PHP 7.4 deprecated

Unnamed User

• January 26, 2024 13:18

Hi,

Just got notice that PHP 7.4 is deprecated on our webservers. Trying to upgrade with multiphp but the latest one installed is 7.4. I understand that we can install new packages which are 8.0-8.3 through easyapache, will there be any issues with our websites if we go straight to 8.3? Or is there anything else we need to look into first of all before we upgrade?

Ideally, we don't want any downtime with the websites (or minimise as much downtime as possible).

We are running cPanel 110 with CloudLinux 7.9

Thanks,

• 

  cPRex Jurassic Moderator

  • January 26, 2024 13:48

  Hey there!  Unfortunately it's impossible to say if there will be issues with the website code.  The only way to know for sure is to make the change and then test out the sites.

  If they are CMS tools such as WordPress it is unlikely you will run into problems.

  0
• 

  ffeingol

  • January 26, 2024 17:42

  As long as you don't change the default version of PHP, you're just making the new version available for use.  You/your customers can then switch, test and if needed, revert back if it does not work.  About as low risk as you can get.

  0
• 

  Benjamin D.

  • January 29, 2024 13:32
  • Edited

  Yes, there might be issues when migrating from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.x because PHP 8 enforces more "strict" code and it will complain about a lot of incorrect variable types passed to functions where before with PHP 7 it would not complain.  https://www.php.net/manual/en/migration80.php

  Two years ago, when I migrated a bunch of WP websites from PHP 7.4 to PHP 8, I remember very old plugins that had not been updated over 5 years were crashing.  I suggest that you provision both PHP 7.4 and PHP 8.2 in WHM>EasyApache (don't bother with 8.0 and 8.1 since those are deprecated too as of December 2023) and switch one domain at a time in WHM>MultiPHP Manager and test by visiting all the web pages on that website.  If any give you a blank page, then you have to check the error_log file and fix the errors.  Do one domain at a time.

  Keep an eye of that link once a year: https://www.php.net/supported-versions.php

  One tip I will give you and the readers, if the websites on your server are Wordpress, I highly suggest that you upgrade Wordpress to at least 6.1 and if possible to the most recent version available *BEFORE* you switch the domain to PHP 8.2.  If you have WP 5 or even worse, WP 4 sites, then do not upgrade to PHP 8.2 or it will straight not work, at least that's what I discovered two years ago.

   

  0

Please sign in to leave a comment.