PHP is a general-purpose programming language originally designed for web development. It is used worldwide to provide websites with unique features, similar to Javascript. Developers announced that as of 1st December 2019 support for PHP 7.1 expired, so what does this mean for users?
When should you upgrade?
Some website hosts will not allow you to stay on PHP 7.1, others will, for the time being, but you are not guaranteed any security and attackers could easily exploit your site, so it is best not to rely on version 7.1 and get your site switched over as soon as possible. By upgrading, you can also experience a significant increase in site speed!
What to do
You could upgrade to PHP 7.2, however PHP 7.3 & PHP 7.4 have now been released, so ideally you would update to 7.4. You can find out which version to switch to in your hosting provider’s control centre. Migrating to new versions of PHP can be a complex process, even migrating from version 7.1 to 7.2 means a series of incompatible changes that require testing.
When will the new versions expire?
PHP versions follow a particular pattern when it comes to their releases and end of life. Each PHP version follows a three-year plan. Every year, around December, a new version is released. This version is supported for two years, followed by 12 months of security support. After this, the version reaches its end of life, and all users are asked to switch to a newer version.
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