PHP NOTICE TO ALL CLIENTS
Just a heads up to let you know that we are forced to upgrade all our WordPress websites to the newest stable versions of PHP 7.2 and higher… the older PHP versions will no longer be supported and has some security concerns. If you would like us to schedule the upgrade for after hours, as you may be doing your own edits during the day, please inform us so we can make the necessary changes during a scheduled time that you prefer.
We will also be running a backup of the entire website before and after we have completed the upgrade.
These benefits are good for you, and good for your website’s visitors.
Why PHP Matters To You As A WordPress User?
PHP is the coding language WordPress is built on, and its version is set at the server-level by your hosting company. Whilst you may be familiar with the importance of keeping WordPress, and your themes and plugins up-to-date, keeping PHP up-to-date is just as important.
There are two main benefits to keeping PHP up-to-date
- Your website will be faster as the latest version of PHP is more efficient. Updating to the latest supported version can deliver a huge performance increase; up to 3 or 4x faster for older versions.
- Your website will be more secure. PHP, like WordPress, is maintained by its community. Because PHP is so popular, it is a target for hackers – but the latest version will have the latest security features. Older versions of PHP do not have this, so updating is essential to keep your WordPress site secure.
There are a number of secondary benefits
- A faster WordPress website will be rewarded by search engines, so you’ll rank higher in search!
- A faster website will retain visitors better (they’ll leave if it takes too long to load), making your website more effective.
- A more secure website is better protected against hackers, and the cost and reputational damage associated with a hacked website.