In one of the previous articles, we have emphasized that updating WordPress is crucial. In this article, we will deal with doing it correctly to avoid any unnecessary stress or mishaps.
Your page is working correctly: is to necessary to upgrade WordPress?
In most cases: yes, it is. To find out if a recommended update is needed,you’ll need to review the changes it introduces. Usually, you can do it on the plugin’s page. If you see that the plugin updates security settings, expanding or patching them, update the plugin ASAP (back up your site and database beforehand). If the updates merely involve new functionalities, they are not necessary.
Things to know before an update
Good practices promote backing up your site and database of a small or uncomplicated page before an update. With the large ones, it is best to update a previously prepared test version of the website. Your software house will undoubtedly provide you with such a solution. Thanks to these practices in case of downtime, you will quickly bring the site back to life and plan any activities.
It’s also good to know more about versioning. For both plugins and the CMS engine, updates can be significant or small. You can examine the size of the plugin modification by its version number. For instance, if a plugin has version 3.2.7, and you want to upgrade to version 3.2.8, then there is a good chance that nothing wrong will happen. If the jump from one version to another were more substantial, e.g., from 3.2 to 3.4, there might be numerous changes, so approach the update with caution.
An important issue is that not all plugins are compatible with each other. If installed on one instance of WordPress, they may not work correctly. The more supported plugins, the more frequent the updates and the higher the possibility of incompatibility with each other.
How to update WordPress?
The risk of problems for CMS is lower than for plugins. Again, following the rule that the smaller the jump between versions, the slimmer the chance of failure.
What else to look out for when updating? Keep an eye out for major and announced modifications. In December 2018, WordPress launched an update to version 5.0, which introduced numerous changes in security and functionality. Therefore, it would be best if you were careful with any updates, whether these are plugins or the engine itself. Plugins may not yet be compatible with the new version, and your theme with the latest version of WordPress.
Version 5.0.3 has already been released, guarantying some degree of stabilization. Still, you cannot go without the back-up and software house’s support.
How to update WP components?
It’s simple. Log in to the cockpit of your website, and then go to the “Updates” tab to verify the current status of our components.
If there are new versions of plugins, themes, or engines, you will find them there. If there is a WordPress update, the “A new WordPress version is available!” section will appear on this page. Others will appear in the “Plugins,” “Themes,” “Translations” sections, respectively. After seeing the update you want, click “update.” Everything else happens automatically.