[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.

[WordPress Trac]

#33381: Strategize the updating of minimum PHP version.
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 Reporter:  alexander.rohmann                    |       Owner:  jorbin
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal                               |   Milestone:  Awaiting
Component:  General                              |  Review
 Severity:  normal                               |     Version:
 Keywords:  needs-codex dev-feedback 2nd-        |  Resolution:
  opinion                                        |     Focuses:
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Comment (by Monarobase):

 I agree that we should find a solution in between forcing the user to
 upgrade PHP and leaving users with old PHP versions.

 1) As WordPress has no idea if old PHP versions are patched, it should
 presume that they aren't, that they are the default PHP versions. I know
 of a lot of small hosts who provide old non-maintained versions that
 aren't patched.
 2) In our experience most users don't know that their PHP version is old.
 We install new accounts with the latest stable version of PHP and then
 leave it to users to change their PHP version (simple drop-down list to
 select their version).

 I fully understand this issue of not wanting to put users in a situation
 of not knowing what to do, and believe that depending on usage statistics
 isn't a bad method.

 I, however, also believe that if we want to be able to get rid of very old
 versions of PHP (PHP 5.4 is insecure unless patched),  WordPress needs to
 inform users about this issue.

 I suggest adding to WordPress Core a Warning message for any PHP version
 that is no longer maintained. Something like :

 Warning : You are using an old version of PHP that might not be secure.
 WordPress recommends using PHP 5.5, 5.6 or 7.0 for your site to be secure
 and load pages faster. Contact your web host to find out how to upgrade to
 a newer version of PHP.

 As this message wouldn't harm how WordPress functions, it should be added
 automatically as soon as a version of PHP is no longer maintained by PHP.

 I believe this message would reduce the number of WordPress sites that use
 old PHP versions.

 The statistics used to determine when a PHP version support can be dropped
 should only be based on WordPress sites that are using a maintained
 version of WordPress as users who never update WordPress won't be
 concerned by PHP version updates.

 I strongly believe that the WordPress community could benefit from
 developers who currently refuse to work with very old versions of PHP.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/33381#comment:78>
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