As a WordPress site owner, you may have received an email from your hosting company notifying you of an upcoming PHP update. If you‘re wondering what this means for your site and how to handle it, you‘ve come to the right place.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into the relationship between PHP and WordPress, why PHP updates matter, and the steps you should take to ensure your site survives and thrives through PHP version changes. Don‘t worry – we‘ll break it all down in an easy-to-follow way and arm you with the knowledge you need to face PHP updates with confidence.
PHP: The Engine That Powers WordPress
First, let‘s clarify what PHP is and the critical role it plays in your WordPress site. PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is the server-side programming language that WordPress is built on. Essentially, it‘s the behind-the-scenes magic that brings your WordPress site to life.
Every time someone visits a page on your site, PHP code runs on the web hosting server and dynamically generates the content of the page. Without PHP, your WordPress site would just be a collection of lifeless static files.
PHP works hand-in-hand with other web technologies like HTML, CSS, and databases to power the dynamic functionality of WordPress. It handles complex tasks like processing form submissions, managing user authentication, and interacting with the MySQL database where your WordPress content is stored.
Consider these statistics that highlight the widespread use of PHP and WordPress:
- PHP is used by 78.1% of all websites with a known server-side programming language (W3Techs, 2021)
- WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet (W3Techs, 2021)
- Over 97% of WordPress sites use a PHP version between 5.6 and 8.0 (WordPress.org, 2021)
Clearly, PHP is a big deal in the web world, and its relationship with WordPress is undeniable. So what happens when your web host updates the PHP version on your server?
Why Web Hosts Update PHP Versions
You might be wondering, "if it ain‘t broke, why fix it?" If your WordPress site is running fine on its current PHP version, why would your web host change it?
The primary reasons hosting companies update PHP versions are:
Security: PHP developers regularly release updates that patch vulnerabilities and improve security. Staying on an older, unsupported PHP version leaves your site at risk.
Performance: Newer PHP versions often bring significant performance improvements, allowing your WordPress site to load faster and handle more traffic. For example, PHP 7.x can handle 2-3x more requests per second compared to PHP 5.6.
Compatibility: As WordPress core, plugins, and themes evolve, they are developed to take advantage of features in newer PHP versions. Over time, sticking with an outdated PHP version will hold your site back.
However, updating PHP versions isn‘t always simple. Jason Cohen, CTO of WP Engine explains:
PHP updates can be risky because WordPress plugins and themes have to explicitly declare and test their compatibility with newer versions. If they haven‘t done that work, a PHP update can cause a plugin or theme (and thus potentially your entire site) to break without warning.
This is why reputable hosting companies don‘t blindly update to the latest PHP version. Instead, they carefully choose stable versions and give customers advance notice of upcoming updates.
Is Your WordPress Site Ready for a PHP Update?
So, your host notified you that a PHP version update is coming. How can you prepare your WordPress site to ensure a smooth transition? Here are some key steps:
Update everything: Make sure WordPress core, plugins, and themes are updated to their latest versions. Updates often include PHP compatibility improvements under-the-hood.
Test plugin compatibility: Install the free PHP Compatibility Checker plugin. It scans your plugins and themes and flags any potential compatibility issues with different PHP versions.
Use a staging site: If your host offers staging environments (or use a plugin like WP Staging), create a test copy of your site. Then manually update the PHP version on the staging site to check for issues before the update happens on your live site.
Take a full backup: Before the PHP update, take a complete backup of your WordPress files and database using a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy. This allows you to quickly restore your site if something breaks.
Alicia Ashby, Senior Technical Support Engineer at Bluehost advises:
We recommend customers take a full backup before a PHP update as a precaution. While we test extensively to minimize risks, having your own backup ensures you can recover quickly if any third-party code on your site has issues with the newer version.
After the PHP Update: Testing Your WordPress Site
Once the PHP version update is complete on your hosting server, it‘s crucial to test your WordPress site thoroughly. Don‘t assume everything is working correctly.
Here‘s a testing checklist:
- Login to your WordPress dashboard and verify that all core functionality (creating a post, uploading media, updating settings) still works.
- Test any mission-critical plugins that your site relies on. Confirm that key features users interact with (contact forms, ecommerce checkout, etc.) are functioning properly.
- Browse your site from the front-end as a visitor would. Click through key pages and check for any visible errors or formatting issues.
- Use the built-in Site Health tool (under Tools menu in WordPress dashboard) to get an overview of potential issues. It will flag any plugins that failed to load after the PHP update.
If you discover issues with a particular plugin or theme not working correctly after the PHP update, reach out to the developer for guidance. They may have a patch or update available to fix PHP compatibility.
Troubleshooting Tips for PHP Update Issues
In rare cases, you might experience major errors that break your WordPress site after a PHP update, like the infamous "White Screen of Death." If this happens, here are some troubleshooting steps to try:
Disable plugins: Login to your site via SFTP and rename the plugins folder to plugins_old. This disables all plugins. If this resolves the issue, rename the folder back to plugins. Then reactivate plugins one-by-one to find which one is not compatible with the new PHP version.
Switch to a default theme: Access your site files via SFTP and rename your current active theme‘s folder. This activates the default WordPress theme. If this brings your site back, the issue was with your theme‘s compatibility with the new PHP version.
Restore your pre-update backup: If you‘re still experiencing issues, you can restore your site to its previous working state using the full backup you took before the PHP update. Plugins like UpdraftPlus have a restore feature to simplify the process.
If troubleshooting doesn‘t resolve the issue, contact your hosting provider‘s support team – they are experienced in solving WordPress issues related to PHP version changes.
The Risks of Ignoring PHP Updates
You may be tempted to avoid PHP updates altogether to prevent potential compatibility issues. However, this is strongly advised against for several reasons:
Security risks: PHP versions that have reached their "End of Life" no longer receive security updates. Continuing to use these versions puts your site at high risk of being hacked or compromised, as noted by WordPress security firm Sucuri:
49% of WordPress sites are running on PHP versions that no longer receive active support. These end of life versions no longer get security patches, leaving sites vulnerable. (Sucuri Website Hacked Trend Report 2021)
Slow performance: Newer PHP versions bring significant performance improvements. For example, WordPress benchmarks show PHP 7.4 can execute twice as many transactions per second compared to PHP 5.6.
Compatibility issues: WordPress core and reputable plugins/themes are developed with modern PHP versions in mind. Over time, continuing to use old PHP versions will lead to incompatibilities that hinder your site‘s functionality.
To put it simply – ignoring PHP updates is like driving on worn-out tires. You might avoid the inconvenience of getting new tires in the short-term, but you‘re risking a major blowout and expensive repairs down the road.
Choosing a Web Host That Makes PHP Updates Painless
The web hosting provider you choose plays a huge role in how smooth and stress-free PHP version updates are for your WordPress site. Some key factors to consider when evaluating a prospective host include:
WordPress expertise: Avoid generic web hosts and choose one that specializes in WordPress. They configure servers with WordPress-optimized settings and have more experience troubleshooting issues.
Proactive update approach: Ideally, your host should use stable, supported PHP versions and notify you well in advance of proposed updates. Avoid hosts that don‘t update PHP versions for long periods.
Automatic updates: Some managed WordPress hosts like WP Engine and Flywheel have systems that automatically apply PHP updates and patches without breaking sites. This minimizes the burden on the site owner.
Staging environments: The ability to test PHP version changes on a staging copy of your site before applying to production is very valuable. Make sure your host offers this feature.
Knowledgeable support: When issues arise, you want a support team with deep WordPress expertise that can resolve problems quickly. Read reviews and ask for recommendations to gauge a host‘s support quality.
Reputable WordPress hosts like Bluehost, SiteGround, and WP Engine have a track record of keeping PHP versions up-to-date while minimizing headaches for customers.
Stay Calm and PHP On
We covered a lot of ground in this guide, so let‘s recap the key points:
- PHP is the programming language that powers WordPress. Your hosting environment‘s PHP version has major impacts on your site‘s performance, security, and functionality.
- Web hosts update PHP versions to improve performance, security, and compatibility – but the process can sometimes cause issues with plugins/themes.
- To prepare for a PHP update, make sure your WordPress core, plugins, and themes are up-to-date, test your site on a staging environment if possible, and take a full backup before the update occurs.
- After a PHP update, thoroughly test your site‘s functionality. If you encounter issues, follow troubleshooting steps like disabling plugins/themes or restoring a backup.
- Ignoring needed PHP updates can lead to major issues down the road. It‘s important to keep your site running on a supported PHP version.
- Choose a hosting provider that specializes in WordPress and takes a proactive, informed approach to PHP updates. The quality of your host plays a huge role in your site‘s long-term success.
Armed with this knowledge, you can confidently navigate PHP updates and keep your WordPress site running optimally. Remember, these updates are ultimately aimed at improving your site‘s performance, security, and compatibility. By preparing thoroughly and selecting a trusted hosting partner, you can minimize risk and keep your site ahead of the curve.
