PHP is the underline server-side programming language used by WordPress. PHP powers ~78% of sites, and surprised to find out ~43% of them use PHP 5.

Keeping PHP up-to-date is crucial for two reasons.

Performance

The latest PHP 7.x is  two times faster.

Security

Using a supported version means if there are any vulnerabilities, it would be fixed on priority. The new version often contains bug fixes.

There is another factor – compatibility. If you are running on an older PHP version, then there is a chance that the new plugin may not support that.

WordPress officially  recommend to use PHP 7.4 or greater.

What PHP version is your WordPress site on?

There are multiple ways to find out. But one of the quickest ways is by going to:

• WordPress Admin >> Tools >> Site Health
• Click on the Info tab.
• Expand the Server section, and you would see the PHP version.

Congratulations if your WordPress is running on the latest PHP version.

You can refer to the  official PHP site to find out the latest supported versions.

If your WordPress is on the older PHP version, then here is how you can upgrade to the latest.

#wordpress #php