The Definition of a WordPress Core: Why Maintenance and Updates Are Crucial

A core is defined as the central, or most important part of something. Your WordPress core does not deviate from this. It is the central and most important aspect of your website. That is the reason that maintenance and updating of your core are so crucial. As the center of your site, WordPress unveils updates for critical reasons. Failing to remain up to date with these changes can lead to serious issues with the security, reliability, and functionality of your website. Updating should become a regular routine that is strictly adhered to. You can bet that if your WordPress core requires updating, it was done to protect, or enhance the experience of your visitors.

Update Types

WordPress releases updates of three different types, for three different purposes. The first type of update is security updates. These updates are usually small scale repairs issued periodically to correct any freshly discovered vulnerabilities. They do not include any features or significant changes to the WordPress Core. Security updates ensure that your website is safer from the attacks by hackers. The second type of update is slightly more involved. They are called patch updates, and though they also do not include any features, they are an update to your core, and may even include security patches within them. These are generally released on a more scheduled basis. Finally, major releases are the third type of update. These are the updates that add features or change the functionality of your core. Typically, it is major releases that most avoid because they do have the potential to cause site issues. However, it is always wise to back up your site before updating and ensures that if there is any problem, you are covered.

Managing WordPress Core Updates

Because updates are so important, managing them properly should be an ongoing task on your to-do list. There are automatic updates available. However this only applies to your core and will not handle updates for your plug-ins. Often, website owners will create a schedule or calendar to check their site for any updates available. This can be somewhat useful, but is still commonly overlooked. The best way to manage your updates is by investing in a maintenance service to take the burden off your shoulders completely. Not only will this remove one more thing from your list of tasks, but providers of this service often provide a number of other significant benefits such as automatic backups and SEO strategies.

In the end, how you choose to manage your updates is a decision that you must make alone. If you are tech savvy and well organized, the process may be manageable. However most have found that automating the process and taking advantage of other excellent and valuable services provided by a professional SEO and web development firm is a worthy investment. Cohlab offers WordPress Maintenance and Support Services that not only ensure that your CMS and plug-ins are always up-to-date, but also provides other great services including 24/7 security monitoring, secure offsite backups, and many more. These packages are a great way to make sure your website is in tip-top shape at an affordable price far less than what your valuable time is worth. Check out our packages and let Cohlab take the worry and burden off your shoulders.

Wondering how you are doing? Use our complimentary Digital Marketing Scorecard to gain valuable insight on how your website rank compares to others. We are also glad to answer any questions you may have and provide Cohlaborative digital marketing solutions to meet your company’s needs.