I love WordPress. It’s relatively simple, very powerful, and easy for my clients to manage. The one aspect that can get a little hairy is keeping everything updated (which is essential for the security of your site). I typically perform updates twice a month, sometimes more often when there is an urgent security release, and this is the simple process I use to minimize issues.
BONUS PREP STEP: Create a document that details what each plugin on your site does, that way when you update plugins you will know which element(s) of your site you need to test.
Simple WordPress Update Process
- Backup your WordPress files and database and download the files to your computer. BackUpWordPress is one of my favorites for its simplicity. I typically keep one set of backups on my computer at any given time (meaning each time I take a new backup I delete the old one).
- Update the plugins using WordPress’ easy update page. If you have a lot of updates at once or if you are using a plugin that has major significance on your site consider updating just a few plugins at a time.
- Test your site to confirm everything is still functioning as expected. Remember to clear your cache (if necessary) to confirm all changes have gone through.
- Update and test the theme you are using the same way you updated your plugins.
- Finally, perform any updates to the WordPress core and, again, clear your cache and test the site.
That’s it! You should be able to sit back and relax knowing your site is up to date and working beautifully. Should you encounter an issue, you can always reach out to me, or check out Codeable or WP Curve.