and_uc 9.9
• chrome 51
• chrome 50
• firefox 47
• ie 11
• ios_saf 9.3
• op_mini all
• samsung 4

Browsers with greater than 1.0% market: browserslist ">1.0%"

• and_chr 51
• and_uc 9.9
• android 4.4
• chrome 51
• chrome 50
• chrome 49
• chrome 29
• edge 13
• firefox 47
• firefox 46
• ie 11
• ios_saf 9.3
• ios_saf 9.0-9.2
• op_mini all
• safari 9.1
• samsung 4

My biggest surprise here was and_uc ​UC Browser(​WikiPedia) which I had not even heard of until I looked at theses stats. It's the #1 mobile browser in China, and 3rd worldwide behind iOS Safari and Chrome. ​source.

I suggest we these browsers to the Autoprefixer matrix:

• and_uc >= 9
• ios >= 6
• op_mini = all
• samsung >= 4

[anonymized_15023636]

Autoprefixer Browser Matrix

[anonymized_15023636]

Doesn't look like "op_mini = all" is a valid option for autoprefixer. I got this error, "Fatal error: Unknown browser query op_mini = all". After looking here, ​http://www.androidapksfree.com/version-history/opera-mini-fast-web-browser-version-history/, I changed that to "op_mini >= 7".

[anonymized_15023636]

Updated autoprefixer browser support

[netweb]

Replying to stunnedbeast:

Doesn't look like "op_mini = all" is a valid option for autoprefixer. I got this error, "Fatal error: Unknown browser query op_mini = all". After looking here, ​http://www.androidapksfree.com/version-history/opera-mini-fast-web-browser-version-history/, I changed that to "op_mini >= 7".

Thanks for the patch @stunnedbeast, as I noted in the original ticket, the browser versions are taken from "browserlist":

In the build tools we currently use a browser matrix to determine supported browser for autoprefixer, the autoprefixer browser matrix is powered by ​https://github.com/ai/browserslist which sources its data from ​http://caniuse.com/usage-table

And Opera Mini support for op_mini = all ​was fixed in browserlist release v1.4.0 which in turn is included in Autoprefixer 6.5.0 included in WordPress [38688]

Could you refresh your patch please and use op_mini = all

[netweb]

Supported browser versions are now documented in the Core Handbook:

​https://make.wordpress.org/design/handbook/browser-support/

Currently this is:

Full support back to IE11, partial back to IE8.
Firefox, Chrome, Safari: Current – 1.
iOS Safari: Current – 1.
Android browser: Current major.
Chrome/Android: Current.
Everything else: Bugs fixed as reported.

[netweb]

See also: ​https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/04/23/target-browser-coverage/

tl;dr: "...we are officially ending support for Internet Explorer versions 8, 9, and 10, starting with WordPress 4.8."

[jorbin]

New version hard codes IE 11 as a minimum, otherwise specifies either last 2 or last 1 based on ​browser support doc.

Going to land this early along with a massive removal of old prefixes to maximize testing time.

[netweb]

I think we should also include the following:

• 'last 1 operamini versions' - 2.82%
• "last 1 Samsung versions" - 3.71%
• "last 1 UCAndroid versions" - 8.95% (This is ranked 3rd in global browser usage, only Chrome and Chrome Android are ranked higher in browser usage)

Each of those percentages are significant shares of the global browser usage per ​https://caniuse.com/usage-table

I think we should do this in 4.8.1 rather than 4.9 as it's an easy get that would add WordPress support on mobile devices that we've not previously included vendor prefixes for i.e. Android Chrome, iOS Safari, nor Android UC.

What do you think @jorbin ?

[jorbin]

I down with that. Maybe also a catch all "> 1%" to help cover the Everything else: Bugs fixed as reported. in our browser support docs. It doesn't actually cause any different css right now, but could help in the future.

I don't think we should backport this for 4.8.1. It will cause a lot of files to change and the more files that change, the more failures there have been with auto updates.

[netweb]

Interestingly I just tested 37651.2.diff​ as it currently stands and here's the diff ​https://cloudup.com/cUiTLb-5M7y, nothing but *red* which is great, more specifically 126 instances of the single webkit rule -webkit-box-shadow are removed (126 for each minified and unminified CSS files) of the MP6 themes generated from SCSS.

I've added 37651.3.diff​ which adds the catch all > 1%

There is *no* difference in the resulting CSS when compared to the 37651.2.diff​ patch.

So by not including it in 4.8.1 no longer matters to us as there are no "functional changes" to be concerned with, 37651.3.diff​ is right for commit.

[netweb]

The design handbook should also be updated to include the browsers not listed Edge, Opera etc

​https://make.wordpress.org/design/handbook/design-guide/browser-support/

cc @karmatosed can you update this with the browsers listed in 37651.3.diff​ please?

[karmatosed]

@netweb yep, done: ​https://make.wordpress.org/design/handbook/design-guide/browser-support/. Thanks for that ammendment.

[jorbin]

In 41062:

Update autoprefixer browser support matrix

WordPress no longer supports many old old browsers: ​https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/04/23/target-browser-coverage/

This also removes alot of no longer necessary CSS. It served us well, but we are never getting back together with IE8,9,10.

So, in the (paraphrased) words of Taylor Swift:

I remember when we dropped support the first time
Saying, "This is it, I've had enough, " 'cause like
We hadn't seen many users in a month
When you said you needed flexbox. (What?)
Then you postMessage again and say
"IE8, I miss you and I swear I'm gonna change, trust me."
Remember how that lasted for a day?
I say, "I hate the box model, " we break up, you call me, "I love css-grids."
Ooh, we called it off again last night
But ooh, this time I'm telling you, I'm telling you

We are never ever ever supporting IE 8,9,10,
We are never ever ever supporting IE 8,9,10,
You go talk to EDGE, talk to my FIREFOX, talk to CHROME
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together
Like, ever...

Fixes #37651.
Props stunnedbeast, netweb, jorbin.