Tag: Update

Manually Updating WordPress Using FTP

On January 21, 2019

Quite isn’t a task on updating WordPress manually using FTP. You often noticed a notification in your admin area when WordPress comes to a stage where a new update is require running the whole of system smoothly. The updates can be a new minor release or sometimes a major one. While you can perform the task simply by doing so via WordPress admin area but sometimes it can’t be possible and you will found yourself in the situation where you have to resist on manual update with using an FTP client.

To Begin

In order to proceed with manual doing, you have to first take a backup of whole of system.
In case, if you don’t have any access to WordPress admin area, then you have to do this manually.
Once you done with backup, you need to download a latest version copy of WordPress from the site WordPress.org.
The downloaded file comes in zip archive, which you have to extract. In that zip archive file, you will notice on finding a folder named “wordpress.”

Uploading WordPress Using FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

To begin, first connect your website using FTP client. We recommend on using Core FTP LE, if in case, you don’t already have a FTP client installed on your computer.
Once connected, go to your website’s root directory and upload all the files inside “wordpress” folder from your computer to your website’s root directory.
Since the similar set of files already installed in your computer, you will notice that you will be getting a message that the filename already exists in the target directory, please choose an option.
All you have to do is to overwrite it and then the box “always use this action.”

Updating WordPress Database

Remember with every new WordPress release, changes must come into WordPress database which means an update is required.
On uploading of all the files to your website, all you have to is to go to WordPress admin area where you will see a note that you need to update database.
Simply click on Update WordPress Database button and you are done, once WordPress will show you a success message once updation got completely.

Keep WordPress In Perfect State With Regular Updates

By Dan Radak

On May 15, 2015

In Tutorials

A website can be created by real professionals, who devise a unique look specifically for your site. That is how large businesses usually do. However, these days every literate Internet user can also create a site on his/her own. One of the best platforms that gives us tools for making our own site or blog is WordPress. Thanks to dozens of useful options and add-ons, sites created via this platform stand shoulder to shoulder with those pro-made sites. But it is vital to keep such a site up to date.

More power for the author

With every new update, WordPress improves many features. The main control area is the dashboard and it serves as a real control centre of the site. So, if you want to direct and maintain your site in a proper way, it is necessary to follow and use all the new add-ons and improvements that WordPress designers and developers prepare. The more power and tools you have in your hands, the better the results of your site will be.

Extra features for better use

While it is true that more attractive websites win users’ attention faster, it is also significant to keep the design simple. A website that is stacked with too many details will only confuse its users and the end product will not be satisfying for the owner of the site. With improving features that come with new updates, it is much easier for every site owner to use the most useful and enticing options for that site. Falling behind in updates will lead to a less functional and visually outdated site.

Update purity for total security

Probably the most important reason for regular updates on a site created in WordPress is security. The Internet is a vivid network that undergoes perpetual alternations. You have to be ready for malicious software and hackers who simply penetrate through the protective walls around a website if that website is not protected in the appropriate manner. New plug-ins and additions to WordPress websites keep the security level as high as possible. To increase the degree of safety of your site, you can choose from a variety of providers for site features. Businesses from the whole world compete in offering best conditions. From managed hosting Australia providers to designers from Asia, you can choose who should improve the features of your WordPress or any other site.

Easier for users

The final goal of every website is as high traffic as possible and the income that comes with it, if reachable. That is why a website needs to be easily used by its visitors. Due to a myriad of special ingredients that exist for a websites made in this software, it is possible to keep your visitors WordPress user experience sleek and make them enjoy every moment they spend every page of the site. If you update all the features on a regular basis, no matter if they deal with adding new pages or some navigation innovations, your site will keep its old users and attract some new ones.

Staying ahead in any business requires everyday work. With WordPress sites and blogs, you duty is just to click on regular updates as they emerge and get the best out of this great software.

How To Enable Automatic Updates In Your WordPress Blog

By The Editorial Team

On March 21, 2014

In Tutorials

While one-to-many time you do notice that some important updates are on the move. Although the automatic update make its entrant with WordPress 3.7 BUT if you feel and really like to have the auto-updating on board, then you can simply enable it for major versions as well. Even also you can update all this manually, but, again considering on context that if you are running your WordPress website without any managed hosting service provider, then updating your website can be a time consuming process.

Interestingly, the team behind WordPress developments didn’t enable automatic updates itself for all WordPress releases BUT if you considerably think that your hosting service provider is that much efficient to accept this change and can welcome your site’s plugins and themes, then all you can enable the feature for major releases as well. All you have to do is to add the following code to your site’s wp-config file and you are done:

define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );

1	define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );

While the code also gives an open window to nightly updates also. But, you can disable those nightly builds updates by simply adding the following line of code either in your site’s theme’s functions.php file or site-specific plugin. It will leads toward disabling all automatic updates for nightly builds.

add_filter( 'allow_dev_auto_core_updates', '__return_false' );

1	add_filter( 'allow_dev_auto_core_updates', '__return_false' );

Disabling Automatic Updates In Your WordPress Blog

By The Editorial Team

On January 21, 2014

In Tutorials

What WordPress 3.7 Brings In?

WordPress 3.7 was out back late last month with brining very important as well as amazing feature on board with focusing on improving security and stability of the content management system. While the one such improvement it brings on with this new version is that it automatically updates the things in the background. This means now you need not to worry about updating the things at your end at all.

Other Part of Story…

But, interestingly and surprisingly to know another part of story that some of us still wants to disable this automatic update feature as some of them may not be ready for it yet. Plus there are also users who run WordPress for their clients and for that they have got their own ways and options available to update WordPress to a newer version when available.

What To Do… To Disable Automatic Updates

Disabling automatic updates in WordPress is quite an easy thing to do. All you have to do is to simply add this line of code in your wp-config.php file and you are done.

define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );

1	define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );

The line of code will disable the WordPress automatic updater plus it will still let you get notified whenever there will be a newer version or update is available.

Photo Credit: Flickr/alex roberts

Updating WordPress – Will It Make My Site A Mess?

By The Editorial Team

On July 15, 2013

In Tutorials

Updating WordPress does not make a mess to your site in anyway if all the things have been taken care properly. Although, the person who is running or having a WordPress site must know very well that you have to keep your site updated to the latest WordPress version always.

Whenever a new version of WordPress is available, you have to update it in time. Moreover, as soon as new version comes, you will receive an update message in your WordPress Admin section to notify you.

WordPress site owners still get confused that what they have to do if a new WordPress update knocks their door, with some even having (extra mile) trouble in mind that if I update WordPress version, then do it make my site a mess in anyway. Like this, there are many question keeps on fluctuating in one’s mind when updating WordPress version stage comes.

To tell you that you need not to worry as the step is extremely simple and if you follow all the steps correctly it is hardly a work of few minutes.

Note: Make sure that you understand well that the upgrade process will possibly affect all files and folders included in the main WordPress installation.

Step 1: Before Updating WordPress – Back-up Your Site

First and foremost, as I always suggest whatever you perform and do or plan to do in your WordPress site, like any update, or new theme installation, you have to start with first backing up whole of your WordPress site. It’s always a good idea of doing so as if some issues come in between, with the help of backup you taken at first step, you can easily restore your website.

Note: Check our earlier article on 7 Best Free Backup Plug-ins For WordPress in order to get more information about the best available free plugins which you can use.

Step 2: Ready to Update

Since you have taken a backup of whole of your site, it’s time now to update the WordPress to newer version. There are two methods available which you can perform the task – Automatic Update and Manual Update. Automatic Update is the easiest among both and works well for most of people. Manual Update is a little bit glimpsy way and sometimes creates confusion among people at some stage, but it works well the time when automatic update does not works for you.

Step 3: Opting Automatic Update

WordPress version above 2.7 supports Automatic Update feature. In order to start, follow the simple steps below:

Click on the link in the new version banner or by going to the Tools -> Upgrade.
Once on “Update WordPress” page, click the button “Update Automatically” to start the process.
And in friction of seconds, the whole process gets completed and you will get an updated WordPress version installed.

Step 4: Opting Manual Update

To start with first backup your entire database as well as all your WordPress files in your WordPress directory. Make sure or even double check that you don’t forget your .htaccess file.
Verify all the backups that you created.
Deactivate all the plugins which are in use.
Make sure you complete all the four steps properly as once done only then move to the upgrade process.
Now, download and extract the new WordPress version package, which can be found at: http://wordpress.org/download/.
Once you done with downloading, now delete the old WordPress file on your site, but make sure you don’t delete wp-config.php file, wp-content folder, wp-images folder, wp-includes/languages/ folder, .htaccess file and robots.txt file.
Now upload the new files from your computer’s hard drive to the appropriate WordPress folder on your site.
Run the WordPress upgrade.
Once completed, update Permalinks and .htaccess. Try to update your Permalink structure and merge the custom rules, wherever necessary, into your .htaccess file.
Install updated Plugins and Themes. Check for theme and plugins compatibility so that it matches with your latest WordPress installation.
Reactivate Plugins and add security key definitions to the wp-config.php file.
Keep a note of all the changes you have made during the WordPress latest version updation.
And you are done.

Photo Credit: Flickr/Anthony Ryan

How To Secure Your WordPress Blog In 6 Ways

By The Editorial Team

On May 25, 2013

In Tutorials

Started back in 2003 as a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing, WordPress now becomes the most popular and powerful Content Management System in the world. The web software used by millions of users globally, and in which the hosting of more than half of the blog itself. Not only this, but the popular brands are using the CMS too, including TechCrunch, Mashable, I2Mag, NBC and lots more.

This is huge and even getting bigger every instances passed by. Interesting and the best part while using the WordPress is that it takes mere two easy steps to install WordPress, yes the only two steps process. In order to keep the CMS work for you, today I will talk about what ways (by sharing tips and tricks) by which you can protect your WordPress blog. These tips and tricks will not only help you keeping your blog safe from hackers but also help in maintaining the much faster pace.

Do Not Use “Admin” As User

Starting with, once you have your WordPress blog in place, you do come up with “admin” as the login username. Thing to note here, avoid using “admin” at any cost as this is a common mistake which give a clear way for hackers to hack your website. What you have to do is as soon as you install WordPress, you need to create a new account and do use that one as default. Even, better as soon as you create a new account as an administrator; better delete the user “admin” as all the robots always looking out for it.

Increasing The Strength Of Your Password

Gone are those days when you can use the passwords like abc12345, xyz12345 and so on, reason with the way technology grows, breaching the authentication becomes much easier. It’s always been recommended to use strong passwords, including both small and capital letters, with numbers and different symbols which make your password much stronger. Even, in case if you don’t think of stronger password yourself, you can use the password generator software which helps you selecting the right one.

Update Regularly

Photo Credit: dullhunk via photopin cc

Updating your WordPress website from time-to-time is very much important, as it keep your blog safe for a long run. Developers keep on working on to solve security issues, and in order to have your WordPress websites updated, new security release comes regularly. It takes hardly few seconds time to update your blog, resulting in helping your blog run better and be more compatible with different plug-ins. As soon as update will be available, you will get notified through your WordPress dashboard itself or you do also update it manually, but remember don’t download the update from any other website except WordPress.org.

Using .htaccess

By default .htaccess is available in your hosting folder. The .htaccess lets you blog different IPs which you believe would be security concerns for you. Even further, .htaccess will allow you to people from browsing your WordPress folder structure as well as let you hide XML sitemaps from search engine.

Protecting wp-config.php File

The time when you are installing the WordPress on server, you need to either create or edit the wp-config.php file. The fill will let you create and manage the database files of your blog. Just like .htaccess, the wp-config.php is one of the most important files you have with you, therefore it is also very much important to take measures to protect it out. Even, suggestive is to make it hide from the public, by adding this simple line of code:

<Files wp-config.php>

order allow, deny

deny from all

</Files>

The addition of this will prevents the file being seen by users as well as difficult to spot by hackers and robots.

Backup Your Whole Blog

Photo Credit: Jaymis via photopin cc

Keeping a back up is a key stone to maintain a huge pace. You can back up your whole of blog either daily, once a week or a month, although it’s suggestive to do it at least once a day. You never know what things may come up your way and ruin your whole hard work in a one single go, so it is a good idea to have a back up regularly.

What To Consider Before Buying A WordPress Theme?

By The Editorial Team

On May 21, 2013

In Themes, Tutorials

Without a doubt, the space the WordPress content management system makes in web-o-sphere is marvellous. Not only it comes up with the task of building things better, but also increase efficiency, brings responsiveness in design and lots more. Started way back in 2003, WordPress launched with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing and now with years, it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, which being used by millions of people.

Photo Credit: Nikolay Bachiyski via photopin cc

In order to have you started with WordPress, you often think or even thought of that what ingredients you really require to build your first WordPress-based website? Is it just a theme or with mixture along with some plugins collectibles or something more. The questions are many; even chances are there you do often think of opting for free WordPress themes also. But the answer lies beneath that opting for premium WordPress themes not only make things easier but also better in nature for you.

The article gives you a clear idea on what all things you have to consider before buying a WordPress theme:

1. From Whom You Are Buying The Theme?

Are you too found yourself today in the line of choosing the perfect premium theme provider for you? There are dozens of such providers out there, but the question is which one you opt for. You definitely heard of number of reputed themes clubs name, including Elegant Theme, Magazine3, UpThemes, Organic Themes, WooThemes and lots more.

But, which one you do choose from? Well, your first bet start with learning more about each of every theme clubs either by typing it on Google with the keywords, such as reviews, support available, bad experience and so on. You can even also make a judgement through social media. As in current time, every theme clubs having huge presence on social media which gives more clear idea to you that how far the club is doing.

2. Support And Update

If you are paying for something, it’s clear that you do require an after-sale support. The thing goes similar for WordPress themes also, if you bought up a theme or theme club membership, you are entitled to get proper support. To get an idea or make a count on how the theme club doing so in this area, you need to head first straight to support forums as these forums speaks a real lot. Also, you can have a check on whether the club offer email support to their members or not.

Photo Credit: Nikolay Bachiyski via photopin cc

Another thing that you would like to consider is regular update. With time, it so happens that the theme you purchased need some real back breathing exercise i.e. regular updates on time. The WordPress keeps counting on with latest versions and themes, which requires regular updates, security fixes as well as patches. If the theme club provider offers its subscribers the regular updates, then it makes sense more to go for that theme club as a regular update mechanism is vital.

To understand, whether the updates are available or not, all you need to have a look on either the changelog or the ‘last updated’ date on the themes’ page. If the theme has not been updated, then all you can do is think of considering any other theme or a club. Also, you can check this by going through the WordPress version number the theme currently bearing, if the version number is older, then again it gives clear idea that the club is not working hard to maintain the pace.

3. Features And Code Compliance

Photo Credit: Inha Leex Hale via photopin cc

Not a single good theme completes without having all the required features you need, then whether its responsiveness in its layout, properly coded HTML, regular updates or specialized support. The point is when you are considering buying any theme, it do contains all the features i.e. let’s say, if you are considering on to create a blog, then it’s certainly true that your requirements are pretty much different than from those of portfolio theme designs.

Along with features, it is also important to note that the theme you plan to choose bears code compliance or not. It is always a better idea to run the W3C Validator check on the theme’s homepage in the starting itself as if the homepage returns huge numbers of errors, then there is no doubt that the theme might be poorly build. Further, to note that if the website contains poor coding, then it would get poor pageranks in search engines as well as make it easier for hackers to hack the site.

4. Pricing

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Some premium themes cost high and some pretty less, some will charge you on monthly basis and some ask for yearly memberships. Say, for example WPZOOM membership account will cost you $108 per annum while Elegant Themes club membership account cost you mere $39 for the whole year.

Similarly, if you are intended to buy just themes, then you will get a decent theme from ThemeForest at a onetime cost of anywhere between $30 and $55. Still pricing not much an important thing here as you are totally paying for what you are interested in. You will be getting the premium designs at just some mere cost, which helps you make you stand your brand out in the market.

Conclusion:

Always go for theme or theme clubs on the basis of reviews, support available, bad experience and so on.
Count on what support you will get once the purchase has been completed.
Does the theme get proper updation or the theme club of which you opted the membership of providing updates on time?
The theme you like having all the features you want, like responsiveness in its layout, properly coded HTML, regular updates or specialized support.
The code the theme bears no errors while checking on W3C Validator.
The theme will come under your budget or the price, the theme or theme club charged you fine with you.