WordPress 5.5

WordPress 5.5 added automatic updates for plugins and themes, allowing administrators to opt individual extensions into background updates. It introduced native XML sitemaps, native lazy loading for images, block patterns, a block directory for finding single-purpose blocks, and the ability to update themes and plugins by uploading a ZIP file. It also changed the bundled JavaScript environment by no longer loading jQuery Migrate by default, exposing compatibility problems in older themes, plugins, and custom scripts that relied on deprecated jQuery behavior.

This cycle has reached end of life, so it no longer receives vendor security fixes or maintenance updates. Running it leaves the site exposed when vulnerabilities are found in its core code and increasingly raises the chance that current PHP versions, browsers, plugins, themes, payment integrations, and hosting tooling will not behave as expected. Its aging jQuery assumptions are a particular risk for unmaintained custom front-end code. WooCommerce is a plugin that runs on WordPress, so a WooCommerce store is a WordPress site, and its WordPress version matters to it just as much as its WooCommerce version does. An old WordPress core can therefore affect store administration, checkout-related extensions, and the ability to apply supported WooCommerce updates safely.

Inventory the WordPress core version, PHP version, active and inactive plugins, theme, child theme, custom plugins, must-use plugins, integrations, and scheduled jobs. Take tested backups of files and the database, then clone the site into a staging environment that matches production closely. Update or replace unsupported themes and plugins first, and review custom JavaScript for deprecated jQuery usage and custom PHP for compatibility with the target PHP version. Move WordPress to a currently supported release in staging, applying required database upgrades and testing the public site, login and editorial workflows, forms, search, caching, media handling, email, APIs, and any ecommerce flows. For WooCommerce sites, test carts, checkout, payment gateways, taxes, shipping, account pages, webhooks, subscriptions, and order administration. Resolve failures before scheduling production deployment, retain a rollback plan, and establish an ongoing process for core, plugin, theme, PHP, and backup maintenance.