Smart Plugin Manager: Get Peace of Mind With Automated Plugin Updates

Key takeaways

• More than half of all WordPress security issues are caused by out-of-date plugins, making manual monitoring of dozens of unique plugins a significant risk factor for modern digital projects.
• WP Engine’s Smart Plugin Manager automatically checks for and installs plugin updates at a time that is most convenient for you to maintain site security and performance without manual intervention
• The add-on protects your site from vulnerabilities caused by out-of-date plugins, a leading cause of security breaches.
• Smart Plugin Manager uses visual regression testing to ensure updates don’t break your site’s look or functionality. Its rollback system ensures the site remains operational even if an update is incompatible. This simple feature can save hours of manual research, backups, and testing.

Plugins: the benefits and risks

WordPress^® plugins are a big part of what makes WordPress the world’s leading CMS. A massive library of community-built plugins allows for nearly infinite site customization without developers having to craft new features from scratch. Plugins empower developers with the extra flexibility and functionality they need to meet the form and function of any digital project. 

However, the plugin model is not perfect. Different plugins are maintained by different teams and updated at different times, and just one unchecked vulnerability from an outdated version of a plugin can put your site at risk. It’s difficult to monitor updates to potentially dozens of unique plugins in a single build, but if you don’t stay on top of maintenance, you risk exposing your site to security risks. In fact, more than half of all WordPress security issues come through out-of-date plugins.

Even if you manage to stay on top of every plugin update, you might find that one of those updates conflicts with other plugins, WordPress core, or your custom code. A single conflict can crash your site, leading to hours of frustrating troubleshooting. Managing plugin updates manually takes up hours of research and development work that could be put to better use elsewhere.

Smart Plugin Manager solves common plugin problems

WP Engine created Smart Plugin Manager to be our customers’ trusted tool for hassle-free plugin management. It’s a fully automated solution that takes the guesswork out of maintenance, keeping all your themes and plugins up to date, so your site remains secure and operational.

How it works: Automation with confidence

Smart Plugin Manager handles the entire plugin update lifecycle. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it feature that automatically improves your site maintenance routine without extra work.

Better control through scheduled updates

Smart Plugin Manager automatically checks your plugins for updates at a specific time you choose. You can opt in or out of automatic updates for each plugin on sites with SPM enabled for even more granular control over which plugins are allowed to update automatically.

Visual regression testing

The biggest reason people put off plugin updates is the fear of a broken site. Smart Plugin Manager removes this uncertainty by using visual regression testing after every update. It ensures that updated plugins won’t change the look of your site or break its core functionality.

Reliable rollbacks and notifications

If a visual test fails, the system automatically rolls back your site to its previous state. You also receive detailed upgrade reports via email, keeping you informed without requiring you to manually check every update.

Focus on what matters most

By streamlining the plugin management process, you save valuable time and resources that can be better spent on refining your site to better engage your audience. You no longer have to spend hours researching safe updates, backing up sites manually, or waiting for updates to finish.

Take the first step toward a smarter, more secure WordPress website with WP Engine and Smart Plugin Manager!