Bisend has just added support for PHP 7.1. We are completely confident that WordPress works perfectly with PHP 7.1 so that our customers don’t need to worry about compatibility issues when upgrading from existing PHP version to PHP 7.1.
As you know, while WordPress works with PHP 5.2.4+, it is strongly recommended to build a WordPress website with PHP version 7 or greater. As an improved version of PHP 7, WordPress on PHP 7.1 delivers much better experience in terms of performance and speed.
Performance Improvements With PHP 7.1
In the comparison with PHP 5.x series, most of the improvements with PHP 7 (including PHP 7.1.x) are related to the Zend Engine.
Initially launched in 1999, the Zend Engine was introduced with PHP 4 release as an open-source execution engine written in C that interprets the PHP language. It was then improved to Zend Engine II in the classical PHP 5.x series, along with an enhanced functionality of the initial engine, plus an extensible object model and a significant performance enhancement to the language.
In the name of PHPNG (next generation), the new version of engine brings PHP 7 with many new features, like:
Besides inheriting all the above improvements with PHP 7, PHP 7.1 is exclusively highlighted in:
· New optimization framework based on SSA
· Global PHP bytecode optimization on basis of type reference
· Highly specialized VM opcode handlers
Move Your WordPress Site To PHP 7.1
In order to keep your WordPress site running smoothly, you’re recommended to change or upgrade the existing PHP version it’s running after all PHP 7.1 is soon becoming a minimum requirements for self-hosted WordPress sites.
When to consider upgrading WordPress to PHP 7.1?
If you’re running a WordPress site on your server, you obviously already have PHP installed. So, is it still necessary to upgrade to PHP 7.1 when everything seems to be running fine?
Yes, of course, especially when you face these issues:
· Your plugins and scripts are have compatibility problems with your existing PHP version
· PHP 7.1 becomes the minimum requirements to run WordPress
· There is security holes with the existing PHP version while the upgrade comes with a patch
· You want to have a faster and more stable PHP version
All above are valid reasons why you should update the version PHP on your server.
How to upgrade to PHP 7.1 using Plesk Onyx?
It is true that you can have the latest PHP 7.1 updated for your WordPress site manually. But it seems like more complicated when compared to the situation that you have access to a handy control panel, for instance, Plesk Onyx, to help you do it automatically.
Plesk Onyx currently has announced the support for PHP 7.1.11, to update it, you need:
1. Log into your Plesk Onyx and browse your domain. In this example, I’ll update the version of PHP used for my dwywjudy.xyz domain.
2. Go to Websites & Domains > Hosting Settings. Then you can switch your domain onto the latest PHP 7.1.11 by selecting from the drop-down menu of PHP Support section.
3. Once it’s been done, Apply it and click on OK button to finish the process.
By the way, the latest version of PHP are available in all our PHP hosting, and WordPress hosting already.
However, you may face possible side effects after upgrading…
It’s not all sunshine when you make the switch. Some of your themes, plugins and scripts may be incompatible with the latest PHP 7.1.11 version. If it is the case, your WordPress site could be partially or completely ruined.
Every time a PHP version updates, it brings on improvements, fixes, and security patches, in addition to structures to code, which changes can obsolete certain parts of older versions.
While this may not always happen, you’d better review the changes in the PHP 7.1 version and manually check your WordPress site for possible pain points, then switch PHP version for your WordPress site from a cloned live site and test it in staging environments just in case.
