PHP 7.4 Now Mandatory: Update Required Before December

PHP 7.4 Now Mandatory: Update Required Before December

Adobe has announced that PHP 7.3 support for Adobe Commerce and Magento 2 will end on 31 December 2021. This means merchants currently running PHP 7.3 must upgrade to PHP 7.4 or later to remain on a supported version.

Why This Matters

PHP version support timelines are determined by the PHP project itself, not Adobe. When a PHP version reaches its end of support, it no longer receives security patches or bug fixes. Running unsupported PHP versions exposes your store to significant security risks and compatibility issues, particularly as hosting providers and extensions drop support.

What You Need to Do

Assess Your Current Environment: First, confirm which version of PHP your store currently runs. This information is typically available in your hosting control panel or through your hosting provider.

Test Compatibility: Before upgrading production, test your custom extensions, integrations and customisations against PHP 7.4 in a staging environment. Most modern extensions are already PHP 7.4 compatible, but older custom code may require updates.

Plan Your Upgrade: Schedule your PHP upgrade during a low-traffic period to minimise customer impact. Work with your hosting provider or development team to execute the upgrade smoothly. Most upgrades are straightforward, but having a rollback plan is prudent.

Verify Post-Upgrade: After upgrading, test critical business flows thoroughly: checkout, payment processing, customer accounts and integrations with third-party systems.

PHP 7.4 Improvements

Beyond security and support, PHP 7.4 brings performance improvements and new language features that benefit Adobe Commerce merchants. These include typed properties, arrow functions and improved performance compared to PHP 7.3—improvements that can subtly enhance store speed and stability.

Timeline

You have until 31 December 2021 to complete your upgrade. If you haven't already done so, now is the time to plan and execute this critical maintenance task.

If you're unsure about your PHP version, compatibility concerns or need assistance planning your upgrade, reach out to your hosting provider or development team. This is a straightforward but essential update, and addressing it now ensures your store remains secure and supported well into the future.