WordPress users, rejoice. The much awaited WordPress 2.3 release is now here. Dubbed “Dexter” (as a tribute to saxophonist Dexter Gordon). It now features goodies like tagging support, plug-in update notification, and URL handling improvements for starters. Anyway here are the highlights of the latest release:

• Native tagging support – Tags! Finally! And best of all, there are importers for those using Ultimate Tag Warrior, Jerome’s Keywords, Simple Tafs, and Bunny’s Technorati Tag.
• Update notification – WordPress now uses a new api.wordpress.org service that consolidates information about the tags you are using and provides suggestions when available.
• URL handling – Achieve better SEO with a better URL handling that ensures that changed slugs never go bad.
• Pending review – Great for multi-author blogs. This way editors can now see pending posts unlike before when you just have to wait for the editor to take notice.
• Improved WYSIWYG functionality – AKA the Kitchen Sink Button that allows access form features that were previously hidden.

Download WordPress 2.3 here.