In the world of web development, PHP is at the heart of many websites—especially WordPress, custom sites, and more. But PHP isn’t static. When versions reach end-of-life (EOL) or introduce breaking changes, websites that don’t keep up risk serious issues: fatal errors, white screens, or broken functionality.
In this blog, we’ll explain:
- How PHP support works & when versions “break”
- Examples of breaking changes
- What happens if you don’t upgrade
- How to prepare and mitigate risks
1. How PHP Support & End-of-Life Works
PHP versions go through lifecycles: active support, security-only support, then EOL (no support).
- For example, PHP 8.3 is under active support until December 2025.
- PHP 8.2 is already in “security fixes only” mode, meaning no new features, only patches for critical vulnerabilities.
- Versions older than that (like PHP 7.4 or 8.0) are fully unsupported and may cause security risks or compatibility breaks.
Because of that lifecycle, hosts and frameworks start raising their required minimum PHP versions. For example, AWS SDK for PHP is dropping support for PHP 8.0 and earlier starting January 13, 2025.
2. What “Breaking Changes” Mean in Practice
When PHP introduces a new major version (e.g. 8.x to 9.0, or 7.x to 8.x), it sometimes changes or removes features that existing code depends on. If your site uses deprecated or removed features, it may break.
Some examples:
- In PHP 8.0, certain comparisons changed. For instance, 0 == “foo” now is false, whereas earlier versions might have coerced the string to 0 and returned true.
- Functions or behaviors marked deprecated in earlier versions might be removed entirely.
- Code that relies on loose typing or implicit conversions may fail under strict new rules.
One real-world example: in PHP 8.0, count() now throws an exception when passed null instead of returning 0 or false. A site that did count($variable) without checking before might crash.
3. The Risk of Not Upgrading
If you continue running your site on an old PHP version:
- Security vulnerabilities will increase (no patches).
- Plugins, libraries, or dependencies may stop supporting older PHP versions.
- Site features may break unexpectedly after a server-level update or host upgrade.
- Performance suffers — newer PHP versions bring optimizations and better execution speed.
In short, what works today may fail tomorrow — and that’s costly for clients and users.
4. How to Prepare & Mitigate the Risk
a. Audit Your Current PHP Version & Dependencies
- Use phpinfo() or your hosting control panel to see your PHP version.
- See which parts of your code or plugins raise deprecation notices under E_ALL error reporting.
- Identify third-party packages or plugins that may not support newer PHP versions.
b. Test on a Staging Environment
Clone your site into a test/staging server, switch PHP versions there, and address errors before pushing live.
c. Update Code & Replace Deprecated Features
Refactor or replace functions, remove old patterns, and follow migration guides. PHP provides migration manuals.
d. Update Dependencies & Plugins
Ensure plugins, frameworks, and extensions are compatible with newer PHP versions.
e. Update the Live Site in Off-Peak Times
After testing, switch the live environment during low-traffic hours so you can rollback quickly if something breaks.
External Reference
For a formal list of what’s supported and when PHP versions reach EOL, see the official PHP supported versions page.
Final Thoughts
PHP version changes are inevitable. When your site uses outdated or deprecated features, you risk breakage, security holes, or sudden failures. Upgrading proactively — testing, refactoring, and aligning with current PHP versions — protects your site’s integrity.
If you’d like help auditing your site, testing a PHP upgrade, or migrating your code safely — reach out to us at Empire Creative Marketing. We help ensure your online presence stays powerful, secure, and future-ready.
