Evaluate removing Thickbox

[desrosj]

Thickbox is an outdated, unmaintained JavaScript library (last updated in 2007) that has been superseded by other, more modern and maintained options in the last 12 years.

After a few discussions with @joemcgill, this ticket is being opened to audit the current usage in Core, to discuss alternatives, and to discuss potentially removing the library entirely.

On initial scan, the most prominent usage of Thickbox is on the "Plugins" and "Updates" screens powering the "View Details" and "View version details" overlays.

[Clorith]

We should also evaluate use in plugins and themes for this, I believe we discussed this 2ish years ago and diacovered a not insubstantial amount of plugins relied on it at that time, so this should be re-checked now.

[desrosj]

Thanks for adding that, @Clorith! I forgot to add that to my description. Completely agree. This is what I had in mind:

1. Audit use in Core.
2. Replace remaining usages (if there is a decision to proceed).
3. Evaluate remaining use in the wild (plugins, themes, custom code).
4. Present developers with better alternatives and educate.
5. Remove form Core entirely or switch to enqueueing from a CDN (similar to Scriptaculous and Prototype in Core now).

[afercia]

Any new modal implementation should also be accessible :)

[johnbillion]

I think you'll find a very large number of plugins and themes using Thickbox.

• Plugins: ​https://wpdirectory.net/search/01D8TQ3075VPJN2R59KWAVGXR8
• Themes: ​https://wpdirectory.net/search/01D8TQ6RK4C8M0WKZY51DP4F02

[desrosj]

I'm going to close this out as a duplicate of #10955 as there is more discussion there.

[afercia]

Thanks, I will add the accessibility focu to #10955 :)