There has been some controversy surrounding the inclusion of automatic updates in WordPress 3.7. The biggest question for site owners has been: What if the updates break my site?
Well, Andrew Nacin and the WordPress.org team have put together a plugin called Background Update Tester that tests your site for this possibility.
After you install the plugin, you can go to Dashboard -> Update Tester and a test will automatically be run, checking your site for its computability with 3.7 updates.
It will test the largest blocks to automatic updates like version control, secure communication with WordPress.org, FTP credentials, and that your WordPress files are readable.
Basically, it provides a test for each crucial step of compatibility. For each of these, you’ll either get a PASS or FAIL message. Here’s what it will look like if you passed all the tests.
If you fail any of the categories, of course, it’s worth taking another look at your site before you enable updates.
The WordPress core team has worked very hard to ensure that updates will not break core functionality, themes or plugins. That means most of you won’t have a problem, or even notice a change.
Personally, I think it’s a giant step forward for the software and security. But, if you’re a bit hesitant at making the leap, use the Background Update Tester, and you can update with peace of mind.
Jay Hoffmann is a WordPress developer hailing from NYC. In the strictest sense of the word, he is a WordPress enthusiast with an eye for front-end development and design. He has been working with WordPress since 2006 and currently works for a popular children’s media company.
This year, Jay started Tidy Repo, a curated list of the best and most reliable plugins from around the web.
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