If you’re reading this, you’re likely a CourseVector hosting client, which mean you likely use the WordPress CMS to power your website. While it’s not really your job to know how your website works, it can help you to make informed decisions when it comes to updating or upgrading the back end of the site.
What is PHP?
PHP is an opensource programming language that runs on a web server. Because it is opensource, it is very popular among developers. WordPress uses PHP to function.
Every so often, PHP gets updated. While older versions of PHP are supported for a limited amount of time, it is important to ensure your WordPress installation is upgraded to make sure that it’s safe and secure against vulnerabilities that may arise, such as DoS, code execution, overflow, memory corruption, XSS, directory traversal, information traversal, and retrieval. After all, hackers are always working toward new ways to exploit weak sites. Are all of these vulnerabilities critical? No. But, if you’re running a very outdated version of PHP, it’s likely you’re much more vulnerable that a site that is running only a slightly outdated, and thus more protected, version.
Why do I need to upgrade?
Just like with anything, the older it is the more likely it is to fall apart. Upgrading your version of PHP can be essential to the way the components of your website function together. The older the version of PHP, the more likely you are to see disfunction in the piece-parts of your website. Developers and other support technicians may also have a more difficult time patching these errors, which may lead to higher support bills. This is a silly thing to put up with when a simple upgrade could save you aggravation and money in the long run.
With some upgrades, performance is improved. While you may not notice much of a difference between some versions, if you make a jump from a very outdated version to the latest version your website may see a huge increase in performance. This could give you a nice boost in SEO!
Is this always a smooth transition?
Sometimes, upgrading your version of PHP can “break” your website. If you’re using old or outdated plugins that aren’t compatible with the newer version of PHP, don’t panic. You can always email support@coursevector.com, and we can help you come up with a solution. There could be other security vulnerabilities involved with using old, outdated plugins. We can also help you roll back the changes until we come up with a safe and secure solution.