[kat82]

I have 7 plugins that have updates available. Some of them have been notifying me of the updates since January and I was reluctant to doing the update since I didn't want any trouble with that small client site. However, reading online showed me that updates are necessary if you must keep your website normal and away from security threats. So I am wondering whether it is mandatory to do updates and how often I should do this?

[Tendz]

They are highly necessary to keep your Wordpress website secure and working properly. If a plugin has a critical security update available, update it immediately.

[kat82]

They are highly necessary to keep your Wordpress website secure and working properly. If a plugin has a critical security update available, update it immediately.

Oh okay but what if the plugin breaks the site? A recent automatic plugin update led my site to stuck in maintenance mode for some good hours until I was recommended on what to do.. But the old ones had no issue.

[augusta]

Yes, it is highly recommended to regularly update WordPress plugins, along with the core and themes, for security, performance, and feature enhancements. As often as you can

[kat82]

I understand how important is to update the core including themes. But these plugins are making me think about removing them. Infact from 12 plugins now to only 7.

[germainebull]

Reducing the number of plugins is a great step because it helps your site stay lightweight and more secure. Every plugin increases the load on your site and the likelihood of compatibility issues, so reducing the number from 12 to 7 simplifies maintenance and minimizes conflicts. Most importantly, ensure that the remaining plugins are essential for your site's functionality and are regularly updated. A balance between basic themes and a few high-quality plugins is what keeps your WordPress site stable, fast, and secure.

[Mika]

You should update as soon as updates for plugins are available. However, not updating wouldn't generally create any issues, you only miss some features that are made available through updates.