Insights on why you should update your WordPress plugins
WordPress can be considered as the most sturdy content management system (CMS) which has gained popularity among website developers in recent times. The primary advantage of WordPress could be observed in its interactive and responsive interface for an administration that can be used for the management of website content. The basic idea behind the development of WordPress was to serve the role of blogging software that has advanced prominently to accomplish the identity of being the most popular and commonly used CMS all over the world by bloggers as well as businesses.
Many people are often doubtful whether or not to install updates for the new themes and plugins for WordPress. However, the confusion should not last long as it may create problems at later stages. It is a clear fact that WordPress is software just like operating systems, smartphone applications, and system applications. So, when operating systems and applications can be updated then why WordPress should be an exception? Let us explore some of the reasons for which WordPress plugins should be updated regularly. Make sure to learn about WordPress and its multiple benefits before you build your site.
Security is the foremost priority
First of all, updates of WordPress plugins can provide improved security through patching of vulnerabilities alongside improving resilience towards attacks. Hackers always wait for release notes, and whenever they find scope for vulnerabilities, they immediately turn to exploitation.
Therefore, it is essential to focus on updating plugins as soon as they are released to limit the time for hackers to see release notes and find out the weak spots on your site. Sources have indicated that around 83% of the WordPress websites that were hacked did not have updates. The primary reasons for which WordPress websites were hacked included outdated versions of plugins and themes in WordPress.
Access to new features
Another potential reason for which WordPress plugins should be updated frequently is identified in the introduction of new features. For example, the WordPress 4.9 presented prolific features such as new gallery widget, options for drafting and revising posts with the necessary implications for scheduling and improved features for installation of themes. The implications of updating WordPress plugins are prominently observed in improving the quality of the website’s aesthetics as well as functionality.
The introduction of new custom WordPress themes and plugins facilitate the necessary support in customization and configuration of websites in simpler approaches. The new Plugin updates also allow the opportunity for improving the responsiveness of the website without having to worry about any unprecedented security bugs and fixes.
Working with different platforms
The necessity of updating WordPress plugins could also be observed clearly in the objectives of improved compatibility with different platforms. The developers at WordPress do not launch new updates simply because they feel like it! The landscape of WordPress keeps evolving continuously and includes many platforms along the way. So, Plugin updates keep WordPress websites accessible on different operating systems and this has been especially helpful for the case of mobile operating systems.
The Disqus commenting system could also be presented as an example of the necessity of WordPress plugins update. This improved the functionality of WordPress websites by including options for commenting on the posts. After all, updates are all about becoming better and there is no reason to delay the updates!