v1.44.0

Accessibility Checker 1.44.0 introduces a new Link Text is URL detection rule that flags links whose anchor text is a bare URL rather than meaningful text. This release also consolidates landmark type detection into a single source of truth, exports shared components from the free plugin for use in pro, and fixes REST API URL generation to work correctly on WordPress subsites and custom REST base configurations.

Several rule accuracy improvements are included: empty paragraph warnings no longer flag elements with aria-live attributes or implicit live region roles, the new-window warning correctly handles links containing both images and text with aria-label, and separator blocks are excluded from aria-hidden review warnings.

The Ignore terminology has been replaced with Dismiss across all rule descriptions and UI strings. Email Reports received two updates — the dashboard link now points to the license keys page, and the activation message shown to free users has been revised. The Block Editor metabox now defaults to visible for new installs, and defensive guards were added for EDAC_KEY_VALID usage in the options page and Get Pro link. A dead is_numeric check on the policy page option was also removed.

What's Changed

• Email Reports: Update dashboard link destination to license keys page by @SteveJonesDev in #1728
• [Backport] Release v1.43.0 by @github-actions[bot] in #1731
• [Email Reports] Modify Reports Enabled message for free users by @SteveJonesDev in #1729
• chore: regenerate hooks docs by @github-actions[bot] in #1734
• Guard EDAC_KEY_VALID usage in options page by @SteveJonesDev in #1402
• Handle missing EDAC_KEY_VALID when showing Get Pro link by @SteveJonesDev in #1407
• PRO-540: Update How to Fix language to remove Ignore feature references by @SteveJonesDev in #1724
• Remove dead is_numeric check on policy page option by @SteveJonesDev in #1735
• chore: regenerate hooks docs by @github-actions[bot] in #1738
• PRO-960: Restore global dismiss/unignore inline in DismissPanel by @pattonwebz in #1746
• Create Accessibility Issue template structure by @amberhinds in #1744
• PRO-959: Add edac_get_landmark_types() as single source of truth for landmark detection by @pattonwebz in #1760
• chore: regenerate hooks docs by @github-actions[bot] in #1743
• Setup component exports from free to be usable in pro by @pattonwebz in #1733
• Use a rest api url that works on subsites as well as if someone changes the rest api base by @pattonwebz in #1737
• Rules: Don't flag empty paragraph on paragraphs with aria-live by @pattonwebz with @Copilot in #1774
• Fix new window warning aria-label for links containing images and text by @pattonwebz with @Copilot in #1773
• fix: exclude wp-block-separator from aria-hidden review warnings by @pattonwebz with @Copilot in #1751
• feat: Add custom axe rule to detect link text is URL by @pattonwebz in #1012
• PRO-1039: Replace remaining 'Ignore' terminology with 'Dismiss' by @SteveJonesDev in #1782
• PRO-1041: Default Block Editor Metabox setting to checked for new installs by @SteveJonesDev in #1784
• Release v1.44.0 by @pattonwebz in #1781

Full Changelog: v1.43.0...v1.44.0