PHP Compatibility and WordPress Versions

WordPress aims to support new versions of PHPPHP The web scripting language in which WordPress is primarily architected. WordPress requires PHP 5.6.20 or higher on the day they are released as much as possible. As a project, the process of supporting these new versions begins after each new PHP version has hit feature freeze and are tagging betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. versions. This prevents having to revert or make additional changes to WordPress if a planned feature is removed or the implementation changes.

Past changes to supported PHP versions have been as followed:

• In WordPress version 4.1: Added support for PHP 5.6.
• In WordPress 4.4: Added support for PHP 7.0 (dev note).
• In WordPress 4.7: Added support for PHP 7.1.
• In WordPress 4.9: Added support for PHP 7.2.
• In WordPress 5.0: Added support for PHP 7.3 (dev note).
• In WordPress 5.2: Dropped support for PHP 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5.
• In WordPress 5.3: Added support for PHP 7.4 (dev note).
• In WordPress 5.6: Added “beta support” for PHP 8.0 (dev note).
• In WordPress 5.9: Added “beta support” for PHP 8.1 (dev note).
• In WordPress 6.1: Added “beta support” for PHP 8.2 (dev notedev note Each important change in WordPress Core is documented in a developers note, (usually called dev note). Good dev notes generally include a description of the change, the decision that led to this change, and a description of how developers are supposed to work with that change. Dev notes are published on Make/Core blog during the beta phase of WordPress release cycle. Publishing dev notes is particularly important when plugin/theme authors and WordPress developers need to be aware of those changes.In general, all dev notes are compiled into a Field Guide at the beginning of the release candidate phase. pending).
• In WordPress 6.3:
  • Dropped support for PHP 5.6.
  • Raised PHP 8.0 to compatible with exceptions (dev note pending).
    • Exceptions:
      • Named parameters. WordPress does not support named parameters.
      • Filesystem WP_Filesystem_FTPext and WP_Filesystem_SSH2 when connect fails.
  • Raised PHP 8.1 to compatible with exceptions (dev note pending).
    • Exceptions:
      • htmlentities() et al needs the default value of the flags parameter explicitly set.
      • Replace most strip_tags() with wp_strip_tags()
      • unregister_setting() for unknown setting.

Supported Version Chart

WP Version	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.6	7.0	7.1	7.2	7.3	7.4	8.0	8.1	8.2
6.3	N	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Ye	Ye	Y*
6.2	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	Y*	Y*
6.1	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	Y*	Y*
6.0	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	Y*	N
5.9	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	Y*	N
5.8	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	N	N
5.7	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	N	N
5.6	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y*	N	N
5.5	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
5.4	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
5.3	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
5.2	N	N	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.1	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
5.0	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N
4.9	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N
4.8	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.7	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.6	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.5	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.4	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.3	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.2	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.1	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
4.0	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
3.9	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
3.8	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
3.7	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N

Last updated: August 8, 2023