*The art picture provided by Zenaviv project. The artist - Sneha Athreya, the art title - 'Sunrise'.
WordPress is an important content management system for site owners throughout the world. The platform offers a simple way for anyone to quickly create a quality website and add their own content. WordPress does, however, require regular updates, with plugins, themes, and WordPress itself needing upgrades. Site owners can run into issues during maintenance, as well as at other unfortunate times, so backing up files will play an important role. The following examples are all reasons for backing up your site on a regular schedule.
Update Errors
There are various elements involved in a WordPress site. After the first install, the next stage is to choose a theme and add plugins. All these elements will then need to be updated at various points, with different developers responsible for these actions. While it won't happen too often, there may be occasions where coding conflicts and outdated files cause issues. It may then be necessary to refer to a previous version of your site where you can replace the offending file.
Hacked Accounts
WordPress sites are frequently targeted by hackers looking to exploit vulnerabilities in passwords or servers. There are various security plugins you can install, but most site owners don't use them. Additionally, old plugins are often targets for hackers looking to gain access to a site. The result of a hack can vary, but it may be that the original site is deleted and unable to be recovered.
Deleted Content
It is not uncommon for posts or pages to be deleted by mistake. Larger sites are typically operated by multiple people with different access for each user. If something important gets deleted, recreating it might not be an option. The ability to recover a file offers a quick solution, enabling any mistakes to be overcome.
Hosting Problems
You can be extremely diligent with your own website, but still encounter problems with a hosting provider. While it is important to choose a host based on research, you cannot always avoid issues. In unfortunate circumstances, a server could be hacked or a host might mistakenly remove your site. Many hosting providers will automatically back up your information, but it is always better to be certain by performing the task yourself.
Viruses
Viruses and malware can be added to your site, though it might not always be immediately obvious. A rogue plugin or theme is often the cause of the issue, with files being secretly added to the code. If you find your site has been infected for an extended period of time, going back to a previous version of the site might be the only option. Having a series of backed up files enables you to recover your information before it became corrupted.
Site Migrations
There are occasions when you need to migrate a site to a new domain. In most cases, a migration will take place due to rebranding, but there are also instances of domains being blacklisted by search engines. It is important to back up files before any migration. The most popular migration plugins integrate the ability to back up your files.
While it is unfortunate, many WordPress users will experience an issue that requires reinstalling their site. Thankfully, WordPress makes it easy to back up, migrate, and install files, with plugins like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, and Duplicator providing a quality service. It is also important to try to prevent any issues in the first place, using respected hosting providers and installing a security plugin. Hacking, coding, and human errors are frustrating for site owners, but backing up your files will ensure you never experience any irreversible problems.