TNG versions

TNG is being constantly updated to introduce new features, correct problems and stay up to date with the underlying software platforms. Old versions will generally continue to work but may introduce new security problems.

TNG is particularly dependent on the PHP scripting language and MySQL database system and to a lesser extent on changes in HTML and CSS, the web presentation systems. Using unsupported versions of PHP and to some extent MySQL runs the danger of hacking attempts succeeding due to known vulnerabilities that haven't been addressed.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) may still allow the use of older versions of PHP and MySQL via cPanel but these should be treated with caution.

TNG Version history

Where support is indicated for a version, it applies to the latest minor version.

TNG Version	Released	Latest version	Released	Support ended	Minimum PHP version	Maximum PHP version
12.3.0	14 March 2020	12.3.0	14 March 2020	no	5.6	7.3
12.2.0	28 Sep 2019	12.2.0	28 Sep 2019	no	5.6	7.3
12.1.0	11 Mar 2019	12.1.0	11 Mar 2019	no	5.6	7.2
12.0.0	1 May 2018	12.0.3	15 Dec 2018	no	5.6	7.2
11.1.2	23 Sep 2017	11.1.2	23 Sep 2017	yes	5.3	7.1
11.1	4 Feb 2017	11.1.2	23 Sep 2017	yes	5.3	7.0
11.0	16 Mar 2016	11.0.2	16 Sep 2016	yes	5.3	7.0
10.1.3	24 Oct 2015	10.1.3	24 Oct 2015	yes	4.0.4	5.6
10.1	26 Jan 2015	10.1.3	24 Oct 2015	yes	4.0.4	5.6
10.0	6 Feb 2014	10.0.3	16 Aug 2014	yes	4.0.4	5.6
9.2	13 Mar 2013	9.2.2	7 Aug 2013	yes	4.0.4	5.6
9.1	27 Dec 2012	9.2.2	7 Aug 2013	yes	4.0.4	5.4
9.0	6 Feb 2012	9.2.2	7 Aug 2013	yes	4.0.4	5.4
8.1	4 Jan 2011	8.1.3	30 Aug 2011	yes	4.0.4	5.3
8.0	1 May 2010	8.1.3	30 Aug 2011	yes	4.0.4	5.3
7.1	10 Mar 2010	7.1.3	10 Mar 2010	yes	4.0.4
7.0	23 June 2008	7.0.3	14 Jan 2009	yes	4.0.4
6.2	16 Jan 2008	6.2.0	19 Jan 2008	Yes	4.0.4
6.1	11 May 2007	6.1.2	14 Sep 2007	Yes	4.0.4
6.0	Jan 2007	6.2.0	19 Jan 2008	Yes	4.0.4
5.1	9 Jun 2006	5.1.4	9 Jun 2006	Yes	4.0.4
5.0	14 May 2005	5.1.4	9 Jun 2006	Yes	4.0.4

PHP Version history

PHP versions have usually been actively supported (correcting general problems and minor updates) for 2 years with an extra year of security support. This means that if a new vulnerability is discovered during the latter time it will be addressed. In the last few years this has been formalised and certain versions have been given extended support. Thus 5.6 support doesn't stop till 2019 but every prior version has been frozen.

The missing PHP v6 was an attempt to provide bottom-level Unicode support in PHP which failed. (At present PHP treats strings as bytes and treats multibyte characters as UTF-8 or UTF16 when necessary.) Most of its other innovations were introduced in v5.3 and 5.4 which explains why these versions appear in the earlier table. PHP v7 introduces a new underlying engine which is said to make 100% improvement in Wordpress loading times.

Which versions of PHP are available is entirely up to your ISP. Often they will continue to provide old versions on a no-guarantee basis. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's sensible to use them. To be safe, you are recommended to use the table below.

PHP version	Released	Active support ends	Security support ends	Requires TNG
7.2	30 Nov 2017	30 Nov 2019	30 Nov 2020	v12
7.1	1 Dec 2016	1 Dec 2018	1 Dec 2019	v11.1.2
7.0	3 Dec 2015	3 Dec 2017	3 Dec 2018	v11
5.6	28 Aug 2014	19 Jan 2017	31 Dec 2018	v9.2.2
5.5	20 Jun 2013		21 Jul 2016	v9.2.2
5.4	1 Mar 2012		3 Sep 2015
5.3	30 Jun 2009		14 Aug 2014
5.2	2 Nov 2006		6 Jan 2011
5.1	24 Nov 2005	24 Aug 2006
5.0	13 Jul 2005	5 Sep 2005
4.4	11 Jul 2005	7 Aug 2008
4.3	27 Dec 2002	31 Mar 2005
4.2	22 Apr 2002	6 Sep 2002
4.1	10 Dec 2001	12 Mar 2002
4.0	22 May 2000	23 Jun 2001
3.0	6 Jun 1998	2 Oct 2000

See also

PHP Upgrade Issues