TL;DR
- PHP is the programming language WordPress runs on. It lives on your hosting server.
- Old PHP versions stop getting security fixes. Staying on one leaves your site exposed.
- Some sites can’t upgrade yet. An abandoned theme or an expired plugin license can hold them back.
- We test first, and we can roll back. If an upgrade breaks something, the old version goes back on while we fix the cause.
What Is PHP, and Why Does It Need Upgrading?
As Beth explains it, “PHP is the language on the server that supports the language that WordPress files are written in.” Older PHP versions eventually reach end of life, and the security fixes stop.
- Security. WordPress warns that old PHP versions “may expose your site to security vulnerabilities.” See its requirements page for the version it recommends now.
- Plugin updates. Plugin developers write for newer PHP. As Beth told one client, “Without doing this, your site can start breaking as plugins get updated with code using the latest version of PHP.”
Why Can’t My Site Be Upgraded Yet?
- An abandoned theme. If the theme’s developer stopped updating it, newer PHP can break it. As Beth told one client, “The theme’s developer hasn’t updated this theme for 2 years… If I update the PHP version, the site will break.” See What Happens When a WordPress Plugin or Theme Is Abandoned?
- An expired premium license. A plugin without an active license can’t get the update it needs. Beth’s note to one client: “I cannot upgrade your site to the secure version of PHP due to your [page builder] Plugin not being updated. It appears you don’t have an active license.”
The fix is a renewed license, a theme update from its developer, or a redesign that keeps your content. For licenses, see Do Premium WordPress Plugins Need to Be Renewed Every Year?
How Webmaster For Hire Handles a PHP Upgrade
- We tell you before we start.
- We check your theme and premium licenses. An old theme or a lapsed license is the usual roadblock.
- We contact the theme’s developer if it looks stale. As Beth told one client, “If they update it in two weeks, then you are perfectly fine. No redesign.”
- We test before the upgrade. In Beth’s words, “I have to test it first to see if it breaks and what to fix if it does.”
- We upgrade and watch your site. “This means the site may go down temporarily. Not to worry, I’m looking to see if that happens or not.”
- If something breaks, we roll back. Then we read the errors and fix the cause.
Why Did My Site Break After a PHP Upgrade?
Usually a plugin or theme hadn’t caught up with the new version. Putting the old version back gets your site working again. Then the real fix begins of discovering which code in a theme or which plugin needs a tweak to meet the new PHP version.
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends
- Keep premium licenses active, in your business’s name. You own them, and they keep getting the updates newer PHP needs.
- Watch your theme’s age. A theme with no updates in a year or two is a warning sign.
- Don’t stay on old PHP to avoid the work. The longer you wait, the more plugins fall out of step with your server.
:: Common Questions ::
Will My Site Go Down During a PHP Upgrade?
It can, briefly. We watch for it during the upgrade and roll back if your site doesn’t come back cleanly.
Who Upgrades PHP, My Host or My Webmaster?
PHP is a setting on your hosting server. On sites we manage, we handle the upgrade and check your site afterward. See How Often Should I Update WordPress and My Plugins?
Is Your Site Stuck on an Old PHP Version?
See our WordPress Support Services, or request a consultation.
