Keeping your Site Updated

New versions of HTML, PHP, and other web technologies come out for a reason. They contain improvements, new features, and often improved speed. For that reason, it’s important to stay up to date.

It’s essential not to ignore updates when they become available, whether they’re core updates for your WordPress installation or new versions of your WordPress theme or plugins. As a website owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your WordPress site updated to the latest versions. Not doing so may make your site slow and unreliable, and make you vulnerable to security threats.

How should you know if a plugin is reliable? Well, a simple Google search and a few reviews will give you a general idea about the plugin. You should also check when it was last updated and if it’s compatible with the version of WordPress you’re running. Outdated or badly coded plugins slow down your website and may even cause security or incompatibility issues, if you’re not careful.

You should also make sure your site uses the latest version of PHP. This will speed up your site considerably and also ensure full compatibility with WordPress. If you have a managed hosting plan, you should have access to PHP’s most recent version. Plus, your site will be automatically updated whenever a new version of WordPress is ready.

Important: Some old code (and older versions of WordPress) are not compatible with, for example, the latest version of PHP. For that reason, when updating, make sure you test on a staging site first and take a backup. This way you do not inadvertently break your live site and you have an easy way to revert your changes if something goes wrong.