WordPress' latest version offers more connectivity, making it easier for your content to be shared as well as being able to include content from other sites and services with the new embed features.
Responsive and standards-driven, WordPress 4.4 makes all your
images responsive so they'll look good on any device or screen size.
WordPress 4.4 also brings with it a new default theme, TwentySixteen. It's "mobile first" with a fluid grid design, ensuring that your blog or site looks good on all devices.
All that said, 4.4 is a major release. A major release is meant to introduce new features which may also introduce new bugs. Sometimes it takes a few days or even weeks for all your plugins to be compatible with a new release. Check with each one of your plugins to verify they are compatible before upgrading a major version.
We strongly recommend you re-read our WordPress upgrade guide and follow the recommendations.
In short:
Minor releases should be applied automatically or as soon as possible; they won't "break" anything.
Major releases should be applied manually, after being tested on a development site and all plugins checked for compatibility. A major release could possibly break something, which is why you need to test first.
Themes and plugins should be manually updated, after testing and checked for compatibility.
If all of this is confusing and seems like too much work (it can be and it is), check out our WordPress Update Service. For only $25 a month we'll take care of all your WordPress updating headaches, and provide you with an ongoing list of what's been updated and when, in case you notice any issues after an update. We also create a test site to test any plugins and themes for compatibility before updating on your live site, so there's never any surprises.
All that said, 4.4 is a major release. A major release is meant to introduce new features which may also introduce new bugs. Sometimes it takes a few days or even weeks for all your plugins to be compatible with a new release. Check with each one of your plugins to verify they are compatible before upgrading a major version.
We strongly recommend you re-read our WordPress upgrade guide and follow the recommendations.
In short:
Minor releases should be applied automatically or as soon as possible; they won't "break" anything.
Major releases should be applied manually, after being tested on a development site and all plugins checked for compatibility. A major release could possibly break something, which is why you need to test first.
Themes and plugins should be manually updated, after testing and checked for compatibility.
If all of this is confusing and seems like too much work (it can be and it is), check out our WordPress Update Service. For only $25 a month we'll take care of all your WordPress updating headaches, and provide you with an ongoing list of what's been updated and when, in case you notice any issues after an update. We also create a test site to test any plugins and themes for compatibility before updating on your live site, so there's never any surprises.
