What does a properly conducted plugin update look like?

Plugins are an integral part of any website, adding new features, improving performance, and enhancing site security. Regular plugin updates are crucial for keeping your website in excellent condition, yet many people neglect this aspect, which can lead to serious problems.

In this article, we discuss why updating plugins is important, what steps to take before updating, how to perform a manual update, and why automatic updates are not always the best solution. Additionally, we outline what to do after the update is complete and how to proceed if an update fails. This comprehensive guide will help you manage plugin updates safely and effectively, ensuring that your website always operates at peak performance and security.

Why are plugin updates important?

Updating plugins is important for several key reasons:

• Security: Older versions of plugins may contain security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. Updates often include security patches that protect your site from attacks.
• Improved functionality: New versions of plugins often introduce new features and improvements that can enhance your website’s performance and capabilities.
• Compatibility: Plugins need to be compatible with the latest versions of content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. Updates ensure that plugins will function correctly with the newest software.
• Bug fixes: Updates often include fixes for bugs found in previous versions, which improves the stability and performance of the plugins.
• Performance optimization: Plugin developers may introduce changes that enhance the speed and efficiency of a plugin, which can positively impact your site’s loading time and overall user experience.

Before the update

Create a backup of your site

1. Select a backup tool: You can use built-in backup plugins like All-in-One WP Migration or Backup to create backups.
2. Create a backup: Ensure that the backup covers both your site files and the database. If you are using a backup plugin, follow its instructions to create a full backup.
3. Store the backup safely: Keep the backup in a secure location, preferably on an external hard drive, in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), or on another server.

If you don’t know how to create a site backup, check out our article on this topic:

Effective backup of your WordPress – how to do it?

Hacker attacks, deleted data, or perhaps a server failure? A backup is the guarantee that you can restore all the data of your WordPress website at any time.

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Verify compatibility

1. Check plugin requirements: Before updating, read the documentation for the new version to see if there are any changes that might affect compatibility with your site.
2. Verify compatibility with your theme and other plugins: Make sure that the new version of the plugin is compatible with your theme and other installed plugins. You can do this by checking forums or using compatibility testing tools.

Update process

Manual update

1. Log in to the admin panel: Log into your CMS (e.g., WordPress) and go to the admin dashboard.
2. Go to the plugins section: In WordPress, navigate to “Plugins” → “Installed Plugins”.
3. Check for available updates: You will see a list of all installed plugins. If any plugin requires an update, you will see a notification indicating that a new version is available.
4. Perform the update: Click the “Update Now” button next to the plugin you want to update. Wait until the update process completes. The plugin will be automatically deactivated and then reactivated once the update is finished.

Automatic updates

Automatic plugin updates are not generally recommended because they can lead to compatibility issues with other plugins, your theme, or the CMS. They may also cause unexpected errors that are difficult to quickly identify and fix. The lack of control over the timing of updates may result in website downtime at inopportune moments.

What to do after updating a plugin?

Verify site functionality

After updating a plugin, thoroughly review your website. Check that all pages load correctly and that all functions work as expected. Make sure key elements such as forms, shopping carts, login systems, and other interactive components are functioning properly. Also, test your site on various devices and browsers to ensure there are no compatibility issues.

Conduct performance tests

Next, run performance tests on your site to check whether the plugin update has negatively affected its speed. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to evaluate page loading times and overall performance. Compare these results with previous benchmarks to see if any changes occurred. If you notice a drop in performance, consider rolling back the update or contacting the plugin developers for support and solutions.

What if the update fails?

Restore the backup

If the plugin update causes issues or your site stops working properly, the first step is to restore your backup. With a backup created earlier, you can quickly revert your site to its state before the update. Follow the instructions provided by your backup tool to restore both the site files and the database. Ensure everything functions correctly after restoration.

Contact a specialist

If restoring the backup does not resolve the problem or if you are unable to identify and fix the issue yourself, contact a specialist. A professional can help diagnose the problem, fix errors, and advise you on how to avoid similar issues in the future. In some cases, they may also help find an alternative plugin that meets your needs without causing issues.

Summary

Regular and mindful updating of plugins, taking into account all preparatory steps and post-update tests, minimizes the risk of technical issues.

Always create backups before each update and test changes thoroughly. Although automatic updates may seem convenient, manual management of the update process provides greater control and security. In case of any issues after an update, promptly restoring a backup and contacting a specialist can save your website from prolonged downtime.

By following these recommendations, you can enjoy a stable, secure, and efficient website that not only meets but exceeds your users’ expectations.