In Dec 2018, WordPress released one of the largest core updates ever with version 5.0 (codename “Bebo”).
In addition to this major update, PHP (the coding language WordPress is built on) underwent a major update after PHP v5.6-7.0 was discontinued in December in an effort to push everyone up to v7.1 and higher. WordPress v5.0 and higher was not only designed with the latest version of PHP in mind, but plugin and theme developers are also now updating their code to be compatible with the new PHP framework.
[*UPDATE: when WordPress 5.2 is released in April 2019, the new minimum supported PHP version will be 5.6.2]
Users on Basic or Managed Hosting plans, and plans that don’t currently support PHP 7.1+ will definitely experience Performance degradation and are highly advised to either upgrade their plan, or to ensure their hosting provider can update their PHP versions to the latest compatible, supported version. In particular we’ve seen tons of security and performance issues with Hostgator, GoDaddy Managed WP Hosting, NameCheap, BlueHost (or any other EIG-owned hosting provider).
Simply put, if you have a WordPress site, you’ll want to ensure you’re running PHP v7.1 or higher.
Excellent PHP v5.6 End of Life Explanation and Breakdown
Another Great Guide to the PHP v5.6 End of Life
62 percent of all Internet sites will run an unsupported PHP version come December
The Official PHP Benchmarks
A recent analysis performed by Kinsta reveals the Performance and Speed benefits of upgrading to PHP 7.1 and higher. Compared to PHP 5.6, PHP 7.1 allows WordPress 5.0+ to run up to 3 times faster.
The performance gains are even more noticeable if you are using WooCommerce.
Here’s How To Check What Version of PHP You’re Using:
Before beginning the steps below, you’ll want to log into your WordPress Admin Dashboard board first.
1) Once logged in, go to WP Dashboard –> Plugins –> Add New.
2) Search the WordPress plugin repository for “WP Server Stats”. Install and Activate.
3) Once installed and activated, navigate to your WP Dashboard and scroll down until you see your new WP Server Stats Dashboard widget. This will reveal a lot of useful insight into your current hosting server, PHP settings and more.
4) In this widget, find the line that reads “PHP Version”. If your PHP version is 5.x – 7.0, you will want to update your PHP version to 7.1 or higher. This is all done through your Hosting cPanel.
* In some instances, you will need to contact your hosting provider to make this update for you.
5) Curious to know if your PHP version is still supported and up-to-date? PHP has a useful End-Of-Life chart which provides useful dates and expected EOL transitions.