Pressable’s PHP Version Policy

At Pressable, we believe that a managed WordPress provider is responsible for ensuring that your PHP version is up to date. Staying on the latest versions of software ensures that you have all the latest security updates as well as are running the highest performing versions – helping the experience for your end users.

Every major version of PHP receives two years of support from the PHP community once released. That includes bug fixes, enhancements, and security updates. Between years two and three, the PHP community provides security updates. After the third year, the version is officially end-of-life (EOL) and no longer supported. You can view the currently supported versions of PHP and their supported dates here.

When a new version of PHP becomes available (e.g., PHP 8.3), we will enable it on the platform for you to proactively switch to. That means you will typically have multiple versions available to use. 

For example, today, you can use PHP 7.4, 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3, as all are supported versions. All new sites will default to the latest version of PHP. If you need to downgrade to another version, you will be able to, so long as it is still supported. 

Pressable’s policy is to not support an EOL version of PHP, so when a version becomes EOL, we will automatically update all sites to the next version of PHP.

We do this because we care about the security of your sites and the cloud platform. Running a supported version of PHP ensures you receive the latest security updates, thus preventing vulnerabilities that may affect your site. Additionally, new versions of PHP typically include significant performance enhancements. In fact, running PHP 8.1 over 7.4 can result in as much as a 30% improvement in your site performance.

We encourage our customers to test their sites on the latest version of PHP before the automatic update. You can read more about how to do that here.

Important update on PHP 7.4

The official EOL date for PHP 7.4 is November 28, 2022. Pressable’s parent company, Automattic, has committed resources to helping maintain PHP 7.4 after the EOL date to ensure it receives security updates. As a result, this version will continue to be supported until further notice. Updates are available here. 

Important resources

• Differences Between PHP Versions
• Updating PHP Frequently Asked Questions 
• How To Change Your PHP Version