Like any piece of software, PHP has regular updates for speed improvement, performance, features, and most importantly security. Through this blog post and also our announcement on the website, we want to let you know that two very outdated versions will no longer be supported by MijnHostingPartner.nl. What exactly does this mean for you and how can you adapt your website for this? We will discuss that in this blog post.

Why is the support ended?

PHP 5.x and 7.0 are now obsolete and are no longer supported by the PHP community. This means that no more security updates, bug fixes or enhancements will be released for these versions. Using these versions may leave your website vulnerable to security risks, which could put your data and that of your visitors at risk. It may also inconvenience other clients on the same server, which is why we are forced to take these steps to ensure the best performance of the server.
By switching to newer versions of PHP, you will benefit from improved performance, more features and especially better security. Newer PHP versions such as 7.4 and 8.x offer significant advantages in terms of speed and efficiency, resulting in faster load times and a better user experience.

What does this mean for your Web site?

If your website is currently running on PHP 5.x or 7.0, it is essential to upgrade to a newer (stable) version of PHP as soon as possible. This not only prevents security problems, but also ensures that your website continues to perform optimally.

Here are the steps you can take to upgrade your website:

Check your current PHP version: Log in to your hosting account at MijnHostingPartner.nl and check what version of PHP your website is currently using.

Test your website with a newer PHP version: You can easily switch PHP versions at MijnHostingPartner.nl by briefly logging into your customer panel and navigating to My Products -> Websites -> PHP Version tab. Switch your website to a newer version of PHP and test if everything works correctly.

Update your code and dependencies: Older PHP versions may support features that are no longer available in newer versions. Check your code for outdated features and update as needed. Don't forget to also update your dependencies such as content management systems (e.g. WordPress, Joomla) and plug-ins to the latest versions compatible with the newer PHP versions.

Perform a backup: Always make a full backup of your website before making any major changes. This ensures that you can revert to a working version of your site if something goes wrong during the upgrade process.

Switch to the new PHP version: After you have tested and updated your code, you can permanently switch to the new PHP version through the client panel or control panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I do nothing?

If you do nothing, you run the risk of your website becoming vulnerable to security issues and experiencing performance problems. We implement this on a server-by-server basis, so your website may still be functional with PHP 5.6 for a limited time. So it is important that you go ahead and upgrade this and make changes to your code if your website can only run with PHP 5.6. Consult PHP.net for more information regarding updating your website. Or consult the documentation of your Content Management System.

How do I know if my website is compatible with the new PHP version?

You can test this by temporarily running your website on the new PHP version:

https://www.mijnhostingpartner.nl/client/knowledgebase/web-ontwikkeling/programmeer_scripting-talen/php/php-versie-selecteren/

Does MijnHostingPartner.nl offer help with upgrading?

As a hosting partner, we have no direct influence on your code or website. Any underlying changes such as updating PHP versions we do to ensure the security of our servers and their best performance. It is therefore not possible to offer your website PHP version 5.6 or 7.0, as this is simply not safe to use anymore. We have a lot of articles in our knowledge base that you can use to solve error messages. If you still can't solve the problem you can create a ticket with the exact error messages. Then we can help you solve the problem. Please note that this may involve costs. This is situation dependent and will be reported back before an invoice is created.

Ending support for PHP 5.x and 7.0 at MijnHostingPartner.nl is a necessary step to ensure the security and performance of our hosting services. By upgrading your website to a newer version of PHP, you will benefit from better security, higher speed and new features. Start upgrading your website today to ensure your website remains secure and up-to-date.