Server requirements

Summary: Ensure smooth WordPress theme performance with our guide on essential hosting requirements: WordPress 6+, PHP 7.4+, MySQL 5.7+, Nginx/Apache with mod_rewrite, and HTTPS support. Learn how to request the necessary PHP configuration limits to avoid common issues and enhance your website’s performance.

To ensure optimal performance with any Keystone Themes WordPress theme, your hosting environment should meet the following requirements:

✅ Recommended Server Environment:

• WordPress version: 6.0 or higher
• PHP version: 7.4 or higher
• MySQL version: 5.7 or higher OR MariaDB 10.3+
• Web server: Nginx or Apache with mod_rewrite module
• HTTPS support: Required

📌 Note: WordPress officially recommends PHP 7.4+. You can read more in the Hosting Handbook.

⚠️ Outdated Software Warning:

Using versions older than PHP 7.3 or MySQL 5.6 is strongly discouraged. These versions are no longer actively maintained and may expose your website to security vulnerabilities, incompatibility, and performance issues.

🔄 How to Update Your PHP Version

In most cases, you cannot update PHP manually — your hosting provider needs to do it. Here’s a message you can copy and send to your host:

Subject: Request to Update Server Configuration

Hello,

I’m planning to run a modern WordPress theme from Keystone Themes and would like to confirm that my account supports the following:

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.3 or higher
• Nginx or Apache with mod_rewrite
• HTTPS enabled

Additionally, please increase these server limits to at least:

• max_execution_time = 240
• memory_limit = 512M
• post_max_size = 64M
• upload_max_filesize = 64M
• max_input_time = 120

Thank you!

🔧 PHP Configuration Limits (Minimum Recommended)

These limits are important, especially when importing demo content or working with large media files. Too low, and you might run into errors or incomplete imports.

We recommend setting the following:

iniCopyEditmemory_limit        = 512M
max_input_vars      = 5000
max_execution_time  = 300
max_input_time      = 120
post_max_size       = 64M
upload_max_filesize = 64M
allow_url_fopen     = ON
asp_tags            = OFF
cURL                = ON

If you’re not comfortable editing your php.ini or .htaccess files, your hosting provider can apply these changes for you.