Keeping your webshop up-to-date: why and how?

It applies to all the software you use, on your phone, on your laptop but also the software your shop runs on: Updates. Maybe it's something that instinctively doesn't directly benefit you or is important, but it still makes sense to (have) them installed.

Why is updating so important?

Updates are needed to fix problems found in the software and make new features available. (Open Source) Software such as Shopware and Magento is built using a variety of software, which also individually needs regular updates. Therefore, it is an ongoing process to make use of new features that become available.

Software is never error-free and known errors in software can be exploited by malicious people. This reason is perhaps the most important to keep up with and prevent the possibility of abuse of existing bugs in software. Think of it as insurance, as long as nothing happens you don't need it but if something happens you are prepared for it and things are in place to prevent worse.

Why we don't install the very latest version immediately:

If a bug becomes known in the software that could pose an immediate danger of being misused, we will update as soon as possible. Safety first. When it comes to new functionality, we are usually a little slower to install the latest version. In addition to the shop software itself, a webshop installation consists of a collection of plugins or extensions. These can be purchased or developed as customisation. When a new version of the shop software is released, we will first have to check whether the plugins need to be adapted and whether they are suitable for the new version. We then install the most recent version that does not cause compatibility problems with the rest of your installation. Our ultimate goal is to keep your shop as up-to-date and stable as possible to avoid downtime at all times.

Is it bad to skip an update?

Apart from security updates, there is initially no harm in skipping an update, however, the software continues to evolve. This applies both to the shop software but also to added extensions. The longer you wait, the more complex an update can become. More dependencies arise, which can make an update more complicated. It is therefore advisable to keep your software up to date and to implement updates at regular intervals.