PHP LTS and ELS: questions about extended support

PHP LTS and ELS describe extended support: ask which old PHP versionA PHP version is a numbered edition of PHP, like 8.3. Each edition is looked after for a limited time, then gets security fixes only, then nothing., repairs and maintenance period a provider actually agrees to cover.

Your website runs old PHPPHP is a programming language that builds your web pages on the computer that hosts your site, just before they reach the visitor. WordPress runs on it. and an upgrade needs preparation. An extended support offer may sound useful. Start with the agreement rather than the product name.

What will your website receive, who will carry out the work and how will you establish that the repair was applied? Get those questions answered before deciding on a route.

Our facts source says some distributions and LTS vendors provide backported fixes. That is the starting point for this article. We do not name any provider as a proven solution for your server.

Request documentation for each offer and have your administrator check whether it fits your installation and the maintenance you need.

Make the support offer specific

Ask which PHP version the offer covers and which package edition you will receive. Have the provider explain the repairs it commits to and how it documents them. Also ask what is excluded.

Use the agreement’s wording in your decision so a broad term such as extended support does not have to carry every expectation.

Read about a backportA backport takes a fix made for a newer version of software and applies it to an older version, so the old one gets the fix without a full upgrade. if the provider talks about fixes applied to older versions. Our facts source says PHP 8.1 and older no longer receive updates from the PHP project. Keep another party’s support separate from the project’s own support status.

Check supported PHP versions for the official schedule recorded in our source.

Ask whether the offer applies to your existing hostingWeb hosting is the service that keeps your website's files on a computer that is always online, so visitors can open your site at any time. setup. Establish who performs package installation, testing and checks after the change. If you are buying only a package, name the person responsible for the other tasks.

If you want managed support, ask which specific work is included. Make that division clear before the work starts.

Request evidence for each repair

Ask the provider how you can connect a repair to the full package version. Have your administrator review the changelog and supporting confirmation. The guide to checking a PHP packageTo check a PHP package, compare the installed package version with its record of changes and confirmation from the administrator of your website. helps you prepare that request.

Then ask separately for confirmation that this package is the one serving your website.

Use the security status to identify the recorded issues. Ask whether the offered package edition has a documented repair for them. A general answer about security is too broad for that question.

Record what has been confirmed, which source supports it and which points still need an answer before you can make a decision.

According to our facts source, CISA advises taking systems on PHP 8.1 or older offline until patched or updated. An order or an ongoing support conversation does not confirm an applied fix. Discuss the current situation with the administrator while reviewing the offer.

Have the result of that review recorded for the website owner.

Agree the maintenance period and owner

Ask for the start and end dates of the offered support. Establish how you will be told if coverage changes or ends. Ask who reviews new repairs and who applies them to your server.

Also agree how you receive the result. A named owner makes it easier to check the agreement against work actually performed.

Ask what happens if a necessary repair cannot be delivered within the offer. Have the provider explain the next step it would propose. Include that answer in your own planning.

The purpose is to understand where responsibility ends before another issue appears, instead of having to interpret the whole agreement under time pressure.

Record the costs listed by the provider without guessing what a similar offer costs elsewhere. Ask whether installation, tests and help with faults are included. Clarify missing items before setting a budget.

This article names no prices or providers. It gives you questions for assessing a specific offer and documenting what you choose.

Compare it with an upgrade plan

Have a route to a supported version prepared alongside the support offer. Ask which parts of the website need investigation. Use the hosting guides to collect the current version and hosting context.

Read how to backpatch PHPTo backpatch PHP is to apply a security fix to an older PHP version without moving the whole installation to a newer version. for the overview of package updates, source patches and upgrades.

Discuss a PHP upgrade if the site can move to a newer version. If its environment also needs changing, discuss a website migration. Request the same basics for both routes: work, owner, evidence and timing.

This lets you compare proposals based on what someone can deliver for your website.

Save the chosen offer with the package details and maintenance agreement. Schedule a review before the support period ends. Include another look at the upgrade plan.

A temporary choice should have a date for reconsideration, rather than becoming the permanent plan by default. Share that date with whoever owns the budget and the website.

Not sure which route fits?

Start with the PHP Exposure Check. Then use the help form with your domainA domain name is the address people type to reach your website, such as yourcompany.com. It points visitors to wherever your site is hosted., PHP version and unanswered questions from the offer. Do not include passwords.

The first task is to identify missing evidence and a route someone can carry out for your particular website.