Just like a computer or a smartphone, a WordPress website will need updates to get the latest features and other valuable benefits to keep it running smoothly.
So why and how do you update your WordPress site? Here are all our tips on the subject!
Why should I update my WordPress site?
Updates are highly recommended, but it’s certainly not for nothing. A WordPress site update will allow you to make the necessary changes over time at different levels. When you start using WordPress, you will have the latest version available. Then, over time, that version will quickly become obsolete. That’s why updating WordPress will be essential for the site to work properly.
Updating your WordPress site will help to improve the security of your website. Security is indeed paramount when using WordPress, which is one of the most successful CMS nowadays. Indeed, viruses evolve over time and hackers develop new methods. This is why updating your website on time allows you to maintain a good level of security for your website.
The WordPress update will also provide new features. Indeed, the CMS evolves over months and years and depending on whether the update is minor or major, more or less important changes can be made, sometimes putting developers’ nerves to the test. For example, a new content editor has recently appeared in order to meet the needs of users, but this also sometimes means getting used to a new way of working.
Finally, technical bugs will also be fixed by the WordPress update. Despite regular updates, bugs may appear and the following versions will correct them. The code is lighter, which optimizes the performance of your website.
This point is essential so that your visitors do not lose patience when accessing your content, as well as to satisfy Google and its referencing system.
Extensions and themes also concerned
Updating a WordPress site is, as we have seen, essential since it offers many advantages. But updating a WordPress plugin can also change everything. Indeed, a WordPress website often requires the installation of extensions and themes to fully enjoy all the features you are looking for. Sometimes, with time, these tools become obsolete as well, which is why updating them will always be beneficial.
How do I update WordPress?
Updating a WordPress site is a very simple maneuver, as simple as running it on a computer or smartphone. This is also true for plugin and theme updates.
What can be more complex is that an update involves changes. These changes can affect the operation of the client-side platform, but may also affect the way your website is displayed and operates. These will not always be perceptible, but they can sometimes give rise to real bugs that will then have to be corrected. This can be explained in particular by the fact that the changes caused by the update conflict with the existing, or affect what has been put in place for the proper functioning of the site. Nothing to be alarmed about, but if you decide to do your update alone, it is better to be sure that you can manage the situation once it is done.
In case of doubt, it is better to entrust this task to a professional.
The Maintenance WP teams are able to take care of updating your WordPress site and then correcting any problems that may arise. What’s more, it’s always best to make a backup of your website before launching a WordPress update. To do so, you will need to check the technical requirements, make the backup, disable active extensions, and then launch the WordPress site update by clicking on “Dashboard”, then “Updates”, and then “Update Automatically”. The WordPress site update will then be downloaded and installed completely independently.
To assist you, our team offer a package dedicated to the maintenance of your website, which includes the installation of updates as soon as they are available, and then checking that they are working properly.
