EN · ORIGINAL REPOSITORY DOCUMENT
Free edition scope
Original English text. Commands and evidence apply to the revision and environment stated in the document.
product/FREE-STRATEGY.md
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Free edition: standalone core checkpoint (October 2026)
The standalone FREE deliverable is product/free-core/cache-core-free/, an
independently authored single-server PhpRedis cache engine with its own drop-in.
It requires neither Redis Object Cache, proprietary Object Cache Pro nor a license
service. It supplies typed cache operations, multisite scopes, TTL, atomic numeric
mutations and bounded namespace flush. Existing paid/cache features stay intact.
The earlier Cache Contract Check companion remains a separate diagnostic component;
it was an intermediate checkpoint and is not the standalone engine.
Evidence and current official comparison
The official Redis Object Cache listing
already advertises Predis, PhpRedis, Relay, replication, Sentinel, Cluster and
WP-CLI. Its main branch at 2837fda28917554231923b1ce1663d7cc33040e1
identifies version 3.0.0 and GPLv3, and includes diagnostics, metrics and CLI
commands. The reference clone is a test dependency, not shipped in our ZIP.
These are advertised or inspected capabilities, not our independent validation
of all its supported backends. Our fixture exercises only PhpRedis and a single
Redis server. No superiority, unique diagnostics or performance claim follows.
| Component or capability | FREE checkpoint | Existing private paid candidate |
|---|---|---|
| Persistent cache engine | Original single-server PhpRedis engine; no dependency cache plugin | Inherited proprietary base; owner confirms reuse rights cleared |
| Backend support | Core supports single-server PhpRedis/TCP; broader backends unsupported | PhpRedis, Cluster and Sentinel tested in bounded fixtures; Relay untested |
| False/null and cache operations | Typed values and cache operations validated against real WordPress | Regression-tested cache behavior and fixes |
| Error/recovery explanation | Request-local fallback and safe bounded diagnostics; manual invalidation after outage | Runtime recovery paths plus isolated failure probes |
| Object-cache drop-in install/update | Original owned-file lifecycle; explicit enable/update/disable | Eight lifecycle checks and six simulated upgrade paths |
| Bulk writes/TTL policy | Original keyed bulk loops and server TTL preservation | Exact-option refactor and real Redis parity checks |
| License/payment requirement | None; all free engine functionality available | Separate original entitlement/update prototypes; no payment system |
| Third-party plugin updates | None | Original protected test ZIP delivery only; production integration incomplete |
| Public release status | Private review checkpoint; directory acceptance not claimed | Owner-confirmed rights; remaining technical and operational gates |
Directory rules applied to this component
Read the current WordPress.org detailed guidelines on October 2, 2026. The ZIP must contain GPL-compatible files; new companion files declare GPLv2 or later and retain their provenance. It contains no proprietary cache files, dependency archive, licensed local-functionality switch, trial expiry, remote telemetry, remote assets, executable updater or purchase flow. The component is complete for its narrow purpose, but WordPress.org review has not happened. No submission, account access or publication is authorized.
The repository-wide proprietary designation remains applicable to inherited files. The companion’s separate license does not relicense the repository or confer permission to distribute Object Cache Pro. The server/site prototypes are separate deliverables and are absent from the companion ZIP.
Provenance and remaining engine limits
The implementation follows the independently authored path against public API and protocol contracts. No code was copied from the proprietary or GPL competitor implementations. Prior inspection means this is not a clean-room certification. The included new code is GPL-2.0-or-later; inherited proprietary files retain their notices. The owner confirmed upstream reuse rights cleared on October 2, 2026; this records the owner’s confirmation, not an independently verified legal opinion.
Real evidence covers WordPress 6.8.3 / PHP 8.3.28 / PhpRedis 6.1.0 / Redis 7.4.2 in an isolated multisite fixture. Unsupported backends are explicit. Expire=0 old generation keys can remain after bounded cleanup; outage writes are not replayed and operators must invalidate before trusting resumed persistence. Numeric CAS can return false after eight conflicts. Broader runtime versions, workload and production concurrency remain unvalidated. No public submission or deployment.
Read product/free-core/cache-core-free/README.md and package manifests for the
standalone component; product/free/ documents the separate companion.