Behind every WooCommerce store is software written in PHP. You don’t need to know how it works, but keeping it up to date is one of the simplest things you can do to keep your store fast, secure, and running smoothly. Think of PHP like the engine in a car. Newer engines are more fuel-efficient and reliable. Older engines still work, but they’re harder to maintain and more vulnerable to problems. The same is true for PHP. PHP is the programming language that powers WordPress and WooCommerce. When a customer visits your store, PHP is working behind the scenes to load your products, process orders, and display your pages. You don’t interact with PHP directly — your hosting provider manages it for you. But the version of PHP that your site runs on can make a real difference to your store’s performance and security. Security Older PHP versions eventually stop receiving security updates (also known as patches). PHP 7.4, for example, reached its “end of life” in November 2022.…