Introduction
PHP 8 and WordPress compatibility are a match made in heaven. With the latest version of PHP, developers can automate more tasks and create better experiences for their users than ever before. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most important benefits to upgrading your site’s PHP version and how those benefits affect the WordPress platform in particular.
What is PHP 8?
PHP 8 is the latest version of the programming language PHP, released on November 30th 2018. It has a lot of cool new features that make it more secure, faster and easier to use than previous versions, such as scalar type hints, return types, and anonymous classes.
What Are the PHP 8 Features?
The PHP 8 features that you should know about are:
- New syntax for anonymous classes.
- Improved performance.
- Support for the HTTP/2 protocol.
- Support for the Object typehint and return typehint.
- Support for the null coalesce operator.
- Support for the private property access modifier.
- Public visibility specifier (public, protected, or private).
PHP 8 Hosting and WordPress
The good news is that PHP 8 is compatible with WordPress. It’s also available in the form of hosting, though not all hosts will be offering it just yet. In fact, some of the top-tier hosts are still running a PHP 7 stack for their customers.
The reason for this is simple: many users have no interest in migrating their websites to a new platform when they don’t have to. It can be expensive and time consuming—not to mention risky! But there are some advantages associated with moving over as soon as possible or at least planning ahead for it now so you don’t get left behind later on when everyone starts making the switch.
Conclusion
So, what does this all mean for you? Well, it’s time to go shopping. If you need a new host that supports PHP 8, check out our list of the best hosts for WordPress. Or if you already have an existing hosting provider but want to upgrade to PHP 8 compatibility, we can help with that too! Best of luck with your search—and remember: We’re here when you need us.