WP Version Update

[casionmark]

Hi - I am currently running version 4.9.3 of WP. I see I can update to 4.9.5. If I hit the 'update' button will the process be smooth or should I be prepared for site issues?

Thanks,
Mark

[theGman]

Hi - I am currently running version 4.9.3 of WP. I see I can update to 4.9.5. If I hit the 'update' button will the process be smooth or should I be prepared for site issues?

Thanks,
Mark

Mark that is a question only you and your hosting company can answer. Make a backup and take the plunge - it's always wise to keep your WP version updated.

[allaboutthebets]

I've been on 4.9.5 for a while with no issues.

[Cash Bonus]

Mark, I think that there will always be issues whenever you make any updates. That's why they've always got new updates rolling out all of the time. I agree with allaboutthebets. WP Version 4.9.5 has been running smoothly so far with no problem.

I would definitely make the update. If you're not satisfied with the new release, I'm sure you can always just do a rollback, but always remember to back-up your work regularly.

[Strider1973]

Personally, I'm very reluctant to performing updates.
In a perfect world, you'd always update WP, Plugins and the Theme. BUT: You'd also check the functionality of your website after an update in any of the three categories (WP, Plugins, Themes).

Practically, if you have a couple of websites, this is not doable. So either you update and hope everything still works fine, or you don't update and hope everything will stay fine.

Over the past years, I had a few updates that cost me money that I didn't discover instantly (lead generation form emails not being sent anymore, link plugins not working anymore, ...) plus design errors which took a lot of time to fix. It seems to me that it has gotten better in the past years, so there are a few plugins that I usually update, but I usually have old WP versions that I only update when absolutely necessary (for example because a new plugin doesn't work on that old WP version).

[nwalker]

Do a backup before any updates.

Have a list of regression tests you perform after any update is applied.

For Critical Security Updates, do the same, but just faster, don't skip on backups or testing.

No doing updates on a regular basis is just storing up trouble for yourself in the future.

Plan non critical updates, so you do them once a month for example. Read the release notes to see what's changed, it will enable you to batch changes together which will limit the number of tests you do.

Don't skip on the testing, test everything, you don't know what would break, even if someone told you it won't.

If there is one thing you can count on something will break at some point.

Oh and one last thing, if your Live site is your livelihood, then you should have a development or testing copy where you try it all out first.

30 yrs experience in IT, I lived with this everyday and know the cost you pay if you don't do it.

[casionmark]

Ok - clearly something that needs to be done and taken seriously . Will address this. Thanks for advice.

[pokeraussie]

It can be important to update for security reasons. Always take a backup first.

[universal4]

Yes updates are important
As other have said, backups are even MORE important

The "LEAST" amount of plugins you use, the less problems there will be with updates.

Rick
Universal4

[DaftDog]

I use 18 plugins on my one WordPress site and rarely experience any trouble with WP updates. Of course backups are critical and I backup regularly (I even have a plugin for that ).

[xecutable]

If you are redundant to updates you are asking for trouble. Plenty minor and major exploits are patched if not with every, with every other update. A hard file back up, with a db backup and you are pretty good to go. Nobody can mess things up like I do, and even I manage to fix them.

[allaboutthebets]

.6 has been released overnight by looks of it. Have updated with no issues