Should I update PHP for Wordpress?

[Honeybadger]

"This plugin doesn’t work with your version of PHP"
Learn more about updating PHP

I understand the benefits
of updating PHP to the latest version
but what can go wrong?
in your experience

 

[GriD]

Hey @Honeybadger !
I've never had any negative effects when upgrading PHP...
(In the case something would stop working switching back would be as easy as switching to the running version)

 

[Graybeard]

PHP has www-date:root permissions
A virtual user account cannot access.
Your host has to update (usually).

 

[GriD]

PHP has www-date:root permissions
A virtual user account cannot access.
Your host has to update (usually).

Often there are several versions of PHP Installed... You just select which one you want to use... (through your Cpanel or other)

But you are right, ultimately it is the responsibility of the host to provide the correct PHP version.... I've had one hosting service (a long time ago) that did not have a recent PHP version installed...
I asked and they were not prepared to install a recent (stable) version (for whatever reason, I don't remember)... I migrated the sites I had with them to another hosting platform...

 

[chervenkov]

"This plugin doesn’t work with your version of PHP"
Learn more about updating PHP

I understand the benefits
of updating PHP to the latest version
but what can go wrong?
in your experience

What is your hosting plan? VPS or something else?

 

[GriD]

Haven't used Cpanel in over 10 yrs. Too much bloat --slow server

Not running it on my VPS setups either... But mentioning it as many are familiar with it...

 

[Graybeard]

IDK im @root and php 7 and 8 need to be updated constantly --a lot of insecure source code.
However, you can use different versions for different virtual domains

fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php7.3-fpm.sock;

/etc/nginx/sites-available/domain.conf
some run 8.0 now
Hosts will hold back the version for the reason that the newer versions will break some antiquated scripts.
There is no reason to be still using PHP5 --it's full of security bugs.

 

[Honeybadger]

Updated all websites
to PHP version 8
standby for turbulence

 

[Graybeard]

(through your Cpanel or other)

Haven't used Cpanel in over 10 yrs. Too much bloat --slow server
That probably just edits the accounts virtual server conf file with a script

root@server#:nano  /etc/nginx/sites-available/domain.conf
root@server#:nginx -s reload

takes me 20 sec to fix manually if logged in

 

[Honeybadger]

Trying to figure out
if updating to PHP version 8
will have an impact on SEO?
Found an old Google thread
support.google.com/webmasters/thread/3547650/will-updating-a-website-from-php-7-0-to-7-2-version-affect-serp-results
Some items for consideration

1. Up-to-date PHP version will make sites faster --> Good for SEO
2. Broken software/plugins = higher bounce rate & less time on site --> Bad for SEO
3. Better security = less chance of viruses --> Good for SEO
4. Code changes = re-indexing --> ? for SEO

 

[Honeybadger]

Would like to have updated this sooner
Can't find a subscribe page on php.net
also doesn't have a YouTube channel
so I've set up a change notification
for PHP releases
using Google Alerts

 

[Graybeard]

PHP3 was for shit
So I learned Perl4 then 5 the newest Perl is v6.0 now ... PHP 8.0 is rather new.
PHP is bloatware but no one (or few) understand Perl so ... I use PHP now.

PHP Net is everything wrong about PHP most of the comment code snippets are useless --a few are good
But there are versions

PHP: Supported Versions

www.php.net

just look at this page every month --don't depend on email PHP is not Google LMAO

However I just went through an hour of BS on a sports API
that was using PHP libraries for god-knows -what --I don't want to waste time with learning unneeded libraries

curl -X GET -H "X-Auth-Token: Your_Token" "path/v2/competitions/DED" >fifa_DED.json

one line of code in bash or 12 lines of python with no file saves --WTF

I don't need it --it was the X-Auth-Token after a while I saw the issue --REST is something quasi proprietary -- like gobbly goop WordPress
I have had no issues with my own code in PHP

You have to see what is and update or replace any plugins that no longer work.
This is the problem when you use other peoples code. If you cannot understand it you cannot fix it.

 

[Graybeard]

NGINX:
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php7.3-fpm.sock;

updated to 8.1 took less time than to make this post
so I am good for a while