PHP 7 launched in December 2015 is the most significant server-side software in today’s world, which is powering 82% of the internet.
The latest version of WordPress 5.2 supports the PHP version. Previously, WordPress versions below 5 never supported PHP; however, Bebo, Betty & Jaco versions of WordPress support PHP 7 and higher versions.
“Maybe you don’t know it, but if your site is on WordPress, then it is running on PHP.”
In fact, you may not even know what PHP is? Which of its version does your website use? Additionally, which WordPress PHP version is currently being used by you?
If you are really interested in knowing all these things, then I would say you did come on to the right webpage. Since PHP runs on the backend of your WordPress website, it actually helps in building fully functional websites without doing any changes in the code.
You only need to arrange, customize, and rearrange themes, plugins, etc. to make a WordPress Website. This is because the WordPress website added themes and plugins upon installation run PHP script language in the background.
Furthermore, this gives your site a look and provides intuitive website functions whether you have any technical knowledge or not.
“PHP is the most popular server-side script language that is used today.”
What Is PHP 7?
PHP 7 is a PHP engine carrying a plethora of new features, performance improvements, and security enhancements.
PHP version 5 was released in 2004 which further developed its multiple iterations. To put more light respectively, the first iteration of PHP 5, i.e., 5.0 was released in 2004, while the last iteration 5.6, was released ten years later in 2014.
Later on, two years down the line, PHP 7 came with the most promising release and best version of PHP up to date.
Today the latest version of PHP – 7.3 is compatible with WordPress most recent version 5.2.
PHP 7 came with a massive truckload of performances, quality scripting codes, and security improvements. All these sincerely backed up the backend of a WordPress website.
Since PHP offers the best environment to make a website backend, WordPress development services in USA are interestingly growing by a substantial difference.
Is Your WordPress Site Ready For PHP 7?
There exist a number of tools and checklists which verifies whether a site is ready for PHP 7 or not. One of those tools is a plugin which is provided by WP Engine. The plugin checks whether the code of your active plugins and themes is compatible with PHP 7 or not!
Some Warning You Must Keep IN Your Mind:
- Even though the plugins and modules are solely written in detecting problems and errors accurately, they aren’t 100% reliable in detecting the real errors and warnings. Even more, if they detect them, they readily not sort out each and every one.
- There may be false positives detected, the plugin doesn’t check whether the code is wrapped in a PHP version check.
- The plugin fails to detect runtime compatibility issues.
Still, I would say that this is an excellent way of testing your website’s compatibility with PHP 7. The plugin to check the compatibility of PHP 7.3 with WordPress’s 5.2 is called PHP compatibility check plugin by WordPress engine.
We now recommend you testing PHP 7.2 extensively on a staging site before doing updates to your live site on PHP 7. In case, if you want help in updating PHP or WordPress versions, then you can Hire certified WordPress developers in the USA.
Why Is PHP Important To WordPress?
Since we have grasped a lot about PHP, its latest versions, and compatibility issues with WordPress, let’s take a step further into the importance of PHP in the WordPress website.
Below are some importance of PHP in WordPress:
- Functionality: Delivers dynamic website pages to the site visitors
- Ease of use: Easy for beginners, simple to learn and edit
- Control: Gains maximum control over your website by using only a few lines of codes.
- Cost-efficient: PHP is open-source and free to use
- Very Popular: most quality WordPress hosting providers will have current versions available
- Scalable: PHP is reliable and helps you in growing more website pages
- Community-Based: Popularity of PHP lends it more community support in case of WordPress
- Versatile: PHP works with Windows, macOS, Linux, or UNIX. Also, compatible with the mobile platform
- Fast: Uses its own memory, saving on your server resources and increasing page speeds
- Secure: Built-in security layers help protect against viruses and threats
In the end, PHP and its latest version PHP 7.3 is being used for a long time and is trusted by the most website developers in both their personal and professional projects.
Moreover, as the PHP versions continue to improve themselves rapidly, it seems more apparent that the WordPress users must take advantage of everything offered by the newest PHP version compatible with WordPress.
All the above mentioned are the sole reasons why the top WordPress development agency in USA prefers to use PHP.
Additional Features Of PHP 7.3 Version
In late 2015, when PHP 7 was released, its further iterations were touted as being the best version with a new Zend Engine which is open-source scripting engine to execute PHP files.
A few features of PHP 7.3 are as follows:
- Abstract Syntax Tree
- Zero Cost Assets
- Consistent 64-bit support
- Anonymous Classes
- Improved Exception hierarchy
- Removal of old and unsupported SAPIs and extensions
If you are planning to use WordPress Migration Services and WordPress Maintenance Services, the this much of PHP 7 information is not enough at all. You need to know a little bit more about the PHP features.
Main Features of PHP 7
Launched as the most optimized PHP version to date, PHP 7 offers WordPress website owners 5 major features:
- Optimal Speed
- Type Declarations
- Error Handling
- Spaceship Operator
- CSPRNG Functions
In the end, PHP is and always will play a crucial part of your WordPress website in spite if you now it or not! Not only the PHP run your website properly, but it also helps HTML display as you want it to while ensuring the fast loading speeds.
Additionally, it efficiently builds the overall site performance from the benefits of a higher PHP version. For WordPress to run a website, it is essential that you always use the highest PHP version.
Thus, never opt for a PHP version less than 7.0 while being on a WordPress above 5.0!
