Update? “It is too easy to update your WordPress.”, people might think that it’s that easy by just clicking the “magic” update button. But don’t you know that “magic” can be a disaster to your WordPress site? A “magic” that might result to ruining your own site.
As Portal Integrators Web Developers, we have things that we consider before hitting the Update button on WordPress:
- Have a complete checklist.
This checklist has the notes of the Updates of your website. It includes the versions of the WordPress, plugins, and themes, the requirements (required PHP and MySQL version), compatibilities, customizations and also the backups. When you do have a checklist, it would be easy for you to determine what you need to do before updating.
- Always keep your WordPress updated. Why?
One reason why you need to update is for security reasons. Indeed, it is important. Nobody wants to have an unsteady security, particularly on your own website.
- Check the requirements, plugins and theme compatibility with WordPress.
It’s always important to check if the requirements, plugins, and the themes are compatible with the WordPress version. For the existing plugins, it might not work with the latest version of the WordPress, so you have to wait if this is the case.
- Watch out for the customizations done to the theme and plugins.
This is the purpose of having the checklist, you need to check first if you did customize some files on the theme and plugins folder. Always note the changes you have done to your theme and plugins.
- Update first the themes and plugins before updating the WordPress.
You may have to use your staging or environment site, to test everything before updating the live site. Using your staging site can help you figure out if you can or cannot proceed to updating the theme or the plugin on the live site because it might lead to the failure of the site’s existing functionalities.
- Always have a backup.
Before anything else, ALWAYS do have a backup. You can use available backup plugins which are recommended before doing the upgrade. TAKE NOTE!
- Proceed to update WordPress.
Finally, after going through your checklist and doing each item, you may now proceed. It’s either an automatic or manual update. It’s up to you and for the sake of your website.
We, as Web Developers, actually do those things before we update our WordPress. ALWAYS ask yourself WHY. The “magic” update button can have an improved outcome if you have standards to follow.
