With the release of WordPress 3.7, you don’t have to manually apply maintenance and security updates any longer. Most sites are now able to automatically apply these updates in the background. The update process also has been made even more reliable and secure, with dozens of new checks and safeguards.
However, there are a few reasons to disable auto updates, including:
- You manage your site using version control
- You implement your own deployment mechanism (potentially to multiple servers)
- You are a managed WordPress host and feel confident in pushing timely updates yourself
Disabling automatic updates in WordPress is easy. Simply add this line of code in your wp-config.php file:
Keeping your WordPress site up-to-date is extremely important.
If you don’t keep your site up to date, you are making the web a less safe place for you and everyone who visits your website.
To dig deeper into understanding automatic updates,
Andrew Nacin has written The definitive guide to disabling auto updates in WordPress 3.7