General: Unify direct file-access guards to use exit.

westonruter · westonruter · commit 142e7ee5273a · 2026-07-06T21:08:27.000Z
Previously, files used three different patterns to block direct access: `die( '-1' )`, `die()`, and `exit()`. They also lacked the explanatory comment or had inconsistent wording. This normalizes all 40 affected files under `src/` to the canonical `exit;` form recommended by the Plugin Developer Handbook. Each is preceded by a consistent `// Don't load directly.` comment. The `-1` return value carried no meaning in a direct file-access context, where no JavaScript AJAX handler exists to interpret it; it was only ever relevant inside `admin-ajax.php` responses, which are left untouched. Developed in WordPress#12340. Follow-up to r11768, r59678, r59688. Props masteradhoc, presskopp, rajinsharwar, mukeshpanchal27, westonruter. Fixes #58987. git-svn-id: https://develop.svn.wordpress.org/trunk@62649 602fd350-edb4-49c9-b593-d223f7449a82
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/admin-footer.php b/src/wp-admin/admin-footer.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/admin-functions.php b/src/wp-admin/admin-functions.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 _deprecated_file( basename( __FILE__ ), '2.5.0', 'wp-admin/includes/admin.php' );
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/admin-header.php b/src/wp-admin/admin-header.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 header( 'Content-Type: ' . get_option( 'html_type' ) . '; charset=' . get_option( 'blog_charset' ) );
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/custom-background.php b/src/wp-admin/custom-background.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 _deprecated_file( basename( __FILE__ ), '5.3.0', 'wp-admin/includes/class-custom-background.php' );
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/custom-header.php b/src/wp-admin/custom-header.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 _deprecated_file( basename( __FILE__ ), '5.3.0', 'wp-admin/includes/class-custom-image-header.php' );
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/edit-form-advanced.php b/src/wp-admin/edit-form-advanced.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/edit-form-blocks.php b/src/wp-admin/edit-form-blocks.php
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/edit-form-comment.php b/src/wp-admin/edit-form-comment.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/edit-link-form.php b/src/wp-admin/edit-link-form.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 if ( ! empty( $link_id ) ) {
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/edit-tag-form.php b/src/wp-admin/edit-tag-form.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 // Back compat hooks.
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/link-parse-opml.php b/src/wp-admin/link-parse-opml.php
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
  * @subpackage Administration
  */
 
+// Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die();
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/menu-header.php b/src/wp-admin/menu-header.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/menu.php b/src/wp-admin/menu.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/network/menu.php b/src/wp-admin/network/menu.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /* translators: Network menu item. */
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/options-head.php b/src/wp-admin/options-head.php
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 $action = ! empty( $_REQUEST['action'] ) ? sanitize_text_field( $_REQUEST['action'] ) : '';
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/site-health-info.php b/src/wp-admin/site-health-info.php
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
  * @subpackage Administration
  */
 
+// Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die();
+	exit;
 }
 
 if ( ! class_exists( 'WP_Debug_Data' ) ) {
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/user/menu.php b/src/wp-admin/user/menu.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 $menu[2] = array( __( 'Dashboard' ), 'exist', 'index.php', '', 'menu-top menu-top-first menu-icon-dashboard', 'menu-dashboard', 'dashicons-dashboard' );
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/widgets-form-blocks.php b/src/wp-admin/widgets-form-blocks.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 // Flag that we're loading the block editor.
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/widgets-form.php b/src/wp-admin/widgets-form.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 $widgets_access = get_user_setting( 'widgets_access' );
diff --git a/src/wp-content/plugins/hello.php b/src/wp-content/plugins/hello.php
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 Text Domain: hello-dolly
 */
 
-// Do not load directly.
+// Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die();
+	exit;
 }
 
 function hello_dolly_get_lyric() {
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/blocks/index.php b/src/wp-includes/blocks/index.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 define( 'BLOCKS_PATH', ABSPATH . WPINC . '/blocks/' );
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-IXR.php b/src/wp-includes/class-IXR.php
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 require_once ABSPATH . WPINC . '/IXR/class-IXR-server.php';
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-control.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-control.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-panel.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-panel.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-http.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-http.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 if ( ! class_exists( 'WpOrg\Requests\Autoload' ) ) {
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-simplepie-sanitize-kses.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-simplepie-sanitize-kses.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-text-diff-renderer-table.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-text-diff-renderer-table.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/default-filters.php b/src/wp-includes/default-filters.php
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 // Strip, trim, kses, special chars for string saves.
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/default-widgets.php b/src/wp-includes/default-widgets.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /** WP_Widget_Pages class */
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/feed-atom.php b/src/wp-includes/feed-atom.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 header( 'Content-Type: ' . feed_content_type( 'atom' ) . '; charset=' . get_option( 'blog_charset' ), true );
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/functions.php b/src/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/option.php';
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/media.php b/src/wp-includes/media.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-blogs.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-blogs.php
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 require_once ABSPATH . WPINC . '/ms-site.php';
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php b/src/wp-includes/ms-settings.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/nav-menu-template.php b/src/wp-includes/nav-menu-template.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /** Walker_Nav_Menu class */
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/rss-functions.php b/src/wp-includes/rss-functions.php
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
  * @deprecated 2.1.0
  */
 
+// Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	exit();
+	exit;
 }
 
 _deprecated_file( basename( __FILE__ ), '2.1.0', WPINC . '/rss.php' );
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/update.php b/src/wp-includes/update.php
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/vars.php b/src/wp-includes/vars.php
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 global $pagenow,
diff --git a/src/wp-includes/wp-diff.php b/src/wp-includes/wp-diff.php
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 // Don't load directly.
 if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
-	die( '-1' );
+	exit;
 }
 
 if ( ! class_exists( 'Text_Diff', false ) ) {

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@`
`8`	`8`
`9`	`9`	`// Don't load directly.`
`10`	`10`	`if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {`
`11`		`- die( '-1' );`
	`11`	`+ exit;`
`12`	`12`	`}`
`13`	`13`
`14`	`14`	`/**`
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@`
`11`	`11`
`12`	`12`	`// Don't load directly.`
`13`	`13`	`if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {`
`14`		`- die( '-1' );`
	`14`	`+ exit;`
`15`	`15`	`}`
`16`	`16`
`17`	`17`	`_deprecated_file( basename( __FILE__ ), '2.5.0', 'wp-admin/includes/admin.php' );`
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@`
`10`	`10`
`11`	`11`	`// Don't load directly.`
`12`	`12`	`if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {`
`13`		`- die( '-1' );`
	`13`	`+ exit;`
`14`	`14`	`}`
`15`	`15`
`16`	`16`	`/**`