Given that WordPress core has had vulnerabilities patched in the past; I would always push for the latest stable and secure version as a minimum to support. Also a site running at WordPress 2.0??!!! That should be considered abandoned and compromised. That's pretty crazy. Answer from DevSpectre1 on reddit.com
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WordPress
wordpress.org › about › requirements
Requirements – WordPress.org
Requirements To run WordPress, it’s recommended your host supports: PHP version or greater. MariaDB version or greater OR MySQL version or greater. HTTPS support. That’s really it. Apache or Nginx is recommended as the most robust and featureful server for running WordPress, but any server ...
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Pressidium
pressidium.com › home › wordpress stories › wordpress php support and compatibility across all versions
WordPress PHP Version: Support and Compatibility Guide - Pressidium® Managed WordPress Hosting
October 10, 2025 - This doesn’t mean in any way that you cannot launch a WordPress site with older PHP versions. The minimum PHP version required to run WordPress is PHP 5.6.
Discussions
What is a reasonable minimum WP version to support in plugins?
Given that WordPress core has had vulnerabilities patched in the past; I would always push for the latest stable and secure version as a minimum to support. Also a site running at WordPress 2.0??!!! That should be considered abandoned and compromised. That's pretty crazy. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/ProWordPress
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8
December 26, 2022
php - How do Wordpress plugins require a minimum Wordpress version to be installed? - Stack Overflow
I've been trying to figure out how Wordpress plugins, both custom and available from the Wordpress website require a minimum version of Wordpress before allowing the plugin to be installed. I did r... More on stackoverflow.com
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What version of PHP is your WordPress site running ?
The place for news, articles and discussion regarding anything related to WordPress, the open source software. Wordpress.com-related questions should be posted to https://wordpress.com/forums/ · Create your account and connect with a world of communities More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Wordpress
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May 20, 2024
PHP and Wordpress versions
I’m using php 8.1 on all my sites now. All reputable themes and plugins support it. You should always be running the latest version of wordpress. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Wordpress
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September 24, 2023
People also ask
How can I check which PHP version my WordPress site is using?
You can usually check it inside your hosting panel, in WordPress Site Health, or with our PHP version checker tool. If you are not sure what your website is currently running, check that first before planning any upgrade path.
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webaloha.co
webaloha.co › recommended-php-version-for-wordpress
Recommended PHP Version for WordPress in 2026
Will upgrading PHP break my WordPress website?
It can, but when something breaks, it is usually a plugin, theme, or custom code issue, not WordPress core itself. That is why you should test on staging first, check error logs, and verify your important flows before switching production. On WooCommerce sites, that includes checkout, shipping, payment, and product options too.
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webaloha.co
webaloha.co › recommended-php-version-for-wordpress
Recommended PHP Version for WordPress in 2026
What is the recommended PHP version for WordPress in 2026?
For properly maintained WordPress websites in 2026, the recommended PHP version is PHP 8.5. It gives you the best mix of performance, security, and future-proofing. If your site is updated and your plugins are maintained, PHP 8.5 is the best choice.
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webaloha.co
webaloha.co › recommended-php-version-for-wordpress
Recommended PHP Version for WordPress in 2026
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The Events Calendar
theeventscalendar.com › articles › php requirements
PHP Requirements - Knowledgebase
September 16, 2024 - The minimum required PHP version is 7.4. If you’re using an earlier version, please update to 7.4 or above. We’ve got you covered and can take you through the steps on how to make this change, and will explain why this change will be beneficial ...
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DisplayWP
displaywp.com › home › wordpress minimum php version
WordPress Minimum Required PHP Version — DisplayWP
July 19, 2024 - Nine years later, on May 2019, WordPress 5.2 bumped the minimum required version to PHP 5.6.20 [ Source ].
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Web Aloha
webaloha.co › recommended-php-version-for-wordpress
Recommended PHP Version for WordPress in 2026
4 days ago - We recommend PHP 8.4 version if you’re not a professional developer like us and simply want a safe, reliable choice for your WordPress website. PHP 8.3 is the minimum version we recommend using for WordPress in 2026.
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WordPress
make.wordpress.org › hosting › handbook › server-environment
Server Environment – Make WordPress Hosting
May 18, 2018 - The lists below assume PHP >= 7.2 (the minimum supported PHP version for WordPress at the time of writing).
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/prowordpress › what is a reasonable minimum wp version to support in plugins?
r/ProWordPress on Reddit: What is a reasonable minimum WP version to support in plugins?
December 26, 2022 -

I recently saw a post on r/Wordpress where someone opened a site and it was literally running on WordPress 2.0 (maybe 3?) which is just old.
It got me curious, what do you guys think is a reasonable minimum WP version I should aim to support when building WordPress plugins? I know it depends a lot on the WP features my plugin would use, but I can always build them right into the plugin as a workaround, but costing time and resources.

Would love to hear everyone's opinions on it.

Top answer
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Given that WordPress core has had vulnerabilities patched in the past; I would always push for the latest stable and secure version as a minimum to support. Also a site running at WordPress 2.0??!!! That should be considered abandoned and compromised. That's pretty crazy.
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The latest stable version. Nobody should be neglecting updates anyway, so I feel like testing for compatibility with new releases is way more important than backward compatibility with old ones.
Find elsewhere
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WooCommerce
woocommerce.com › documentation › site administration › how-to guides › update php and wordpress
Update PHP and WordPress Documentation - WooCommerce
October 29, 2025 - While WooCommerce works with PHP 7.4+, this version reached its official End of Life in November 2022 and may expose your site to security vulnerabilities. Similarly, we recommend MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.6+ for optimal performance and security.
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Torque Magazine
torquemag.io › home › articles › happy new php: a look at wordpress’ recent jump in minimum php requirements
Happy New PHP: A Look at WordPress' Recent Jump in Minimum PHP Requirements
May 29, 2019 - Then we’ll explain how using this new PHP version will affect you, and how to update to a newer version. Let’s talk PHP! For a while now, WordPress’ minimum PHP version requirement has been set at versions 5.2-5.5.
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Fingerprintmarketing
fingerprintmarketing.com › what-is-the-lowest-php-version-i-need-to-have-for-wordpress
What Is the Lowest PHP Version To Have For WordPress?
To determine which WordPress themes require PHP 7.4 or greater, you can check the theme’s documentation or contact the developer for more information. It’s important to ensure that your website uses the recommended minimum PHP version for ...
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SiteGround
siteground.co.uk › kb › detailed_wordpress_requirements
Detailed WordPress requirements - SiteGround KB
January 8, 2024 - WordPress supports various PHP versions, with PHP 7.4 being the recommended minimum. Ensure PHP compatibility for a smooth WordPress experience.
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White Label Coders
whitelabelcoders.com › white label coders › blog › what version of php is needed for woocommerce?
What version of PHP is needed for WooCommerce? - White Label Coders
April 25, 2025 - It’s worth noting that WordPress (WooCommerce’s parent platform) currently recommends PHP 7.4 as its minimum, indicating the direction WooCommerce will likely follow in upcoming releases.
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Rocon
roconpaas.com › home › wordpress php compatibility guide – powered by rocon
WordPress PHP Compatibility Guide – Powered by Rocon
May 7, 2025 - The latest stable PHP version is 8.3 which is faster, better error handling and more secure. But before you upgrade always check theme and plugin compatibility to avoid site breaks.
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Foreignerds
foreignerds.com › home › blogs › wordpress’ minimum required php version – what you need to know
WordPress' Minimum Required PHP Version - Foreignerds
September 11, 2023 - Upgrading your PHP version to the newly established minimum requirement, which is currently 7.2, is essential. Not seeing the “PHP Update Required” notification in your dashboard indicates that you are already using a more recent PHP version.
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Stack Overflow
stackoverflow.com › questions › 64252331 › how-do-wordpress-plugins-require-a-minimum-wordpress-version-to-be-installed
php - How do Wordpress plugins require a minimum Wordpress version to be installed? - Stack Overflow
Top answer
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In the main PHP file of your plugin in the header section where you would normally add plugin name etc. There is an option requires at least see example below

**
 * Plugin Name:       My Basics Plugin
 * Plugin URI:        https://example.com/plugins/the-basics/
 * Description:       Handle the basics with this plugin.
 * Version:           1.10.3
 * Requires at least: 5.2
 * Requires PHP:      7.2
 * Author:            John Smith
 * Author URI:        https://author.example.com/
 * License:           GPL v2 or later
 * License URI:       https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
 * Text Domain:       my-basics-plugin
 * Domain Path:       /languages

For more info visit this link

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Bluehost
bluehost.com › help center › bluehost agency › change php and wordpress versions in bluehost agency hosting
Change PHP and WordPress Versions in Bluehost Agency Hosting
Faster performance: Your site loads quickly and runs more efficiently. Better compatibility: Everything works smoothly with modern plugins and themes. SEO benefits: Search engines love fast, secure websites—so updates can boost your rankings. ` PHP versions 7.3, 7.4, 8.0, and 8.1 are deprecated.
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WPMarmite
wpmarmite.com › wordpress tutorials › how to update the php version of wordpress [guide]
How to update the PHP version of WordPress [Guide]
September 23, 2025 - As this resource details, an obsolete version of PHP exposes you more strongly to attacks of several types: ... You should also know that WordPress 6.3 will no longer support PHP 5. The minimum supported version will be 7.0.0.
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