What is PHP?
PHP is the most widely used open-source programming and scripting language on the web and plays a crucial role in WordPress development. As it is a favoured tool for developing dynamic and interactive websites, it is also a target for hackers. A new version is usually introduced every 3 years and version 8.0 has since been released including features and optimizations for an overall improved experience.
Why you need to update your website
The problem we are currently facing is the recent disruption with website hosting. One of the big web hosting and ISP companies – Xneelo, has pushed their clients to upgrade to the latest version of PHP. Updating your PHP ensures a high level of performance and security and not acting on it, results in a vulnerable site that is prone to lag.
The first time you may notice this, is when you receive a message about updating it to the new version or it will interfere with your plugins.
What are the benefits of updating:
- Better security: Since your website will no longer receive essential security fixes, it will leave it vulnerable to hackers.
- Faster websites: The new versions can significantly boost your website.
- The new 8.0 version comes with new features and improvements
What to look out for on your website
Since this major update, the following are things to look out for on your own website:
- Your website is giving you a fatal WordPress error message.
- Your website will load part of the template and return a “404 – page not found” error.
These errors are uncomplicated enough to fix in most cases, with updating some components, however for more complex website builds, there can be various challenging issues such as plugins that can cause your website to break.
What does that mean for a website owner?
For many website owners, the bottom line is to update to the new PHP version 8.0. If you host with us, then there is nothing to worry about. We have already been or will be in touch with our clients to keep them up to date with compatibility checks and the latest PHP updates.
And if you don’t host with us, you will need to check that your website is not down and what version of PHP is currently running. For improved site health – give us a shout!
If you’re looking for more information about your E-commerce website, check out our “What you need to know about E-commerce Websites” article.