Here are the PHP Benchmark results obtained on a WordPress site updated to version 5.3:
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 8:47 am
The data speaks for itself : PHP 7.4 is the winner , being faster than PHP 7.3. And, when you compare PHP 7.4 to PHP 5.6, you can see that PHP 7.4 can handle over three times the number of requests per second!
Must Read: How to Speed Up a Slow WordPress Site
Check PHP compatibility with themes and plugins
In addition to the speed and security benefits, I also remind you that not all themes and plugins will support outdated versions of PHP . That's right, to the delight of developers, if you have Wordpress 5.1 "Betty" installed, not only will you see a prompt to upgrade PHP, but you will notice that there are forced PHP compatibility checks for when you install a new theme or plugin.
wordpress php update error
While previously developers could set the minimum required PHP version as a comment in the header, now only the minimum PHP version that the developer supports will be visible.
So, what happens if you’re running WordPress 5.1 and try to install a new theme or plugin from WordPress.org where the developer requires a higher minimum PHP version than yours? Simple, you’ll see the following message: “ This plugin doesn’t work with your version of PHP . Learn more about upgrading PHP .”
That's right, as you may have guessed, you won't be able to download the plugin without upgrading PHP first. Have I convinced you to upgrade PHP ? Great, then let's see how to proceed together!
How to Update PHP7 for WordPress
Having reached this point, you are now ready to inshe latest version of PHP . If your site is hosted by a reliable host, such as Siteground, the process will be quick and easy to perform.
Inside the dashboard you should see an option that allows you to upgrade saudi arabia phone numbers to PHP7 . However, it is best to proceed step by step , since upgrading PHP may temporarily break some of your site's functions .
A crucial step, as you read above, is checking the compatibility of PHP 7 with themes and plugins that you have installed on your site: to do this you can install the SG Optimizer plugin that allows you to check PHP compatibility.
STOP! Don't forget the backup
Ok, you've done your tests, checked the necessary compatibilities, it seems everything is ready for the update to PHP 7.4, but... STOP! Stop for a moment and remember to perform a complete backup so as to keep the most recent copy of your site with its files and data, to restore at any time.
Run PHP on your site
Finally, you have reached the last step: you have updated PHP to the latest version and now you have PHP7 on your site with all its benefits. Now you should run a final test to make sure everything is working as it should and that's it, you can enjoy your new update!
I recently updated the backend of a client's WordPress site, going from php 5.6 to php 7.3. The result? With a test on GTmetrix the page load value went from 1.8 to 1.2 seconds.
PHP 7 and WordPress: Increase Security
But speed isn't the only thing that has seen a significant improvement. Security has also been maximized with PHP 7.3 : just like WordPress, PHP is maintained by its developer community. Since it's very popular, it 's a target for hackers, so the latest version will also have the latest security fixes implemented .
The previous versions , no longer receiving any updates , are also devoid of these fundamental corrections . For whatever reason, professional or personal, you have decided to create and manage a website, I am sure that security is an issue that should not be underestimated.
PHP 7 and Performance: What's New Coming Soon!
The numbers and data reported in this article highlight how, from a performance point of view , especially in terms of speed, PHP 7.4 has no rivals .
However, don't get too attached to PHP 7.4, because even though not all hosting services support it, PHP 8 was officially released on November 26, 2020 .
Still have doubts about PHP ? If you want to be guided step by step in making the update and you intend to make your website even more performing , so as to reach users and potential customers in target, press the button below and let's get started!
Must Read: How to Speed Up a Slow WordPress Site
Check PHP compatibility with themes and plugins
In addition to the speed and security benefits, I also remind you that not all themes and plugins will support outdated versions of PHP . That's right, to the delight of developers, if you have Wordpress 5.1 "Betty" installed, not only will you see a prompt to upgrade PHP, but you will notice that there are forced PHP compatibility checks for when you install a new theme or plugin.
wordpress php update error
While previously developers could set the minimum required PHP version as a comment in the header, now only the minimum PHP version that the developer supports will be visible.
So, what happens if you’re running WordPress 5.1 and try to install a new theme or plugin from WordPress.org where the developer requires a higher minimum PHP version than yours? Simple, you’ll see the following message: “ This plugin doesn’t work with your version of PHP . Learn more about upgrading PHP .”
That's right, as you may have guessed, you won't be able to download the plugin without upgrading PHP first. Have I convinced you to upgrade PHP ? Great, then let's see how to proceed together!
How to Update PHP7 for WordPress
Having reached this point, you are now ready to inshe latest version of PHP . If your site is hosted by a reliable host, such as Siteground, the process will be quick and easy to perform.
Inside the dashboard you should see an option that allows you to upgrade saudi arabia phone numbers to PHP7 . However, it is best to proceed step by step , since upgrading PHP may temporarily break some of your site's functions .
A crucial step, as you read above, is checking the compatibility of PHP 7 with themes and plugins that you have installed on your site: to do this you can install the SG Optimizer plugin that allows you to check PHP compatibility.
STOP! Don't forget the backup
Ok, you've done your tests, checked the necessary compatibilities, it seems everything is ready for the update to PHP 7.4, but... STOP! Stop for a moment and remember to perform a complete backup so as to keep the most recent copy of your site with its files and data, to restore at any time.
Run PHP on your site
Finally, you have reached the last step: you have updated PHP to the latest version and now you have PHP7 on your site with all its benefits. Now you should run a final test to make sure everything is working as it should and that's it, you can enjoy your new update!
I recently updated the backend of a client's WordPress site, going from php 5.6 to php 7.3. The result? With a test on GTmetrix the page load value went from 1.8 to 1.2 seconds.
PHP 7 and WordPress: Increase Security
But speed isn't the only thing that has seen a significant improvement. Security has also been maximized with PHP 7.3 : just like WordPress, PHP is maintained by its developer community. Since it's very popular, it 's a target for hackers, so the latest version will also have the latest security fixes implemented .
The previous versions , no longer receiving any updates , are also devoid of these fundamental corrections . For whatever reason, professional or personal, you have decided to create and manage a website, I am sure that security is an issue that should not be underestimated.
PHP 7 and Performance: What's New Coming Soon!
The numbers and data reported in this article highlight how, from a performance point of view , especially in terms of speed, PHP 7.4 has no rivals .
However, don't get too attached to PHP 7.4, because even though not all hosting services support it, PHP 8 was officially released on November 26, 2020 .
Still have doubts about PHP ? If you want to be guided step by step in making the update and you intend to make your website even more performing , so as to reach users and potential customers in target, press the button below and let's get started!