Free WordPress plugin
Know what breaks before you upgrade PHP.
Find out which plugins and themes will break on a newer PHP version, and which look abandoned, before you upgrade.
- Acme Contact FormsReadyNo problems found for this PHP version.
- Sample Slider ProBlockerSome of its code will not work on PHP 8.4.
- Example SEO ToolkitGuarded legacy codeOld code that never runs on this PHP version.
- Demo GalleryWarningsWorks now. Needs updating before a future version.
- Old Widget PackRemoved from WordPress.orgClosed: no more updates or security fixes.
What you get
One clear verdict per plugin, and the reasons behind it.
Your host wants you on a newer PHP version. Airworthy reads every plugin and theme and tells you, in plain words, what will survive the switch.
A verdict for every plugin and theme
Blocker, Unknown, Suppressed, Guarded, Warnings or Ready, each with one plain sentence explaining what it means for you.
Fewer false alarms
Many plugins carry old code that only runs on old PHP versions, behind a version check. Airworthy recognises those checks and marks that code as guarded instead of broken. In our test of the 30 most popular plugins, this cut the plugins flagged as broken from 4 to the 2 with real bugs.
Maintenance signals from WordPress.org
Plugins that were closed (removed from the directory), not updated in two years, not tested with recent WordPress versions, or that need a newer PHP version than you picked are called out.
The details when you want them
Every finding shows the file, the line and what changed in PHP. Filter by verdict, rescan one plugin after an update, or download everything as a CSV file for your developer or host.
Sensible default
Airworthy recommends the oldest PHP version that still gets security fixes: the smallest upgrade that keeps your site protected. It shows every version's support dates.
Safe on any host
Scans run in the background in short batches, so they never time out, and they watch memory use. You can leave the page while a scan runs. Nothing is changed on your site.
Multisite ready
On a network, Airworthy is activated network-wide and lives under Network Admin > Settings.
Verdicts
Six verdicts. No guessing.
Most scanners call every old line of code an error. Airworthy tells apart code that will break from code that can never run on the version you picked.
- Blocker
- Needs attention before you upgrade. Some of its code will not work on the PHP version you picked, or it needs a newer PHP version than that.
- Unknown
- Some files could not be checked, so there's no verdict yet. The details list which files and why.
- Suppressed
- The author marked some code as intentionally left as-is. Most of the time that's fine, but worth confirming with them.
- Guarded
- It contains code for old PHP versions, but only runs it on those versions. Nothing to do.
- Warnings
- It works, but uses features that are being phased out. Nothing breaks now; the author should update before a future PHP version.
- Ready
- Nothing that would break on the PHP version you picked.
How it works
Pick a version. Airworthy does the rest.
- Choose the PHP version you want to move to. Airworthy suggests the oldest one that still gets security fixes.
- Start the scan. It runs in the background in short batches, so it never times out, and you can leave the page.
- Read the results. Update what can be updated, send the rest to the plugin's author or your developer, and upgrade with confidence.
Privacy
Your code stays on your server.
Airworthy reads your plugin and theme files where they are. It never runs them and never sends them anywhere.
To check whether plugins are still maintained, it looks up each plugin's folder name in the public WordPress.org directory. Not your site's address, not your plugin list, not your PHP version.
For developers
Everything works from WP-CLI.
wp airworthy scan --target=8.4
wp airworthy scan --only=my-plugin --fail-on=blocker
wp airworthy results --verdict=blocker,unknown
wp airworthy export --file=report.csvUse --fail-on=blocker to stop a deploy in CI when something would break.
Questions
Good to know
Does Airworthy change my PHP version or my site?
No. It only reads files and reports. You change the PHP version yourself, usually in your hosting control panel, when you're ready.
What can a static scan catch, and what can't it?
Airworthy reads the code without running it. That catches most PHP upgrade problems: functions, classes and constants that were removed, changed syntax, removed extensions, and new reserved words. It sees every file, including code paths your visitors rarely trigger.
It can't see what only happens when code runs. For example: code that builds function names at run time, behaviour that depends on your data or settings, and problems in files a plugin downloads or generates later. Some newer PHP changes (such as a few PHP 8.1 and 8.5 deprecations) can't be detected reliably by reading code yet. So a "Ready" verdict means no problems were found, not a guarantee. Test on a staging copy of your site, and keep a backup, before you switch.
What is sent to WordPress.org?
Only each plugin's slug (its folder name), to look up its public directory entry. Not your site address, not your plugin list, not your PHP version. See Privacy above. Themes aren't looked up.
Will a scan slow down my site?
Scans run in the background in short batches of about 20 seconds, using WordPress's own scheduled tasks (Action Scheduler). Visitors aren't affected. A typical site with 20–30 plugins takes a few minutes; Airworthy estimates the time before you start.
Upgrade PHP without the surprises.
Free, open source, and made for the sites that need it most.