PHP is one of the most popular scripting languages that is most commonly used by many web developers today.
To date, the World Wide Web Technology Surveys (W3Techs) have seen that PHP is used by over 78% of all the websites that use a server-side programming language. This means that for almost every 8 out of 10 websites you visit, PHP plays a very vital role. In addition, this scripting language also plays an important role in all websites using a WordPress content management system (CMS).
This general-purpose language not only is responsible for adding functionality to web pages but also for applying Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) to websites. However, as with any piece of software, PHP has a release life cycle it has to adhere to in order to make improvements. In order for PHP to maximize its functions, constantly updating your PHP version is very important. If you still have never tried updating your PHP version, we recommend considering to do so by checking out some of the benefits it can provide your website once it has been updated:
Security
By updating your PHP version, you will be able to ensure that your website is running on a version that is fully supported and regularly updated for security threats. Some of the threats that may affect your website include:
- DoS
- Code execution
- Overflow
- Memory corruption
- XSS
- Directory traversal
- Information traversal
- Retrieval
Keep in mind, numerous vulnerabilities inherent to older PHP versions become exposed, so updating constantly is important.
Support
Another reason why you need to update your PHP version is the support that it provides your website. Remember, the older your PHP version is, the more prone it is to threats, therefore increasing the chances of your site having issues. Not only that, developers who are working on your website project may encounter big problems if you have an outdated website.
Having a supported PHP version ensures that your websites are regularly monitored and improved.
Better opportunities for Web Developers
Most website developers prefer to work on newer versions of PHP simply due to the fact that there have been so many new features added between PHP 5.2 and PHP 7.4. Some of the new features include:
- Combined comparison operator
- Null coalesce operator
- New type hinting
- Anonymous classes
- Nullable types
- Iterable and void returns
- Multi-catch exception handling
- Keys usable in lists
- More negative string offsets
- Number operators and malformed numbers
- HTTP/2 server push
- Preloading
- Spread operator in array expression
- Arrow functions 2.0 (short closures)
- Null coalescing assignment operator
- Typed properties 2.0
- Weak references
- Covariant returns and contravariant parameters
- New custom object serialization mechanism
In Summary: The Importance of upgrading your PHP versions
Overall, upgrading your PHP to the latest version is a great way to ensure the security of your website. Not to mention, newer versions of this programming language will not only offer performance improvements, but also help with compatibility issues and overall performance as well.
Don’t know where to begin? No idea on how to update the PHP version of your website? Get help from the industry experts.
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