The Care Log

Notes on keeping WordPress sites well.

Practical website care in plain English: updates, backups, forms, WooCommerce and the small decisions that keep a site dependable. Written by Jay, the developer behind WPComfy.

How to Test a WordPress Backup Restore (Before You Need It)

Almost every site has a backup plugin; far fewer have a tested restore. What a practical way back looks like.

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What Is a WordPress Staging Site (and When You Really Need One)

A private copy of your site where updates can fail safely. When staging is worth it, and the mistakes to avoid.

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How Often Should You Update WordPress Plugins?

Security fixes, routine releases and major versions deserve different timing. A practical update rhythm.

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Which PHP Version Should Your WordPress Site Use?

How to check which PHP version your site runs, why outdated versions are a risk, and how to upgrade safely.

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How to Monitor WordPress Forms (and What a Weekly Check Can’t Tell You)

A form can show “Thank you” while the message never reaches anyone. What a weekly check covers, and where the line sits.

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WordPress SSL Certificate Expired? Causes, Fixes and Monitoring

Certificates renew automatically — until they don’t. Why SSL expires, how to fix it fast and how monitoring helps.

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WooCommerce Maintenance Checklist for Store Owners

Everything a WordPress site needs, plus the store-specific checks that keep a WooCommerce shop taking orders.

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How to Update WooCommerce Without Breaking Checkout

WooCommerce updates touch templates, data and extensions. A step-by-step process for updating without losing sales.

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How to Test WooCommerce Checkout Without Real Payments

Staging, test payment modes and the parts of a purchase flow worth checking after updates — without real orders.

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WooCommerce “Outdated Templates” Warning: What It Means and How to Fix It

Your theme overrides WooCommerce templates, and WooCommerce has moved on. What it means and how to fix it safely.

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Got a WordPress question worth a note?

Send it over. If it’s useful to others, it may become the next entry in the Care Log — and you’ll get a straight answer either way.

Ask Jay