WordPress 6.3 to Drop Support for PHP 5 – WP Tavern

WordPress is formally dropping support for PHP 5 within the upcoming 6.3 launch, which is predicted on August 8. WordPress’ minimum supported version has sat at PHP 5.6.20 since 2019, however will likely be up to date to 7.0.0 within the subsequent launch. The really helpful PHP model will keep the identical at 7.4+.

“The minimal supported model was final adjusted in WordPress 5.2 in 2019, and since then utilization of PHP 5.6 has dropped to three.9% of monitored WordPress installations as of July 2023,” WordPress core developer John Blackbourn mentioned.

“There’s no concrete utilization proportion {that a} PHP model should fall under earlier than assist in WordPress is dropped, however traditionally the undertaking maintainers have used 5% because the baseline. Now that utilization of PHP 5.6 is effectively under that at 3.9% and dropping by round 0.1% each few weeks, plans to extend the minimal supported PHP model can transfer ahead.”

Blackbourn additionally emphasised that WordPress’ assist for PHP 8.0, 8.1, and eight.2 is “excellent” and contributors might quickly act on a proposal for the criteria that would enable them to remove the “beta” support label on new PHP variations. Practically 26% of WordPress customers are already operating websites on PHP 8.0+.

Previous to this minimal required model enhance, some hosts had even taken issues into their very own arms in urging customers to get on newer variations of PHP. Dreamhost charges additional fees for websites that require extended support for PHP 7.4 and older. IONOS and Strato have related insurance policies.

The choice to bump the minimal supported model is going on after a prolonged seven-month lengthy discussion, which surprisingly drew a little resistance. Though websites that stay on PHP 5.6 can’t improve past WordPress 6.2, they’ll nonetheless obtain safety updates, because the undertaking presently backports them to versions 4.1+. The bump to 7.0.0 for the minimal supported model could have many advantages for the WordPress ecosystem of themes and plugins, will considerably scale back reminiscence utilization for upgraded web sites, and supply higher safety and enhancements to core tooling.

“There are not any plans to bump the minimal supported PHP model on a schedule,” Blackbourn mentioned. “The core crew will proceed to watch utilization of PHP variations and work with the internet hosting crew to encourage customers and internet hosting firms to improve their variations of PHP as swiftly as attainable. The 5% utilization baseline will proceed for use for the foreseeable future.”