Does WordPress always require a server?

Yes, servers are required for all WordPress websites to work. It makes no difference if you use WordPress.org or WordPress.com.

Self-hosted WordPress.org gives you the most control over the server. Although WordPress.com does not need you to self-host, the website files are still hosted on a physical server using web server software.

Developers are often advised to use WordPress.org with a host like InMotionHosting. That way, you get the benefits of a managed WordPress host which includes automated backups, and a content delivery network while keeping the management of the server through your control panel. A dashboard like this is useful for creating and moving websites, configuring speed and security settings, and analyzing stats for traffic, PHP, and the website database.

WordPress PHP and Server Requirements

WordPress PHP Requirements

PHP is a programming language, and all popular programming languages are updated on a regular basis to enhance them. We’re looking at which version of the PHP programming language is best for running a WordPress site in this scenario.

A web server, on the other hand, is software that is installed on a physical server. Popular server software such as Apache and Nginx, as well as the hardware on which the program is installed, require constant upgrades. As a result, developers must know which versions of each work best with WordPress.

WordPress is compatible with and operates on a variety of PHP versions. However, we recommend using PHP version 7.4 or above for optimal performance.

  • PHP Version 7.4
  • PHP Version 8.0
  • PHP Version 8.1

WordPress recommends PHP versions based on whether or not the developers of PHP still maintain them. All PHP versions are supported for two years before being transferred to what is known as the “End of Life” stage.

Here you can find all of the supported versions of PHP.

WordPress Server Requirements

RAM, database version, processor power, storage space, and the webserver utilized are all factors to consider. Here’s a short rundown of the common server recommendations for hosting WordPress:

  • Web server: Nginx or Apache with mod-rewrite module
  • At least 1 GB of Disk Space
  • PHP Version 7.4 or higher
  • Database: MySQL 5.015 or higher
  • An alternative database is MariaDB, version 10.1 or higher
  • At least 512 MB of RAM
  • At least 1.0 GHz of CPU
  • HTTPS support