WordPress updates are relatively simple changes in the WordPress core code that run WordPress operation. Many plugins and theme upgrades are sometimes released, so you should know that themes and plugins have to also be upgraded too. Some WordPress updates come out automatically by the WordPress administration area while others need you to go through a series of steps to update. Read on for some WordPress update tips.
WordPress Dashboard If your WordPress updates come from the WordPress admin dashboard, you can just go to the dashboard and click on ‘Updates’. You can see your updates summary, description and severity of each update. You can also see if you still have any plugins or themes installed. If so, you will need to remove them and re-install them.
WordPress Search Engine While WordPress may be down, it does not mean that it will become unavailable to your readers. WordPress engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing regularly crawl the web. Therefore, if WordPress is down, you may not be listed in their search results. WordPress updates may also become available for your keywords if your blog becomes available again. In addition, any updates made by third parties may also become available to your readers if you have not yet applied those updates.
WordPress Administration A new feature in WordPress 4.0 is the WordPress Administration Interface, which is very similar to the previous administration consoles from WordPress 3.0. The WordPress administration interface includes a “What’s New” page that lists all the new features of WordPress. You can also go to this page from within a WordPress theme to see if you already have any plugins or themes that are affected by the latest WordPress update.
WordPress Plugins is software that allow WordPress users to extend the functionality of their websites. Many plugins are written in PHP, and they are hosted on either the WordPress site or a WordPress repository. These plugins make WordPress easier to use, but if you don’t have any recent core updates, then you may have to re-download all your plugins. If your plugins are used frequently, re-downloading them every time WordPress updates will be detrimental to your website’s performance.
WordPress Database An upgrade to WordPress will usually result in changes to your WordPress database tables. Some of the changes could be minor, while others could be very drastic, such as removing certain plugins or options from the admin dashboard. WordPress updates will also affect any plugins that are installed on your website, especially if you used them to install WordPress before the upgrade. It is best to backup your WordPress database before making any changes to it. You can do a search for “WordPress database backups” on your WordPress website to locate a WordPress site that offers a free WordPress database backup. You will need to provide your WordPress login and password in order to access your WordPress database.
WordPress Themes The WordPress theme system is one of the most important parts of WordPress. The WordPress code contains all of the HTML codes that make up a WordPress theme. These “Themes” change with the times, becoming more sophisticated and interactive as WordPress gains in popularity. When WordPress updates its core software, all WordPress themes will have to adapt, resulting in lost days of work and money spent re-designing the WordPress admin dashboard.
In addition to WordPress themes, WordPress plugins are also becoming increasingly popular among WordPress users. A WordPress plugin is a program that automatically creates WordPress pages and posts based on keywords or phrases that are entered into a WordPress Create-On WP page. Many WordPress users may not want to spend the time learning how to build a WordPress theme, and therefore WordPress plugins offer them a way to get a WordPress theme just the way they want it. However, a WordPress theme update could mean a new WordPress plugin needs to be developed. In addition, WordPress themes rely heavily on the WordPress database, which can also become outdated due to WordPress updates. WordPress users could also find themselves having to learn a new database transaction technique in order to work with the latest version of WordPress.
