Your WordPress website should run 5.5!
This major version release of WordPress, named “Eckstine”, focuses on “speed, search & security”. It includes 150+ enhancements and feature requests, 300+ bug fixes, and more.
Improvements
Speed Improvements
WordPress 5.5 introduces image lazy loading as a default feature in the WordPress core. This is a great optimization that can really improve your website’s load time and SEO. Most websites with Continuous Care plans already have a more efficient version of lazy load set up but this is still a nice out of the box feature.
SEO Improvements
Starting with WordPress 5.5 you will be able to generate an XML sitemap directly from your WordPress installation. Websites with Continuous Care plans already include a more complex and custom sitemap but this is definitely a nice option for website owners just starting out.
Security Improvements
With WordPress 5.5 turning on/off plugins and themes auto-updates can now be done much easier by clicking a link in the admin interface. Keeping your plugins and themes up to date is one of the most important ways to keep your website secure. Some updates can cause issues though, so it’s important to monitor and test your website after updating.
Potential Problems
WordPress 5.5 turns off jQuery Migrate, a tool that WordPress has included for many years to help plugins and themes with outdated code continue to run. By turning off jQuery Migrate many outdated plugins and themes will no longer work properly, which can result in broken websites.
WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities
With the latest WordPress update the following plugins are known to be vulnerable.
2. Quiz and Survey Master
3. Sell Media
4. WordPress fancyBox Lightbox
5. WordPress Colorbox Lightbox
6. Sell Photo
7. Responsive Lightbox2.
8. NextGEN Gallery Sell Photo
9. Easy Media Download
10. Internal Links Manager
12. Click to top
13. WP Customer Reviews
14. Discount Rules for WooCommerce
15. Advanced Access Manager
16. WooCommerce – NAB Transact.
17. Kali Forms
18. RSVPMaker
19. Autoptimize
If your website includes these plugins it is crucial to either update or remove them entirely depending on the latest recommendations. Websites with Continuous Care plans regularly have all plugins reviewed to ensure security and functionality.
Wrap Up
There are many other changes that come with each WordPress update but I think these are the big ones. If you ever want to learn more about what WordPress 5.5 means for your website, or discuss anything else about websites, please contact me :)