Editor: Make asset registration .asset.php optional for blocks

src/wp-includes/blocks.php

@@ -162,18 +162,8 @@ function register_block_script_handle( $metadata, $field_name, $index = 0 ) {
 		realpath( $script_asset_raw_path )
 	);
 
+	// Ensure graceful handling of scenarios where *.asset.php is not present or accessible.
 	if ( empty( $script_asset_path ) ) {
-		_doing_it_wrong(
-			__FUNCTION__,
-			sprintf(
-				/* translators: 1: Asset file location, 2: Field name, 3: Block name.  */
-				__( 'The asset file (%1$s) for the "%2$s" defined in "%3$s" block definition is missing.' ),
-				$script_asset_raw_path,
-				$field_name,
-				$metadata['name']
-			),
-			'5.5.0'
-		);
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -185,7 +175,16 @@ function register_block_script_handle( $metadata, $field_name, $index = 0 ) {
 		$script_args['strategy'] = 'defer';
 	}
 
-	$script_asset        = require $script_asset_path;
+	if ( file_exists( $script_asset_path ) ) {
+		$script_asset = require $script_asset_path;
+	} else {
+		// Ensure graceful fallback for missing or inaccessible *.asset.php by setting default dependencies and version.
+		$script_asset = array(
+			'dependencies' => array(),
+			'version'      => false,
+		);
+	}
+
 	$script_dependencies = isset( $script_asset['dependencies'] ) ? $script_asset['dependencies'] : array();
 	$result              = wp_register_script(
 		$script_handle,

tests/phpunit/data/blocks/no-asset-php/block-rtl.css

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/* Test CSS file - RTL version */

tests/phpunit/data/blocks/no-asset-php/block.css

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/* Test CSS file */

tests/phpunit/data/blocks/no-asset-php/block.js

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+/* Test JavaScript file. */

tests/phpunit/data/blocks/no-asset-php/block.json

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+{
+	"apiVersion": 2,
+	"name": "tests/notice",
+	"title": "Notice",
+	"category": "common",
+	"parent": [
+		"tests/group"
+	],
+	"ancestor": [
+		"tests/section"
+	],
+	"providesContext": {
+		"tests/message": "message"
+	},
+	"usesContext": [
+		"groupId"
+	],
+	"icon": "star",
+	"description": "Shows warning, error or success notices…",
+	"keywords": [
+		"alert",
+		"message"
+	],
+	"textdomain": "notice",
+	"attributes": {
+		"message": {
+			"type": "string"
+		}
+	},
+	"selectors": {
+		"root": ".wp-block-notice"
+	},
+	"blockHooks": {
+		"tests/before": "before",
+		"tests/after": "after",
+		"tests/first-child": "firstChild",
+		"tests/last-child": "lastChild"
+	},
+	"supports": {
+		"align": true,
+		"lightBlockWrapper": true
+	},
+	"styles": [
+		{
+			"name": "default",
+			"label": "Default",
+			"isDefault": true
+		},
+		{
+			"name": "other",
+			"label": "Other"
+		}
+	],
+	"variations": [
+		{
+			"name": "error",
+			"title": "Error",
+			"description": "Shows error.",
+			"keywords": [ "failure" ]
+		}
+	],
+	"example": {
+		"attributes": {
+			"message": "This is a notice!"
+		}
+	},
+	"editorScript": "tests-notice-editor-script",
+	"script": "tests-notice-script",
+	"viewScript": [ "tests-notice-view-script", "tests-notice-view-script-2" ],
+	"editorStyle": "tests-notice-editor-style",
+	"style": [ "tests-notice-style", "tests-notice-style-2" ],
+	"render": "file:./render.php"
+}

tests/phpunit/data/blocks/no-asset-php/render.php

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p <?php echo get_block_wrapper_attributes(); ?>><?php echo esc_html( $attributes['message'] ); ?></p>

tests/phpunit/tests/blocks/register.php

@@ -220,7 +220,6 @@ public function test_wrong_array_index_do_not_register_block_script_handle() {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * @expectedIncorrectUsage register_block_script_handle
 	 * @ticket 50263
 	 */
 	public function test_missing_asset_file_register_block_script_handle() {
@@ -234,6 +233,52 @@ public function test_missing_asset_file_register_block_script_handle() {
 		$this->assertFalse( $result );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 57234
+	 */
+	public function test_missing_asset_php_for_traditionally_registered_block() {
+		$metadata = array(
+			'file'   => DIR_TESTDATA . '/blocks/notice/block.json',
+			'name'   => 'unit-test/traditional-block',
+			'script' => 'file:./blocks/notice/block.js',
+		);
+		$result   = register_block_script_handle( $metadata, 'script' );
+
+		// Assert that the result is false due to missing .asset.php
+		$this->assertFalse( $result );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 57234
+	 */
+	public function test_inaccessible_asset_php_path() {
+		$metadata = array(
+			'file'   => DIR_TESTDATA . '/blocks/notice/block.json',
+			'name'   => 'unit-test/inaccessible-asset',
+			'script' => 'file:./blocks/notice/inaccessible-asset.php',
+		);
+		$result   = register_block_script_handle( $metadata, 'script' );
+
+		// Assert that the result is false due to inaccessible .asset.php path
+		$this->assertFalse( $result );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 57234
+	 */
+	public function test_missing_asset_php_for_non_traditional_block() {
+		$metadata = array(
+			'file' => DIR_TESTDATA . '/blocks/no-asset-php/block.json',
+			'name' => 'unit-test/non-traditional-block',
+			// Assuming non-traditional registration doesn't use the script field
+			// or has a different mechanism that doesn't involve .asset.php
+		);
+		$result = register_block_script_handle( $metadata, 'script' );
+
+		// Assert that the result is false as expected in non-traditional scenarios
+		$this->assertFalse( $result );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @ticket 50263
 	 */