Let's answer the question of "Should you update your WordPress website?"

Updating WordPress sounds like a simple enough job, and if you’re not very knowledgeable about the process and the potential consequences, you could be confused as to why one should think twice about it.

Turns out, there is some stuff that you have to consider before doing it. If you are thinking about clicking that update button, it will be salubrious to first consider the ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what if’ of the matter. And that is precisely what we are going to be looking at in this post.

Why is updating WordPress important?

Here’s the thing: if it was not for the disadvantages and possible consequences of updating your WP website, there was no reason to doubt or consider not going for it. It’s an update, and it’s there for a reason.

Some of the reasons why upgrading is necessary are as follows:

Enhanced security

The first and foremost benefit of updating your website is that the security gets improved and revamped. If an update has a security patch included, then it means that some aspect or defect in the previous system has been fixed or improved.

If you decide to stick to the older version, there is the chance that your website could come under attack by a hacker or some malware. With open-source software, this threat is even more dangerous. Here’s why.

When the update is released, the particulars and details of the newer version are all laid bare to the public. Since the improved aspects and features will be mentioned, a malicious entity could use that information to their benefit. They could realize how they can hack into a website that is still using the old version. It’s like a couple of kids playing hide-and-seek. Once a hiding spot becomes known to all, it’s not going to remain secure and reliable since everyone now knows about it. Similarly, once the improved security aspects are mentioned to the public, the people using the previous version come under danger. What has been fixed in the new version remains un-fixed in theirs.

Newer features and perks

One of the main reasons why people use WordPress is the ease. Instead of writing out the entire code to make the website and then hosting it, people can use premade templates and widgets to do the same thing in minutes.

Now, with newer versions and updates, upgraded features and perks are introduced in the software. Something that could be giving you a lot of trouble may become simplified and straightforward in the update.

For example, in WordPress’s 3.0 update, custom navigation menus were added while in the 3.1 update, the Admin Bar was introduced.

Support for new plug-ins

Yet another benefit of updating WordPress websites is that you will be able to use the latest plug-ins without trouble. If you want to use a plug-in that’s been recently released, you may be instructed to update to the latest version in order to use it. By regularly and timely updating your site, you will be able to use whichever plug-in you want to without any last-minute hassle.

Why should you notupdate WordPress?

After looking at the benefits listed above, you might be thinking that updating sounds like a pretty good idea. And generally, it is. So, what’s all the hubbub about?

The one disadvantage (and that too is not absolute; rather, it’s a possibility) of updating your website is that your existing plug-ins and themes may cease to work properly.

On WordPress, there are different third-party themes and plug-ins that you can use. If any of these themes or plug-ins does not keep up with the WP updates, it may get slow and sluggish, or it may even cease to work. If everything was owned and managed by WordPress, this would not be an issue since they would make sure that the update covered everything on the platform.

When is it feasible to not update WordPress?

The only time that you can consider not immediately upgrading your website is when the update doesn’t come with a security fix. If there is no security fix, then it means that the security-related aspects of both versions (new and old) are the same. You could still be missing out on the newer features but your website will not be in any immediate danger.

As mentioned above, one of the main issues that users can face with updates is the possibility of their current theme failing to work properly afterwards. Hence, if there is no security fix in the update, users can easily back-up their website content and make note of their current theme layout. Afterwards, they can go for the upgrade and if their theme gives them trouble, they can smoothly switch over to another one since they will have taken the precautions and necessary steps beforehand.

This is one way of doing things, and it’s one of the reasons why anyone would want or need to stay on a previous version. The other way of making sure that your theme/plug-in doesn’t give you trouble after the update is to wait for the publishers to release a compatible and updated version, and thereafter pressing the update button.

Updating WordPress – The process and precautions

Image is taken from this source

Here are some precautions that you should take before updating your WordPress website.

Back-up your data

The first thing you need to do is back-up all your data. This essentially involves your files and database. Performing the update without taking this step is unwise and inadvisable. Your existing data can get overwritten or erased etc.

Secondly, take note of any modifications or changes that you’ve made to the source files. The files pertaining to the theme and plug-ins (etc.) will get overwritten and you will need to make those changes again. You can create a file for your convenience, which indicates what changes have to be made and where they have to be specifically implemented.

Enable the Maintenance mode

This is also an important step that you should take. Before updating your site, you should get the ‘Maintenance Mode’ plug-in. This plug-in essentially shows your visitors a maintenance screen instead of the actual site. If there are any errors or issues in the site that occur during the update, the visitors won’t have to see or deal with them.

There is a lot more to the upgrading process than just these steps. But then again, this post mainly dealt with the question of ‘should you do it?’ For the actual up-gradation, you can refer to a more specific tutorial or you can hire a professional to take care of it for you.

Conclusion: Updating WordPress – Should you press the button?

So, now, let us come back to our original question. Should you update your WordPress site or not?

If the update has a security patch included, then you should go for it quickly. Since in this case, the matter is about security, doing the update is worth it, even if you have to face some issues afterwards. These issues can, presumably, be fixed when the theme/plug-in publisher releases an updated version.

If there is no security fix, then you can put off the update for some time. But, you should keep in mind that even if you skip out on one update, chances are that the security fixes will be in the next one…which basically means that you will have to do it anyway.

Here at Blogs Nest, we cover various topics related to technology. We've recently wrote an article about semantic SEO that can be very helpful if you are a webmaster looking to create and optimize your website. Be sure to check it out.