WordPress 5.2 is now available in Ecenica App Installer and our WordPress Hosting for 1-click installs and auto-updates. New changes include Site Health tool, a minimum PHP requirement and PHP Error Protection.
The latest version of WordPress, 5.2 is now available with our UK optimised Business WordPress Hosting plans and . We take a look at the new headline features.
Site Health Check
Found at Tools > Site Health the new tool provides two pages of information to help you debug and fix critical issues with your site.
Site Health checks a number of performance and security items:
Performance
- WordPress version up to date
- PHP Version up to date
- Up to date SQL server
- Required and recommended PHP modules are installed
- UTF8MB4 is supported
- Scheduled events are running
- HTTP requests working
- REST API available
- Can perform loopback requests
Security
- Plugins up to date
- Themes up to date and only active themes installed
- HTTPS connection
- Debug mode off
- Can communicate with WordPress.org
- Background updates are working
At Ecenica it’s easy to score 100% on your WordPress site health. Our WordPress Hosting plans provide the latest PHP 7.3, free SSLs and the required and recommended PHP modules and up to date SQL server your WordPress site needs to score 100%.
Minimum PHP version 5.6.
Starting with WordPress 5.2 there is now a minimum PHP version requirement of PHP 5.6.20.
If you’re running less than PHP 5.6 then you won’t be able to install or update to WordPress 5.2 and you’ll see an error:
WordPress users running outdated versions of PHP will see a warning in Site Health prompting you to upgrade your PHP version:
We at Ecenica always recommend running the latest PHP versions. If you’re running an older version of PHP you can change your Ecenica PHP version here.
PHP Error Protection
WordPress 5.2 now includes ‘PHP Error Protection’. When a fatal error occurs on your WordPress site due to a plugin or theme the new PHP Error Protection means WordPress will pause the offending theme or plugin so you can still log into your WordPress Dashboard and fix the problem.
If your site runs into an issue you’ll see the following message on the front end:
The PHP Error Protection is a great feature and will help reduce the so-called ‘white screen of death’ errors which can sometimes be tricky to troubleshoot and resolve in WordPress.
And many more improvements
A full list of the changes in the update is available via an accompanying release note.
How do I update?
If you have WordPress updates enabled on your Ecenica web hosting package then the good news is your WordPress websites have most likely updated to the new version already.
Manually updating WordPress is very easy. Just log in to your WordPress Dashboard, click Updates > Update Now. Our web hosting plans include daily backups, but we always recommend making another quick backup using the cPanel backup wizard before making changes to your site.
Interested in migrating your site to faster WordPress Hosting?
Join hundreds of business and upgrade to our range of high-performance WordPress Hosting plans with expert WordPress support. We’d love to help you and your business today.