Why PHP Versions Matter and You Should Be On 8.0 Or Higher

PHP is the base code for your website and its server. If it's not running on an up-to-date version, your website will suffer.

Is your website slow? Are your plugins not working properly? Did you find a strange bug somewhere on your site? It could be that your PHP version isn’t compatible with some of the WordPress tools you’re using.

Let’s talk about PHP, what it is, why it matters, and how you can make sure you’re using the right PHP version.

Table of Contents:

  1. What is PHP?
  2. How Do I Know Which PHP Version I’m Using?
  3. How Do I Change My PHP to a Later Version?

What is PHP?

PHP is the primary language WordPress is built upon and the more efficiently it allows your server to interact with your readers’ browser, the better their experience. Advancements in technology bring down costs. Streamlined PHP 7 means more money for you, because you build more quickly with fewer costs.

An Analogy to Understand PHP

Imagine I handed you a hammer and 17 nails and told you to build a shed out of a pile of wood. It’s possible, right? You’ll just need to be creative.

Now, imagine I gave you the same assignment with the same pile of wood, but I gave you 57 nails, a nail gun, 15 galvanized lag bolts with nuts, washers, and 13 pieces of steel angle-iron with pre-drilled holes. Sitting on top of the pile of wood is now a hydraulic air wrench and a drill. The job just got a lot easier, right?

Advances in technology bring down production costs. This principle carries across many fields, from assembly lines for automobiles to large agricultural machinery designed to harvest crops more efficiently.

The same thing has happened for web technology with the benefit of a much higher rate of advancement. Advances which took the automobile assembly line many years to streamline because they are changing physical products take web developers a matter of months to change the digital landscape.

PHP is the programming language underscoring WordPress. Without going too terribly far into geek-speak to explain it, simply thinking of it as a language telling computers what to do is helpful.

Languages can be modified, adapted over time for efficiency. The very word “blog” is an example of language adapting to be more efficient: a portmanteau of “web log” which itself is a phrase that makes vastly more efficient the explanation of the process of digital publishing.

A more efficient language is a better language, because you can communicate the same thing in less time.

How Do I Know Which PHP Version I’m using?

If you use the GiveWP plugin, we’ve made it staggeringly easy to determine which version of PHP you are using. Navigate to Donations → Tools → System Info (tab) and scroll down to the “Webserver configuration” section. There you’ll see which version of PHP you are using.

You can also find this information through the WordPress admin tools. To find your PHP version this way, navigate to Tools → Site Health → Info (tab) → Server (dropdown).

What is the Latest PHP Version? And What’s the Lowest One You Should Use?

PHP is released and maintained on a regular and predictable schedule. You can see what versions are still actively receiving support on the official PHP Supported Versions page. When a version is no longer receiving security patches, it’s time to move to a supported version.

GiveWP and WordPress itself will function on older versions of PHP. Also, the version receiving only security patches is more than sufficient for your site.

At the time of this writing, GiveWP itself requires version 7.0. Some GiveWP add-ons require up to version 7.2. All GiveWP products are currently tested on versions up to 8.0 on a regular basis.

WordPress itself has to be regularly updated to support the latest versions of PHP, as do the thousands of other plugins and themes out there. Before updating to the latest stable version of PHP, be sure to know what you are doing, or to reach out to someone who does. You should be aware of how to test an update to PHP and roll back in the event something goes wrong.

How Do I Update PHP to a Newer Version?

If you are not a developer or familiar with PHP, you should have someone help you change the version. Generally, your website host controls the version of PHP on the site and it’s easier than ever to change PHP versions with most major hosts. Look for your host’s PHP tools or reach out to their support team.

If you are a developer, then you can follow this handy guide from Nexcess to change your PHP version.

For those who need a better host, check out Nexcess! GiveWP users get 50% off when they sign up. The best part of using Nexcess is that managed WordPress hosting makes your website even easier to maintain. Also, switching PHP versions (complete with a check to make sure everything is working!) is a breeze on Nexcess.

Learn About PHP and Stay Informed

The simple decision is to pay attention. Be aware of which version of PHP you are running, and update to a supported version of PHP with the help of your web host. This could mean dozens of saved man-hours of support for your staff, a better experience for potential donors, and thousands of dollars in donations. When someone hands you a power drill, you might as well plug it in and build a better shed.

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