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Don’t Go Auto Updating WordPress Yet

Wordpress UpdateOne of the annoyances of WordPress is that when a new version comes out, you have to take the time to upgrade. Sure, it may be just re-uploading everything, but that still takes a few minutes per blog and I think that’s why a lot of people tend not to do it. To work around this, the InstantUpgrade plugin was created. Good idea, but is it ready for primetime yet?

The plugin explains that it can automatically update to the latest version of WordPress for you, or you can tell it when to update the files for you. It does all the work and you get to sit back and relax.

The first red flag is how many files you need to make writable by the server. The privileges 777 mean that the files are writable by everyone. This sounds like a hackers dream to me but maybe I’m wrong.

It also concerns me that every time there is a WordPress upgrade, some plugins must be updated too. Thus, if it upgrades when you aren’t around, and a plugin breaks, how long will it take you to find out and will your blog be down?

Overall, the buzz around the InstantUpgrade plugin seems quite positive. I’m a big fan of it as long as they can convince me that it’s safe. However, at this point and time, I’m concerned with making all my files writable as I feel that it’ll allow unwanted others to make updates also.

I’m going to keep my eye on the InstantUpgrade plugin and see where it goes. It’s currently in version 0.1 which which means it’s a newborn. As it continues to develop, I’ll be eagerly awaiting to see where it goes and if security is an issue, or if it is safe. It’s a great idea and I hope that it can prove itself in the long run.

About Lee Odden

@LeeOdden is the CEO of TopRank Marketing and editor of TopRank's B2B Marketing Blog. Cited for his expertise by The Economist, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, he's the author of the book Optimize and presents internationally on B2B marketing topics including content, search, social media and influencer marketing. When not at conferences, consulting, or working with his talented team, he's likely running, traveling or cooking up something new.

Comments

  1. Johan says

    My hosting provider offers Installatron. This makes upgrading very easy and because it works from the hosting control panel it is not necessary to 777 all files. It automatically creates a backup before upgrading, in case of trouble it is easy to revert back to the previous version.

  2. Jennifer says

    Not to brag about BlueHost, but I can’t say enough good about them. LOL…

    They have auto install which includes updates, so literally an update takes 10 seconds. Now if a plug in fails that is different, but upgrading wordpress is never an issue with Blue Host.