If you need to update plugins, a theme, WordPress core, or the PHP version on a WordPress site, it is recommended that you test these first in a separate development environment to avoid any update-related errors in the production environment.
Once the updates have been implemented in the development environment, you should check the site’s logs, such as php-error.log and php-slow.log, for any errors. You can also verify the site’s functionality using the wp-test command (which runs the site’s Codeception tests).
Once the updates have been verified to work in the development environment, they can be deployed to the production environment. If necessary, you can also replace the content in the production environment with content from the development environment by following our instructions.
Back Up Site Before Making Changes!
We always recommend backing up your site before performing updates. This way, you can restore the site to the most recent working version if something goes wrong during the update.
Updating the Website in a Staging Environment
For websites hosted by Seravo, you can set up a staging environment (also known as a “shadow” site). It operates completely separately from your public production site, providing a safe environment for testing updates, themes, and plugins. The number of shadow environments you can set up for your site depends on your service plan. To get access to a shadow environment, please contact our customer service. You can read more about using the shadow environment in our help article.
Updating the WordPress Core
You can update the WordPress core from the WordPress dashboard under Dashboard > Updates or by running the command wp core update. A list of WordPress core versions is available on the WordPress.org website.
Updating Plugins and Themes
You can update the site’s plugins and theme in the WordPress dashboard under Dashboard > Updates, or through the individual pages for plugins (/plugins.php) and themes (/themes.php). You can also perform the update using the commands wp plugin update and wp theme update.
If you’re using a paid, licensed plugin or theme, updating it may require license activation or even a separate update package. Check the plugin or theme settings for licensing information and, if necessary, obtain a new license from the plugin or theme developer. Maintaining licenses for paid plugins and themes that require a license is the responsibility of the site developer.
Updating the PHP version
By logging into your WordPress site’s dashboard and going to the Tools > Upkeep tab, you can change your site’s PHP version to the one you want. The same tool also displays the PHP version currently in use. You can also change the version via the command line by editing the file /data/wordpress/nginx/php.conf, after which you’ll need to restart the site’s Nginx service using the command wp-restart-nginx. You can read more about updating the PHP version in our help article.
Seravo's Automatic Tested Updates
Our service includes tested automatic updates for WordPress plugins and themes, as well as minor updates to the WordPress core. Tested automatic updates mean that our system first runs various tests to ensure the updates will be successful. If these tests are successful, the updates are applied. However, updates are canceled if the tests indicate, for example, that the site’s layout is at risk of breaking. We do not force updates onto the site, instead we prioritize the site’s functionality over them.
Critical WordPress security updates are always applied manually, bypassing the automated updates that have already been tested. Security updates are also applied to sites where our automated updates have been disabled.
Major WordPress core updates and PHP updates, on the other hand, are not included in the automatic update process, as they always carry a significant risk of breaking the site’s functionality.