How to Tell Which Version of WordPress a Website is Running?
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in use today, particularly among bloggers, who use it to power their sites. It is a complex subject to try and discern what version of WordPress a site is running, as there are so many different versions released over the years, with each one having its own advantages and disadvantages. To help you out with this, we have compiled a detailed guide on how to tell which version of WordPress a website is running.
Check For Hidden Compartments
One of the first things you should do to determine the version of WordPress a website is running is to check for hidden compartments within the code. This is something that you can’t fully perceive without using one of the many code inspection tools, which you will learn more about in this segment. One of the best free tools for this is the Web Developer extension for Chrome, which provides you with a live preview of the code as you navigate the site. When you arrive at a page with hidden compartments, you will see a little green padlock in the top left-hand corner of the preview pane, or on the actual website itself. This will indicate to you that the site is safe to use and that you don’t need to be overly concerned about any sort of security issues.
Look For Differences In Browser Behavior
Another way to tell which version of WordPress a site is running is to check for differences in browser behavior. This can be a bit more difficult to do, as you will need to do some research into what the preferred browsers for each version of WordPress are, and then compare them side-by-side. One of the simplest ways to do this is to use the browser’s built-in developer tools, and inspect the page, or site, as you would normally do. One of the best tools for this is the Chrome DevTools, which allows you to quickly toggle back and forth between various versions of WordPress, or other content management systems, to compare how they behave when different browsers are used.
Look For Differences In Site Functionality
Even though the above methods should give you a good idea of what version of WordPress a site is running, it is always best to visit the site in a different browser, or even on a different device altogether, to get a more definitive answer. This is because various browsers and devices may have different levels of support for the different versions of WordPress, resulting in some quirks in behavior, or even complete crashes. As always, the best approach is to use a tool like Ghostery, which prevents trackers and third-party cookies from being set when you visit a website, to ensure you can’t be tracked by advertisers when using public Wi-Fi or other unsecure connections.
Use A Digital Forensic Tool To Detemine File Modification Dates
WordPress is often updated regularly with bug fixes and security fixes, so you will see a new version of WordPress released almost every month. This makes it easy for your site to become slightly dated, particularly if you aren’t careful. To determine the last time files within your WordPress installation were modified, you can use one of the many digital forensic tools available today. These are software programs that can analyze deleted files, as well as examine the files on your system for evidence of tampering. One of the best free digital forensic tools is Sleuth Kit from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which can be downloaded for free from their website. With Sleuth Kit, you can search for evidence of tampering, such as hidden compartments, within deleted or existing files on your system. If you’ve been having trouble determining what version of WordPress a site is running, this is certainly a helpful tool to have in your arsenal.
Check The WordPress Codex
The WordPress website contains a lot of documentation, particularly in the form of tutorials and FAQs, which can be a great source of information when trying to determine what version of WordPress a site is running. The best place to start is the codex.wordpress.org, which is the main documentation repository for WordPress. There you will find detailed information about the different versions of WordPress, as well as instructions for how to upgrade your site to a specific version. For instance, if you are trying to determine what version of WordPress a site is running, but can’t figure it out from above, you can always check the codex for help.
Include Other Tools To Determine Version Information
Even though the above methods may seem relatively simple, it is important to remember that if you want to truly determine what version of WordPress a site is running, you will need to examine each page in multiple browsers, or on different devices. Doing this manually may take a lot of time, particularly if you have a large number of pages to check. Fortunately, there are tools that can help automate this process, and include other helpful functions, like the Web Developer extension for Chrome, which helps you detect and diagnose JavaScript errors.
As you can see, there are numerous ways to determine what version of WordPress a site is running, however, not all of them may be applicable to your situation. The above methods should give you a good starting point for how to determine what version of WordPress a site is running, but it is always best to use an up-to-date tool, or set of tools, to get the definitive answer.