The WordPress team released 5.2.3 nine hours ago. Since I’ve set up this site’s WordPress to update automatically, I do not need to update it manually when the new version came. Here’s why keeping WordPress up to date is really important

However, some folks I know used to delay or postpone the update for various reasons. Whatever the reasons (or excuses?) they have, leaving the WordPress out of date is not good.

For e-commerce sites, the owner should do whatever it takes to keep it up to date.

Lack of supports

At some points in the future, the support for your WordPress version will cease to exist. At that point, you have no option but updating to the later version. This usually leaves you with the next problem.

Incompatibilities

There will be piling up incompatibilities to fix. This won’t happen when the webmasters update their WordPress regularly. Sure, there may be small incompatibility on every update. But it’s much easier to fix them earlier.

Security vulnerabilities

Let’s see my case. Nine hours earlier, my WordPress updates from v 5.2.2 to 5.2.3. However, when I looked at the release post for WordPress 5.2.3, there are seven security updates. Not only that, five of them are mentioning about cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

Just imagine if you’re still running WordPress 4.9.3 or older version. Just count how many security updates you missed. At the same time, you’re leaving the same number of your site’s security holes. Not good for any reasons you have.

Bugs

Every software version will have a bug. That’s why the developers will keep releasing updates for that software until they decide to stop supporting it.

If you’re leaving your WordPress out of date, you’ll be leaving those bugs to exist on your site. Though you or your users may not notice it, some crackers may notice it and try to exploit it for their advantages. This means, leaving more security hole on your site.

But, it’s easier said than done

I know. To keep WordPress up-to-date without breaking any customized things can be a full-time job.

I know it because I am a developer myself. I handle various client’s WordPress sites.

Some site’s owners decide to leave their WordPress site out of date because updating to the latest version will break it. However, they don’t have a budget to spare to pay the devs to fix it. It makes sense to me because the site didn’t make any money for them.

However, for their e-commerce sites, they don’t compromise it. They always spare the budgets to maintain WordPress, which including the efforts to keep it up to date.

Verdicts

Keeping your WordPress up to date is important. But sometimes you need to be realistic.

Prioritize the sites that are running e-commerce or the ones that are generating revenues for you first.

For a blog’s site or personal site, it will be a nice-to-have option. If you have efforts to spare, keep it up to date too. Otherwise, you should be fine as long as the WordPress version is not too old.

What do you think?