Upgrading Your WordPress Site to PHP 8 Is Essential
Did you know that as of November 28, 2022, PHP 7.4 reached its end-of-life date? “End-of-life date” means that PHP 7.4 no longer receives critical support like security patches, bug fixes, or updates from the community.
With no ongoing support, any WordPress site you have that uses PHP 7.4 is dangerously vulnerable to cyberattacks. Gradually, you’ll also notice more performance issues, compatibility issues, and limited access to new features.
You don’t want to get left behind, so what do you do? It’s time to upgrade to PHP 8.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at PHP 8, what it is, and why upgrading is essential for your WordPress site. We’ll also explore some of the risks you face by not upgrading, like security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, lack of support, performance issues, and limited access to new features.
Sounds like a lot, right? There’s no reason to feel overwhelmed—as a technology partner, High Touch provides Website Services, including Website Development and Website Management, to help our clients keep their websites up-to-date.
Keep reading to learn more about the importance of upgrading your WordPress site from PHP 7.4 to 8.
How Do You Know If You Need to Upgrade Your WordPress Site to PHP 8?
- If you’re an existing High Touch client with an active website maintenance agreement. No action is needed—we keep your website up-to-date for you.
- If you can log in to your WordPress site. You will receive an error message that states, “Your site is currently running on an our-of date version of PHP!” The message will also mention which version of PHP your site currently uses. Contact us to learn more about upgrading your website.
- If you can’t log in to your WordPress site, someone else manages the site for you, or you simply don’t know. If you’re not sure which version of PHP your WordPress site uses and the website is three or more years old, it’s likely that your site uses an older version of PHP and needs an upgrade—we can help.
What Is PHP 8?
PHP 8 is the latest iteration of the popular server-side programming language, representing a significant leap forward in functionality and performance. Released in November 2020, PHP 8 brings a host of improvements to the table, compared to version 7.4, including several key security features that make it even more robust and reliable than previous versions.
PHP 8 delivers faster performance and lower memory usage, making it an excellent choice for larger eCommerce organizations and those with continually growing website needs. Another major highlight of PHP 8 is the addition of new language features that enable developers to write more concise and maintainable code.
All of these enhancements, in addition to PHP 7.4 no longer being supported, make PHP 8 an exciting enhancement for the world of web development and a must-have for anyone looking to build a secure, robust, high-performing, and scalable website.
5 Risks of Not Upgrading Your WordPress Site to PHP 8
1. Security Vulnerabilities
If your site is hacked, the attacker may gain access to sensitive data such as personal information, login credentials, and/or financial data. It’s not an over-exaggeration—the cybersecurity risk of not updating to PHP 8 should get your heart racing. A single cyberattack can result in reputational damage, legal liabilities, and financial losses for your organization.
As PHP 7.4 becomes increasingly outdated, it becomes exponentially more vulnerable to security exploits and attacks. Since the community is no longer developing security patches or bug fixes, any vulnerabilities discovered after PHP 7.4’s end-of-life date will remain unaddressed. Of course, as time passes, cybercriminals find more vulnerabilities.
The longer you wait to upgrade to PHP 8, the more at risk your business will be.
2. Compatibility Issues
As more web hosts upgrade their servers to support PHP 8, WordPress sites that are running on PHP 7.4 may experience compatibility issues with future software updates. You’ll also increasingly run into compatibility issues with your website’s plugins, theme, and software as time goes on.
Additionally, some frameworks and libraries may not be updated to be compatible with PHP 8.
These compatibility issues will only get worse over time. In addition to offering a poor customer experience, these issues can result in painful penalties for your website when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO)—Google doesn’t reward slow, outdated, broken websites with more web traffic. You also need to consider any custom code developed for your website that may also need to be redeveloped, since it may not be compatible with PHP 8.
3. Lack of Support
As PHP 7.4 moves farther away from its end-of-life, receiving support from the development community will become increasingly difficult.
Furthermore, sticking with PHP 7.4 may result in additional costs and require more time and custom development workarounds to maintain your site, especially as newer versions of PHP introduce more advanced features and improvements.
It’s essential to consider upgrading to PHP 8 to avoid running into support issues and ensure the long-term stability and security of your website.
4. Performance Issues
Running a WordPress site on an outdated version like PHP 7.4 may cause decreased performance and slower load times as newer software and hardware gets released, leading to a poor user experience and lower web traffic.
Fortunately, PHP 8 is designed to be faster and more efficient than its predecessor. With increased efficiency, PHP 8 typically has a decreased server load and lower resource usage, meaning your WordPress site will load faster and perform better overall.
It’s also important to note that certain content delivery networks (CDNs) may no longer be compatible with your PHP 7.4 site. This can result in dramatic website performance degradation, longer page load times, and reduced effectiveness of CDN caching. Upgrading to PHP 8 ensures that your site is compatible with the latest CDNs and that your visitors have a seamless browsing experience.
5. Limited Access to New Features
If you choose to stick with PHP 7.4 or older versions, you’ll miss out on the latest language enhancements and optimizations offered by PHP 8—this may lead to reduced functionality and leave you at a disadvantage against competitors whose websites have upgraded to PHP 8.
Moreover, specific third-party plugins and software may require PHP 8 to function properly, limiting your options for new features and impeding your ability to stay current.
Can High Touch Help Me Upgrade My Website to PHP 8?
If you’re considering upgrading your website to PHP 8, High Touch can help you navigate the process. The change from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8 can be drastic, and in many cases, a complete website rebuild is needed—however, there are some steps you can take to prepare for the upgrade.
First, we’ll evaluate whether your current website can easily upgrade to PHP 8. If not, we’ll have to determine the most effective way to make the change happen. In most cases, that means revamping the site to one that was developed with PHP 8.
During the process of upgrading your website to PHP 8, we’ll work closely with you to ensure that your site remains functional and accessible to users. We’ll also ensure that any necessary security measures are implemented to protect your site from potential vulnerabilities. Click here to learn more about the cost of building a new website.
We Put Your Website to Work.
Are you ready to upgrade your WordPress site to PHP 8? Upgrading isn’t just about taking advantage of new features and optimizations—It’s also about ensuring that your website remains competitive and accessible to your target audience.
At High Touch, we have the expertise and experience to guide you through the upgrade process and ensure that your website remains effective and functional. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you upgrade your WordPress site to PHP 8.